Search questions

• Reference: 2024/1195
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 15 March 2024

How will your January 2024 report, Properties vulnerable to heat impacts in London: Prioritisation for adaptation interventions, commissioned by the GLA from Arup, inform your initiatives to: a) increase the green coverage of London, and b) retrofit homes and public buildings?

• Reference: 2024/0385
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 18 January 2024

The Government has decided not to mandate that all newly let properties must have an EPC rating of C or higher by 2025. What assessment have you made of the impact this decision will have on Londoners in the private rented sector, and how have you been lobbying Government to reverse this decision?

• Reference: 2024/0170
• Question by: Keith Prince
• Meeting date: 18 January 2024

Residents in Wennington in Havering, whose homes were destroyed in a fire last year, face being charged up to £10,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to rebuild their homes, including around £3,000 from the Mayor of London CIL, unless they can commit to living in the home for three years after it is rebuilt. Could you please investigate this and use whatever exemptions are possible, such as discretionary relief, to waive the requirement for Mayoral CIL entirely for these properties, and encourage Havering Council to do the same with their local CIL?

• Reference: 2023/4803
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 21 December 2023

In May this year, you and the leader of Westminster Council called on the Government to: a) devolve more powers to set higher rates of council tax on empty homes, and b) make it easier for councils to take over empty homes using Empty Dwelling Management Orders. How many meetings have you had with Government officials since May where you have lobbied for these powers, and on what dates did they take place? Please provide information broken down by a) and b).

• Reference: 2023/4804
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 21 December 2023

In February 2022, you called on Government to: a) raise capital gains tax (CGT) on overseas buyers from 28 per cent to 40 per cent, b) remove CGT relief, and c) increase the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings for overseas companies. How many meetings have you had with Government officials in the last twelve months where you have lobbied for these powers, and on what dates did they take place? Please provide information broken down by a), b) and c).

• Reference: 2023/4805
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 21 December 2023

In August 2022, the Government introduced a Register of Overseas Entities, following lobbying from yourself and others. What assessment have you made of: a) how well this register is operating, b) what tangible benefits it has brought for Londoners, and c) what you would like to see from the Government to mitigate issues and close loopholes?

• Reference: 2023/4075
• Question by: Keith Prince
• Meeting date: 16 November 2023

Do you agree with Redbridge Council’s decision to lease part of the Oakfield Playing Fields to a private company, denying access to the public of this long-established piece of Green Belt, which is currently used by upwards of thirty teams a week? Given you intervened last time this piece of Green Belt was under threat, will you use your offices to do so again?

• Reference: 2023/3952
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 12 October 2023

My recent report, London’s ‘Retrofit Revolution’: What’s going wrong?, highlights London councils’ poor delivery of home upgrades via the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). How do you plan to work with councils to ensure this does not happen again in the next round of the SHDF, given £131.5 million will be made available to London?

• Reference: 2023/3953
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 12 October 2023

You won £12 million from the Government for Phase 4 of the Warmer Homes programme, a significant drop-off from the £40 million for the previous phase. What assessments have you made of: a) why this huge drop-off in funding occurred, and b) the impacts a smaller Warmer Homes scheme will have on London?

• Reference: 2023/3954
• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 12 October 2023

Mayoral Decision 3132 outlines the current funding plans for the next phase of the Warmer Homes grants programme. How many households do you expect to upgrade with this funding?