At Full Council on Wednesday 6 March, the Council’s Budget for 2024 to 2025 was given the greenlight, including an agreement to open eight new Our Greenwich Support Hubs to protect the mental health and wellbeing of children across the borough. 

The Council has balanced its budget at a time where local councils up and down the country face impossible decisions, with some even declaring effective bankruptcy.  

Councillor Anthony Okereke said: “We are proud to be able to deliver a balanced budget for 2024 to 2025. 

“Our children are the future which is why we’re opening eight new mental health hubs in our borough, a pioneering scheme we hope will help young people reach their full potential. 

“We’re also working to reduce health inequalities through assisted technology and tackling the growing climate emergency by starting a green investment scheme allowing everyone to give back to the community and help fund local projects from as little as £5. 

“This hasn’t been an easy task, but thanks to tireless work across the Council, this budget promises to deliver greater value for money without compromising our vision or values.” 

The Council has reviewed all its services to ensure Royal Greenwich remains adaptive to the changing needs of its residents, which we pledged in Our Greenwich, the Council’s vision for the future. 

Our approved budget includes: 

• Opening eight new mental health hubs for our schools, to support children’s development and mental wellbeing 

• Starting a green investment scheme, allowing residents to invest in projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving communities 

• Investing £7.6m into our Sustainable Transport Fund to make it easier and cleaner to move around the borough 

• Tackling food poverty by funding local organisations to support families and communities experiencing food poverty 

• Helping adults in our care live independently by investing in new technology 

• Building our network of foster families and supporting children in care by keeping them safely within other family members 

• Combating rogue landlords by lobbying the Secretary of State to allow us to implement tougher licensing 

• Taxing second homes so individuals with second homes will be charged 100% premium – that’s double council tax for the year starting in 2025/2026 

• Supporting Council Tenants with £180,000 investment into our Hardship Fund 

• Protecting frontline services by opening new channels and better accessibility 

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