Leader of the council and cabinet members

Councillor Helen Dennis/Councillor James McAsh (maternity cover)

Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development

Cllr Dennis leads the council’s work on tackling the Climate Emergency, continuing to improve the borough’s environment and our contribution to a greener city and a greener planet. She works with Cabinet Members across portfolios to champion sustainability, green energy and continue reducing the borough’s carbon emissions. Cllr Dennis will facilitate suitable, sustainable, development in partnership with local residents and businesses, which delivers new homes, jobs and infrastructure that benefits local communities. She will ensure that planning and development also improves access to quality local services for Southwark residents. 

Cllr Dennis will be responsible for delivering our commitment to:

• launch a Land Commission to identify how more land in Southwark can be freed up for public good
• halve the council's carbon emissions again by 2026
• launch Southwark Green Finance
• stronger planning rules to make sure all new developments meet high green standards
• streamline planning applications for new and retrofit projects that meet high green standards   
• build on the work of the Southwark Climate Change Citizen Jury 
• use our planning powers to robustly require new social rent homes 
• back local people to establish Community Land Trusts, housing cooperatives and partnerships 
• establish a free green homes advice service for homeowners to help you make your home greener and lower carbon
• streamline planning applications to green your home 
• create a ‘retrofit learning network’ to bring together experts to share information on the potential costs, available discounts and carbon savings from making your homes more environmentally friendly
• Deliver brand new parks at Canada Water and off the Old Kent Road

Cllr Dennis will have wider responsibility for:

• reducing carbon emissions and promoting climate justice
• green energy 
• ensuring development in Southwark: 
  • delivers for the whole community
  • meets low carbon and net-zero ambitions
  • increases the supply of new genuinely affordable homes
  • creates economic growth that works for all Southwark residents 
  • improves biodiversity and enhances the public realm
  • meets the social infrastructure needs of the population, including the needs for education, health and community facilities 
• building control, planning policy and performance
• Area Action Plans, including Old Kent Road and Canada Water
• major infrastructure projects, including the Bakerloo Line Extension 
• Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 payments
• council owned commercial properties and commercial assets  

Page last updated: 20 September 2022