Sadiq Khan’s London Budget: More Council Tax, Record Police Spending and Questions Over What Havering Will Get.

11th November 202611th November 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments GLA budget, Havering, London Mayor min read

Sadiq Khan’s 2026/27 budget for London includes record spending on policing, millions for tackling violence against women and girls, investment in young people and new funding for artificial intelligence. But with Londoners facing a higher Mayor’s council tax charge, questions remain over how much of this spending will make a difference to residents in outer boroughs such as Havering.

The Mayor’s final draft budget was published on 18 February 2026 and approved by the London Assembly without amendment on 26 February.

The budget covers the Greater London Authority and its wider group of organisations, including Transport for London (TfL), the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade.

Among its biggest commitments is £1.26 billion from City Hall for policing and crime prevention, almost £100 million more than the previous year’s allocation. This is not the Metropolitan Police’s entire budget, which also receives funding from other sources.

The Mayor has described this as record investment in keeping Londoners safe, with additional funding intended to tackle mobile phone theft, support young people and address violence against women and girls.

But while the headline figures are substantial, residents will want to know whether the investment will translate into more visible policing, improved transport and better services in their own neighbourhoods.

Londoners face another council tax increase

One of the most immediate changes for households is the increase in the Mayor’s share of council tax.

For a Band D property in London’s 32 boroughs, the GLA precept has risen from £490.38 in 2025/26 to £510.51 in 2026/27.

That is an annual increase of £20.13, or approximately 4.1%.

The increase is made up of:

£15 towards the Metropolitan Police.
£5.13 towards the London Fire Brigade.

The additional charge is approximately £1.68 a month for a Band D household.

This is the Mayor’s portion of council tax and is separate from the amount charged by individual borough councils.

For Havering residents, it means another increase on top of the council’s own council tax charge.

£1.26bn from City Hall for policing – but will Havering see more officers?

Policing is one of the biggest areas of the Mayor’s budget.

The £1.26 billion allocation includes an additional £4.5 million to help tackle mobile phone theft and dismantle criminal gangs operating across the capital.

There is also £2.4 million for support for victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation.

However, the Metropolitan Police’s 2026/27 budget states that officer numbers are expected to remain stable at 31,258 throughout the year.

The police budget also includes £20 million in non-workforce efficiencies, following work to close an estimated £150 million budget gap.

The financial position is not without challenges, with the projected budget gap rising to £52 million in 2027/28 and £54 million in 2028/29.

For Havering residents, the important question is how much of the additional investment will reach neighbourhood policing teams and whether it will improve police visibility across Romford, Harold Hill, Rainham, Hornchurch and Upminster.

£29m to tackle violence against women and girls

The Mayor has proposed an additional £29 million to tackle violence against women and girls across London.

The funding is intended to support prevention, improve safety and provide help for those affected by violence and abuse.

The announcement comes as communities across London continue to campaign for safer streets and better support for survivors.

In Havering, the council is also marking 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women and Girls, with community events, survivor engagement and opportunities for residents to connect with support services.

The question is how much of the Mayor’s additional funding will reach frontline organisations and specialist services in outer London boroughs.

£50m for young people

A further £50 million is being proposed to provide positive opportunities for young Londoners and help divert vulnerable young people away from gangs and crime.

The funding forms part of the Mayor’s wider approach to crime prevention, recognising the importance of early intervention alongside policing.

However, residents will want to see clear evidence of how the money is being spent, how many young people are benefiting and whether programmes are reaching boroughs such as Havering.

Housing, homelessness and transport

The budget also includes £2.25 billion to help build new homes for Londoners, alongside a further £8 million to help tackle rough sleeping.

Housing remains one of London’s biggest challenges, with affordability and the availability of suitable accommodation continuing to affect households across the capital.

For Havering, where development, housing targets and pressure on local infrastructure remain major issues, the important question is how much of the Mayor’s housing investment will support genuinely affordable homes in outer London.

Transport is another major part of the spending programme.

The budget includes £20 million for further fares innovation, as well as investment in improving accessibility, maintaining the transport network and developing services across London.

Havering residents will be particularly interested in what this means for local bus services, railway connections, station accessibility and the wider transport links serving the borough.

£20m for artificial intelligence

One of the more unusual announcements is a new £20 million fund to help Londoners adapt to the growth of artificial intelligence.

The money is intended to support the development of AI skills and help workers and businesses prepare for changes in the economy.

While the investment looks towards London’s future workforce, questions remain about how the fund will be distributed and how residents will benefit from it.

A huge budget, but where will the money go?

The Mayor’s budget contains substantial commitments across policing, housing, transport, crime prevention and public safety.

But the headline figures do not automatically tell residents how much money will reach their own borough.

For Havering, there are important questions about neighbourhood policing, local transport improvements, support for vulnerable residents, affordable housing and services for young people.

The London Assembly approved the final draft budget without amendment, meaning it became the GLA’s budget for 2026/27.

The challenge now is delivery.

With residents paying more through the Mayor’s council tax precept, they will expect to see clear results and understand how the money is being spent.

For outer London boroughs such as Havering, the question is simple: how much of this investment will residents actually see on their streets, in their communities and through the public services they rely on?

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