Your Spending Review questions answered
What does de-ringfencing the Access for All, Cost of Living and Borough of Sanctuary pots mean?
These were separate, time-limited funding pots established under the previous administration. Continuing to fund them from ring-fenced reserves is not sustainable once the money is spent. Remaining balances are being returned to general reserves where appropriate so that all activity can be assessed alongside every other Council priority.
An ongoing review is examining what activity remains affordable, delivers the greatest impact for residents, and can be funded sustainably from base budgets. Any continuing work will be budgeted for in the normal way.
What will Access for All be replaced with?
We will replace Access for All with a new concessionary scheme, with details to be set out in the autumn.
Why is the Youth Bus being stopped and how much will it save?
The Youth Bus was introduced in 2023 as discretionary activity and costs £90,000 a year to run. A mobile bus model is not considered the most effective way to provide sustained support.
Resources will instead be targeted through existing youth provision, schools, community settings and specialist support. Equipment will be relocated into youth centres.
Why is Bradstow School land and buildings being sold?
Bradstow School in Broadstairs, Kent, closed in December 2025. The Council no longer has an operational need for the site, which sits outside the borough and incurs ongoing holding, security and maintenance costs without delivering services for Wandsworth residents.
It is therefore proposed to declare the land and buildings surplus and dispose of the freehold for the best consideration reasonably obtainable, subject to any necessary consents. Retaining an empty site outside the borough is not considered a sustainable use of resources.
How much is being saved from cutting communications spend?
An immediate reduction in communications spend has already been implemented relative to previous years. This includes cutting the use of professional video production and developing those skills in-house, and reducing the number of expensive publications and all-borough leaflets that previously accounted for significant expenditure.
A full review of communications resource across the organisation will take place as a future part of Wandsworth’s longer-term Spending Review programme.
Why do some decisions have clear savings figures attached while others do not?
Some measures, such as removing specific housing schemes, have readily quantifiable borrowing and debt-cost implications. Others require further detailed work on delivery models, residual costs and reallocation of resources.
The Council is working through these details and will communicate specific savings and investment figures in a fuller update at a future Council meeting once the analysis is complete.
How much extra money is going into waste and street cleaning?
Resources are being refocused on clean streets, effective waste collection, graffiti removal and enforcement, particularly in high-footfall areas, by redirecting existing budgets to where they have the greatest impact.
Exact additional investment figures will be confirmed once the detailed proposals have been finalised.
What about additional police officers?
The administration has committed to funding additional officers to strengthen community safety and visible policing, funded in the current year from Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy released by a review of existing schemes.
Discussions with the Metropolitan Police are ongoing. A separate update will be issued on this.
What does the Town Hall consolidation mean and how much will it save?
The intention is to bring forward proposals to improve and retain the Town Hall as the Council’s principal civic and operational base, consolidating more staff and services there and rationalising other office accommodation. This avoids the cost and risk of relocating elsewhere and reduces the risk of leaving a major listed building without a clear long-term use.
Detailed costs, investment requirements and savings will be set out in a future business case.
What does this mean for the Alton Estate renewal plan?
The Council continues to support the Alton regeneration. We have recently started the demolition of Block A at the junction of Roehampton Lane and Danebury Avenue, which will make way for improvements to the area.
Going forward, we will listen carefully to the community and stakeholders in light of the ballot to ensure the regeneration realises the potential of the area. This approach will allow the Council to work in partnership to bring people together and drive forward regeneration.
Why are these difficult decisions being made?
The Council faces a 40 per cent reduction in government funding, an existing and growing budget deficit, the highest planned borrowing in its history, and reserves that are forecast to run out within three years.
Hard choices are required to protect core services and put the Council back on a sustainable footing.