Hello Everyone,
I am so looking forward to the bank holiday weekend, as I’ll get a chance to have some valued quality time with my family. It’s certainly welcomed after this past week, where I’ve been like a fully charged battery doing a range of different activities constantly.
The week kicked off with news about the major partnership announced between developer Lendlease and The Crown Estate which will deliver around 6,300 new homes over at the Silvertown scheme that’s in the majestic Royal Docks in the south of the borough. Additionally, the partnership signals the acceleration of plans to deliver 1.6 million square feet of commercial space in Stratford. It’s a major boost for local people and our economy, as we bring more investment to the borough that will mean more homes jobs and opportunities!
It’s a major sign that there remains ongoing confidence in Newham as a place where great things are happening and where we seize opportunities and tackle our challenges head on. You can read my statement on this landmark deal here.
On Tuesday, I was in Leeds for UKREiiF the UK’s biggest conference on all things ‘built environment’, beating the drum for Newham as we showcase Newham’s potential and the positive impact we are making as we continue delivering for our local people. I talked about how at the Council, we believe in inclusive growth that puts people first, reflects the diversity of our communities, and delivers benefits for current and future generations. That means decent homes, green spaces, jobs for local residents, and young people able to stay, study, and succeed right here in their borough. And even amidst national housing pressures that we acutely face, Newham is building. We are currently fourth in the country for new council home starts, helping meet the urgent need for affordable, high-quality housing. We’ve got excellent schools, three universities, one of the UK’s best-connected transport networks over in Stratford, and a growing cultural and creative economy. The message from me at UKREiiF was clear: we are open for business, and we’re building a fairer future because we are opportunity Newham for our people.
Alongside our commitment to inclusive growth, we’ve reaffirmed our commitment to a Just Transition in response to the climate emergency this week, with the launch of the Trees for Streets initiative! Residents, businesses and community groups can now sponsor street trees. This will help to improve air quality, cool our streets, and green our public realm. We want to grow a healthier, greener borough.
Last night, we held our annual Council meeting, over at one of my most favourite places in the borough - our brand new Shipman Youth Zone in Custom House where back in the day, I used to be a ward councillor.
During my four-years serving the hardworking and diverse community of Custom House, I learnt so much. Including the value of strong ties and deep bonds amongst people from all backgrounds. The people of Custom House, inspired me then as they do now – along with all the people of this wonderful borough that has always been my home. Those four-years representing Custom House ward showed me the true spirit of community through the best of times and the worst. A neighbourhood of people that came together to support each other despite the daily challenges they faced in their lives. A neighbourhood of energy and optimism. That’s why I have been pursuing our agenda of Building a Fairer Newham ever since I became the Mayor of this borough. I want a borough where opportunity thrives – and where opportunity is for all. I want more of our Council meetings to take us into the heart of our communities, and for us to be amongst our residents across all our neighbourhoods. Because it’s where in these spaces of our residents’ daily lives, we truly see what they experience and how we are inspired to deliver for them. Annual Council Meetings are often the chance to reflect on the year just gone, but I want look ahead as we accelerate changes at the Council to make real the Opportunity Newham we are building for everyone – even in these hard, complex and challenging times. The past year has tested us, here at the Council, but it has also shown our strength. Our Council has been operating in a period of intense financial challenge and complexity in a time of national change. The housing crisis and spiralling demand for temporary accommodation, combined with rising social care costs, have forced councils across the country to make hard decisions and difficult choices about what to spend our money on to achieve the impact and outcomes we want to see. But we are making a tangible difference to the lives of thousands of our residents across the years, and each and every single day. Across the borough, we’ve protected access to youth services, created more apprenticeships, and helped more young people into training and jobs. That’s part of the reason why Newham is ranked high nationally for social mobility; and why our education results are also a source of real pride with 96% of our schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. But education doesn’t stop at 18, and our adult education offer is also stronger than ever. As mentioned last week, the Council’s Our Newham Learning and Skills service was once again rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted this year; which is a great achievement as we work to become outstanding. Despite delivery, we must also recognise that there is further to go with our mission to reform the Council in the interests of our residents. As you know, earlier this month, the Council received a Best Value Notice from the Government. I recognise the seriousness of this notice, and everyone at the Council is determined to do what’s needed to meet and exceed the expectations required. This is about doing right by our residents. And while over the last year, we’ve made real progress, we must continue to ramp this up at scale. That’s why we’ve bolstered the role of the Council’s voluntary Transformation and Improvement Board, and I now attend personally to ensure direct accountability and pace. And we’ve brought in external expertise, including Sir Steve Bullock, the former Mayor of Lewisham, who brings a wealth of experience and challenge to this work. Over the next year, I’ll be making sure that we continue to work closely with the Government to ensure accountability and transparency in everything we do; and get more investment in for Newham. So, what does the new municipal year ahead hold? It’s going to be all about delivering for our people and our communities and delivering Opportunity Newham: - Supporting the most vulnerable
- Keeping our public spaces safe, clean and cared for
- Helping young people into education, training and jobs
- Delivering safe, affordable housing
- And making sure every pound we spend delivers value for residents
Every part of the organisation will be focused on this mission: commitment, delivery and impact for our people. And I’ll be leading with purpose, underpinned by our guiding vision: Building a Fairer Newham; where every person, in every neighbourhood, has a stake and a say. That’s why I talk about Opportunity Newham which is happening and is here now for our people. For instance, I headed to Comic Con at the Excel Centre today, where I met a bunch of super heroes! But events like this bring more than just colour and culture to our borough, they bring investment, jobs, and international attention. We’re proud to host world-class events and even prouder to be building a local economy where creatives and entrepreneurs can thrive – and through our collaborations with partners like Comic Con, we are able to give our youngsters free tickets. Before I sign off for the week, I wanted to remind you that this Sunday marks the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, a moment that sparked a global movement for racial justice. To honour his memory and the ongoing fight against racism, Newham’s Civic buildings will be lit up in remembrance. Here in Newham, we’ll always celebrate our diversity and stand against discrimination and inequality in all its forms. That’s why we continue to work every day to ensure that every resident feels safe, seen, heard and valued. Take care and have a restful weekend with loved ones.
Best wishes, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
