After a whirlwind first week as Mayor of Newham, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting more of you and getting out and about in the borough, including my visit to Forest Gate  and to our  Local Depot offices. I aim to do this a lot more over the coming weeks, so stay tuned. 

When I was elected, I promised action on the issues that matter most to local people and when talking to you over the last few months, one of the most common concerns I heard was making sure our streets are clean and safe – and that we tackle issues like illegal dumping of waste. 

Our council Enviro-crime Team are already working hard to tackle this problem, issuing 1,575 fixed penalty notices between April 2025 and January 2026, and our Street Cleansing Team (or we/ or cleansing) are now clearing 95% of fly tipping sites within 24 hours. 

But we need your help to make sure we’re taking the right actions where they are needed. We’ll be holding five action days, where our teams will be talking to residents, taking further enforcement action or putting in other interventions to discourage fly tipping. 

We'd like to hear from you on where you think this work is most needed. You can take the quick survey over on the Newham Co-Create website. 

My message is clear: If you see dumped rubbish, report it (find out how in the top story below).

This is just the start. I am determined to make Newham a cleaner, safer borough, and by working together, we can create streets we’re all proud to call home.

Forhad  

Mayor Forhad Hussain

Fly-tipping crackdown - tell us where to start

We need your help to tackle illegal dumping on our streets.

We are preparing for five action days across Newham to target fly-tipping at well-known hotspots.

Using fly-tipping hotspot data, we’ve identified locations where focused action could make the biggest difference - but we want residents to help shape where we start.

At five locations, we’ll deliver a range of proven interventions, including:

• resident engagement and education
• increased enforcement activity
• changes to street features where appropriate. 

Complete our survey and vote on the top five locations you would like to see action >

Newham scoops top honours for affordable homes 

Newham wins top honours at the 2026 RIBA London Awards, with Plashet Road and Noele Gordon House recognised for sustainable, high-quality affordable housing benefiting local residents.

• Two Newham housing developments win at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) London Awards 2026
• Plashet Road in Upton Park recognised for sustainability, delivering energy-efficient homes that help tackle fuel poverty
• Noele Gordon House in East Ham sets a benchmark for high-quality, affordable later-living housing in East London

Read all about it on our news hub >

Kingsford pupils' celebration of creativity

Kingsford Community School hosted a landmark cultural and educational event on 15 May featuring international media and artists.

The celebration of poetry, performance and creativity was the first of its kind in the UK and Kingsford Community School is the only UK school selected as part of the Poetry Across the Oceans Global Chinese Poetry Fellowship, a prestigious international programme

The showcase featured poetry readings, videos, visual artwork and illustrations, photos of pupils’ work and progress, as well as performances, dance and martial arts from artists from China. 

Read more about the showcase on Kingsford Community School >

Join Our Clothes Swap – Refresh Your Wardrobe for Free

Join a friendly clothes swap hosted by LOANHOOD in partnership with East London Waste Authority (ELWA).

Bring up to five clean items you no longer wear and swap them for something “new to you”. It’s simple and fun! 

This event is part of Refugee Week. During the event, you can also meet Care4Calais and donate good quality clothes, especially men’s clothing, shoes, and coats. 

Every year 350,000 tonnes - that’s around £140 million worth of used but still wearable clothing go to landfill in the UK.  By swapping not shopping, you can help the environment and support your local community.

Saturday 20 June from 11.30am - 3.30pm 

Stratford Library, 3 The Grove E15 1EL

Find out more on how the clothes swap works and book your tickets >

Join the Newham 1000 Challenge! 

We’re aiming for 1,000 volunteer hours in just 8 days during National Volunteers’ Week (June 1-June 7). You can give just one hour or more and every bit of time helps make a difference across Newham. 

If you are already volunteering please log your hours here or email volunteers@newham.gov.uk so we can keep track of the impact we are making together. Local groups and community organisations are also welcome to take part in the challenge. 

Please get in touch if you would like to get involved. Let’s work together to make a difference across Newham.