Morning Everyone! It has been cold this week, hasn’t it? What with yellow and amber health alerts issued on Monday, from the UK Health Security Agency, it’s a sharp reminder that winter is coming! We’ll need to be wrapping up with warm layers of clothes and keep an eye on our elderly loved ones and those who are vulnerable. For the Council, the freezing temperatures have activated what’s known as the ‘Severe Weather Emergency Protocol’, which ensures that there’s emergency shelter from the cold for anyone sleeping on the streets. If you see anyone please contact StreetLink so that we can make sure our outreach teams can offer them support, and a warm place to stay. Our libraries are also available as Warm Havens for anyone wanting to get in out of the cold, or worried about the cost of heating bills this winter, or those just looking for company and things to do on these cold, dark days. There was some heart-warming news this week when we found out that the Docklands Light Railway extension to Beckton and Thamesmead looks set to be given the go-ahead by the Chancellor in her Autumn Statement next week. This is really brilliant news for Newham, as the extension will include a new station at Beckton Riverside and promises to unleash exciting new opportunities for the borough, including driving local economic growth and the potential for thousands of new homes. I’ve been co-chairing the Beckton Riverside Delivery Board over the past seven years which is part of a collaboration to drive growth and unlock opportunities in the south of our borough by the Royal Docks, Beckton and North Woolwich; and in partnership with the Greater London Authority, Royal Borough of Greenwich, housebuilders, government departments and TfL. I am thrilled by the news as I recently wrote to the Chancellor calling on her to commit the funding for the scheme in the forthcoming Autumn statement. So this week’s news is a great result. The funding will allow construction to begin within a few years, and commuters could be whizzing across the Thames by the early 2030s – yes it does take time. Once in train (forgive the pun!), the Beckton Riverside DLR extension could unlock up to 25,000 new homes and support up to 10,000 new jobs in Newham and Greenwich, jobs and homes that are desperately needed. This is what I mean when I talk about Opportunity Newham and what it means for our residents. It is about pushing every door, bending every ear, shouting from the rooftops, and selling our great borough in the corridors of power and to the movers and shakers —on behalf of you, our residents. More good news this past Tuesday, when we approved a cabinet report to receive between £1.8m - £2.2m for the coming three years from the government for our Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme. The money will help us support our children and young people in Newham to access opportunities they would not ordinarily have. This will provide some 25,000 eligible children and young people in our borough, including those who are SEND or care-experienced, access to programmes of fun activities and food during their school holidays each academic year from March 2026. We’ve been running the HAF programme for the past few years, and this vital money helps us embed a network of free holiday club places across the borough run by voluntary and community groups, schools, and Youth Zones as well, for children and young people children and young people. Cabinet also approved recommendations in relation to the £1.5 million we’ve been allocated from the Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund. The money will add to a wider strategic neighbourhood investment programme that has already brought over £60 million into the borough over the past three years. This new funding will be used to progress vital programmes across three areas of Newham as part of a borough-wide approach to spread investment around and to foster inclusive growth and create vibrant, resilient neighbourhoods. The new Pride in Place funding will accelerate delivery in three priority areas - Beckton, East Ham and the wider Stratford area (Maryland, Forest Gate South or West Ham) where place-based visions are already shaping the future. You can read the full report here. This week, I was also delighted to welcome Deputy Mayor of London Debbie Weekes-Bernard to the Full English Breakfast exhibition over at East Ham Library as part of our Islamophobia Awareness Month events. It’s a clever, witty, thought-provoking series of beautiful photographs and portraits exploring assumptions about British identity and challenging stereotypes, and highlighting how the full English breakfast is a national food delight embraced by everyone , including British Muslims! Talking of our people, I’m heading over to Plaistow library today to have a look at all the People Powered Places projects shortlisted at our final Big Vote sessions taking place. Our residents are our power, and we are leading the way in our People Powered Places agenda, which supports local residents to shape their neighbourhoods through people generated local projects. As the final Big Vote sessions for Plaistow and Green Street neighbourhoods, it’s great to see local residents heading over to see the shortlisted projects showcased for themselves - and to vote! Also great to see all the energy and passion of everyone involved. You can find more about People Powered Places here. Finally, we’ve won another award! This time at this year’s prestigious New London Architect Awards 2025, for our vision for Canning Town and Cody Dock neighbourhood - a blueprint for growth which you can read about here and here: Canning Town and Cody Road - New London Architecture 2025. I am thrilled that once again Newham Council is getting the recognition for the great work we are doing to transform our borough for the better as we drive plans to build a fairer Newham that our people deserve. Until next week, stay warm, and have a joyful weekend. Best wishes,
Rokhsana Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
