My plan for Newham

  • HomesBuild 1000 new Council owned homes to be let at social rent levels by 2022 and ensure 50 percent of developer built homes are let at social rent levels and owned by the Council. Read more…

  • There is a housing crisis in Newham and simply put many of our residents cannot afford to live here anymore. Nearly 24,000 people were on Newham’s Housing List and around 4500 households were homeless in September 2017. There is also land to build over 35,000 homes in Newham over the next 10 years.

    As your Labour Mayor, I will embark on a programme of building new Council homes at affordable social rents so that our residents can stay in Newham.

    I will also:

    • start 100 new Council owned homes to be let at social rent levels in my first year with a target of at least 1000 over my first term, which will include homes for residents with disabilities. A Newham Housing Delivery Plan will be produced in my first six months;
    • ensure that at least 50 percent of Council and private homes that are built in Newham over the next 4 years are let at social rents and are owned by the Council. This is a challenging but achievable target;|
    • terminate the proposed Carpenters Estate Joint Venture scheme and consult directly with residents about producing a resident-led Masterplan for its future. This will include the largest proportion of socially rented Council homes on the estate that is possible, aiming for a minimum of 50 percent;
    • let 50 percent of all homes being built or which have planning permission by the Council’s private sector development company Red Door Ventures at social rents on long term tenancies. I will look at using the other 50 percent of homes for innovative long-term solutions aimed at helping Newham residents to stay in the Borough;
    • end the current NewShare scheme, which sells off 250 void Council homes each year, immediately;
    • rigorously scrutinise all right to buy applications and campaign for an end to Right to Buy;
    • support the creation of at least one Community Land Trust in Newham;
    • tackle homelessness with compassion and care, so that the homeless are housed within Newham, wherever possible. We will look at Housing First type models and innovative forms of temporary accommodation as well as permanent Council owned homes;
    • build on the Council’s Private Landlord Licensing scheme to pursue private landlords more vigorously and fully use the new powers in the Labour sponsored Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill.
  • Local Economy, Jobs & SkillsTransform Newham into a beacon of Community Wealth Building where we use our purchasing power to keep wealth in our local economy so the benefits are shared more equally among our residents. Read more…

  • We do not have an inclusive local economy in Newham. We have far too many families living in poverty because they do not earn enough.

    I will:

    • tackle inequality by ensuring the economic development of Newham is shared more equally among our residents;
    • work with all our partners to use our procurement and supply chain to spend public money locally to support Newham businesses;
    • support and nurture new and existing small businesses and co-operatives to create jobs. This is true Community Wealth Building;
    • review Workplace so that it supports the above priorities and provides high-quality jobs for our residents; and
    • support apprenticeship schemes for our young people, and promote continued community access to affordable adult learning and skills training.
  • EducationOppose further academisation while supporting our children in existing academies and struggling schools. Read more…

  • The continuing success of our schools in Newham and excellence in educational outcomes for our children must be based on a stronger partnership with teachers, governors, parents and pupils. I want to see sustained and continued improvements in educational performance and outcomes for our children and young people, and give them the best possible start in life.

    I will:

    • oppose further academisation and support schools to remain within the local authority including providing the support they need;
    • work with schools to ensure sustained and continued improvements in education including for pupils with special education and higher needs;
    • give our schools the responsibility and resources for early intervention so that all our children thrive and succeed;
    • re-establish a sustainable partnership with teachers, governors, parents and pupils to unite the family of Newham schools, and involve them in decisions about education;
    • ensure that there are sufficient places available at all levels| of education.
  • Working with Young PeopleDouble number of youth hubs and work with our young people to set up a Youth Safety Action Group to break cycle of violence harming them. Read more…

  • I want all our children and young people to know that we will support them and keep them safe. I truly believe in their ability to excel and contribute to the place they call home.

    I will:

    • expand the number of Youth Hubs in Newham from four to eight with a review of provision and a commitment to additional funding for a varied programme of enrichment activities for all our young people;
    • create a Newham Youth Skills programme for our 14 to 19-year-olds which will work with partners, including employers. This will deliver quality work experience and paid apprenticeships;
    • establish a Youth Safety Action Group. Led by Newham’s Youth Services Team, this will bring together with the police, Youth Offending Team and community groups to develop new ways of combatting the violence and crime that disrupt our communities and harm our young people.
  • HealthWork with the community to ensure that our health service remains locally and democratically controlled, is locally based and publicly provided. Read more…

  • Health care and public health provision must expand to meet the needs of our rising population. Much is now inadequate including mental health services.

    The health of many Newham residents is poor: we have the third highest rate of childhood obesity in London, and significant numbers of residents affected by Type 2 Diabetes and latent Tuberculosis, alongside a high number with a late diagnosis of cancer.

    I will:

    • work with the NHS to deliver excellent outcomes for Newham residents;
    • press for health and social care structures in Newham to be based on locally-provided and Newham-based services, which are locally accountable, publicly provided and democratically controlled;
    • Oppose any privatisation of health services;
    • work with the NHS to deliver high quality, easily accessible and community based, mental health services for all age groups and ethnicities;
    • maximise funding for Adult Social Care while continuing to press government to introduce a solution for care costs which meets the real care needs of our older people and which all our residents can afford;
    • maintain and enhance the family nurse partnership for young mothers.
  • Cleaner airSupport sustainable transport to improve air quality. I will oppose the Silvertown Tunnel scheme. Read more…

  • Newham is blighted by litter, poor quality buildings and fly tipping. As your Mayor, I want to create a borough that is a pleasant place to live and bring up children in a place we can be proud of.

    I will:

    • oppose the proposed Silvertown Tunnel scheme which will increase traffic congestion and have an adverse impact on air quality;
    • create a fairer and more consistent parking scheme that is not run as a business, is less expensive, and works for shopkeepers, traders and residents in places like Green Street and High Street North. I will give residents 30 minutes free parking in our main retail areas;
    • fully support the shift towards sustainable transport and active travel in London as part of dealing with the obesity crisis;
    • improve recycling rates and street cleaning to improve our environment and deal more effectively with the scourge of fly tipping;
    • promote excellent urban design that promotes high quality buildings and public spaces that we can be proud of;
    • make the planning process more transparent and encourage greater resident input into it.
  • DemocracyHold a referendum on having a Directly Elected Mayor by 2021 and change the way the Council works so that we build a culture of trust and openness that involves our residents in our decision making. Read more…

  • The Directly Elected Mayor model of governance is broken in Newham. We will hold a referendum on its future before the end of my third year as Mayor.

    I will establish a Democracy and Civic Participation Commission to look at the options for replacing the Directly Elected Mayor system with recommendations presented to Newham residents and elected representatives at Full Council.

    I will also:

    • revise the Council’s constitution to increase the number of full Council meetings and bring back Public Question Time;
    • reduce the number and cost of Special Responsibility Allowances;
    • Establish a collegiate and collective governance model, which includes councillors and the community and delegate decision making to as low a level as possible;
    • empower Scrutiny so that it has an informed voice to hold the Mayor and Council to account;
    • review all the Council’s Joint Ventures, PFI Schemes and outsourced contracts. I will end all further privatisation and outsourcing of council services on day one of my new administration;
    • ensure the proper operation of local party democracy.
  • Campaigns

    We will be a campaigning Labour Council and will press the next Labour government to:

    Read more…

  • The Directly Elected Mayor model of governance is broken in Newham. We will hold a referendum on its future before the end of my third year as Mayor.

    I will establish a Democracy and Civic Participation Commission to look at the options for replacing the Directly Elected Mayor system with recommendations presented to Newham residents and elected representatives at Full Council.

    I will also:

    • Tax the value of development land to help our housing programme;
    • Introduce rent controls in the private rented sector;
    • Give us the ability to borrow more, particularly for new housing;
    • End Right to Buy;
    • Bring all schools back under local democratic control.
  • Paying For This

    The present administration has lost over £100 million of your money in the last 5 years on vanity projects such as the London Stadium, Sixth Form College, Pleasure Gardens and risky loans.

    Read more…

  • I will:

    • Clean up the Council’s budget so that it is open and transparent;
    • Report back to residents and the Council with a detailed and costed implementation plan that takes into account the resources available. This will become the forward plan for the next four years.