The Council Assembly is scheduled to consider a range of important topics, including a themed debate on making Southwark more affordable, safer, and greener, alongside several members' motions addressing key local and national issues. The meeting will also receive a report on the council's treasury management outturn for the 2025-26 financial year.

Themed Debate: Making Southwark More Affordable, Safer, and Greener

A central part of the meeting will be a themed debate focusing on the council's ambitions for Southwark to be more affordable, safer, and greener. Councillor James McAsh, Leader of the Council, and Councillor Victor Chamberlain, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Strategic Planning, and Wellbeing, are scheduled to present a motion outlining the Joint Administration's priorities. This motion highlights challenges such as child poverty, the impacts of climate breakdown, the housing crisis, and public safety concerns. It also details the formation of a new Joint Administration by the Green and Liberal Democrat groups following the 2026 local elections, and outlines principles of affordability, safety, and green initiatives. The motion is expected to detail progress made by the new administration, including programmes for providing uniforms, accelerating heatwave responses, investing in night-time patrols, and launching community skips to tackle fly-tipping. The council assembly will be asked to consider a proposal to turn these priorities into a full Borough Action Plan, covering areas such as affordability, climate action, tackling the housing crisis, making Southwark safer, delivering clean and green streets, defending Southwark's interests, and creating a more responsive council.

Members' Motions

A significant portion of the agenda is dedicated to members' motions, which are scheduled for debate and voting.

• Support Southwark residents, support Southwark staff: This motion, introduced by Councillor Sarah King and seconded by Councillor Stephanie Cryan, is intended to recognise the work of council staff and councillors, highlighting past achievements in service protection, library services, free school meals, council house building, care charters, and efforts to improve educational outcomes. It is also expected to call on the current coalition to protect staff, ensure new commitments are not funded by cuts to frontline services, and maintain vital services and schemes.

• Southwark's commitment to trans, non-binary, and intersex inclusion: Proposed by Councillor Janice White and seconded by Councillor Ryan Cox, this motion seeks to reaffirm Southwark's commitment as a Borough of Sanctuary for trans, non-binary, and intersex individuals. It is expected to address the legal responsibilities of the council regarding the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty, and propose a review of council policies, mandatory staff training on trans awareness, and the inclusion of non-gendered facilities in public buildings.

• Southwark's Place in Europe: Moved by Councillor Victor Chamberlain and seconded by Councillor David Watson, this motion is expected to acknowledge the contributions of the European Union to London's development and Southwark residents' benefits from EU-funded projects. It is also expected to note Southwark's overwhelming vote to remain in the EU in 2016 and express concern over the economic impacts of Brexit. The motion is expected to resolve to support closer cooperation between the UK and the EU, advocating for policies that strengthen international links and promote Southwark as an open and internationally connected borough.

• National Year of Reading - making Southwark a borough of readers: Introduced by Councillor Victoria Mills and seconded by Councillor Richard Leeming, this motion is expected to address the national decline in reading for pleasure. It is expected to highlight the importance of libraries and reading programmes, referencing the House of Commons Education Committee's report and the Labour Government's initiatives. The motion is expected to call for the protection of Southwark's library service, an audit of school library provision, and increased participation in reading programmes, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

• Defending sanctuary in Southwark: Proposed by Councillor Rebecca Corn and seconded by Councillor Dean Peters, this motion is expected to reaffirm Southwark's status as a Borough of Sanctuary. It is expected to express concern over the increasingly hostile atmosphere surrounding migration and the rise in Home Office immigration enforcement. The motion is expected to resolve to protect the firewall between council services and immigration enforcement, support migrant and refugee communities facing displacement, and advocate for a London-wide Sanctuary Corridor.

• Standing Up For Southwark: This motion, from Councillor Rachel Bentley and seconded by Councillor Richard Macmillan, is expected to criticise the Labour Government's performance since July 2024, citing controversies, policy U-turns, and failures in areas such as housing, immigration, climate action, and trans rights. It is expected to argue that Labour's austerity measures will significantly harm Southwark and call on the council's Joint Administration to hold the government accountable, seek meetings with ministers, and ensure a fair budget that protects vulnerable residents.

• Building a Care System That Works: Southwark and the National Conversation on Care: Introduced by Councillor Esme Dobson and seconded by Councillor Tori Griffiths, this motion is expected to acknowledge the unsustainable nature of the current social care system. It is expected to welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to reform and the Big Conversation on Care initiative. The motion is expected to resolve to promote local participation in this national conversation, offer Southwark's support, and ensure that adult social care and older people are prioritised in the council's plans.

• A clean energy future for Southwark: Proposed by Councillor Eloise Waldon-Day and seconded by Councillor Catherine Dawkins, this motion is expected to reaffirm Southwark Council's commitment to tackling the climate emergency. It is expected to highlight the risks of climate breakdown, the volatility of fossil fuel prices, and the potential of renewable energy. The motion is expected to call on the Government to cease new oil and gas drilling, increase support for energy efficiency, and provide necessary funding and policy frameworks for local authorities to transition to clean energy. It is also expected to support the National Emergency Briefing initiative.

Treasury Management Outturn 2025-26

The council assembly will also receive the Treasury Management – Outturn 2025-26 report. This report, presented by the Strategic Director of Resources, is expected to provide an overview of the council's borrowing and investment activities during the last financial year. It is expected to detail the treasury management portfolio summary, an economic summary for the period, and outline performance against prudential indicators. The report is expected to note that the total external debt outstanding as of 31 March 2026 was £1.2 billion, with a total investments balance of £97.8 million. It is also expected to cover the borrowing strategy, investment management, and the revenue implications of treasury management activities, including an underspend of £16.5 million against the Corporate Finance budget for 2025-26. The report is expected to include appendices detailing prudential indicators and a glossary of financial terms.