At a meeting of the Southwark Council Assembly, Councillor Sarah King was elected as the new Leader of the Council, and the cabinet will remain unchanged at present. Councillors debated a motion on community safety, and also discussed motions relating to welfare cuts, making space for girls in parks, a tourist tax, and limiting gambling premises. The assembly also approved a waiver for Councillor Maggie Browning's attendance due to maternity leave, and reviewed the Treasury Management Outturn report for 2024-25.

Election of the Leader of the Council

Councillor Sarah King was elected as the new Leader of the Council, following the resignation of Councillor Kieron Williams. Her term will last until the first annual meeting of the council after the next ordinary election in May 2026.

Keeping Southwark Safe: Fighting Crime and the Causes of Crime

Following a themed debate, the Council Assembly approved a motion on community safety, which included commitments to:

• Improve areas where women have reported feeling unsafe
• Hold information sessions to provide women with practical tools to increase feelings of safety at night
• Improve council communications to ensure that women and anyone who feels unsafe knows where safe spaces are to get support
• Explore the possibility of appointing a councillor as a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Champion
• Continue to roll out better lighting and CCTV
• Open a Women's Safety Centre
• Establish safe routes to school
• Help ensure a policing presence is maintained in Rotherhithe.

The debate included community evidence from Quince Garcia of Roadworks Media, who spoke about using lived experience to empower young people impacted by disparaging issues, and Lucia Adams, who discussed working with the council and other agencies to address crime in Burgess Park and its surrounds.

Councillor Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, presented the motion, while Councillor Victor Chamberlain, Leader of the Opposition, responded and proposed an amendment, which was ultimately lost.

Members' Motions

The Council Assembly considered several motions, all of which were carried:

• Southwark Welcomes 400th Refugee Family: This motion celebrates the council's achievement in resettling 400 refugee families and reaffirms its commitment to supporting sanctuary seekers.
• Southwark Stands Against Welfare Cuts: An amended motion addressing concerns about welfare reforms and their impact on vulnerable residents. The original motion was amended to recognise the Labour government's actions to mitigate the impact of welfare cuts, and to focus on the need for a thorough review of the welfare system.
• Making Space for Girls in Parks and Open Spaces: This motion aims to address the exclusion of teenage girls from parks and open spaces by including a gender-inclusion strand in the new Green Spaces Plan[^1], undertaking an audit of parks and play areas, engaging girls and young women in the design process, and delivering co-designed pilot interventions. [^1]: The Green Spaces Plan is a strategy for the management and development of parks and open spaces in Southwark.
• Implementation of a Tourist Tax: An amended motion supporting the implementation of a London-wide tourism levy through accommodation costs, and committing the council to understanding the potential impact of a tourism levy on businesses. The original motion was amended to focus on a London-wide approach, rather than a local tourist tax.
• Limiting the Spread of Damaging Gambling Premises in the Blue: This motion restates the council's commitment to the Blue Lettings Strategy[^2] and aims to limit the spread of gambling premises in the area. [^2]: The Blue Lettings Strategy is a plan to improve the mix of shops and stalls in the Blue Bermondsey area, creating new jobs and opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

Deputations

The Council Assembly heard deputations from two groups:

• Bells Garden TRA: Addressed concerns about the proposed resumption of in-fill developments in the Bells Gardens and Lindley estates.
• Manor Estate TRA: Asked questions about building works on the Manor Estate, specifically regarding Tenda Road and Pope House.

Waiver of Six-Month Councillor Attendance Rule

The Council Assembly approved a waiver of the six-month councillor attendance rule for Councillor Maggie Browning, Labour Group Whip, due to maternity leave, effective from 4 September 2025, for 26 weeks. Councillor Browning declared a pecuniary interest in this item and did not vote on it.

Treasury Management - Outturn 2024-25

The Council Assembly noted the Treasury Management Outturn report for 2024-25, which provided an update on the economic background, confirmed compliance with the approved treasury management strategy, and detailed the council's external debt and investments. The report highlighted that the balance outstanding on all external debt as at 31 March 2025 was £1,159m, and the balance on investments stood at £53m. The council also raised £1.5m of long-term funding through the issuance of two tranches of green bonds, managed by Abundance Investment, to finance a wide range of innovative environmental initiatives.

Public Question Time

Two public questions were received and answered:

• Nathaniel Gregory asked about the plan for expanding bicycle access and safety in Southwark.
• Hellen Cristina Benavides Orosz asked about actions being taken to tackle phone snatching.