Overground improvements
In the website here it is reported that the Overground operates as a concession, in which TfL sets fares, procures rolling stock, and decides service levels. Next May, it will be managed by First Rail London (FRLL), a subsidiary of FirstGroup PLC.
From then, there will be extra peak-time trains on the Mildmay line, with shuttle services between Clapham Junction and Shepherd’s Bush during peak hours.
From December 2026, the Windrush line services through the core section will increase to 18 trains per hour.
Extra Council Tax
The Government has allowed some Councils in London to impose larger council tax increases after reducing their share of government funding.
Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London will be allowed to raise rates by more than 5% for two years without local people having to approve.
The tables setting out the allocations to each council are accessible via this link.
New NPPF consultation
The Government issued a new version of the National Planning Policy Framework with a consultation until 10th March 2026. London Forum’s members are asked to consider the local implications of the proposed planning rules and to respond to the consultation. Specific concerns or recommendations can be notified to us.
There was a long debate in Parliament on the proposed new NPPF.
The lawyer Nicola Gooch has issued an NPPF briefing with additional links and Simon Ricketts has commented on the content of the new NPPF.
Hounslow Council Leader responds to criticism about finances
On 11th November 2025, London Forum published an update containing criticisms by LB Hounslow Councillors of the cost of the Council’s ‘Lampton Group’ and the loans made to it.
In the Chiswick Calendar online magazine, the local authority’s Leader, Shantanu Rajawat, has responded to those criticisms over Hounslow’s finances, as here. He explains how Hounslow’s finances are in “remarkably good shape”.
![A4 cyclepath [photo: OGWRA]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/A4-cyclepath-OGWRA.jpg?resize=320%2C202&ssl=1)
A4 cycle lane needs repair
A London Forum member society in Osterley has asked people to sign their petition, as below.
While there is major investment in Cycle Superhighway 9, the neglected A4 cycle path from Cranford to Chiswick remains hazardous and poorly maintained, prompting urgent calls for resurfacing, regular cleaning, safer junctions, and improved infrastructure to ensure it meets the safety standards of West London’s cycling network.
Please send this link to anyone who cycles on the A4 cycle path, or would like to do so. https://www.owgra.org.uk/petition-a4-cyclepath
Survey of UK investors
Investec published in November its 2025 Future Living report. It highlights the investment sector’s resilience when facing problems of regulation and economic policy hampering near-term prospects. Those include the impact of the Building Safety Act and the Renters’ Right Act on investment decisions.
The survey was of 50 global institutional investors in UK real estate representing £300 billion assets under management. The results highlight the asset classes most affected and the ways in which investors and developers are adapting.
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Business Rates relief
Contesting land or property
Household Projections and Housing Targets
The latest projections from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that between 2022 and 2032, the number of households in England is expected to grow from 23.5 million to 25.9 million, [more…]
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