Hello Everyone,
It’s been another super busy week out and about across the borough, and in meetings with councillor colleagues and Council officers as we deal with issues that matter to you, our residents, as we continue with our mission of Building a Fairer Newham. Kicking off with a Full Council meeting on Monday over at the Old Town Hall, Stratford we showcased the impact of the inclusive growth agenda we’ve been driving across the borough in a report: Growth with a purpose: homes, jobs and inclusive communities because under my administration we want to ensure that, in these hard times, everyone can access opportunities, skills and good jobs so that they can live financially secure lives. It’s about creating economic growth locally to help tackle inequality and poverty - and improve people’s wellbeing, we are making an impact.
Since 2023, we’ve: - Supported over 16,000 residents through employment, skills, and financial wellbeing programmes;
- Helped 1,000 residents into employment, including through targeted youth and disability employment schemes;
- Enabled nearly 500 residents to enter training or apprenticeships; and
- Supported 1,700 small and medium-sized businesses, unlocking £5.3 million in additional household income.
Fundamental to this, and supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, is fair pay. That’s why I’m proud of the role Newham Council has played with partners like Newham Citizens to champion the London Living Wage. There are now nearly one hundred accredited London Living Wage employers across the borough, and I was proud to join Newham Citizens and the Deputy Mayor of London for Business at the London Stadium on Monday with some of these employers and some of those residents who are benefiting from the London Living Wage, and the difference it’s making to their lives. I was touched and humbled to receive an award recognising my commitment to championing the London Living Wage and the work this administration has done. I’ve also, as I do each year, written to employers in the borough urging them to become an accredited employer, because everyone deserves fair pay. It makes business sense. Creating an inclusive economy also supports a more inclusive Newham, and at the Full Council meeting we also heard from Sunder Katwala, Director of think tank British Future, and Chair of our independent Commission on Inclusive Newham and Belonging.
The findings from the commission’s work, research, and conversations with residents have been insightful, and I’m looking forward to receiving their final report with recommendations early next year. Hopefully, you will have seen our Let's Love Newham campaign, about how together we can take action to tackle fly-tipping, reduce waste, and make our streets cleaner and greener. It’s something that matters to me and I know all of you too. It affects civic pride and how we feel about our neighbourhoods, and our borough. I’ve been out with our waste crews, our street cleaning teams, and our enforcement team, and I’ve joined many of our fantastic community groups who organise litter picks in their local areas. But we know there’s a persistent group who don’t take pride in Newham and expect others to clear up after them. Those who think throwing rubbish – no matter how small – on our streets is acceptable behaviour. It’s not! Throwing litter on the ground or fly-tipping isn’t just unsocial and unsightly, it’s costly too. Every time someone creates a mess, someone must clear it up, and that comes out of your Council Tax. And at a time when our budget is under pressure like never before, this is money that could be spent on other things, not clearing up someone else’s rubbish. So please let’s all play our part. Put litter in bins, use our bulky waste collections, take part in – or organise your own – neighbourhood litter pick, and if you see someone fly-tipping, report it! And coming up is the rollout of our new weekly Food Waste collections, with a pilot starting in the coming weeks across 10% of households in the borough – read more here. You’ll know how important the Carpenters Estate restoration and regeneration scheme is to me and all those living there. It’s one of London’s largest estate regeneration projects, delivering over 2,300 modern and sustainable homes built to a high environmental standard, with 50% built as genuinely affordable at social rent. Our plans received a massive 73% Yes vote from residents living on the estate during the legally required estate ballot in December 2021. Hoardings are up and work is beginning, as here in Newham we desperately need new homes our people can afford – especially given that we have 7,500 households in temporary accommodation which is costing us millions each month. What that means is that we need to get cracking on building homes and not being held up. Recently, you may have heard about one of the two foodbanks on Carpenters Estate claiming that the Council is threatening to cut off their electricity and switch off their water supply. That’s not true. They’ve been asked to move out of a building that they’ve been able to use for free for over a decade, as the Council wants to use it for meanwhile community space, including supporting people from Newham to start their new businesses. The Carpenters Café foodbank have been offered a purpose-built new facility on the estate, which they’ve be able to move into since July, with a shower and toilet facilities provided free by the Council. Council officers have been offering to support their move after their planned Christmas party early next month – not least because of the financial challenges the Council faces caused by growing temporary accommodation costs – as they need to get cracking with building homes and widening opportunities. Every day of a delay costs all of us money. Before I sign off, don’t forget, the deadline for the Newham Civic Awards 2025 is on Sunday 16 November, it’s your chance to shine a light on those who go above and beyond! Until next week, take care.
Rokhsana Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
