Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Our website

Investing in vital local services

I often get asked “What is my council tax being spent on”? It’s a very fair question.

Last night Council Assembly approved our 2025 to 2026 budget, which sets spending for next year.

We’ve focused on protecting and investing in vital services, including street cleaning, good parks, libraries, youth groups, care for older and vulnerable residents, our cost of living fund and much more. 

In total the council provides over 800 services for local people, and we've worked hard to make sure every pound we spend for you goes further.

Also last night we approved £2 million of extra investment in key areas that you’ve told us are important.

This includes new night-time wardens to make our streets and estates safer, new clean streets patrols to crack down on fly-tipping, a new family hub to help children with special educational needs and disabilities in their first years, and extending our Southwark Energy Savers service to help you bring your bills down.

To support our local services, council tax will increase by 4.99 per cent this year, in line with other London councils. This is an average (Band D) increase of £1.27, including 51p per week towards care for vulnerable and older people.

Even with this rise, Southwark continues to have one of the lowest council tax rates in London, and we offer discounts of up to 85 per cent for people on the lowest incomes.

You’ll soon receive your annual council tax leaflet with full details of our spending. If you need help or support with the cost of living, please see our website.

£2 out of every £5 we spend comes from council tax. You play a huge part in making our borough what it is.

We’re working hard to deliver the services you need, and to make sure all the money we spend for you makes more of a difference.

Cllr Kieron Williams

Leader of Southwark Council

Things to do

Black female soldiers line up for inspection

>> Learn about women who made a difference in wartime

On International Women’s Day, come and find out how Empire and Allied women overcame the barriers placed in their way by the British War Office, and made their undeniable impact in the war effort.

Saturday 8 March, from 3pm to 4pm, at Camberwell Library, SE5 7AL.

>> Find out how to extend the life of your clothes

Have you got old items that need repairing? Join Veolia and Southwark Council for Repair Week 2025 at Canada Water Library on Saturday 8 March, from 10am to 2pm. Drop into a workshop to learn handy darning and mending skills to repair your beloved clothes. Get ahead on the spring clean, and bring in your old electronics and tech devices by donating them to be repaired and rehomed or recycled. 

>> Join a Fostering in Southwark information session

Have you ever considered supporting a child in need? Fostering in Southwark is proudly hosting community information sessions delivering everything you need to know about fostering. You will find information about the type of placements, the generous financial packages with council tax relief foster cares receive, and clinical support. There will also be a chance for Q and As. The next information session takes place on Thursday 27 February from 1pm to 2.30pm, at Canada Water Library.

>> Discover independent and queer cinema in SE1

Head to the Arzner in Bermondsey Street, for films, food and cocktails. Upcoming titles include Pride, Supernova and The Wizard of Oz.

>> Keep up to date with culture and events in Southwark

Sign up for our monthly Southwark Presents enewsletter to get updates on culture and events in Southwark for all ages. Plus news from Southwark Libraries and Heritage.

Health and wellbeing

A young girl uses her banana as a smile

>> Free fruit and veg vouchers: do you qualify?

If you're pregnant or have children under the age of five (until Sunday 31 August 2025) and you live in SE1, SE5, SE15, SE16 and SE17, you may be eligible for free fruit and veg vouchers. You could qualify if you get Universal Credit, Healthy Start, are on a low income or have no recourse to public funds (NRPF), for example as a refugee or asylum seeker.

>> Support your child's early language and communication

Playing, chatting and reading with your baby helps them learn and creates special moments together. Daily activities develop communication skills and prepare them for education. Make sure you're getting the childcare you're entitled too. Join one of our programmes today and discover how your home can be a learning space from your baby's first days.

>> Quit smoking for good – with a little help

You’re five times more likely to quit smoking for good if you can make it to at least 28 days smoke free. Sign-up for free, confidential one-to-one stop-smoking support, in-person or via our telephone service.

Get involved

Southwark Young Advisors at Peckham Levels: we want to hear from young people in the borough

>> Share your views on youth activities for a chance to get a £50 shopping voucher

We want to hear what young people in Southwark think about youth centre activities, and what type of programmes and resources they would like available at youth clubs.

If you're a young person, fill in our survey now. If you're not, please share the link with any young people in the borough you know. It takes five minutes to complete and they could win a £50 shopping voucher and more.

>> Centre for Black African and Caribbean Elders: sign up by Monday to join the working group

Thank you for giving your views on a new centre that reflects the cultural, social, and physical needs of Black seniors in Southwark. Now, you can play a vital role in the next steps – sign up before next Monday, 3 March 2025 to join the working group.

>> Share your thoughts on local pharmacies: £50 prize draw

We want your views to identify current and future need for pharmacy services in Southwark. Take our short survey before 11.59pm on Sunday 23 March 2025 and enter our prize draw for the chance to receive a £50 shopping voucher.

>> Women and girls safety survey update

Thank you to everyone who got involved in our recent Women and Girls' Safety Survey. We had an amazing 729 responses! Your experiences will help to inform us of concerns across the borough, identify your priorities and safety needs, and help us plan how we can make improvements.

Other updates

>> Advice on damp and mould if you're a private tenant

We have updated our information and advice on damp and mould for private tenants on our website. This includes information for landlords on their responsibilities to tenants.

You can also find information on damp and mould for council tenants.

>> Sign up to a Safer Southwark

Discover how we're working towards a safer Southwark for everyone. We'll be sending out the next edition of our community safety newsletter in the next few days, so sign up now to stay up to date.

>> £30,000 Pride Fund: apply before 4 March

Our LGBTQI+ communities can apply for a share of the fund to create events from June to the end of August 2025. These must celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer identity, the culture, histories and rights of these communities.