Hello Everyone, I hope you’ve had a great week, despite the surprise downpours of rain! I wanted to let you that I issued a statement this afternoon to say that I have made the decision not to stand as a candidate for the Mayor of Newham in next May’s elections in Newham. As you’ll know, I stood for election as Mayor in 2018 because I care passionately about Newham and its people, in the place I’ve grown up and dearly love. Above all, it has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life to serve the people of our wonderful borough, and I will continue to champion and advocate for Newham residents day-in, day-out until I step down in May 2026. My values lead me to serve with integrity and honour; courageously striving to always do my best in the interests of Newham and its people. I love the opportunity to make our borough fairer, more tolerant, more green and healthier, more democratic and more prosperous for all. I have always done so with passion and an unshakeable spirit of progress for the people we serve, in collaboration with them and committed colleagues at the Council. Service to people and the opportunity to transform lives is the highest honour, and I am proud that together with the people of Newham and dedicated staff at the Council we have changed so much in our borough for the better. More homes people can afford, more jobs and opportunities, investment for our children and young people and an enduring commitment in helping people lead financially secure lives. I know that further improvements are needed at the Council to deliver best value and the fairer ambitions I have for our people. That is why my focus is delivering on my mission of Opportunity Newham for them, now and always. The changes we have seen over the last seven years has been significant: delivering award-winning council owned homes that our people can afford which are so desperately needed; investing millions to restore neglected estates and neighbourhoods, including Carpenters, Custom House and Canning Town, building an inclusive growth economy locally where people are paid the London Living Wage, and are equipped with the skills and opportunities to thrive, and believing in our young people and their potential, making sure Newham is the best place for them to grow up and thrive. I’m proud that we are tackling poverty, racism, discrimination, disadvantage, and responding to the climate emergency through our Just Transition plan. Our focus on tackling inequality and driving opportunity has meant that our diverse communities are being enabled to lead healthy and financially secure lives. Through our People Powered Places initiative, we have shifted power and decision-making from the council to the community. I have been open and honest about the deep seated challenges the Council has faced, such as the entrenched failures that led to our housing services being awarded a C4 rating by the social housing regulator, the extreme pressures as a result of London’s housing crisis and unprecedented numbers needing temporary accommodation that required us to seek Exceptional Financial Support from Government. Most recently the non-statutory Best Value notice (and you can read our recent report about it here), requiring us to demonstrate to Government and residents that the Council can deliver the transformation and change that is needed, at the pace required, shows the scale of the challenges that are entrenched. Already, there’s a comprehensive transformation and improvement plan in place, supported by independent experts. That’s why I wish that whoever becomes the next Mayor of Newham continues Newham’s incredible journey for the benefit of our people and communities, and building on the legacy I started when I stepped into office in 2018 to serve. Service to people and the opportunity to transform lives is the highest honour, and I am proud that together with the people of Newham and dedicated staff at the Council we have changed so much in our borough for the better. For instance, at a meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday, we approved the new Newham Growth Plan, which sets out how we’ve been securing opportunity for our people through our inclusive growth agenda across the borough. That’s because I want our local economy to work for all. It’s because I always want to ensure that opportunity is available for everyone regardless of the colour of their skin, gender, age or background. Then there’s the fantastic progress of our waste management team at the Council who recently achieved the highest recycling rate ever in Newham - up by 14.6% since 2018. On Wednesday, we marked the launch of the next phase of work from our Independent Commission on Inclusion and Belonging in Multi-Ethnic Newham, who’ll be reaching out to residents over the coming weeks to listen to their experiences of inclusion, identity, and what it means to part of our wonderful community. They’ve also got a survey with various questions they want you to answer which you can access here. I’m so proud that we are driving such nationally significant work in Newham, as I want to showcase what makes Newham so great, and make sure that the Council delivers equality of service to all our residents. Because it’s our honour to serve. Before I sign off for the week, don’t forget that we have a summer of fun in store for children and young people heading into their long school breaks . We’ve also got another jammed-packed Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme to for eligible youngsters, offering an amazing range of free activities: from sports and dance to cookery and crafts including a free healthy meal each day. Finally, don’t forget to cheer the Lionesses on as they face Spain in the final of the Women’s Euro’s on Sunday. Watching the match against Italy on Tuesday, I was blown away by their composure, teamwork and desire to play till the very last minute. It was true fighting spirit from a strong team of strong women with the courage to never give up and inspiring a generation to dream big. That’s why on Sunday, I’ll be behind them all the way. Here’s to the Lionesses bringing it home for England! Until next week, stay well and stay happy! , Best wishes, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
