MIL Pubishing Engine 2

Source: London Assembly

• Mayor says long-promised laws banning dangerous knives need to be finally introduced as soon as possible.

 

• Sadiq wants tougher restrictions with loopholes finally closed to prevent sales.

 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to urgently bring forward the long-promised new legislation to ban zombie-style knives and machetes – as soon as Parliament returns. The weapons are still available to purchase cheaply and legally online. He has also called on Ministers to toughen up their proposals and urgently close loopholes that mean these weapons could still be purchased even after laws are eventually introduced.

 

Four of the most recent Home Secretaries – Theresa May, Amber Rudd, Sajid Javid and Priti Patel, together with current Policing Minister Chris Philp – have all announced plans to ban the blades since 2016, but so far it still hasn’t happened. The knives remain available to buy online, with no legislation yet in place.

 

The Mayor has written to the Home Secretary Suella Braverman saying he welcomes recent government announcements in this area but reiterating that there is no time to waste in introducing this legislation – and that it must be toughened up. He has highlighted a number of loopholes in the current proposals that should be closed immediately.

 

In particular, the proposed new measures cover knives that have either a serrated edge, more than one hole in the blade, or multiple sharp spikes. The Mayor believes this is something that can easily be circumnavigated by manufacturers by changing the design. He also thinks that other knives can be equally as dangerous and that narrowly defined restrictions will not be effective.

 

The Government proposals still allow for machete-style knives that have ‘legitimate use’, which includes for work or leisure. Sadiq thinks there is not enough evidence to support these types of knives being used for such purposes, and that they are purchased solely to inflict harm, violence and to intimidate.

 

Sadiq fully recognises that the causes of violent crime are extremely complex, involving deep-seated societal problems like poverty, social alienation, mental ill-health and a lack of opportunity and the solutions will take time, particularly with the prolonging of Government austerity. He stands ready to offer support to Government and partner agencies to drive down not just knife crime, but all forms of violent crime.

 

The Mayor has been clear that there is a national epidemic of violence against women and girls which needs to be treated with urgency. From City Hall, the Mayor has overseen more than £117m in investment in tackling violence against women and girls since he was first elected and is championing a public health approach to ending the violence and misogyny too many women face on a daily basis as we work towards building a safer London for everyone.

 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Tackling violence in our city will always be my top priority and I am determined to be tough on crime and tough on its complex causes.  

 

“I am urging the Government to urgently bring forward the long-awaited legislation banning zombie-style knives and machetes as soon as Parliament returns.

 

“Ministers have my full support on this, and I’ve welcomed their announcements to tighten up the law. But the time for talking is over and we need to speed up the legislation so we can ban these awful weapons as soon as possible. The proposals also need to be toughened up to close the loopholes that could still allow the sale of these weapons.

 

“I’m determined to do everything in my power to end the scourge of knife crime and continue leading from the front to build a safe London for everyone.”

  

The Mayor also says there is a need for greater dialogue between the Government and social media companies to ensure that posts and videos that glamourise violence are not shared, and that posts promoting the sale of weapons, usually for low prices, are prevented from going live.

 

Similarly, work needs to be undertaken with retailers, with online purchases presenting a loophole. Identification is currently required at point of sale, but this is not necessarily requested on delivery and where retailers are challenged on this, they often pass the blame on to the delivery company.

 

Sadiq is committed to driving down violence by being tough on violent crime and tough on its complex causes. He has invested record amount in the Metropolitan police and London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), which in partnership with others across London, helped to see the number of murders in the capital fall last year to its lowest level since 2014.

The Mayor’s investment has helped to boost officer numbers by 1,300 and recruit 500 new Police Community Support Officers to revitalise neighbourhood policing in our communities. Against the backdrop of devastating Government cuts, which have decimated youth services in London and across the country, the Mayor set up the VRU to lead prevention and early intervention work, which has led to funding more than 150,000 positive opportunities for young people already.

 

However, the Mayor is clear that there is still a long way to go and will continue to do everything in his power to drive down violence. He urges the Government to match his commitment and undo the damage of cuts that have seen more than 700 fewer youth workers and the closure of more than 130 youth centres across London.

Source: London Assembly

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned that the switching off of an app that has been used by thousands of Londoners to help homeless people risks leaving vulnerable people on the street this winter.

The Streetlink app allows members of the public to alert local homelessness support services if they see someone sleeping rough in their area. Between April 2022 and March 2023 there were 11,861 referrals using the app nationally. Last year, StreetLink alerts led directly to the Mayor’s Rapid Response Outreach Team supporting nearly 2,000 people into emergency accommodation or an assessment hub, with 85 per cent leaving rough sleeping as a result. There are also eight London boroughs where a local outreach team responds to StreetLink alerts, meaning the total number of people supported off the streets each year following a report made to StreetLink will be higher still.

However, following the Government’s procurement of a new provider for the service this winter, the Mayor was deeply concerned to hear that the app that had helped so many vulnerable people is to be discontinued, with all referrals now having to be made via the StreetLink website. From 29 September 2023, Streetlink’s app ceased functioning, severing a vital method for concerned members of the public to help people sleeping rough.

Streetlink and other rough sleeping support services are set to be more vital than ever this winter as extraordinary financial pressures put the poorest at growing risk of homelessness. Across the country, rough sleeping rose last year and is up by 74% since 2010.

The Mayor continues to urge the Government to do much more to prevent rough sleeping. In particular, he wants to see the Government put more robust measures in place to tackle the unprecedented cost-of living-crisis, provide further assistance for those with drug and alcohol dependency and restore the social security safety net which helps stop people become trapped in a cycle of homelessness. He has also called for the end to no-fault evictions for private renters and national investment in new council and affordable homes.

Since taking office, the Mayor has rapidly expanded the number of pan-London rough sleeping services that City Hall funds and commissions. Since 2016, the Mayor’s Rough Sleeping Programme has supported over 15,500 people to leave the streets for good, alleviating the suffering and indignity associated with rough sleeping. However, the Mayor’s pioneering ‘In for Good’ principle meant that, following intervention from City Hall-funded services, more than 75 per cent of those who received support were not seen sleeping rough again.  

At £36.3m, the rough sleeping budget in 2023/24 is now more than four times the £8.45m a year it was when Sadiq Khan took office. This includes £12.1m of City Hall funding and £23.5m secured from the Government. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It beggars belief that the Government is removing this support for rough sleepers at a time when the number of people on our country’s streets is rising, with the number up three-quarters in England since 2010.

“Last year, more than 11,000 referrals were made across England via the StreetLink app, around half of which were in London. This app has been crucial for connecting rough sleepers to services that can get them off the streets, including the Mayor’s pioneering Rapid Response Outreach Team.

“Ministers must urgently re-instate this important support for rough sleepers.”

Source: London Assembly

• New funding from the Civil Society Roots programme will help communities impacted by inequalities across the capital
• Grants up to £32,500 awarded to 21 community-led organisations by Mayor, National Lottery Community Fund and City Bridge Foundation
• Organisations advocating for those most in need set to benefit, including groups focussed on empowering women, and d/Deaf and disabled Londoners

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund and City Bridge Foundation, has today announced the successful recipients of more than £600,000¹ funding to help low-income and marginalised communities.

The funding, which is part of the Civil Society Roots programme, will help communities impacted by inequalities across the capital. – including Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners, d/Deaf and disabled Londoners, LGBTQI+ Londoners, older Londoners, and women.

The funding is specifically aimed at supporting organisations to respond to, and serve, the needs of communities that were hardest hit by the impact of the pandemic and now impacted by the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Successful organisations² include Hillingdon Women’s centre, an initiative which helps empower women-led community groups in the borough; Suvai Deaf East Community in Redbridge, who advocate on behalf of d/Deaf and disabled Londoners; and the Sound Minds mental health project in Wandsworth which intends to use funding to establish a network and forum that connects service users, their families, and related organisations.

This round of funding is targeted at organisations working in or based in Bromley, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Newham, Redbridge, Sutton, and Wandsworth. These boroughs³ have been found to receive lower amounts of funding.

Civil Society Roots was launched in 2022 to fund community-led organisations to help them increase collaboration, commission research, recruit new staff, and invest in the resources they need to support those across the capital most impacted by social inequalities. Last year total grants of just under £500,000 were given out by the programme.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “With the lasting impact of the pandemic and the rising cost of living increasing inequalities in our city, there has never been a greater need for organisations like those receiving this funding. I am proud that the Civil Society Roots programme is able to help strengthen organisations, so that they can better support marginalised communities across the capital. By working in collaboration with partners, we are building a fairer, more equitable city for all Londoners.”

Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation Chairman, said: “We’re proud to support the Civil Society Roots programme, which extends our commitment to increasing equity, diversity and inclusion and empowering London’s communities and the organisations that support them to flourish. This funding will enable charities to do even more to help the people who need it most, in the funding cold spot London boroughs where it will have the greatest impact.”

John Mothersole, England Chair at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside the Greater London Authority and City Bridge Foundation to award this vital funding through the Civil Society Roots programme, which is helping to build a stronger civil society in the capital.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding is supporting community-led organisations in London – which are led by and for marginalised communities – to develop their networks, create new partnerships, increase their reach, and strengthen their voice.”

Source: London Assembly

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today met Croydon community and youth leaders following the tragic death of Elianne Andam to talk about the ongoing efforts to tackle violence.

The Mayor met with youth workers, young people and the police at The Wellness Centre, who have been part of the joint response and support provided to the community after 15-year-old Elianne was killed on Wednesday morning.

The Mayor has been supporting the community through his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and its £6m MyEnds programme. The MyEnds network has been working in partnership with community leaders, youth leaders and the emergency services to provide support in the aftermath of the incident.

The community-led network is funded by the Mayor to provide mentoring for young people, parent support, youth work, training for young people dealing with trauma and mental health issues and community leadership programmes for local people.

Today’s visit comes after the Mayor joined local MP Sarah Jones, youth workers, community leaders, police officers and first responders in Croydon yesterday.

The Mayor is committed to driving down violence by being tough on violence crime and tough on its complex causes. In the face of Government cuts, he has invested records amount in the Met police and London’s VRU, which in partnership with others across London, helped to see the number of murders in the capital fall last year to its lowest level since 2014.

The Mayor’s investment has helped to boost officer numbers by 1,300 and recruit 500 new Police Community Support Officers to revitalise neighbourhood policing in our communities. Against the backdrop of devastating Government cuts which have decimated youth services in London and across the country, the Mayor set up the VRU to lead prevention and early intervention work which has led to funding more than 150,000 positive opportunities for young people already. This includes £2m funding in Croydon to tackle school exclusions, provide support and activities after school, at weekends and during the school holidays and mentoring support of almost £1m to provide over 1,000 young residents of Croydon with a mentor.

However, the Mayor is clear that there is more to do and will continue to do everything in his power to drive down violence, and urges the Government to match his commitment and undo the damage of cuts that have seen more than 700 fewer youth workers and the closure of more than 130 youth centres across London.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Today I’ve met with youth workers and young people in Croydon following the devastating death of 15-year-old Elianne Andam.

“Everybody here is shocked, heartbroken and traumatised, and my heart goes out to Elianne’s family, friends and all those affected in Croydon. I can only imagine, as a father of two daughters myself, what her family and friends are going through right now.

“I’m committed to driving down violence by being tough on violent crime and tough on its complex causes, and will continue working day and night to do everything in my power to end the scourge of knife crime in our city. This means supporting the police in tackling violence and providing record funding to young Londoners for prevention and early intervention, through my Violence Reduction Unit, as part of an approach to build a safer city for all Londoners.”