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Your weekly London local government update

10 Sep 25

New Secretary of State for MHCLG

The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP has been appointed Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as part of the reshuffle  announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the wake of the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP.

First elected as the MP for Streatham and Croydon North in July 2024, he was previously Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

He is a former Leader of Lambeth Council (2006-2012) and formerly an Executive Member at London Councils (Children's Service and Employment).

Cllr Claire Holland, Chair of London Councils, said: “We welcome Steve Reed’s appointment as Secretary of State and look forward to working with him to deliver on our shared priorities.

“He is someone who knows the local government sector inside out and recognises the challenges facing boroughs in the capital, as well as the huge opportunities which exist to bring about positive change for our communities.

“Boroughs are determined to deliver – whether it's building new homes or driving economic growth. After more than a decade of structural underfunding, fixing the crisis in local government finances is vital to ensuring we can play our part.

“We look forward to working in positive partnership with the new Secretary of State on these issues, particularly as work continues on the proposed reforms to local government funding.”

Miatta Fahnbulleh MP and Samantha Dixon MP have both been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State at the MHCLG.

You can find the full list of Ministerial appointments here. ( [link removed] )

APPG for London

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for London ( [link removed] ) held its AGM yesterday (Tuesday 9 September).

At the AGM, Florence Eshalomi MP, Munira Wilson MP and Lord Ranger of Northwood were elected as Co-Chairs, while Natasha Irons MP was elected as Vice Chair of the APPG.

London Councils Deputy Chair and Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration Cllr Grace Williams spoke at the AGM to provide a briefing ahead of a joint discussion on housing in London.

The APPG for London is a forum for MPs and Peers to work together on a cross-party basis to strengthen the capital's voice in Parliament. The group’s purpose is to promote the capital in the interests of all Londoners.

London Councils provides the secretariat to the group on behalf of London government, including the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

Case studies in prevention

To celebrate 60 years of the London boroughs, each week, London Councils is sharing prevention case studies highlighting how preventative action by London boroughs is helping to save money and improve the lives of their residents.

This week, our case study is from the London Borough of Lewisham, where an opt-out process for pupil premium funding has been piloted to help eligible families maximise their support. This innovative approach has influenced other council services to adopt a similar tactic to help reach more residents.

You can read  LB Lewisham's case study in full on our LinkedIn page here. ( [link removed] )

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In the news this week...

Steve Reed succeeds Rayner as local government secretary
The MJ ( [link removed] )
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Two junior ministers added to MHCLG
LGC ( [link removed] )
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London Councils To Be Hit Hardest By Closure Of Social Care Visa
PoliticsHome ( [link removed] )
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Work to dismantle Grenfell Tower set to begin
BBC News ( [link removed] )
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Lambeth Council has approached London Councils with a proposal to introduce fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for byelaw offences in parks and open spaces that are covered by Lambeth Byelaws. 
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London Councils is the collective of local government in London, the 32 boroughs and the City of London.
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