A summary of the key discussions from Lambeth Cabinet's meeting on Wednesday 22 July 2026.

The first item was the General Fund overspend of around £11 million. Main pressures on the council budget are the provision of temporary accommodation, the cost of children's services and adult social care, income shortfalls and undelivered savings.

Questions covered the cost of the pause to the Central Hill dementia service relocation, the impact of savings on children's services and the potential cuts to library opening hours and staffing. There were also challenges to the cost of funding 35 new capital projects and concerns about the timeline for delivering savings proposals.

Members also discussed investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and its future income generation. Concerns were raised over the proposed expenditure on specialist support for the Finance Improvement Programme and whether it represented value for money. A fuller Quarter 1 financial position will be reported to Cabinet in September.

The second item was the Medium-Term Financial Strategy update for 2027–31. The budget gap for 2029–30 remains at £93 million, while the projected gap for 2027–28 is now £19 million. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of invest-to-save initiatives and income generation projects.

Speaking on behalf of the Norwood Forum's Transport and Planning Sub-committee, Anne Crane welcomed plans to expand electric vehicle charging points. She asked that they be distributed fairly across the borough, including in areas with fewer transport options, and that they are designed to be accessible for people with disabilities. She also requested safe charging options that avoid trailing cables across pavements.