Mayor's £21 Billion Budget Approved Without Opposition Amendments
The Mayor of London's comprehensive budget for the 2026/27 fiscal year has been formally approved by the London Assembly, proceeding without any of the proposed policy changes from opposition parties. Sir Sadiq Khan's financial plan, which exceeds £21 billion in total allocation across the Greater London Authority (GLA), was ratified during the annual meeting at City Hall.
Record Police Funding and Transportation Investments
The finalized budget includes a historic £1.26 billion dedicated to policing initiatives, featuring a targeted crackdown on mobile phone theft across the capital. Additionally, Transport for London (TfL) and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) will each receive substantial budget increases of £250 million to enhance their operational capabilities.
Notable allocations within the budget include £20 million to implement recommendations from the AI Taskforce and an equivalent sum to explore innovative fare structures within London's transportation network. These investments are partially funded through a recently discovered £142.6 million windfall and an average £20.13 increase in the Mayor's share of council tax bills for London residents next year.
Rejected Amendments from Opposition Parties
Despite extensive debate, all eight proposed amendments to the budget were defeated, requiring a two-thirds majority from the 25-member London Assembly that was unattainable against the Labour group's 11 members. The rejected proposals spanned various policy areas and party platforms.
The Conservative group, led by budget spokesman Neil Garratt, proposed cost-saving measures totaling £65.7 million that would have eliminated the planned council tax increase. Their plan included reducing the number of Deputy Mayors from nine to five and implementing staff reductions across both the GLA and TfL organizations.
Liberal Democrat leader Hina Bokhari reiterated her longstanding proposal for establishing a dedicated Disability Champion position within City Hall to ensure accountability on accessibility issues. This recommendation had previously been passed twice by the London Assembly but was never adopted by the Mayor, who maintains that Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice Dr. Debbie Weekes-Bernard already fulfills this responsibility.
Reform UK's Comprehensive Amendment Package
Reform UK presented multiple amendments that were ultimately rejected, including a £46 million proposal to deploy 567 additional police officers across London's streets. This initiative would have been funded by reducing City Hall staffing to 2016 levels.
Another Reform amendment called for TfL to install public toilets along all 63 bus priority networks at a cost of £20 million, addressing concerns about driver accessibility and dignity during extended shifts. This funding would have been drawn from the Safe and Healthy Streets budget allocation.
Additional Reform proposals included £27 million for repairs to the Broadmead Road Bridge in Redbridge, which has remained closed to traffic since 2023 due to safety concerns, and £7 million to maintain 24/7 police station front counters by eliminating TfL's nominee pass program that provides free travel for employee household members.
Cross-Party Efforts and Non-Binding Motions
Conservative and Liberal Democrat members collaborated on a last-minute joint amendment attempting to preserve all police station front counters through efficiency savings at TfL, but this measure also failed to gain sufficient support.
The Green Party reiterated previous requests for increased funding to support renter's rights organizations, legal action against Heathrow Airport expansion, strategic reallocation of police resources, and enhanced active travel infrastructure in underserved areas.
While the binding budget amendments were rejected, Assembly Members did pass non-binding motions addressing grooming gang prevention and restoring funding to the Cyber Helpline, which provides specialized support for victims of cybercrime and online harassment. However, these motions carry no mandatory implementation requirements for the Mayor's administration.
The approved budget now proceeds without modification, reflecting the Mayor's original financial priorities for London's governance, transportation, emergency services, and technological advancement initiatives throughout the 2026/27 fiscal period.
