Economic Recovery Implementation Plan

Key information

Publication type: General

Introduction

London is facing the most challenging period in its recent history. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound economic, social and health impacts on London and Londoners, exacerbating deep-seated inequalities. Critically, it has also exposed and accelerated trends which were already emerging, such as changes to traditional patterns of work, and consumer behaviour affecting traditional retail environments. Bold and urgent action is needed to restore confidence, provide targeted support to London’s most vulnerable communities and rebuild the city’s economy to face both new and pre-existing challenges.

In October 2021, the Mayor and London Councils jointly published an Economic Recovery Framework for London. This Implementation Plan outlines how the GLA Group and Family are driving action to deliver the Framework and support London’s economic recovery. The Implementation Plan addresses the 2021 Mayoral pledge to refresh London’s Economic Development Strategy in light of the new challenges brought upon by COVID-19.

An Economic Recovery Framework for London

The London Recovery Programme and its missions-based approach are central to our efforts to support London’s economic and social recovery, driving new and innovative collaboration between strategic partners to address joint challenges. The Mayor, London Councils, London’s anchor institutions and others are working together in an unprecedented partnership towards a common grand challenge: to restore confidence in the city, minimise the impact on communities and build back better the city’s economy and society.

As London transitions from direct crisis support to fostering longer-term recovery, we must deal with the structural changes to London’s economy. To identify gaps in our activity, to come together with partners around new areas of work and to meaningfully tackle challenges of this scale, a clear framework for action is needed. To this end, teams at the GLA, London Councils and boroughs have worked together to develop an Economic Recovery Framework which both underpins the delivery of the missions and goes beyond them to articulate a wider picture. A central aim of the framework is to articulate the roles and responsibilities for the different parts of London’s government: the GLA Group and Family, boroughs and sub-regional partnerships.

The framework contains five pillars of activity:

Jobs
Business
Thriving Neighbourhoods
Connected City
Global London

Each pillar includes four key issues to focus collective efforts on. Sitting across the five pillars are two cross-cutting priorities:

achieving net-zero and building the green economy
narrowing social, economic and health inequalities.

The diagram below outlines the pillars and cross-cutting priorities of the Economic Recovery Framework.

Taking action: the GLA Implementation Plan

The remaining sections of this Implementation Plan set out how the GLA Group and Family is taking action to support London’s economic recovery against the five pillars, while considering the two cross-cutting priorities of building London’s green economy and narrowing inequalities.

While this document only concerns actions being led or supported by the GLA Group and Family, parallel workstreams are also significantly contributing to delivering London’s Economic Recovery priorities, including partnership work through the nine recovery missions and a wide range of programmes being developed by London boroughs, sub-regional partnerships and anchor institutions as part of our shared endeavor to build London’s economy back stronger, greener and fairer.

1. Jobs Pillar

London’s labour market has been hit hard by COVID-19. Although the capital’s unemployment gap had been narrowing towards the UK average, this gap widened again during the pandemic, exposing pre-existing structural inequalities.

Young Londoners, older Londoners, people with no or low qualifications and some Black and minority ethnic communities have experienced greater falls in employment rates during the pandemic compared to other groups; while disabled people, those with health conditions and women have higher levels of unemployment. Older Londoners have been particularly affected – unemployed men aged 50+ are more likely to be in long-term unemployment than any other age group. The pandemic has also put at particular risk those in insecure and precarious employment, such as freelancers and workers in the gig economy.

As the economy has begun to recover, with online job postings exceeding pre-pandemic levels, there are also signs that London’s employers are facing challenges in recruiting. The London Business 1000 survey showed an increase in the proportion of London businesses facing skills-related challenges last year, while over half (59 per cent) of London firms that tried to recruit in Q4 2021 experienced difficultiesReference:1, with a lack of qualified candidates cited as the main barrier. Worker shortages have disproportionately affected certain sectors – 28 per cent of UK hospitality employers and 20 per cent of construction employers experienced shortages in mid-January 2022, according to an ONS survey.

The Jobs pillar includes actions aiming to tackle current barriers to employment and help Londoners get the skills they need not just to get a job, but to get into good work. This means jobs which are fair, decent and secure in terms of pay, benefits and work conditions, and provide opportunities for skills development and career progression. Actions focus, in particular, on those sectors which are key to London’s recovery, such as the green economy, health and social care, hospitality, digital and the creative industries.

1.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering the Jobs pillar

1.1.1 Employability and barriers to employment

Creative Workforce Development Programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Film London, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Jobcentre Plus

A programme to get more people from diverse backgrounds into jobs in the creative industries. This includes “Creative Job centre”, delivered by Film London’s Equal Access Network in partnership with DWP/Jobcentre Plus to build new employment pathways between unemployed Londoners and creative employers - with an initial focus on the screen industries; “Unpacking the Credits” – a series of industry-led films and teaching resources to shine a light on creative jobs and the diversity of the people who do them; and Diversity Accelerator to bring together a cohort of CEOs from top cultural institutions and accelerate change within their organisations.

1.1.2 Access to services

No Wrong Door (NWD)

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: sub-regional partnerships; London Councils; DWP

This is a joint initiative between the GLA, London Councils and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which aims to join up information and advice on skills, employment and other support so residents can access the services that they need to progress into good employment. GLA funding is being directed towards building new capacity within London’s sub-regional partnerships, to coordinate support services for residents, and to support multi-agency working in employment and skills support.

Workforce Integration Network Toolkits and Design Labs

Status: ongoing

Hubs being established via the Mayor’s Academies Programme will be expected to engage with and support the GLA’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) which helps employers address the underrepresentation of certain communities within their workforce. This includes working with partners to sign up to WIN activity and commitments such as actions set out in inclusive employers toolkits. In addition, more in-depth support will be offered to large employers across the Academy sectors through the WIN Design Labs programme.

1.1.3 Skills and careers

Skills Roadmap for London

Status: ongoing

The Mayor’s Skills Roadmap for London aims to ensure adult education in London gives people the skills they need for jobs and helps to address inequality. It sets out a clear direction of travel for skills and adult education in the capital - including that funded via the Adult Education Budget - for the skills and employment sector, businesses, civil society and Londoners. It has been developed through significant engagement and consultation with stakeholders and Londoners.

Good Work for All Fund (GWfA)

Status: ongoing

The Mayor’s £32m Good Work Fund uses London’s Adult Education Budget (AEB) to prioritise training, education, and employability support that will enable Londoners to gain relevant skills, retrain and move into good work in sectors key to London’s recovery. This includes, although is not limited to, digital, health, social care, green, and the creative and cultural industries. Work with these sectors is now being complemented by the Mayor’s Academies Programme.

Mayor’s Academies Programme

Status: ongoing

The Mayor’s Academies Programme aims to support employers in the health, social care, green, hospitality, digital and creative industries, helping to address the skills shortages they are facing by ensuring Londoners are equipped with relevant skills. Initiatives include:

Hubs: GLA funding will enable Hubs to increase partnership-working by bringing together training providers, employers and other organisations to improve the relevance and responsiveness of skills training.
Providers Quality Mark: a project aiming to set a high bar for skills training in London which responds to priority sectors. The Quality Mark will only be awarded to training providers who meet the GLA’s assessment criteria demonstrating they are delivering high-quality industry-relevant training provision. The project will also provide a space for accredited training providers to share ideas, discuss best practice and collaborate to respond to sector-wide challenges to help drive high standards for sector skills provision.
Capital budget: the capital element will enable investment in Further Education estate, facilities and equipment to support the delivery of high-quality, industry-relevant, inclusive training provision which responds to the needs of sectors key to London’s recovery.

Adult Education Budget (AEB) – Delivery Plans

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: AEB providers

From 2021-22 academic year, all AEB-funded providers have been asked to produce delivery plans setting out how they are responding to the London Recovery Programme’s priorities for recovery.

London Careers Hubs

Status: ongoing (three-year programme launched in October 2021)

With one hub established in each sub regional partnership area, the programme connects London employers with schools and colleges to improve their careers information, advice and guidance offer, to ensure all young Londoners are aware of the opportunities and different career pathways available to them. The programme includes a targeted strand that is aimed at improving career destinations for Further Education College students with special educational needs.

Local Skills Report

Status: ongoing

The Skills for Londoners Board, as the Skills Advisory Panel for London, is required to publish a Local Skills Report (LSR) on an annual basis. The GLA will lead the development of the London LSR, which will include local data on supply of skills provision in London and demand for jobs at London level and more locally. This will help to inform policy relating to skills and employment interventions, including the Adult Education Budget.

Adult Skills Marketing and Community Outreach Programme

Status: ongoing

The GLA is developing a long-term marketing and community outreach programme for adult education in London. This includes a ‘Jobs and Skills’ campaign launched in January 2022, and longer-term proposals including a small grants programme with community organisations to provide community outreach and an annual Mayor of London Learner Awards. The Jobs and Skills campaign will run until 2024, with the goal of promoting adult education opportunities and jobs in sectors key to London’s recovery (green, health and social care, hospitality, creative, digital). Campaign activity will include physical and digital media, and work to support partners and key stakeholders that refer into adult education with their own marketing activity.

Creative Enterprise Zones Programme – skills actions

Status: ongoing

This programme creates traineeships, work placements and career advancement opportunities for local young people, NEET (not in education, employment and training) and early career stage employees. It includes skills programmes, funded through ESF, which support people into working in the culture and creative industries delivered by six of the first Creative Enterprise Zones. In total, £2.15 million is being invested in skills programmes, including £1M from ESF. This will improve career prospects for over 650 Londoners.

Solar Skills London

Status: ongoing

Solar Skills London is focusing on skills and training to enable Londoners to learn more about solar technologies and help create more green jobs. The programme supports delivery of the Mayor’s Solar Action Plan and will help deliver his ambition for London to achieve one gigawatt of installed solar capacity by 2030 and two gigawatts by 2050. The programme is being delivered for the Mayor by Solar Energy UK, the leading industry body for solar energy and storage. The programme is also providing funding for projects to support the solar supply chain and help to grow the market for solar. This funding will help to increase the number of organisations with the skills and qualifications to be able to install solar in London.

Design Future London – Design Challenge

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Ministry of Building Innovation and Education and Mayors Fund for London

The objectives of the design challenge are to inspire more young people to follow careers in the built environment industry particularly young Londoners from low income or Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds. This challenge has been linked with the curriculum and is focused on key sites in the Royal Docks. It challenges young people to design a home and masterplan a site whilst considering key priorities for London including making places, building housing, sustainable transport, green energy and climate change. The closing date is 6 May 2022.

1.1.4 Good Work

Mayor’s Good Work Standard

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Living Wage Foundation (LW accreditation is mandatory first step)

The Mayor’s flagship accreditation programme sets the benchmark for good employment practice in pay, contracts/ conditions, workplace wellbeing, skills and progression, diversity and recruitment. Over 100 employers of all sizes have become accredited to the Good Work Standard since it launched in July 2019. Over 235,000 people work for a Good Work Standard employer, in sectors as diverse as retail, construction, transport, local government, design, media, charities, law, finance, football and social care.

London as a Living Wage City

Status: to be started May 2022, delivery of initial goals by March 2024
In partnership with: Living Wage Foundation, Citizens UK

Programme led by the Living Wage Foundation (co-chaired by the Mayor) to increase Living Wage uptake in the capital and generate over £600 million in extra wages to over 50,000 low-paid Londoners. The commitment also aims to boost the number of Living Wage Employers in the city to 4,000 by 2024, focusing its efforts on those groups most affected by low pay in the capital – women, young people, migrants and people from BAME backgrounds.

Royal Docks as a Living Wage Place

Status: to be started (spring 2022)
In partnership with: Living Wage Foundation

Aiming to increase Living Wage uptake across the Royal Docks, targeting key sectors including affordable workspace providers, the ExCeL ecosystem (including hotels), property developers and the industrial and construction industries. This status will build on the Community Wealth Building Pledge developed in partnership with the London Borough of Newham which steers local organisations into activities and practices that keep wealth within local communities.

Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy

Status: ongoing, publication due Autumn 2022

A manifesto pledge, building on principles of the Mayor Good Work Standard, adapting the approach to gig/on-demand/platform economy. Structure and content will be informed by consultation and research but is expected to constitute a statement of best practice which platforms will be asked to align themselves to, rather than assessed accreditation scheme.

Creative Freelancers Framework

Status: ongoing, publication due Autumn 2022
In partnership with: Creative UK

Building on the work of the Creative Freelancers Shaping London’s Recovery Programme (a six-month collaborative research partnership between freelancers and leaders to consider problems and make recommendations on the future of freelancing in the capital). A new charter will look at improving job conditions, creation and retention for creative freelancers; advocating for an improved statutory position for creative freelancers; establishing skills and training opportunities for creative freelancers. The GLA Culture and Economic Fairness teams are working with Creative UK on the development of this national Creative Freelancers Framework, of which the Mayor/GLA will be a co-owner.

1.2 How actions in the Jobs pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

The Mayor’s skills programmes will benefit Londoners most adversely affected by the pandemic, by ensuring they are able to access the training and employment opportunities in priority sectors (green, digital, creative industries, health, social care and hospitality). Across programmes supporting Londoners into employment education and training, 41 per cent will be from BAME backgrounds, 40 per cent female, 16 per cent disabled and 11 per cent will be 50+. These numbers will change subject to the Mayor’s Academies Programme hub grant agreements. Unemployed or economically inactive Londoners; Londoners earning below the London Living Wage, young people (16-24); lone parents; and people with caring responsibilities will also benefit from these programmes.
Capital programmes will deliver until 2029 and will support over 100,000 additional Londoners (with a focus on disadvantaged groups) into work and work placements as well as gain employment.
The London Careers Hubs promote diverse workplaces ensuring disadvantaged groups or those underrepresented in particular sectors are aware of the different opportunities and can access them.
AEB Good Work for All Fund is specifically targeted at supporting underrepresented groups into employment in sectors key to London’s economy.
Bespoke support for excluded groups is embedded in each element of the Mayor’s Academies Programme. This includes programmes delivered by the Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) to tackle underrepresentation and promote workforce diversity and inclusion in key sectors of London’s economy.
The Jobs and Skills Marketing and Community Outreach programme will target Londoners eligible for adult education, with a focus on those most in need, helping those on the sharp end of inequality participate in adult education and experience the broad social and economic benefits, such as improved confidence, better job outcomes and community cohesion.
Creative Enterprise Zones skills programmes: at least 50% of participants will be individuals who are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, 50 per cent will be women and 15 per cent will be disabled participants. Each new accredited zone can also respond to objectives concerning diversity of local people employed in the creative sector.
Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy and Creative Freelancers Framework respond to pandemic research that indicated self-employed workers required more support and protections and were unlikely to be able to access training opportunities.
London as a Living Wage City Programme will focus attention on lowest-paid sections of the economy, including workforces most reflecting pandemic-affected groups.
Creative Workforce Development Programme will get people directly into work, while tackling more systemic barriers, for example by working with DWP to build capacity in JobCentres.
The No Wrong Door programme will provide support to Londoners most impacted by the pandemic to improve their access to local skills and employment support.
Contributing programmes to the Helping Londoners into Good Work Mission will support over 15,000 Londoners into employment (including apprenticeships and work placements). This number will increase when the Mayor’s Academies Programme hubs are live.
By 2024 over 7,000 Londoners are expected to have achieved minimum basic skills qualifications supporting them with training and to gain employment.
The Skills Roadmap for London includes a number of commitments that seek to widen access, awareness and support for people who are underrepresented in the labour market or facing inequality.

Enabling/promoting good work

The Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery Programme will result in a publicly accessible findings document and input into development of a new Freelancers Framework to promote a fairer future for self-employed workers in culture and the creative industries.
The Mayor’s Good Work Standard provides employers with tools and resources to improve working practices, establishes benchmark/definition for good work in the London economy, including embedding London living Wage.
Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy will model best employment practice in the gig economy and the creative industries – including fair pay, worker wellbeing, skills, training and progression, lobbying tool to encourage the necessary government legislation in this space (for example the Employment Bill).
London as Living Wage City and Royal Docks as a Living Wage Place will widen reach of the Living Wage in London’s economy and embed it in local authority/public sector supply chains, leading by example.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Focusing on Green Economy sector

AEB Good Work for All Fund will support the transition to a greener economy through a sectoral focus on Green Skills.
The Mayor’s Academies Programme hub funding will improve coordination of training and employment opportunities in the green economy, with potential areas of focus including Green Construction, Green Spaces and Resilience and Waste Reduction and Recycling, as well as green roles in other sectors.
London Careers Hubs: schools and colleges are informed about the potential career pathways in the green economy.
The Jobs and Skills marketing and Community Outreach programme will promote jobs and training in the green economy.
Solar Skills London is focusing on skills and training to enable Londoners to learn more about solar technologies and help create more green jobs.

Encouraging Net-Zero commitments

The Skills Roadmap for London includes commitments on encouraging organisations funded through AEB to become net-zero carbon emitters by 2030. It also highlights the importance of developing green skills.

2. Business Pillar

London’s diverse business ecosystem comprises around a fifth of all businesses in the UK. It ranges from some of the country’s most innovative and highly-specialised technology, life sciences and financial services companies to firms carrying out the vital everyday activities, from hospitality and retail to culture and leisure, that keep the city functioning and underpin its global appeal. The pandemic has put thousands of businesses and jobs at risk, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on footfall and tourism.

The support needs of London’s businesses vary widely, from help with cash flow to guarantee immediate survival to support with adaptation to online trade and productivity enhancing technologies, to routes to access and collaborate with London’s world class research base. The Business pillar responds to these diverse needs, supporting businesses to innovate and grow to drive a fairer, more productive and resilient economy with a diverse range of job opportunities.

During 2022, the GLA is reviewing London’s business support landscape in line with the Mayor’s pledge to provide a more integrated and accessible offer with a single front door so business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can more easily access the advice they need. This will be complemented by strategic support to enable the physical development of London’s innovation clusters (from across life sciences to the cleantech and creative economy) and ensure businesses have access to the right type of space, supporting infrastructure, skills, R&D, and wider support to grow.

2.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering the Business pillar

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

The Mayor’s skills programmes will benefit Londoners most adversely affected by the pandemic, by ensuring they are able to access the training and employment opportunities in priority sectors (green, digital, creative industries, health, social care and hospitality). Across programmes supporting Londoners into employment education and training, 41 per cent will be from BAME backgrounds, 40 per cent female, 16 per cent disabled and 11 per cent will be 50+. These numbers will change subject to the Mayor’s Academies Programme hub grant agreements. Unemployed or economically inactive Londoners; Londoners earning below the London Living Wage, young people (16-24); lone parents; and people with caring responsibilities will also benefit from these programmes.
Capital programmes will deliver until 2029 and will support over 100,000 additional Londoners (with a focus on disadvantaged groups) into work and work placements as well as gain employment.
The London Careers Hubs promote diverse workplaces ensuring disadvantaged groups or those underrepresented in particular sectors are aware of the different opportunities and can access them.
AEB Good Work for All Fund is specifically targeted at supporting underrepresented groups into employment in sectors key to London’s economy.
Bespoke support for excluded groups is embedded in each element of the Mayor’s Academies Programme. This includes programmes delivered by the Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) to tackle underrepresentation and promote workforce diversity and inclusion in key sectors of London’s economy.
The Jobs and Skills Marketing and Community Outreach programme will target Londoners eligible for adult education, with a focus on those most in need, helping those on the sharp end of inequality participate in adult education and experience the broad social and economic benefits, such as improved confidence, better job outcomes and community cohesion.
Creative Enterprise Zones skills programmes: at least 50% of participants will be individuals who are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, 50 per cent will be women and 15 per cent will be disabled participants. Each new accredited zone can also respond to objectives concerning diversity of local people employed in the creative sector.
Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy and Creative Freelancers Framework respond to pandemic research that indicated self-employed workers required more support and protections and were unlikely to be able to access training opportunities.
London as a Living Wage City Programme will focus attention on lowest-paid sections of the economy, including workforces most reflecting pandemic-affected groups.
Creative Workforce Development Programme will get people directly into work, while tackling more systemic barriers, for example by working with DWP to build capacity in JobCentres.
The No Wrong Door programme will provide support to Londoners most impacted by the pandemic to improve their access to local skills and employment support.
Contributing programmes to the Helping Londoners into Good Work Mission will support over 15,000 Londoners into employment (including apprenticeships and work placements). This number will increase when the Mayor’s Academies Programme hubs are live.
By 2024 over 7,000 Londoners are expected to have achieved minimum basic skills qualifications supporting them with training and to gain employment.
The Skills Roadmap for London includes a number of commitments that seek to widen access, awareness and support for people who are underrepresented in the labour market or facing inequality.

Enabling/promoting good work

The Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery Programme will result in a publicly accessible findings document and input into development of a new Freelancers Framework to promote a fairer future for self-employed workers in culture and the creative industries.
The Mayor’s Good Work Standard provides employers with tools and resources to improve working practices, establishes benchmark/definition for good work in the London economy, including embedding London living Wage.
Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy will model best employment practice in the gig economy and the creative industries – including fair pay, worker wellbeing, skills, training and progression, lobbying tool to encourage the necessary government legislation in this space (for example the Employment Bill).
London as Living Wage City and Royal Docks as a Living Wage Place will widen reach of the Living Wage in London’s economy and embed it in local authority/public sector supply chains, leading by example.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Focusing on Green Economy sector

AEB Good Work for All Fund will support the transition to a greener economy through a sectoral focus on Green Skills.
The Mayor’s Academies Programme hub funding will improve coordination of training and employment opportunities in the green economy, with potential areas of focus including Green Construction, Green Spaces and Resilience and Waste Reduction and Recycling, as well as green roles in other sectors.
London Careers Hubs: schools and colleges are informed about the potential career pathways in the green economy.
The Jobs and Skills marketing and Community Outreach programme will promote jobs and training in the green economy.
Solar Skills London is focusing on skills and training to enable Londoners to learn more about solar technologies and help create more green jobs.

Encouraging Net-Zero commitments

The Skills Roadmap for London includes commitments on encouraging organisations funded through AEB to become net-zero carbon emitters by 2030. It also highlights the importance of developing green skills.

2.1.1 Growth sectors

London CleanTech Partnership

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: University College London (UCL), Imperial College, London Legacy Development Corporation, Transport for London, Sustainable Ventures, ReLondon and others

A partnership to develop the wider cleantech ecosystem across London by driving up growth and productivity in London’s cleantech businesses - both securing solutions to climate change and providing inclusive job opportunities. CleanTech London’s vision is to ensure London is a global cleantech innovation hub.

Business Transformation Programme - ReLondon

Status: ongoing (ends March 2022)

The ReLondon Business Transformation Programme helps SMEs move towards a circular economy. Through grants and business advice, the programme supports SMEs whose work reduces negative impacts on the environment to use circular economy strategies to minimise costs and explore new revenue models to create new jobs and safeguard hundreds of others. It will provide a digital platform to increase access to market.

Thames Estuary Production Corridor (TEPC)

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: LEAP, SELEP, SECEN, 18 Local authorities including 7 East London boroughs and 11 across North Essex and South Kent

A significant programme uniting east London, the North Kent Coast and South Essex to create a world-class corridor for creative and cultural production, leading global innovation, creating new jobs, developing local talent and supporting the rapid growth of the creative economy. This vision was launched by the Mayor of London in 2017 in partnership with the London Economic Action Partnership, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and the South East Creative Economy Network. TEPC geography incorporates seven east London Boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Havering, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

MedCity: life sciences cluster development

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: MedCity

MedCity is the cluster organisation for the life sciences sector in London, set up by the Mayor of London and the city’s Academic Health Science Centres to grow life science innovation and investment, securing the UK’s position as a global science superpower. MedCity focuses on supporting cluster development, in particular shaping and leveraging opportunities within London life sciences real estate to enable future growth; supporting business growth, focusing on the growth of small businesses working in the areas of advanced therapies, diagnostics and data/AI, underpinned by a focus on ‘green’ healthcare; and national and global promotion to attract further investment.

Creative Economy Growth Programme

Status: ongoing (ends March 2022)

World-leading programme of trade events to help creative businesses reach new markets and buyers such as London Design Festival, London Games Festival, London Film Festival and London Fashion Week. The Mayor funds Film London to provide business support through a range of activities from trade missions to bespoke advice and guidance. This programme also includes activities to help new and emerging businesses e.g. British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN and London Fashion Showcasing Fund which helps new and emerging businesses showcase to buyers.

Referable applications

Status: ongoing

The GLA assesses all planning applications which are referable to the Mayor, ensuring that development is in line with policies in the London Plan, including those that support the CAZ, town centres and high streets, office development in sustainable locations, Opportunity Areas, affordable workspace and other aspects of the Plan that will help support economic recovery.

2.1.2 Business support

The London Business Hub online

Status: ongoing

The London Business Hub is the Mayor of London’s one stop shop for business support. Through its programmes and online resources, the Hub provides trusted, unbiased expert advice to help small businesses recover from the pandemic and find new opportunities. The support it offers includes access to in-person and online one-to-one advice with business advisers, alongside a property advice service and other high impact growth programmes such as Recover & Grow. Support initiatives include:

Recover and Grow: a free, six-week programme delivered in partnership with Bayes Business School for business leaders looking to navigate the impact of COVID-19 and set a roadmap for the future to build confidence, resilience and technical knowledge
Expert Advisers programme: SMEs can access up to three hours with a range of professional services including employment and contract lawyers, accountants and trade experts
Business Ready podcast series: this series will help businesses to navigate the challenges and opportunities in the current business environment. In each of the episodes, we will feature SME business owners and experts to talk about topics relevant in the SME space right now.
Property Advice Service: the project provides SMEs access to free two-hour masterclasses to find the right space and fully understand the costs associated with renting a property and understand leases, rent negotiation and business rates. There is also one-to-one support for SMEs with specific circumstances from an expert property consultant.
Supplier readiness programme: SME support programme to enable London’s anchor institutions to buy more from local, small and diverse businesses, and social enterprises. The project is currently in procurement and details will be promoted on businesshub.london.
Take Off: an incubator for refugee entrepreneurs that will develop and support 25 aspiring entrepreneurs to launch businesses.
Investment Ready Programme: This programme will support businesses to access finance- addressing presentation failures and increase the attractiveness of participating SMEs to investors to enable at least £2.5m of investment
Better Futures +: Part-funded by the LBH, to provide business support to SMEs to help them plan to get to Net Zero. The LBH funded element will support 112 SMEs.

London Business Hub physical locations

Status: ongoing (ends September 2022)

The LBH Hub & Spoke programme provides one to one tailored business support to SMEs across five physical locations in London: Vauxhall, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Croydon and Haringey. The programme also delivers webinars and events on a range of different business topics and allows fast-growing businesses to attend an accelerator programme run by Bayes Business School.
Visit our resource - how to use our business adviser tool.

Wayfinder Project

Status: ongoing (ends July 2022)
In partnership with: Wandsworth, Lambeth, Southwark boroughs

The Wayfinder project seeks to trial the Mayor’s manifesto pledge of creating a ‘single front door’ for SMEs accessing business support and create a more joined-up, efficient business support brokerage system, piloted in three boroughs: Lambeth, Southwark, and Wandsworth.
Watch this video on Youtube about the Wayfinder service.

Business Support Review

Status: ongoing (review ends September 2022, with implementation to follow)

A review of the business support offer across London, notably that which falls under the Mayor of London’s remit is in progress. In consultation with London boroughs, London Councils and other key stakeholders, the ambition is to provide a more integrated and accessible offer, with a single front door, so businesses and entrepreneurs can more easily access the advice they need.

Creative Enterprise Zones – business support

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London boroughs and other organisations

A hyper-local business support programme designed to support local creative SMEs to upskill, grow and meet sector challenges. Activity is managed by the Local Authority in partnership with both the GLA and local organisations. Current activity includes supporting high street activation through training linked to maker markets and pop-ups, growing resilience through strategy development and business planning support and promoting, building local supply chains and increasing connectivity within the sector through thriving local networks.

Culture and Community Spaces at Risk Programme

Status: ongoing

The programme provides access to professional services and specialist advice for current operators of culture and community infrastructure and in-depth business support. Examples of support include training and workshops on property management, bespoke business planning and funding for specialist legal advice, with relatively small interventions supporting significant outcomes in long term viability of these organisations.

Business Growth Programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners

Tailored, impartial advice to businesses based in London looking to develop at different stages of their growth journey, delivered by London and Partners. Visit the website.

Mayor’s International Business Programme

Status: ongoing (funding ends September 2022)
In partnership with: London & Partners

Free 12-month programme providing world-class support and advice for international business scale-ups, including bespoke, on-the-ground support in your key global markets, delivered by London and Partners. Find out more about the programme.

24 Hour London engagement

Status: ongoing

We are working with boroughs and businesses to embed planning for night time activity and support best practice. The programme aims to:

get more businesses signed up to Women’s Night Safety Charter
support local authorities to develop night time strategies and to pilot ‘business friendly practices’
support businesses with training and best practice advocacy.

Business Climate Challenge

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Bloomberg Associates

The programme calls on London businesses to reduce their carbon footprint by cutting their building energy usage. It initially focuses on businesses in the Better Bankside Business Improvement District but if successful, will be scaled up across London. The programme provides free support to help make buildings more energy efficient and will support businesses on their pathway to zero carbon.

London Plan research

Status: ongoing with some pieces now complete

The GLA will ensure updated evidence, including (but not limited to) the Strategic Evidence to Support London borough Article 4 Directions (commercial to residential) to help limit the loss of important commercial uses in specified areas; the London Employment Sites Database (which identifies potential locations for new employment-related development); and the London Town Centre Health Check (which will provide a dataset and analysis around the health of London’s high streets and town centres, providing evidence to support the preparation of targeted programmes and initiatives).

Back to Business Fund – Pay it Forward London

Status: closed
In partnership with: London boroughs

Delivered through the Pay It Forward London crowdfunding platform, the Fund offers small businesses up to £5,000 in match funding to help them expand their operations online, invest in their future and adapt to trading through recovery. £900,000 has been allocated to support 200 businesses and helped secure an additional £2.3m in crowdsourced investment for supported businesses: a 260 per cent amplification. The second round of the Back to Business Fund was delivered in partnership with the London boroughs of Croydon, Hammersmith & Fulham and Southwark who offered £25,000 in funding. The Fund offered up to £10,000 in match funding to help small businesses digitise and invest in technology, upskill their employees, and innovate in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19.

2.1.3 Innovation and productivity

Challenge LDN

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London boroughs, LOTI, third sector partners, London universities

The Mayor’s Open Innovation service for London’s public sector, working with boroughs and anchor institutions on joint challenges to leverage innovation and grapple with complex social and economic issues. The service has run over 20 challenges to date, providing businesses with £2 million in funding to prototype, test and scale ideas, around 1,000 hours of facilitation, masterclass and coaching support, and 100 businesses have been supported to access data, business support and expertise.

TechInvest

Status: to conclude in 2022
In partnership with: UK Business Angels Association

TechInvest connects London-based tech founders with industry leading investors across areas such as smart cities, clean-tech, ed-tech and health-tech. Since launching in January 2018, it has supported over 130 businesses to meet investors and secure over £137m of investment. There are five innovation showcase events per year, including an annual event supporting women in tech and diverse founders.

Emerging Technologies Charter

Status: ongoing

Launched in 2021 to create a set of practical and ethical guidelines for the trialing and deployment of new data-enabled technology used in public services or the public realm. By consolidating valuable learned experience together with key resources, including guidance on sustainability, diversity and data privacy, we help to foster a trustworthy environment for innovation to flourish in a way that benefits Londoners.

Collaborate to Innovate: London Diagnostics

Status: ongoing (to end March 2023)
In partnership with: MedCity (delivery partner), working with the following collaboration partners: King’s College London, University College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’London HEIs, Roche, National Institute for Health Research In-Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative

LEAP-funded programme supporting nine London-based diagnostic healthcare SMEs that are developing the next generation of screening tests and technologies for diseases including cancer, COVID-19, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. The programme has catalysed new collaborations between the SMEs and world leading researchers, commercial partners and health service partners. The SMEs are being supported during a year-long match funded journey to commercial readiness.

East Bank

Status: ongoing

The Mayor has invested £385m in East Bank, a new £1.1bn culture, education and innovation district, which brings together Sadler’s Wells, BBC Music and the V&A as well as University College London and University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is a new powerhouse for innovation, creativity and learning and includes cutting edge laboratories and research space supporting sustainable design, augmented by a new Good Growth Hub to support local people into jobs. The investment in East Bank will bring social and economic benefits to the rest of London and the UK, including 600 new homes, 2,500 jobs, bring 10,000 students to the site and extra 1.5 million visitors to the park each year.

Technology Adoption Service

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The Technology Adoption Service is an online tool delivered through the London Business Hub and Manchester Growth Hub to help small businesses to search for and deploy technology tools to improve productivity, increase efficiencies and help drive growth, as well as bringing some operational aspects online.

Global Innovation Collaborative

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Berlin, New York and Paris; Bloomberg; Microsoft

The Global Innovation Collaborative is a collaboration between Berlin, London, New York and Paris to leverage the collective knowledge, skills and innovation across the four global cities, to support long term economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Creative Cities Challenge is the first open call launched by the partners to bring forward innovation to support one of the sectors that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Business Climate Leaders

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London businesses

Programme working with 11 prominent London businesses to help meet the Mayor’s ambitious target for London to become a zero-carbon city. The group will commit to reducing carbon emissions from their London-based business operations above and beyond national targets, and will share new ways of sustainable working. They will also use their joint influence to encourage other London businesses to do the same. This partnership is led by world sustainability leaders CDP, C40 and The B Team, with the support of the We Mean Business Coalition. Businesses within the network have a collective annual turnover of around £192 billion and represent over 165,000 employees in London. Their workplaces also occupy over 28 million square feet of London’s commercial buildings.

Centre for Climate Change Innovation (CCCI)

Status: ongoing (retrofit of building to start in 2022)
In partnership with: Imperial College London, Royal Institution

The Centre launched in March 2021 is backed by six founding members, Arup, GLA, HSBC UK, Octopus Centre for Net Zero, Pollination, and Slaughter and May. The Centre will bring the London cleantech ecosystem together to simultaneously help tackle the climate and ecological emergencies whilst creating businesses that generate growth and create jobs. The project will build on existing expertise and activity by providing secure, affordable workspace for innovators and start-ups as well as access to technical facilities and expertise.

Mayor’s Entrepreneur programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: The Mayor’s Fund for London, Citibank

The Mayor's Entrepreneur Programme works with London universities to support innovation that makes London cleaner, greener and ready for the future. The programme is an annual competition that asks London’s students to come up with viable, sustainable business ideas across key challenge areas. The competition taps into the creativity of London’s students to find solutions that will improve the city and provides support along the way, including access to grant funding for the winning ideas.

2.1.4 Entrepreneurship

Better Futures

Status: ongoing (ERDF ends December 2022, GND ends March 2023)
In partnership with: West London Business, Imperial College, OPDC, Sustainable Ventures

Funded via ERDF and the Green New Deal to support the growth of cleantech SMEs in London. This £4.26m six-year project is working with partners to give over 150 SMEs access to the technical and business expertise to help them optimise prototypes and services for the market and develop their business for growth investment. GND funding has enabled the programme to expand to target under-represented groups through an internship programme and business transformation for businesses to help them make the transition to net zero.

London Small Business Network

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London boroughs

The London Small Business Network will target 160 businesses early-stage entrepreneurs, particularly those from groups that are underrepresented in entrepreneurship and encounter more barriers to accessing business support and other resources. Studies have demonstrated that lack of management and technical skills, use of suboptimal technology and limited access to market and information hinder the development of businesses. By providing networks where businesses can access advisers, accountants, professional services and relevant local information such as availability of workspace, licensing and other, the project aims to address some of these issues.

Take Off Programme

Status: ongoing

Unique incubator programme designed to meet the specific needs of refugee founders in London. This programme will bring together a comprehensive package of business support for 20 refugee entrepreneurs. This activity is funded by the BEIS grant to the London Business Hub.

2.2 How actions in the Business pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

The majority of London’s business support programmes, such as ReLondon, Take Off and the Hub & Spoke, support underrepresented groups in business. London Business Hub 'Hub & Spoke’ activity to December 2021 supported 1000 businesses of which 41 per cent were female led, 38 per cent BAME and 4 per cent disabled led businesses.
The Culture and Community Spaces at Risk programme supports operators of space by and for unrepresented communities. In the past year alone, the programme has supported 140 organisations with over £600k funding, 46 per cent of which are in the most deprived areas of London, with 75 per cent of organisations led by under-represented groups.
Techinvest including promotes events supporting women in tech and diverse founders.
The Business Support review will review the requirements of underrepresented groups in the business community.

Targeting businesses most in need, including those highly affected by COVID-19

The Back to Business Fund/Pay it Forward London support the businesses hardest hit by COVID-19.
The Creative Economy Growth Programme targets mainly SMEs and microbusinesses in the creative industries to enter markets, make sales, and lever new investment, sales, and employment opportunities.
Expert Advisers and Recover & Grow programmes are open to and support underrepresented businesses across London, this activity has a 50% female-led business target.
Supplier Readiness programme targets underrepresented businesses accessing Anchor Institution contracts. The Technology Adoption Service focuses support on some of the hardest hit businesses, boosting future resilience.
The London Small Business Network will target small businesses that are underrepresented in entrepreneurship and encounter more barriers to accessing business support and other resources.

Widening access, raising awareness and promoting diversity

Property Advice Service monitors equality data to ensure that a diverse range of SMEs access the programme.
Creative Enterprise Zones build on existing labour market strengths by creating and delivering targeted skills and training programmes and by improving the diversity of the creative industries workforce. Collectively, these programmes will create over 1,000 training opportunities and at least 50 per cent of participants must be from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background.
The Wayfinder Project will continue to evaluate equality data to ascertain diverse SMEs receive the required support, with comms ensuring specific outreach to under-represented groups as part of this project.

Other initiatives explicitly aiming to narrow inequalities

Collaborate to Innovate: London Diagnostics – grant funding for nine SMEs to complete 12-month collaborative research projects, to progress medical diagnostics R&D, including innovations targeting health inequalities.
Creative Enterprise Zones include business support programmes with direct targets which contribute to reducing inequalities.
Creative Economy Growth Programme supports new and emerging businesses, and particularly designers from diverse backgrounds through NEWGEN and London Fashion Showcasing Fund.
Good Growth Hub in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park supports local people into jobs at East Bank and in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in one of London’s most diverse areas.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Encouraging Net-zero commitments

Better Futures and Re:London support SMEs to reduce carbon emissions through their business transformation support as well as developing new products and services that will enable the transition to a green economy.
The Peer Networks programme includes networks focusing on Net Zero.
Cultural Infrastructure development programme will support two pilot projects in circular economy for creative production.
Other programmes, such as London Diagnostics, include supporting more sustainable business practices as a key cross cutting theme.

Promoting sustainable development and the green economy

Challenge LDN targets green recovery objectives, including those related to the Green New Deal.
The London Plan is underpinned by the Mayor’s vision for Good Growth – growth that is socially and economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
Cleantech London Partnership, Re:London, Better Futures and the Centre for Climate Change Innovation include support for businesses in the Low Carbon, Circular Economy sectors

3. Thriving Neighbourhoods Pillar

London is a city of diverse and thriving local neighbourhoods and high streets. Many of these spaces across the capital are facing significant challenges, including the growing trend towards online retail, which the pandemic has accelerated; and declining footfall in Central London in particular.

Our neighbourhoods are entering recovery from a period of chronic under supply of housing which means too many Londoners struggle to access a decent home they can afford. But the post-COVID world also brings new opportunities to reinvent local neighbourhoods, taking advantage of hybrid work patterns and the increasing value put upon high quality public realm and green spaces.

The Thriving Neighbourhood pillar aims to grasp these opportunities by proposing a range of actions to support and regenerate London’s high streets, activating new uses and creating jobs, working with local communities. It addresses London’s housing shortage and aims to improve housing affordability to ensure that Londoners can secure decent housing, including through helping to develop new, dynamic places to live. Through several retrofit programmes, we will contribute to make London’s buildings more efficient, reducing energy costs and making an important contribution to London’s ambitious Net Zero targets.

3.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering this pillar

These includes Including joint actions with London Boroughs, SRPs and other organisations.

3.1.1 High Streets for All

High Streets for All Challenge

Status: ongoing (ends March 2023)
In partnership with: London boroughs and local partnerships

The High Streets for All (HSfA) Challenge, within the HSfA recovery mission, provides £4m funding to support the development of exemplar high-street projects in each London borough. It invites local partnerships to bring forward and co-design innovative high-street recovery strategies and proposals. Each strategy can address common and local challenges and underpin the public reimagining of high streets and town centres across London.

High Streets for All - Property Initiative

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL, CBI, Federation of Small Businesses, British Property Federation, London Councils

This project aims to set common standards and signpost best practice in commercial property management around meanwhile use, social value and new forms of high street mix, so we can mainstream effective innovation to facilitate quicker and stronger recovery. We will identify actions that can be taken by landowners and tenants to build a coalition of practice that supports London’s high street recovery and helps mainstream effective innovation that is already taking place.

The Mayor’s Street and Covered Markets programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: National Association of British Markets Authorities, National Markets Traders Federation, London Street Trading Benchmarking Group, Association of London Markets, London boroughs

A programme to raise the profile of London Markets, support good growth and recovery in our high street and town centres and ensure that markets continue to contribute to the economic and social success of communities and neighbourhoods across the city. Through the Tomorrow’s Market programme, markets across London will be provided with expert support and funding to develop local market strategies that link into local high street recovery efforts and deliver innovative business support programmes that boost opportunities for Londoners from diverse backgrounds.

Data Partnership

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London boroughs and Business Improvement Districts

The High Street Data Service is a paid-for tool for Local Authorities to consistently measure high street performance over time. It seeks to provide ongoing access to the best local insights on London’s high streets at lower cost through collective purchasing of data and analysis. The service will be supported by a partnership model to promote collaboration, build local capacity and promote data driven decisions.

Cultural Infrastructure Data

Status: ongoing

Cultural assets play an important role in thriving neighborhoods. Through the Cultural Infrastructure Map and the High Streets Data Service, this programme enables tracking and analysis of cultural assets to ensure that the GLA understands downward trends early and can employ targeted responses. One use of the data is to establish if cultural infrastructure is at risk within a development at planning permission stage, providing a valuable tool for retaining cultural infrastructure. The work is supported by guidance on cultural building typologies, from theatre through to fashion manufacturing.

Night Time Enterprise Zones

Status: to be started (2022-23)
In partnership with: elected London boroughs

The Night Time Enterprise Zones programme supports the economic and social recovery of London’s high streets by increasing and improving access after 6pm and supporting good work standards for night workers. Following a successful pilot in Walthamstow High Street, the Mayor has committed to roll out Night Time Enterprise Zone across London. Funded activity will be delivered by successful boroughs and the partners included in their bids. Applications will identify a specific high street or town centre where the activities to support the objectives will take place.

West End Future Occupiers Programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners, West End Business Improvement Districts

This is a three-year programme to bring new occupiers into empty ground floor spaces in the West End. It is being delivered by London & Partners with support from Westminster City Council. It is funded by two Business Improvement Districts – New West End Company and Heart of London Business Alliance – and eleven landlords who are part of Westminster Property Association. The programme started in April 2021.

3.1.2 Public realm

Make London

Status: ongoing

A £500K fund to support community-led recovery actions. The programme offers small (£500-£5,000) grants and medium (£5,000-£50,000) match funding to individuals and community groups including mutual aid groups, Tenants and Resident Associations, social enterprises, arts and cultural organisations and charities for projects that bring people together safely, improve public spaces, and support community hubs and high streets.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Boroughs, Partners Board members

The Commission aims to support a more inclusive approach to how London’s communities are represented in the built environment – through statues, memorials, place names, murals, artworks and more. This programme is delivered with a Partners Board and a Borough Working Group, to create partnerships which consider how public spaces might be more representative – from current underused spaces to those being newly designed and developed.

Future Neighbourhoods 2030

Status: ongoing

This is a £7.5m funding programme to support area-based approaches to tackling some of London’s defining environmental challenges whilst creating jobs, developing skills and supporting a just transition to a low carbon circular economy. Future Neighbourhoods are located in London’s most disadvantaged and climate-vulnerable areas, or areas where residents have been most severely affected by the pandemic. Two neighbourhoods – Notting Dale and Somers Town have been awarded funding to develop strategies and implement a wide range of pioneering environmental projects, with a further 11 neighbourhoods to follow.

3.1.3 Quality affordable housing

Affordable Homes Programme

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: G15 housing associations, London boroughs

The GLA will fund 79,000 starts by March 2026 through the Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programmes. The Mayor is delivering the final years of the 2016-2021 Affordable Homes Programme and from April will begin delivery of £4 billion received for the 2021-2026 Affordable Homes Programme. Homes funded through the new programme must meet stretching sustainability and design standards. Over half of homes started through the new programme will be for social rent, providing Londoners with the most affordable form of housing.

Land Fund

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Housebuilders, London boroughs, housing associations

The total Land Fund investment programme of £736m, in accordance with the ‘London Housing Strategy’, enables the GLA to identify and bring forward more land and invest in infrastructure for delivery of new and genuinely affordable homes. To date £402.1m has been committed to enable the delivery of 12,662 homes, of which 6,079 will be affordable (48 per cent).

Threshold Approach to Affordable Housing

Status: ongoing

The threshold approach to affordable housing, set out in London Plan policy H5, enables schemes that provide at least 35 per cent (or 50 per cent on public or industrial land) affordable housing to follow the ‘Fast Track Route’ through planning, avoiding the need for protracted viability debates and late-stage viability reviews. In 2020, in schemes referable to the Mayor, 37 per cent of units (41 per cent by habitable room) were secured as affordable housing, up from 25 per cent in 2016.

Updating London Plan Guidance

Status: ongoing

As part of maximising delivery of affordable housing through the planning system, affordable housing and viability guidance that accompanies the London Plan will be consulted upon and updated in 2022. This will ensure it better aligns with the 2021 London Plan, providing further detail on policy implementation that seeks to secure affordable housing, to developers, boroughs and the public.

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

The Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator (SHRA) supports social housing providers across England to develop bids for the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. It offers a range of proven support which has been developed with and for the social housing sector by housing retrofit and grant application experts. The SHRA builds upon the Mayor of London’s successful Retrofit Accelerator – Homes which aims to transform the way London retrofits its ageing and energy-inefficient housing to create warm, affordable and ultra-low carbon homes.

Retrofit Accelerator – Workplaces

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London boroughs and other organisations

Award-winning programme helping to make London's non-domestic public buildings and assets more energy efficient, lowering emissions and saving public money on energy spending. Established in 2009, the programme not only reduces carbon emissions but also results in large, guaranteed energy savings for the public sector. The Accelerator helps a range of organisations including London boroughs, NHS bodies, central government departments, schools and other educational establishments, and cultural and heritage organisations to implement retrofit projects.

Local Energy Accelerator

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Programme Delivery Unit of consultancy firms

A £6m programme providing expertise and support to organisations to develop clean and locally generated energy projects. Projects will include district energy networks that use renewable heat sources (including river water and waste heat from London Underground), and energy technologies such as heat pumps, solar panels, batteries and smart electric vehicle charging to transform the way London generates, supplies and uses clean local energy in buildings and transport.

Innovation Partnership

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Ealing, Enfield, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Lambeth and Sutton

The partnership brings social landlords and UK building firms together to help commercialise retrofit solutions through a scaling up process which will drive down costs and deliver volume home improvements. It has the capacity to process £10 billion of activity across England helping to scale up deep retrofit activity while driving down costs and growing the supply chain. Four UK building firms have signed up to this framework and are now working with social housing providers to deliver deep retrofit projects across an initial seven London boroughs. 

3.1.4 New neighbourhoods

Cultural Infrastructure Development Programme

Status: ongoing

The programme aims to embed appropriate and sustainable cultural assets within new development, supporting Good Growth principles. The workstream gives access to support for future operators of cultural infrastructure ensuring growth of the sector and resilience. This includes training, networking, one to one advice and guidance, research and toolkits. It also supports developers to consider the most appropriate and sustainable cultural venues and activities to form the heart of new buildings and neighbourhoods.

Creative Land Trust

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Bloomberg Philanthropies

Created to acquire permanent buildings which will house London’s innovative creative workforce at affordable rates over the long term. The Trust is currently building an asset base to leverage impact investment and secure further spaces. Social outcomes include supporting creatives to stay within London’s local communities and supporting local supply chains. The first building will be formally opened in 2022 and the Trust will seek additional income through social impact investment once it has established an asset base, creating a new and innovative model for funding this kind of space.

Royal Docks Enterprise Zone

Status: ongoing, current delivery plan to 2028
In partnership with: London Borough of Newham, private developers

Once London’s gateway to world trade, the Royal Docks is re-emerging as a nationally significant business and visitor destination, and a vital part of the capital’s civic and cultural heart. Significant investment in transport infrastructure and the public realm is boosting connectivity and bringing a wealth of new opportunities to the area and its communities. Initiatives include:

Delivery Plan: a £212.5m ten-year Delivery Plan which includes an integrated and catalytic set of projects and programmes to create a thriving new mixed-use neighbourhood with the potential for 45,000 new jobs and 25,000 new homes.
Urban Tech cluster: utilising the 5m square feet of new commercial floorspace that is being developed in the area, the Royal Docks will grow a cluster of business and activity aimed at addressing urban challenges, with a focus on clean tech and on ensuring local communities benefit through employment, skills and entrepreneurial opportunity.
Creativity and culture: building on a bold vision to become the cultural engine of London, rooted in local talent, ambition and community, the Enterprise Zone is working with the ExCeL Centre, with artists and communities to create and present extraordinary cultural work in a growing cluster of creative production workspaces and facilities.

Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks (OAPFs)

Status: ongoing

The GLA will continue to develop OAPFs to guide the development of Opportunity Areas, which have the potential to provide substantial capacity for new development including employment uses. The Growth Strategies team are currently working on the Royal Docks and Beckton Riverside OAPF.

London Plan research

Status: ongoing

The GLA will update research, including the London Employment Sites Database (which identifies potential locations for new employment-related development, informing employment projections); the Industrial Land Supply Study (which identifies the current supply of capacity for industrial and logistics functions); the Industrial Land Demand Study (which identifies the likely future demand for industrial uses); and the London Town Centre Health Check (which will provide a dataset and analysis around the health of London’s high streets and town centres, providing evidence to support the preparation of targeted programmes and initiatives).

Local Plan conformity

Status: ongoing

The GLA will continue to work with boroughs to ensure their Local Plans conform with the London Plan and its vision for Good Growth, including providing sufficient capacity for industry and logistics, promoting sustainable locations for offices and other commercial development, supporting a low carbon circular economy, the continued success of the CAZ, adaptation of town centres and high streets, support for economic clusters, and the development of affordable and suitable workspace.

3.2 How actions in the Thriving Neighbourhoods pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

The High Streets for All (HSfA) Challenge puts under-represented communities at the forefront of the design and implementation of strategies and projects for high street renewal. The application process requires exemplar projects to be developed in collaboration with the local community, including under-represented groups such as those with protected characteristics. The 35 selected exemplar projects have been put forward by broad range of partnerships including community-led organisations, the private sector and local authorities. 14 project partnerships (36 per cent) receiving Stage Two funding are directly led by a community-led organisation, charity, neighbourhood forum or community interest company. 16 project partnerships (42 per cent) identify as BAME-led.
The Make London programme targets vulnerable or under-represented groups, with 39 groups having been awarded a total of £466,214 in match funding to date. Of the programme recipients:
- 73 per cent had not previously received GLA funding
- 73 per cent had not previously run a crowdfunding campaign
- 26 per cent had not received any form of public funding previously
- 38 per cent of projects were BAME, disabled, or LGBQT+ led
- 51 per cent of projects were women-led.
Night Time Enterprise Zones programme aims to improve perceptions of safety at night for vulnerable groups.

Widening community participation and promoting diversity

The HSfA mission aims to build the capacity of local communities to participate in area-based regeneration - particularly the most disadvantaged and most impacted by COVID. Through the HSfA Challenge it will support the development of a locally led exemplary high street partnership and project in every London borough. To date, 35 projects have been selected to receive Stage Two funding. Of those, 15 projects have been selected to receive additional Stage 3 funding, with the aim to provide up to 20-24 projects in total with Stage 3 funding.
Make London puts communities at the heart of local initiatives allowing us to harness local ideas and build capacity and ownership within local groups. The 39 projects supported through the programme were backed by 5,222 Londoners; projects successfully completed so far this year have involved more than 2,5000 community participants and created more than 1,600 volunteering opportunities as well as created or retained 22 jobs and apprenticeships.
The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm will deliver between 80-150 new objects and programmes which celebrate the achievements of diverse Londoners through the Untold Stories grant programme (launched October 2021)
The Cultural Infrastructure Development Programme supports diverse cultural businesses (including for example supporting Queercircle, an organisation focused on support and activity for LGBTQ+ artists and communities, into a long-term new space in Greenwich Design District).
The Creative Enterprise Zones programme promotes diversity of local people employed in the creative sectors by promoting opportunities in the Creative Industries to a wider group of people. Royal Docks focus on inclusive innovation in East London to encourage greater diversity in entrepreneurial activity and innovation.
All investment partners for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme are required to meet minimum standards to improve EDI and publish bespoke action plans setting out how their organisation will exceed these, within their workforce, supply chains and communities in which they build.

Promoting initiatives explicitly aiming to narrow inequalities

The Public London programme brings together strategic research on gender, race, age and other protected intersectional characteristics.
Our approach to securing affordable housing seeks to provide good quality genuinely affordable housing options to those who cannot afford homes through the private market.
The Royal Docks explicitly addresses community wealth building alongside good growth.
The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm will create toolkits and programmes which provide better access to and equitable ownership of public realm and makes London’s diversity more visible in public spaces.

Supporting Good Growth

The Creative Land Trust has a target of providing 1000 new workspaces for artists over the next five years.
London Borough of Culture aims to strengthen links between culture, health and wellbeing.
The London Plan and associated guidance is underpinned by the Mayor’s vision for Good Growth.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

One of the pillars of the HSfA Challenge is to respond to the climate emergency by supporting local exemplar projects which tackle poor air quality, promote active travel, improve green infrastructure, create green jobs or support a just transition to a low carbon circular economy.
The Cultural Infrastructure Development Programme is supporting development of a theatre reuse and recycling centre to reduce environmental impact of theatre production.
Creative Enterprise Zones: each accredited zone has objectives concerning the environmental performance of workspace and assets, and businesses which deliver positive environmental, social and economic returns.
The work of the retrofit programmes will result in a triple benefit of contributing to net zero (through carbon reductions), creating jobs (within the retrofit sector and supply chain), and tackling inequalities (reducing fuel poverty).
Area-based programmes such as Future Neighbourhoods 2030 are helping tackle some of London’s defining environmental challenges, including the climate emergency and toxic air quality, whilst creating jobs, developing skills and supporting a just transition to a low carbon circular economy.
There are sustainability standards for all homes funded through the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.
The London Plan and Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks (OAPF) are important mechanisms to realise the Mayor’s ambitious environment policies on issues like achieving net zero, access to green spaces, air quality or adaptation.

4. Connected City Pillar

This pillar looks at the infrastructure and services necessary to keep the city working and Londoners connected to each other. Transport, digital and smartReference:2 infrastructure are essential to maintain the city’s attractiveness as a place to live, visit and work, supporting the productivity of our businesses and enabling people to move around and stay connected.

The pandemic has shone a light on the criticality of access to good quality digital technologies and the supporting infrastructure. Investing in digital connectivity can have a positive impact on how city systems function, which can help to reduce carbon emissions, support the creation of new businesses and high-quality jobs. While London’s wider utility infrastructure has not been heavily impacted by COVID-19, continuing to address the long-standing need to upgrade London’s water, sewage, heating and electricity systems is also an important opportunity to create new jobs, deliver more sustainable growth and support the green economy and London’s Net Zero targets.

4.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering this pillar

These include joint actions with London Boroughs, SRPs and other organisations.

4.1.1 Transport

Transport Foundation – Public Transport

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL

Working with TfL to safely win customers back to public transport, through enhanced COVID-19 safety measures (including ventilation and use of anti-viral agents), enabling travel at quieter times and promoting appropriate messaging. The communication campaign has highlighted the role that public transport can play in supporting the health and safety of Londoners. Find out more about the campaign.

Transport Foundation – Active Travel

Status: ongoing (limited funds carried over to 2022)
In partnership with: TfL, London boroughs

The Streetspace for London programme adopts temporary and experimental measures to encourage more Londoners to walk and cycle than before the pandemic. TfL continues to monitor the impacts of the scheme on different transport modes, and engages local communities and stakeholders, using the findings to inform the development of future schemes. Funding was allocated in autumn 2021 to boroughs to investigate making temporary schemes permanent. Find out more.

Transport Foundation – Roads renewal

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL, London boroughs

TfL provides funding to boroughs which allows investment on local roads that is complementary to its ambitions for the TfL Road Network through its own capital programme. This includes the renewal of roads and bridges as well as enhancements to progress the outcomes of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (for example to support the mode shift to walking, cycling and public transport) on the 95 per cent of London’s streets which the boroughs are responsible for.

4.1.2 Digital

Digital Access for All mission

Status: ongoing (delivery in 2022-23)
In partnership with: London boroughs and sub-regional partnerships

The mission aims to ensure that all Londoners have access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025. Programmes include:

Connected London: this programme will fund upgrades to public sector assets for delivering new digital services, working with boroughs and sub-regional partnerships to identify sites where new services could be delivered and providing funding to upgrade the site.
Supporting borough capacity: we will support borough capacity and strategic coordination by funding dedicated digital connectivity roles in the sub-regional partnerships to help to connect social housing estates with full fibre broadband.
London prospectus: we will publish an online London prospectus which includes key information on digital connectivity coverage and schemes, templates for legal agreements, and case studies to support private sector investment.
London Plan Guidance: we will publish London Plan Guidance to ensure that all new build premises are built with full fibre (or equivalent) as standard.

4.1.3 Modern utilities

Infrastructure Coordination Service (services)

Status: ongoing (current phase ends in summer 2023)
In partnership with: London boroughs and sub-regional partnerships, utility companies, telecoms companies, TfL

The programme aims to improve planning and delivery of infrastructure across London to enable the utilities investment required to decarbonize and unlock housing delivery, while lessening the impact on Londoners. Service lines include:

Streets Service: working with utility companies and other partners to facilitate collaboration on streetworks including upgrades and improvements to London's utilities infrastructure, through a ‘dig once’ approach.
Planning Service: offering expertise and resource to boroughs and sub-regional partnerships to deliver proactive infrastructure plans for their high-growth areas. This spatial and in-depth technical approach is critical to unlock the utility investment required to support significant levels of development while also decarbonising.
Development Service: aiming to streamline communication between developers, utilities and boroughs via infrastructure coordinators embedded in boroughs, so that development connects into infrastructure networks more efficiently speeding up the delivery of new housing and other development.

Infrastructure Coordination Service (data, innovation and best practice)

Status: ongoing (current phase ends in summer 2023)
In partnership with: London boroughs, Cabinet Office, utility companies, telecoms companies, TfL

The Infrastructure Coordination Service offers a number of data tools to help boroughs more effectively implement infrastructure initiatives. These include: the Infrastructure Mapping Application, with future investment data which can be used to identify opportunities for collaborative streetworks and support improved planning; the National Underground Asset Register, under development with the Cabinet Office, which will contain data on the location of underground pipes and cables; and the Growth and Capacity Planner, currently being scoped to provide a better view of utilities’ capacity constraints to inform local plan-making.

The service also captures and distributes best practice approaches including undertaking policy work and other studies of interest to boroughs, unblocking barriers to collaboration through policy and regulation, as well as monitoring and evaluation of benefits, in order to encourage and incentivise collaboration.

Infrastructure Foundation

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: utility companies, telecoms companies

The programme is tracking delivery against utilities’ commitment to deliver nearly £2bn infrastructure investment in London to support recovery, working to improve diversity and inclusion in the sector, and undertaking work to help achieve decarbonisation targets. Working with utility companies through the Mayor’s London Infrastructure Group, it aims to inspire more people to enter the infrastructure sector and increase diversity. It will deliver a school outreach programme to target underrepresented groups from an early age and a reverse mentoring pilot through which the GLA is committed to procure works from small and diverse businesses, among other efforts.

4.1.4 Gateways and interchanges

Expanding London's Public Realm

Status: complete (published March 2021)

The new London Plan recognises that the public realm is made up of a wide range of spaces and places. In addition to our streets, squares and parks, some internal or elevated spaces can also be considered to be part of the public realm, such as shopping malls, museums or station concourses, as well as sky gardens or viewing platforms. Such forms of public realm can be particularly relevant in areas of higher density. This publication provides guidance that can help inspire, shape and deliver a shareable landscape for all Londoners and bring the public realm back into the foreground of the city.

Public London Charter

Status: complete (published October 2021)

The Public London Charter consists of eight principles that set out the rights and responsibilities for the users, owners and managers of new public spaces. The Charter aims to ensure that London’s public spaces are safe, accessible, inclusive, attractive, well-connected and easy to understand, well maintained and serviced. It promotes public space that is open and offers the highest level of public access irrespective of land ownership, with landowners promoting and encouraging public use of public space for all communities. This work is further supported by the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm which is seeking to ensure that these new spaces are also open and welcoming to all and reflect London’s diverse population.

Holistic planning for strategic interchanges

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL, London boroughs, BIDs

London’s termini and strategic interchanges represent an opportunity to revitalise areas of central and inner London, by better integrating stations, and stimulating economic growth. TfL and the GLA are engaging with externally-led redevelopment and upgrade projects to ensure they deliver good growth and positive transport outcomes. Live examples include efforts to upgrade stations at Euston, Victoria, Lewisham and Liverpool Street.

New transport infrastructure

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL, London boroughs, landowners, Central Government

The GLA and TfL are working with relevant partners to progress the cases for new transport infrastructure where there are significant opportunities for this to create jobs and new neighbourhoods, including the feasibility of a DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) - Stratford as a gateway to east London

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: TfL, LB Newham, Network Rail, Central Government

LLDC was set up to use the opportunity of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the creation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to develop a dynamic new heart for east London. Stratford station is fundamental to realising this ambition, and to the Mayor’s wider objectives of delivering Good Growth across east London. It was London’s busiest station during the pandemic and needs major investment to accommodate rapidly growing passenger numbers. LLDC is working with TfL, Network Rail and London Borough of Newham to plan the station’s long-term redevelopment, ensuring the growth facilitated by the station supports local people and businesses to thrive, is low carbon and sustainable, and helps to address deep-seated inequalities.

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: Central Government, TfL, London boroughs

OPDC was established by the Mayor to capitalise on the major regeneration opportunity created by High Speed 2 investment (including £1.7bn of Central Government investment in Old Oak Common Lane). It is the largest new train station to be built in the UK in over a century, bringing together HS2, Elizabeth Line and Great West Mainline services. The station will transform an area that has been constrained by poor access and connectivity, unlocking new homes and creating the conditions for investment in new jobs. The OPDC area includes Park Royal, one of the largest and most densely occupied industrial areas in London. With its proximity to Heathrow, major road links and central London, Park Royal is a strategically important part of London’s economy, albeit one that has been particularly impacted by COVID-19. OPDC’s plans include the most ambitious industrial intensification growth targets anywhere in the UK, which will seek to add a further 2.7m sq ft and 40,000 new jobs to an area with an existing GVA of £3.5bn.

4.2 How actions in the Connected City pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

Digital Access for All mission measures fibre availability and targets investment in underserved areas by speeding up and extending private sector deployments. Through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme, the mission has developed personas of those experiencing digital exclusion. Projects are being designed and tested to address barriers each persona is facing. The learning from these projects will form the basis of the Minimum Access Package, including triaging and referral to support, including affordability connectivity from operators.
The Infrastructure Foundation supports utility companies in targeting underrepresented groups and increasing diversity in the sector by establishing schools outreach programmes, reverse mentoring, and improved data collection.
An affordable and reliable public transport network is essential to provide disadvantaged households with connectivity and opportunities. People on low incomes and all protected characteristics (except disabled people) use public transport more.
Measures to promote active travel disproportionately benefit the less well-off who are less likely to be car owners.

Promoting initiatives explicitly aiming to narrow inequalities

The Digital Access for All mission helps negotiating social value contributions from operators including digital inclusion such as affordability connectivity, free connectivity in communal areas, and digital skills training. Wayleaves for social housing, which the Connected London team are supporting boroughs to develop, are also a key tool that enables boroughs to secure social value contributions from operators.
The redevelopment plans for Stratford station aim to supports local people and businesses and to help address deep-seated inequalities.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Promoting sustainable development and Net-Zero targets

The Infrastructure Coordination Service delivers collaborative streetworks projects that will reduce road network disruption in London by at least 150 days per year, with benefits including air quality and improved well-being for residents. It also plans proactively for the infrastructure needs of London’s high growth areas in order to decarbonise and unlock affordable housing delivery.
40 per cent of transport carbon emissions are from private cars. Our work promoting a shift to sustainable modes (walking, cycling and public transport), and encouraging people back on to public transport, is essential to avoid a car-led recovery.
The redevelopment plans for Stratford station support low carbon and sustainable development.

Promoting the Green Economy sector

The Connected London programme will support new connections or digital services that support green services.
The Infrastructure Foundation programme is capturing evidence that utilities are meeting their commitments around £2bn investment in London (including new jobs created) to support green recovery.

5. Global London Pillar

London is the UK’s main gateway to international investment, talent, businesses and tourists. It is the unicorn capital of Europe, with 60 companies valued over £1bn^Reference:3. Before the pandemic, it was the third most visited city on the planet and accounted for 53 per cent of spending by overseas visitors to the UKReference:4. But COVID-19 has hit the capital hard, with a sharp decline in international travel and business confidence.

Maintaining and enhancing London’s rich and diverse economic ecosystem, with its world-leading finance, professional services, tech, green and creative sectors, renowned institutions for culture education and research, and diverse and open community will be key to a successful recovery.

Through the international promotion and investment work carried out by London & Partners, we will continue to help attract new companies and jobs to the capital, by strengthening London’s international reputation as a safe and attractive destination for businesses, residents and visitors.

Through continued support for London’s creative workforce, cultural infrastructure which is fit for purpose, and a vibrant and engaging public realm, the Mayor’s Culture and Creative Industries programme plays a vital role in securing London’s global reputation and attractiveness as a place to visit and live.

5.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering this pillar

These include joint actions with London Boroughs, SRPs and other organisations.

5.1.1 Central Activities Zone (CAZ) – Long-term role

Future of the CAZ Action Plan

Status: ongoing (throughout 2022)
In partnership with: Central London Forward, central London boroughs

The GLA is working with Central London Forward and central London boroughs to develop joint action plan for the CAZ in the medium-term (over the next three to five years). The plan will aim to capture work being delivered by the GLA, CLF and boroughs which contributes to the medium-term economic recovery of the CAZ, identify gaps and areas requiring joint thinking and coordinated action and agree key asks of government.

Planning for London Programme

Status: ongoing (throughout 2022)
In partnership with: TfL, London boroughs

The Planning for London Programme will provide a structure to start gathering evidence and capturing views of stakeholders on how London may change and develop over the longer-term. As such it will look to build on other work programmes including the ERF Implementation Plan as it seeks to identify issues and options that a future London Plan review could consider.

5.1.2 Visitor economy

Let’s Do London

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners

Let’s Do London includes a domestic tourism recovery campaign (phase one) launched in 2021 and expanding in 2022 to also target international visitors (phase two). The campaign is delivered with London & Partners (L&P). The phase 1 £7m citywide domestic tourism recovery campaign has contributed to increase spend and confidence to visit London’s tourism, retail, hospitality and cultural sectors. It aims to drive footfall and increase spend and public confidence to visit London’s Central Activities Zone. Through the phase 2 international (£7m) campaign, L&P will prioritise markets that can most effectively be recovered, also targeting domestic audiences (with a further £2m of GLA funding). The GLA will complement this activity by promoting the cultural and sporting activities during Summer 2022, aimed at Londoners, domestic and international tourists (with an additional £1m of GLA funding).

Visit London: promotion of London to international visitors and major events

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners

London & Partners will continue to promote a wealth of London attractions via their flagship Visit London channels to encourage international visitors to explore the city and increase their spend on attractions, as well as hotels, bars, restaurants and retailers in the capital. London & Partners will also promote relevant major events taking place in London via their flagship Visit London channels, using the opportunity created by these events to amplify the promotion of London to increase the number of both domestic and international visitors to the capital and increase their spend on attractions, hotels, bars, restaurants and retailers.

5.1.3 Culture, entertainment and events

Creative Enterprise Zones (CEZ)

Status: ongoing

The CEZ programme is designed to ensure that London remains globally competitive by helping artists and creatives to find permanent affordable space to work, start-up and grow, helping creatives to live and work in London and continue to support the city’s economy and unique character, diversity and appeal. The zones cover seven areas – Croydon, Hackney/Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Hounslow, Lambeth, Lewisham and Waltham Forest – and work is underway to develop and deliver a new three-year action plan, including the accreditation of five additional zones by 2022.

Creative Economy Growth Programme

Status: ongoing (ends March 2022)

Delivering trade activities across the design, fashion and games sectors (London Games Festival, London Design Festival, London Fashion Week, Games Production Finance Market, Film Production Finance Market) and funding Film London to deliver trade missions and events, support inward investment and increase film studio capacity.

East Bank

Status: ongoing

Development of a world leading culture, education and innovation district, of local, national and international significance - supporting the city to remain a world leading producer of talent. East Bank brings together Sadler’s Wells, BBC Music and the V&A as well as University College London and University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion, including cutting edge laboratories and research space supporting sustainable design, all accessible in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with first building opening in 2022.

Thames Estuary Production Corridor

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: East London boroughs, South Essex and North Kent

To create the UK’s largest concentration of creative production in partnership with seven East London boroughs and development partners, and strategic partners in South Essex and North Kent. £8m in Government funding secured to deliver capital improvements to new and existing film studio spaces, improving studio competitiveness and delivering jobs.

Museum of London

Status: ongoing

The Mayor is responsible for £7.6m annual statutory grant to Museum of London, a major tourism destination with over one million visitors a year prior to COVID-19 across two sites at the London Wall and Docklands. The Mayor is investing £70m in building a new Museum of London in West Smithfield Market, aiming to double visitor numbers and be a top London tourist attraction.

London Borough of Culture

Status: ongoing (ends 2024)

The programme supports boroughs to place culture at the heart of local communities and recovery agendas. Funds are awarded to boroughs as title winners to support a year-long flagship programme, and through exemplary individual projects funded through the Cultural Impact Awards programme.

Fourth Plinth

Status: ongoing (secured until 2024)

Over the past 16 years the Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner of Trafalgar Square has been home to some of the world’s most innovative artworks, seen by millions for free. A model of best practice in commissioning public art, the principle has been adopted in New York’s High Line and in other global cities around the world.  The next two artworks specifically address themes of equality and inclusion and will be unveiled in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

World Cities Culture Forum

Status: ongoing (to become independent by April 2023)

We will continue to deliver the network of influential senior officials from 40 global cities, who champion the role of culture in economic and social success of cities. We will deliver a Leadership Exchange Programme enabling cities to share learning from each other on common challenges. The forum will transition into an independent entity by April 2023.

5.1.4 Promotion and investment

Business Tourism

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners

One of L&P’s principal roles in attracting international business tourists through promoting London for international meetings, events and congresses will continue. For example, this financial year L&P won its bid to hold the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London in 2024, which is the largest European medical convention generating £8.7m GVA. L&P also won bids to hold the International Society for Magnetic Resonance Annual Meeting in London in 2022 (£7m GVA) and the Ecocity World Summit in 2023 (2000 delegates).

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: London & Partners

L&P will continue to attract FDI into London with teams based in Europe, China, India and the US to support this work. In this financial year, L&P has landed the largest FDI project in London ever, from one of China’s largest digital platforms (TikTok) creating 1,500 jobs and generating £32m in GVA. Other large FDI wins this financial year include a US Fintech London HQ (200 new jobs and £9.4m GVA), a Swedish Mobility (e-scooter) company setting up its UK HQ (250 new jobs and £7.4m GVA), a Canadian Aerospace MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) (200 new jobs and £3.1m GVA) and an Indian Edtech firm setting up its first operation in London (160 new jobs and £2.6m GVA).

MedCity international activity

Status: ongoing
In partnership with: MedCity

MedCity promotes London’s vibrant life sciences ecosystem to attract inward investment and provides support to help businesses access the right space, infrastructure, collaboration partners and business support to grow.

Film London

Status: ongoing

The GLA funds Film London to deliver inward investment, trade missions, business support, investment events, and strategic support to studio providers. This will deliver new inward investment, supporting the creation of 2,500 jobs in film/TV and 90 jobs in games.

5.2 How actions in the Global London pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

The Museum of London aims to reach every London School child through its extensive outreach programme online and in person.
Film London and the Mayor support the Equal Access Network which is getting people from underrepresented backgrounds into jobs in the screen industries.
Creative Enterprise Zone funded programmes have strict targets for EDI which include at least 50 per cent women, 50 per cent Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and 12 per cent disabled participants.

Widening community participation and promoting diversity

Creative Enterprise Zones aim to increase the diversity of local people employed in the creative sector through traineeships, work placements and career advancement opportunities for local young people, those not in education, employment and training and early career stage employees.
Partners in East Bank are delivering initiatives to address inequalities, including pre-opening initiatives such as the V&A East Youth Collective Programme, a rolling six-month paid opportunity for locals (‘Youth Workers in Residence’) aged between 16 and 25 who help shape strategic decisions in the making of V&A East. V&A East will also show new items in its collections which speak to a wider audience and reflect London’s diversity more appropriately.
Fourth Plinth supports diversity in the public realm. At a time when there is a global debate on the role of statues and monuments, the Fourth Plinth has been acclaimed by international commentators as a leading exemplar to address contested histories in civic spaces and the next two commission in 2022 and 2024 specifically address these themes.
The London Borough of Culture programme has clear objectives on allowing for more people to experience and create culture on their doorsteps, make the city’s cultural offer more diverse and deliver affordable opportunities.

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Promoting sustainable development and Net-Zero targets

The Infrastructure Coordination Service delivers collaborative streetworks projects that will reduce road network disruption in London by at least 150 days per year, with benefits including air quality and improved well-being for residents. It also plans proactively for the infrastructure needs of London’s high growth areas in order to decarbonise and unlock affordable housing delivery.
40 per cent of transport carbon emissions are from private cars. Our work promoting a shift to sustainable modes (walking, cycling and public transport), and encouraging people back on to public transport, is essential to avoid a car-led recovery.
The redevelopment plans for Stratford station support low carbon and sustainable development.

Promoting the Green Economy sector

Each Creative Enterprise Zone has objectives concerning environmental performance of workspace and assets and businesses delivering positive environmental, social and economic returns.
The new Museum of London is aiming for the highest BREAM rating in environmental sustainability and has taken advice from the GLA’s Environment team.

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References

Reference:1according to the LLCI’s latest Quarterly Skills Survey.
Reference:2Smart infrastructure is infrastructure, such as sensors, that produce, analyse and help to securely share data on the performance of the built and natural environment.
Reference:3Tech Nation’s annual report 2021.
Reference:4Oxford Economics (2013) - Tourism: jobs and growth – the economic contribution of the tourism economy in the UK.

Contents

Economic Recovery Implementation Plan

Key information

Contents

Introduction

An Economic Recovery Framework for London

Taking action: the GLA Implementation Plan

1. Jobs Pillar

1.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering the Jobs pillar

1.1.1 Employability and barriers to employment

Creative Workforce Development Programme

1.1.2 Access to services

No Wrong Door (NWD)

Workforce Integration Network Toolkits and Design Labs

1.1.3 Skills and careers

Skills Roadmap for London

Good Work for All Fund (GWfA)

Mayor’s Academies Programme

Adult Education Budget (AEB) – Delivery Plans

London Careers Hubs

Local Skills Report

Adult Skills Marketing and Community Outreach Programme

Creative Enterprise Zones Programme – skills actions

Solar Skills London

Design Future London – Design Challenge

1.1.4 Good Work

Mayor’s Good Work Standard

London as a Living Wage City

Royal Docks as a Living Wage Place

Charter for Good Work in the Gig Economy

Creative Freelancers Framework

1.2 How actions in the Jobs pillar are contributing to building the green economy and narrowing inequalities

Narrowing social, economic and health inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

Enabling/promoting good work

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Focusing on Green Economy sector

Encouraging Net-Zero commitments

2. Business Pillar

2.1 GLA actions that contribute to delivering the Business pillar

Narrowing social, economic and health inequalities

Targeting underrepresented/most affected groups

Enabling/promoting good work

Building the green economy and achieving Net Zero

Focusing on Green Economy sector

Encouraging Net-Zero commitments

2.1.1 Growth sectors

London CleanTech Partnership

Business Transformation Programme - ReLondon

Thames Estuary Production Corridor (TEPC)

MedCity: life sciences cluster development

Creative Economy Growth Programme

Referable applications

2.1.2 Business support

The London Business Hub online

London Business Hub physical locations

Wayfinder Project

Business Support Review

Creative Enterprise Zones – business support

Culture and Community Spaces at Risk Programme

Business Growth Programme

Mayor’s International Business Programme

24 Hour London engagement

Business Climate Challenge

London Plan research

Back to Business Fund – Pay it Forward London

2.1.3 Innovation and productivity

Challenge LDN

TechInvest

Emerging Technologies Charter

Collaborate to Innovate: London Diagnostics

East Bank

Technology Adoption Service

Global Innovation Collaborative

Business Climate Leaders

Centre for Climate Change Innovation (CCCI)

Mayor’s Entrepreneur programme

2.1.4 Entrepreneurship

Better Futures

London Small Business Network

Take Off Programme