Southwark’s Liberal Democrat Joint Administration announces bold plan to make Southwark affordable, greener, and safer

Southwark's Joint Administration has today formally adopted its four-year ambition for the borough, setting out a programme focused on making Southwark more affordable, safer and greener. 

The document establishes seven key priorities for the administration: creating a borough people can afford, taking serious action on climate change, tackling the housing crisis, improving community safety, delivering cleaner and greener streets, defending Southwark's interests, and building a council that residents can shape. It will form the basis of a fully costed Borough Action Plan to be published later this year. 

The programme reflects many of the priorities residents raised during the local elections and aligns with key Liberal Democrat commitments to tackle the housing crisis, support communities through the cost of living challenge, improve neighbourhood safety, create cleaner and greener streets, and restore local decision-making.  

The administration has committed to delivering change despite significant challenges, including a £102 million funding challenge facing the council over the coming years, rising housing pressures and growing demand for local services.  

The executive also announced that the future of two vital local services have been saved:  The Nest, which provides mental health support for young people, and Dementia Advisors. Both services had previously faced the loss of council funding due to the former Labour administration. Subject to council governance processes, funding has now been secured to allow them to continue, with the NHS expected to be able to support with funding for the Nest. 

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Strategic Planning and Wellbeing, said: 

"Residents voted for change in May and made clear that the old way of doing things was no longer good enough. 

We have inherited significant challenges, including a £102 million funding gap due to the Labour government, and a housing service that needs rebuilding, but residents did not elect us to make excuses. They elected us to fix Southwark. 

This ambition sets out a clear direction: tackling the housing crisis, delivering more genuinely affordable homes, making our streets safer and cleaner, taking serious action on climate change and, crucially, rebuilding trust by giving residents a stronger voice in local decision-making. 

Together, we will build a Southwark that is more affordable, safer and greener for everyone."