The Cabinet of Lambeth Council met on Monday 24 November 2025 to discuss the Q2 2025/26 Budget Monitoring Report, the Lambeth Corporate Peer Challenge Progress Review 2025, and the Outcomes Framework Performance for Q2 2025/26. The meeting approved recommendations from the Budget Monitoring Report, noted the progress review, and considered the latest performance update against the Outcomes Framework.

Quarter 2 2025/26 Budget Monitoring Report

The Cabinet received the Quarter 2 2025/26 Budget Monitoring Report, which detailed the Council's financial position, including forecast year-end positions for revenue and capital expenditure and income. Councillor Judith Cavanagh, Acting Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the report, highlighting the challenging financial situation faced by the Council due to government austerity measures and increasing demand for statutory services such as temporary accommodation and adult social care. She emphasised the Council's commitment to financial sustainability and the difficult decisions required to safeguard vital services for vulnerable residents.

Councillor Martin Abrams, a visiting member, raised concerns about the Council's financial strain, the lack of a clear strategy for temporary accommodation and social care, and the significant amount of savings yet to be identified for future years. He urged the Council to be more transparent with residents, revisit the Borough Plan, and intensify lobbying efforts for a fair funding deal from central government.

Marietta Crichton Stuart, representing the Friends of Kennington Park, spoke about the pause in funding for the Kennington Park Skate Bowl, highlighting its importance for young people's wellbeing and community cohesion. Sophy Tayler, from the SE5 Forum and Lambeth Forum Network, expressed concern about the proposed reduction in funding for local forums, emphasizing their crucial role in leveraging external funding and supporting community projects.

In response, Councillor Claire Holland, Leader of the Council, stated that the Council was making difficult decisions immediately rather than deferring them. Officers provided assurances that savings proposals for future years would be brought forward through the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. They also explained that the Skate Bowl project was part of a wider capital review to reduce borrowing, and that decisions on paused projects would be made shortly. Regarding the Forum Network funding, officers confirmed they would work with the forums to identify alternative funding sources.

Cabinet Members discussed the significant financial pressures, particularly in temporary accommodation, adult social care, and children's services. Councillor Danial Adilypour, Deputy Leader of the Council (Housing, Investment, & New Homes), detailed strategies to reduce reliance on costly nightly-paid temporary accommodation, including renegotiating contracts and a new placement policy. Councillor Fred Cowell, Cabinet Member for Digital, Data and Resident Experience, highlighted improvements in digital transformation and resident experience. Councillor Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, spoke about the importance of recruiting in-house foster carers and the Council's efforts to increase lobbying for greater local powers.

Councillor David Bridson and Councillor Nanda Manley-Browne, Cabinet Members for Healthier Communities, highlighted work being done to stabilize the adult social care system, including right-sizing reviews and expanding step-down bed capacity. Councillor Bridson also mentioned the saving realised from the government now delivering the morning after pill for free, allowing public health grants to be used for other vital services. Councillor Marcia Cameron, Cabinet Member for Economic Inclusion, confirmed that officers were working with commissioned organisations to identify alternative funding sources for the Lambeth Forum Network.

The Cabinet approved the recommendations contained within the Quarter 2 2025/26 Budget Monitoring Report, which aim to safeguard the Council's financial sustainability.

Lambeth Corporate Peer Challenge Progress Review 2025

Councillor Claire Holland introduced the Lambeth Corporate Peer Challenge Progress Review 2025, highlighting that an independent LGA peer team had confirmed significant progress had been made since their previous visit. The report praised the Council's strong political leadership, improved grip on budget pressures, and its commitment to championing the borough's diversity.

Councillor Martin Abrams, a visiting member, noted that while progress was acknowledged, the report also highlighted a precarious financial position and the need for the Council to go further and faster on cuts and savings. He raised questions about immediate steps to address the financial risk, the push for a new national funding model, transparency on the long-term financial implications of the HRA and Homes for Lambeth, prioritization of high-impact carbon reduction actions, strengthening scrutiny, and the meaning of exceptional financial support.

Officers responded by stating that the budget paper already outlined steps to stabilize finances. They confirmed ongoing engagement with the government on local government funding reform and acknowledged that repairing the economic and fiscal damage would take time. The Council is lobbying for greater devolution of powers and fiscal devolution to raise money locally. Regarding transparency, they highlighted the open and honest approach in the current report.

Councillor Fred Cowell, Cabinet Member for Digital, Data and Resident Experience, explained that exceptional financial support (EFS) is permission to borrow more, and that London has the highest number of local authorities reliant on EFS. He stressed the importance of stabilizing council finances and being responsible governors.

Councillor Donatus Anyanwu, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, emphasized the importance of working with commissioned organizations to find alternative funding sources for the voluntary and community sector. Councillor Danial Adilypour addressed questions about the Kennington Skate Bowl, stating it was part of a wider capital review, and that decisions on paused projects would be made shortly. He also confirmed that early notification of the Forum Network saving was deliberate to allow time for mitigation work.

Councillor Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, commended the peer review's recognition of improvements in children's services and the Council's commitment to protecting essential services. He also raised a question about the potential revenues foregone by not pursuing economic growth, such as tourism and new jobs. Officers responded that quantifying this would be in the hundreds of millions, if not billions, over a ten-year period, reinforcing the Council's pro-growth stance.

Councillor David Bridson and Councillor Nanda Manley-Browne, Cabinet Members for Healthier Communities, highlighted the pilot programme for neighbourhood working as a key future system. Andrew Carter, a senior officer, provided an overview of the ambition for neighbourhood working, focusing on preventative health and care systems and shifting care closer to people's homes.

Councillor Fred Cowell, Cabinet Member for Digital, Data and Resident Experience, concluded by thanking officers for their hard work and acknowledging the financial prudence exercised. Councillor Judith Cavanagh, Acting Cabinet Member for Finance, reiterated the Council's commitment to transparency and financial sustainability, emphasizing that savings are not about cutting services but about improving outcomes for residents.

The Cabinet noted the progress review report and agreed to use the feedback to inform the delivery of the Lambeth Council Corporate Peer Challenge action plan.

Outcomes Framework Performance: Q2 2025/26

Councillor Fred Cowell introduced the Outcomes Framework Performance: Q2 2025/26 report, highlighting that the Council had built on strong performance against its outcomes framework, with 77% of target indicators currently being met, an increase from 72% in Q1. He noted improvements in the timeliness of responses to housing benefit and council tax support, and strong performance from Active Lambeth services.

Councillor Martin Abrams, a visiting member, raised concerns about deepening inequality for young people, declining early years outcomes, community safety risks, and worsening housing inequality. He pointed to red indicators in poverty, youth safety, housing, and health, urging the Cabinet to treat these issues with urgency and work cross-party on solutions rooted in equity and social justice.

In response, Councillor Marcia Cameron, Cabinet Member for Economic Inclusion, defended the Council's housing record, stating that the Green Party had opposed every housing development. Councillor Dr. Mahamed Hashi, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, addressed concerns about youth violence reduction workshops, noting that targets had been exceeded and that a range of personalized interventions were in place. He also highlighted reductions in violence with injury and knife crime.

Officers provided further details on specific performance indicators. Regarding claimant rates for young people, it was noted that the gap between youth claimants and the general claimant rate had narrowed. On damp and mould cases, officers confirmed that statutory obligations were being met and that performance had significantly improved. Regarding rough sleeping support, Councillor David Bridson detailed the extensive outreach services and the provision of beds, emphasizing that Lambeth goes above and beyond statutory requirements. Councillor Nanda Manley-Browne welcomed the increase in Active Lambeth membership among Black and multi-ethnic communities.

Councillor Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, contextualized early years figures, attributing them to national pressures and underinvestment rather than a lack of council effort. He highlighted the Council's response through expanding outreach and strengthening provision.

Councillor Donatus Anyanwu, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, agreed with the positive points raised about Active Lambeth membership and biodiversity in parks, while also critiquing the visiting member's understanding of the Council's progress.

The Cabinet considered and commented on the latest performance update against the delivery of the Outcomes Framework.