Political career
Deputy Leader of the Council
Before becoming Leader,Holland served as Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council and as Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport,Environment,and Clean Air. In this role,she oversaw the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). In a 2020 interview with The Guardian,she described the growing opposition to LTNs as a "culture war" between those advocating for unrestricted driving and those supporting measures to promote walking and cycling. She also noted that her home address was shared on social media by opponents of the scheme. [12] [13]
In the same year,Holland,gave evidence to the House of Commons Business,Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. [14]
Leader of the Council
In 2021,Holland became Leader of Lambeth Council following the resignation of her colleague Jack Hopkins. [15]
The same year,in response to the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA),Holland,as Leader of the council,issued a formal apology to victims acknowledging the council’s historic failures in protecting children,describing the findings as "deeply shocking and shameful," and committing to ensuring that similar abuses could never happen again. [16]
In the same year,Holland was also the local government representative on COP21. [17]
In 2023,Holland as Leader of the Council partnered with Prince William on a five-year initiative to tackle homelessness in the Borough of Lambeth,supporting local residents with their mental health. [18] [19] [20]
Local Government Association
In July 2024,Holland was also serving as the housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, [21] [22] and by August 2024,she was serving as its transport spokesperson. [23]
Chair of London Councils
In July 2024,Holland was elected as Chair of London Councils,a cross-party organisation that represents all 33 boroughs across Greater London. Prior to this,she was Deputy Chair of London Councils and was Acting Chair during Georgia Gould’s maternity leave (while she Leader of Camden Council). Before that she served on London Councils’Transport and Environment Committee. [24] [25] [26] [27]
As Chair,she has highlighted the severe challenges facing local governments,citing an unprecedented rise in demand due to a housing crisis,public health issues,and social care demands,all exacerbated by years of austerity. Holland stressed that the financial situation for boroughs is dire,with rising service costs and underfunding threatening budgets. Despite the bleak outlook,she reiterated her commitment to collaborating with the national government for better solutions. [28] [29]
In December 2024,Holland welcomed the additional support from central government to tackle the homelessness crisis in London,however,she did say it was inadequate [30] and councils across London are 'stuck in survival mode'. [31]
In February 2025,Holland expressed deep concern over the increasing reliance on "exceptional financial support" among English councils,highlighting that nearly a quarter of London boroughs required emergency borrowing to maintain essential services. She attributed this crisis to over a decade of structural underfunding,escalating costs,and rising demand for services. Holland emphasised that these financial pressures jeopardise the sustainability of local services and called for comprehensive reforms to address the underlying issues affecting council finances. [32] [33]
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