The Government has let the emergency Covid legislation allowing Councils to hold legal virtual only meetings to end. There was an unsuccessful judicial review against this decision, so I had to attend the Newham Council Local Planning Committee …Read more…
Emergency Crime Scrutiny Meeting of Newham Council (5 May 2021)
The Chair of Crime Scrutiny, Councillor Daniel Lee-Phakoe, a father and local resident tells it as it is, about the recent tragic deaths of our young people in a meeting of police, senior council officers and politicians.
Full video of meeting htt…Read more…
Newham Voting for Change – on Revive FM
“Newham Voting for Change activist Josephine Grahl was interviewed today (Monday) on community radio station Revive FM.
She talked to Simon Rush about the reasons for the referendum, the advantages of the committee structure, and the way the…Read more…
Game on: Court confirms choice for Newham in May: “It is between a more open and democratic system & status quo”
Check out release by “Newham voting for Change” that the Courts have confirmed today that there will be choice in the referendum in May between the current all powerful Newham Council Executive Mayor and the more open and democratic Committee mod…Read more…
Newham Council Budget Consultation for 2021
Check out the wider budget consultation here and the Eat For Free here
Share your views on our 2021/22 budget proposals We have written up our proposed budget for 2021/22, and we want to hear what you think about our proposals and …Read more…
James Keir Hardie – 120 Years since his election as 1st ever Labour MP (booklet from 2012)
I was really pleased that I was recently able to respond to a request by the Keir Hardie Society (via a former UNISON colleague) for a pdf copy of the booklet issued in 2012 to mark the 120th anniversary of Keir Hardie’s election. He was elected …Read more…
Get Tested To Keep Your Loved Ones Safe
This morning my wife Gillian, booked online a “drive thorough” test at Newham Leisure Centre. She has been feeling poorly for a number of days with classic common cold symptoms (congestion, blocked noise and some coughing fits) but he…Read more…
“Why my council is refusing to help the Home Office deport rough sleepers” Emine Ibrahim
Hat tip to an excellent article in the Guardian by my UNISON comrade and Housing Lead for Haringey Council, Cllr Emine Ibrahim. I am sure that Newham Council will support this but I was not allowed to bring this issue up at last weeks Cabinet meeting w…Read more…
Newham Council Pension Fund wins LAPF “Good Governance Award”
Good Governance AwardWinner: London Borough of NewhamFinalistsEssex Pension FundLondon Borough of NewhamWest Midlands Pension FundI was really pleased to see that Newham won this award on Tuesday. Great work by the Pension Committee C…Read more…
Newham Annual Rough Sleeping Winter Street Count 2020
On Thursday evening at 11pm I went to Newham Council Dockside Building, to be briefed and then take part, in the annual survey of the number of people sleeping on our streets. This is a national survey that all councils are expected to carry out …Read more…
Newham Governance Referendum will be a choice between Keeping Executive Mayor or Moving to Committee model
Picture is from the virtual Newham Council meeting on Monday, where I was pleased that it was agreed that the future governance referendum of our borough, due to be held next year on 6 May 2021 will give residents the real choice between carrying…Read more…
ROGUE LANDLORDS – How to Protect Tenants and Raise Standards (Labour Housing Group Newsletter Nov 20)
“Newham has one of the most extensive,longest running and most effective landlordlicensing schemes in the country. It was set up in 2013 and renewed for another 5 years in 2018. At one stage Newham was prosecuting more criminal landlords that th…Read more…
3 Pension meetings in one evening!
This evening I took part in a zoom Newham Council Pension committee training meeting, open committee meeting and then exempt committee meeting (no public or press due to discussion of confidential information).
If you are a pens…Read more…
Have Your Say! Newham Consultation on Changes to Allocation Policy
Dear Resident The London Borough of Newham is proposing to make some changes to the Housing Allocations Policy and we want to hear your views. You can have your say by clicking here: https://www.newham.gov.uk/allocationsconsultation Over 2…Read more…
“Rogue Landlords: Protecting Tenants, Improving Conditions and Creating a Fair Rental Market”
I am speaking at this seminar as the representative of a large landlord who is also a Landlord regulator (Newham Council). Above is a card that our Newham Private Sector landlord licensing team has produced to help vulnerable vulnerable tenants (…Read more…
Celebrating 50 years of service to Newham Council by RMS “Chippy” Chris Parker
Yesterday I attended a ceremony at Newham Council Dockside Building, where the Mayor and the Chief Executive thanked Chris Parker for his 50 years of service to the Council and the residents of Newham.
Chris joined the Council as a 16 year old a…Read more…
Newham Pension Committee: We have a 111 year old pensioner! No tobacco pledge (and why parents should join the LGPS – and anyone else lucky enough to be eligible)
This evening I took part in the Newham Council Pension Committee, which runs the staff pension fund (under government regulations and guidance). It was our first “public” committee meeting (via zoom) since lock down. It was broadcast live on Facebook (…Read more…
My First Pint in a Pub for a quite a bit (Thank you and all the best Julianne)
Very sad to hear tonight at the first Newham Full Council meeting since the start of Covid19 that our fabulous Cabinet Colleague for Education, Cllr Julianne Marriott, is stepping down from her post.
However, every cloud in life has a silver lining – …Read more…
#Srebrenica25
Newham Council is flying Remembering Srebrenica flags from its town halls in East Ham and Stratford to mark the 25th anniversary on 11 July of what the United Nations said is the single greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.#Sre…Read more…
Newham Rough Sleeper (Mini) Street Count June 2020
Pictures from last night’s Newham Rough Sleeping (mini) Street count with Councillors, Council officers and 3rd sector partners going out during the night to count how many rough sleepers there are. Usually this is done every two months.
Due to C…Read more…