The London Assembly is calling on the Mayor to prioritise training for the retrofitting industry in his 2024-25 budget.
The Assembly believes that city-wide retrofitting would help fight the cost-of-living crisis, while wide-scale retrofitting would help reduce fuel poverty.
Because of this, it has today agreed a motion calling on the Mayor, in his Final Draft Consolidated Budget for 2024-25, to prioritise addressing the gaps in training workers in the skills needed for the retrofitting industry.
It is also urging the Mayor to explore all potential sources of income that can be put towards retrofit programmes, including calling on the Government to provide consistent, multi-year funding without restrictive conditions.
Zack Polanski AM, who proposed the budget-related motion, said:
“Retrofitting is a triple win: it creates good green jobs, lowers emissions, and reduces bills.
“For years, I have challenged the Mayor on our failure to train Londoners to insulate our own homes.
“I’m delighted that the Assembly passed my motion unanimously, which is a start but not a solution. I look forward to seeing further funding from the Mayor to tackle the climate and economic crisis in our city.”
The full text of the motion is:
This Assembly notes:
- there is cross-Assembly consensus to tackle the climate emergency and reach net zero, and that substantial retrofitting would cut emissions
- city-wide retrofitting would help fight the cost-of-living crisis
- wide-scale retrofitting would help reduce fuel poverty
- that training people with the appropriate skills needed to substantially retrofit buildings is essential and must be supported fully
- that training in retrofitting skills is currently insufficiently supported, as documented in reports such as London Councils’ report, Skills for the transition to net zero, and Business LDN’s recent action plan, which describes the skills gap as: “acutely felt in the retrofit home-services industry.”
This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor, in his Final Draft Consolidated Budget for 2024-25, to prioritise addressing the gaps in training workers in the skills needed for the retrofitting industry.
This Assembly further asks the Mayor to explore all potential sources of income that can be put towards retrofit programmes, including calling on the Government to provide consistent, multi-year funding without restrictive conditions.
Notes to editors
- The budget-related motion was agreed unanimously.
- Watch the webcast.
- The budget setting process is set out in Schedule 6 of the GLA Act 1999 (as amended).
- Zack Polanski AM, who proposed the budget-related motion, is available for interview.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Emma Bowden on 07849 303 897. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.