Hello Everyone, I first stood to be your Mayor in 2018, because I care passionately about Newham. This is where I grew up and is the community I love. As the Council now steps into what’s called the ‘pre-election period’, this will be my last message to you as we countdown to the May local elections. I can say with absolute certainty: leading this borough and working alongside you and other residents is the greatest honour. It has required dedication, passion, and ethical leadership over these past eight years and working closely with our people across all our communities. Back in 2018, I set out with ‘People at the heart of everything we do’. In 2022, we built on that with a radical, necessary vision: Building a Fairer Newham. We didn't just want growth; we wanted growth that reached every doorstep. We didn't just want change; we wanted justice. And looking back over these eight years, we really have achieved so much together. As detailed in our Building a Fairer Newham 2022-2026 Council Report, which was presented at the last meeting of the Council before the election, last night, we are driving change that reaches every doorstep and creates opportunities for all residents. You can watch a short video here that sets out some of the highlights from our progress, including: - Outstanding Care for Our Children: we’ve turned around a service that had struggled for years, to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from Ofsted in every single area, a feat only a few London boroughs have achieved, with nationally recognised youth services.
- Educational Excellence: 97% of our schools are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding,’ and our pupils are outperforming the national average in reading, writing, and math.
- Tackling the Housing Crisis: we’re ranked 4th highest in the country for new housing starts, with completed schemes like Greenhill Centre in Manor Park, which we celebrated last week with 81 homes, providing genuinely affordable homes our people can afford and brand-new gym facilities for our communities. We are also driving up standards in the private sector through our borough-wide licensing, ensuring every resident has a home that is safe, warm, and secure.
- Economic Opportunity: We’ve secured a massive £1.2 billion in inward investment for digital infrastructure, and our ‘Newham Data Economy’ programme has supported over 2,500 residents with high-level digital and AI skills training, including over 700 women and girls. Our Newham Service has supported more than 32,000 residents, helping nearly 2,000 people into meaningful work. We remain a proud Living Wage Employer, extending that dignity to our vital care workers, who are mainly women.
But growth alone isn't enough; it must be inclusive. By securing living-wage jobs and apprenticeships, we ensure our residents are the primary beneficiaries of success. While we’ve overseen a 26% increase in local jobs since 2018, we are equally focused on tackling youth unemployment. Central to this is our Just Transition roadmap, ensuring that no one is left behind in the face of the Climate Emergency. And a home is more than four walls; it is the neighbourhood around it. We have cut fly-tipping by 70% in hotspots and committed £51 million to making our streets healthier and safer. As mentioned last week, I’m particularly proud to have announced a parting victory for our community: securing £20 million for the Little Ilford ward through the government’s Pride in Place programme. This is a massive investment that will transform the local environment, proving that even as I prepare to hand over the baton, my administration never stops fighting for every corner of this borough. Central to these achievements is our diligent focus on tracking our performance, which we have been honest and transparent about, and of course, your feedback. The findings from the March 2026 Newham Residents Survey show that our efforts to build a cohesive community are working. I am heartened to share that 86% of residents now agree that people from different backgrounds get along well in our borough, a significant rise from 63% just three years ago. You have told us that you are ‘fiercely proud’ of the neighbourhood where you live and that you deeply value our libraries, youth zones, and community centres as the ‘social glue’ of Newham. While we face a difficult national economic landscape, we have taken the responsible decisions necessary to secure our borough’s future. That’s why we leave behind a fully balanced and sustainable budget for 2026/27, ensuring that our council tax remains among the lowest in London while we continue to put people first. We have proven that you can be compassionate and fiscally responsible at the same time. While ‘greatest achievements’ can be a building or a statistic, for me, it’s the knowledge that we put our people first and foremost, always. Newham’s potential is enormous. The progress of the last eight years has built a solid, unbreakable foundation for the future. To the residents, the young, the elderly, and the vast array of our valued community organisations, partners, and local businesses, thank you for walking this path of building a fairer Newham with me. It truly has been a privilege in this chapter of my adventurous lifetime!
Thank you, Newham. With pride, gratitude, and love,
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Mayor of Newham Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter/Insta: @rokhsanafiaz |
