Hello Everyone! Did you know that on Monday the Prime Minister was in Newham to launch the government’s new Artificial Intelligence - AI Opportunities - Action Plan, as a core part of increasing growth and productivity in the UK – including in the public sector – that the Government estimates will provide an economic boost to the UK of some £47bn to our economy each year over the next decade. As part of the launch over at UCL East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will be creating ‘AI-growth’ zones - geographic areas where restrictions will be relaxed on planning for AI infrastructure, such as data centres, with the first being in Culham which is in Oxfordshire. You’ll likely be reading the above and thinking: what on earth has this got to do with Newham and why is she writing about this!? Well, did you know I’ve been driving important work to make Newham London’s leading borough on all things AI and data as part of our plans for our local economy. Creating high income and sustainable jobs to increase opportunities for all our resident as we deal with the reality – and potential – of data and new technology in our lives; including the future world of work. We started back in 2021, through our research collaboration with UCL East has explored the potential for data economy in Newham that estimates that the UK data economy could be worth almost one trillion by 2035 with over 980,000 data professionals in the UK. For Newham, this equates to 5,500 new jobs that can be created in our borough alongside £104 million into our local economy to benefit our residents and businesses. Most recently, as part of our Data Economy work, we’ve launched the Centre for the Use of AI in the Public Sector in collaboration with the University of East London; and we offer a range of free digital and data skills training across the borough for young people, residents and small business owners, helping them to gain new skills and explore the potential of AI and data. We have also launched our Data Ambassador programme, running in three Newham schools, which offers a five-week programme dedicated to supporting young people into careers in data through a training programme which includes data ethics. We’ll be rolling out to more schools soon too! We are also working with companies like Bloomberg, Microsoft, AWS and Girls in Data who run career inspiration sessions and data training in schools as well! If you want to find out more about the opportunities we are offering Newham residents – check out this link here. That’s why this week I’ve spent much of my time focusing on growth and inward investment in Newham. Despite the budget challenges facing the Council - driven largely by the sharp increase in demand for temporary accommodation in the borough - our innovation, efforts, and determination are beginning to stem these pressures and we remain a borough built on optimism and positivity. I will continue to be open and honest with you about the ongoing budget pressures we face as a borough, as I have done in previous messages to you. Our challenge lies in the fact that the main pressures on our spending are in areas where rising demand is being felt across the country; Adult Social Care, Children Services and housing. The graph at the bottom of my message makes clear how these costs dominate our budget. However, I want to emphasise that, even in these challenging times, we will continue to deliver the services you need; and I will write more about all of this in the coming weeks. I’ve also been exploring how heritage and cultural activities contribute so much to making Newham a wonderful place to be in! At the start of the week, I joined a walkabout to celebrate the completed Shape Newham installations on Green Street and the Colours of Green Street installations, as well as the St. Stephen’s Parade public realm improvements. You can see the route we took here if you’d like to follow it yourself. Along the way, you’ll be able to admire three very impressive murals in Green Street, St. Stephen’s Parade Alleyway, and the Business Shutter Gallery. We were joined on the walk by the Editor of New London Architecture for a planned feature in New London Quarterly who was interested in the democratic process that supported the co-design of the Shape Newham and Colours of Green Street projects. Many residents and community groups contributed their time, expertise and ideas to these projects, which is a key aspect of our Building Newham’s Creative Future cultural strategy. At the start of the week, we also celebrated the impressive impact of the Elizabeth Line across the capital. A feature on BBC London News showcased how investing in high-quality transport infrastructure has unlocked economic growth by creating new jobs and homes in areas along the new line. With five Elizabeth Line stations, Newham has the highest number of stations of any London borough. On Wednesday, I was pleased to host the TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, to the Royal Docks, and to be able to tell him more about our exciting plans for the Docks, all part of our plans for inclusive growth in the borough. This was part of the Royal Docks Networking Forum, which Paul Nowak and I spoke at, alongside London’s Deputy Mayor for Business & Growth, Howard Dawber. I talked about how investment in the Royal Docks is already delivering - and will continue to deliver - improvements for our residents. Over £2 billion in public and private sector investment is planned for this area over the next five years. Cultural and creative industries play a vital role in the economy of not just our borough, but the entire capital. The Royal Docks has the potential to become a leading hub for creative production in our borough to create jobs and opportunities for our residents. That’s why we are harnessing our rich heritage and showcasing the diversity of our community to ensure our borough continues to thrive. That’s my focus: dealing with the challenges we face right now with focus and courage; but also with an eye to Newham’s future. Our potential and the huge opportunities coming are the things that I will be seizing to benefit all our residents for the here and now, as well as the future! Until next week, have a wonderful weekend, and remember keep warm and look out for any vulnerable friends, family members and neighbours. Best wishes,
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
