I hope you are well after what has been both a hot and humid week. It’s set to remain warm this weekend, so make sure you keep up with the sunblock, take water around with you and stay in the shade when you can.
This week has been a mixed one with both sad and positive news, alongside preparations for a formal meeting of cabinet next Tuesday where we’ll be discussing very important matters concerning the impact of homelessness in the borough and changes planned about how the Council will be run.
On Monday, I went to the funeral of the three young children who died following a house fire in East Ham last month. I spoke to the congregation at the mosque where the funeral prayers were being held about the heartache and loss that all of us in Newham feel following their deaths; and offered my heartfelt condolences on behalf of everyone at Newham Council to their parents and surviving sibling. They’ll be in my prayers.
We’ve also had a spate of serious incidents across the borough in the past couple of weeks, including the death of a 20-year old man following a stabbing in Plashet Park, which recently won another Green Flag award last month. The police have launched a murder investigation and I have issued a statement offering condolences to his family and urging witnesses to come forward.
Violence has no place in Newham and we are making sure that the police do all that they can to keep our borough safe, as part of us holding them to account on behalf of all Newham residents; and ensure our parks and neighbourhoods are places that are safe. I have also tasked Cllr Amar Virdee, the Cabinet member for Community Safety, to work with senior officers at the Council and other cabinet members to review safety in our parks and ensure that crime and anti-social behaviour in our parks and across the borough is stamped out.
We all want a safer Newham and that’s why over the past few weeks, we’ve installed three new knife bins in different parts of the borough to get these dreadful weapons off our streets. It’s part of a knife amnesty campaign, which is one measure we are rolling out in collaboration with Newham police as we address the complex root causes of crime. I’ll be providing a further update in the Autumn about the wider keeping Newham safe plans that are underway including measures targeting those at risk of exploitation into crime.
On Thursday, we issued a statement clarifying the Council's financial position following an article in the Evening Standard suggesting the council was facing bankruptcy.
The truth is that the article quotes a section of our Summer 2024 Finance Report coming to a formal meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday – which you can read here – and which sets out forecasts about the costs of current pressures in social care and because of homelessness in Newham.
You’ll be aware that over recent years, I have been transparent with you about the challenging environment we face as a council, not least because of the complexity of growing demand and significant financial pressures facing the entirety of local government after 14-years of austerity.
The Council continues, along with councils across London, to face unprecedented financial challenges primarily driven by factors outside of our control, the biggest one being homelessness and the growing high costs of temporary accommodation, where the private rented sector in London and the wider housing market has failed people.
We have been, and will continue to be, laser focused on controlling our spending, and ensuring robust financial management is in place. For instance, we continue to reduce our costs across the council and innovative work is in hand to help control and drive down costs in all areas. Through our transformation plans, which will make more savings and efficiencies, we will also be making changes at the Council through a New Operating Model which you can about here; and which will also be coming to the formal meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday 6 August.
The financial pressures we face have come about because of years of national failure to address the growing housing crisis and the inefficacies of the housing market in London. Without the unprecedented pressures caused by the cost of temporary accommodation, our budget last year and this year would have been balanced.
But the challenges are such that we will face difficult choices about reductions to services and may require some government assistance in the form of authorisation to use the capital receipts from the sale of council owned property assets that we no longer need to deliver all those things that are important to us and our residents.
Talking about homelessness and housing, last week I wrote about the government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes, and the contribution we are already making here in Newham to build the affordable homes Newham needs, through our Affordable Homes for Newham Programme.
Infrastructure, whether that’s physical, community, social or green infrastructure such as parks and green spaces, is critical to supporting our housing and inclusive economic growth plans for everyone in our borough. It’s called wealth creation!
That’s why this week, I was really pleased to see the strong community support for the proposed new DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead – which you can read about here. This new proposed DLR extension has the potential to unlock a whole new area of development in the south of the borough, which will mean more genuinely affordable homes and support the creation of new jobs and improvements to local neighbourhoods.
It’s important that we drive people powered places through listening to local residents in all the important decisions we make to shape the future of the borough, like last week’s Canning Town Estate Ballot result. That’s why I am delighted with another vote of confidence in the DLR extension plans and I’m looking forward to working with Newham residents and project partners to turn these plans into a reality.
Another great example of turning plans into reality is the opening of the refurbished Jack Cornwell Community Centre in Little Ilford that is taking place tomorrow. We’ve been able to refurbish and improve this important and vital community venue. There’s also our Colours of Newham project, where we’ve developed 12 mural designs and street art pieces in collaboration with local people to enhance local neighbourhoods and high streets in Forest Gate, Green Street, Manor Park and Little Ilford – all being rolled out this summer.
It’s all part of our wider High Streets strategy and Building Newham’s Creative Future plans to celebrate Newham as the beating heart of culture in London; and encourage people to enjoy our neighbourhoods, shop local and be wowed by colourful places.
We’ll be doing a formal launch of our Colours of Newham Street Art project, through celebrating the first street art work depicting Jimi Hendrix at the site of the historic Uppercut Club in Forest Gate where icons performed back in the day, and in 1966 Hendrix wrote his famous Purple Haze classic.
For this one, we collaborated with creatives Bud Studioand acclaimed street artist Zabou, who is a former Newham resident. So if you are up for coming, join me at 8pm on Wednesday 7 August over at Forest Gate (15 Woodgrange Rd E7 8BA) for a formal unveiling – you can take a look here!
There’s a lot that we’ve been doing and you can watch more below in a video (click the image to play) I’ve done to show the ambition and commitment we have to our people; and how we are delivering our promise to build a fairer Newham.
Finally, as we continue to be wowed by amazing sport feats at the Paris Olympics, watch out for the athletics which start this weekend. We have amazing home grown Newham talent Victoria Ohuruogu as well as Jade O’Dowda. Both are from the Newham and Essex Beagles Athletics Club and competing as part of our Team GB athletics squad!
Until next week, look after yourself and take care.
‘One of the best free festivals in the UK’ is coming to Newham
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) 2024 will be transforming Newham from 23 August – 8 September.
Described in the Guardian as ‘one of the best free festivals in the UK’, London’s leading free festival of outdoor theatre, dance and circus is now coming to Newham. It will be transforming some of our most loved and unexpected public spaces into creative playgrounds for residents and families.
From an eight-hour aerial performance taking place on a melting block of ice in Docklands, to a two-day celebration of children and theatre in Stratford Park, there is a free experience coming to a place near you.
Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month with ‘Desi Daydreams’
Join us for the unmissable Desi Daydreams: A Throwback to the 80s South Asian Rave Scene on Saturday 17 August from 7pm-10pm as we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month. Brace yourself for an unforgettable night featuring a stellar lineup, headlined by the legendary British Asian
Bhangra band DCS, renowned for their high-energy performances and innovative sound that blends traditional Punjabi music with modern influences. DJ MD, a versatile music aficionado from East London will bring his eclectic mix of genres to the event, seamlessly transitioning from hip-hop and R&B to Bollywood and Bhangra. Witness the mesmerising choreography of The VP Bhangra and feel the rhythm of The Dhol Company’s dynamic drumming.
We are celebrating after receiving six Green Flag Awards, an international quality standard for parks and green spaces. The awards recognise the dedication of council staff and the community to maintaining these areas for residents and visitors.
The awarded parks are: Central Park, Forest Lane Park, Keir Hardie Recreation Ground, East Ham Nature Reserve, Plashet Park, and Royal Victoria Gardens.
This latest achievement coincides with Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks Week, concluding on Sunday (4 August). It highlights the vital role green spaces play in boosting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities.
Join free summer cycle rides - from kids' rides and nature trails, to mechanics teaching and adventure cycles. Explore the map and register for a ride near you. All rides are fully led and marshalled. Whether you're getting back on your bike, meeting new people, or just enjoying the sunshine, you can register now.
Cycle Buddies is a free service connecting new cyclists with experienced riders. You can find a buddy
in Newham to help you get started, meet up, and build your cycling confidence.
The Newham Parks Ride takes place on Sunday 15 September.
The school year has ended, and summer break is here! We want to shine a spotlight on one of our People Powered Placesfunded projects: Magic Care Moments Club. This incredible club offers a range of creative, fun, and inclusive activities for all children and young people including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Founded by Wahida and Mohammed Shamsur Rahman, along with
Tutor Evie, the Magic Care Moments Club was born out of their own experiences in seeking creative opportunities for their son Nabil, who is a student with autism.
Currently, they have 70 participants and are dedicated to building a community of creative young people and families.
Save the date! Newham’s free Ageing Well Festival will be held on Saturday 5 October. Please join us to celebrate International Day of Older Persons. Everything will be free including international food, activities and entertainment. The celebration forms part of our wider Ageing Well support, aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Newham residents aged 50+, while also reducing health inequalities. The event will be held at Forest Gate Community School from 10am-4pm.
You can receive updates by joining the Ageing Well broadcast list - simply message 07814 076 044. For any queries, please email
Camp in the heart of Epping Forest, just 20 minutes from Newham
Debden House in Epping Forest is a stunning grade 2 listed property owned by Newham Council which operates as a campsite, conference and events centre.
More than 300 camping pitches are available over 50 acres, with forest trails and outdoor activities available.
Prices are £15 per adult and £10 per child per night. This price includes tents, access to the communal marquee, fridge, electric cooker, tables and chairs.
Please contact Debden House directly for availability on 020 8508 3008 or email
World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding – and topics related to it. A mother’s breastmilk is tailor-made for her baby, contributes to healthy development and boosts a child’s ability to fight illness and infection.
Breastfeeding also helps with emotional bonding for babies and their parents. We recognise not everyone can or chooses to breastfeed, so not only do we offer help with breastfeeding, but also bottle feeding, mixed feeding and introducing solids. If you have questions about feeding your baby or toddler aged up to three years, contact our Baby Feeding Helpline by calling 07534 249 611.
Discover wild flowers, grasses and a butterfly garden at Beckton Meadows.
On 25 July, we formally opened Beckton Meadows, a new addition to Beckton Parks. It features over two acres of resident-planted wildflowers and grasses, a Butterfly Garden and the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Pathway. Residents, councillors and partners celebrated with nature walks led by experts from Butterfly Conservation and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Art activities educated participants about the habitat’s benefits and management.
The Pathway, starting from Beckton Park DLR station, includes a play trail, seating, and 30 new trees. The meadows also feature deadwood sculptures, a butterfly garden by local students, educational signage, and a wildlife bank.
We are inviting you to have your say on Newham's Local Plan, the Council's key planning document used to assess planning applications as well as plan for regeneration and development.
Our draft Local Plan (Regulation 19), which is at consultation stage until the 6 September, sets out our long-term vision and strategy for inclusive growth, regeneration and development across the borough to 2038.
Our Newham: Empowering residents and businesses with confidential advice and support
Our Newham is the council’s service exclusively for Newham residents supporting you across five programmes: Money, Work, Business & Enterprise, Learning & Skills and Youth.
From helping residents maximise their income, supporting local businesses and start-ups to kick-starting career journeys. Find out more at www.newham.gov.uk/ournewham
or come and visit us at 112-118 The Grove, E15 1NS
