The Cabinet of Newham Council agreed to begin procurement processes to appoint contractors to install electric vehicle charging points and cycle hangars. They also agreed to market the Rex Theatre in Stratford, and to enter into a development agreement with Hollybrook Homes to develop housing at the adjacent 'Island Site'. Additionally, they noted a scrutiny report on the experience of black boys in the borough, and the latest performance report for the council.

Housing

The council agreed to acquire up to 300 homes through Chalkhill Partners Limited, a financial advisory service that provides lease arrangements for local authorities. The properties will be located within 90 minutes of Stratford by public transport, will all have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or above, and will be let at Local Housing Allowance rates.

The council also agreed to enter into a development agreement with Hollybrook Homes to acquire the 'Island Site', located on Bridge Road in Stratford, to build 179 new homes. The agreement will see the council buy out the two other companies that own part of the land – Morgan Wealth and Hollybrook – with the council owning the whole site upon completion. As part of the development, the council will acquire 65 new social rented homes. This represents 36% of the total number of homes. The council will fund the development through an £88.2 million loan, and the work will be managed by the council's wholly-owned housing company, Populo Living.

Both the Chalkhill acquisition and the Bridge Road development will require the council to lease the properties to a third-party housing provider. This is because the council is unable to let properties on Assured Shorthold Tenancies, a type of tenancy agreement that offers more security to the tenant than a licence agreement.

The council has committed to achieving a 50% target for social rent homes on all land it owns, as stated in the draft Local Plan.¹ This commitment was reiterated during the meeting and it was acknowledged that despite the 36% level of social rent being offered through the Bridge Road development, it will be possible for the council to acquire more homes at social rent levels from the developer at a later date should economic conditions improve.

The Rex Theatre

The council owns the freehold of the Rex Theatre on Stratford High Street, which has been largely vacant since the council repossessed it in 2013. The council agreed to market the leasehold of the theatre for use as an entertainment venue. This decision was taken after a soft market testing exercise showed a strong interest in the site.

The adjacent 'Island Site' is currently being developed by Populo Living, and it was agreed that the two sites will be developed separately. This fragmented ownership has historically been a barrier to development, however, after negotiations between the three parties that own part of the land (facilitated by Populo Living), the possibility for development was unlocked in 2023. The council agreed to appropriate the land at the 'Island Site' for planning purposes. This will allow Populo Living to acquire the freehold of the other parties' land and develop the site.

Black boys in the Borough

The Cabinet noted a scrutiny report on the relationship between black boys and the borough. Councillor Anthony McAlmont, the Chair of the Scrutiny Commission for the report, presented the key findings, noting that:

“For far too long the establishment has used table tennis and DJ mixing classes as a sticking plaster for the issues we see today. Perhaps, it works for a minority, but what we need is systemic change.”

The scrutiny report makes 12 recommendations to the Executive. These include:

• Creating an action plan to address structural and systemic inequality across the organisation.
• Reviewing the council's Equality Monitoring processes.
• Using information about lived experience to inform council policies and decisions.
• Developing measurable actions to reduce the disproportionate representation of black boys in school exclusions, child protection planning, care and the criminal justice system.
• Reviewing school behaviour policies and their implementation.
• Carrying out a review of community safety strategies which engages directly with young black boys and men.
• Identifying and delivering trauma-responsive training for staff.
• Collating the views and experiences of black boys to inform the council’s work plan.
• Establishing a working group made up of black boys, community leaders, business leaders and council colleagues to help develop opportunities outside of current traditional pathways.

The report will be formally responded to by the Executive in the coming weeks.

Building a Fairer Newham

The Cabinet noted the latest performance report which reviews progress being made on the council's corporate plan, ‘Building a Fairer Newham’.

The report highlighted a number of areas where the council is making progress, including:

• The launch of Newham’s first social prescribing pilot.
• Agreement of Newham’s Just Transition plan.
• Efforts to make food sustainable for all, leading to the council being recognised as a World Leader in participatory democracy by CitizenLab, and Sustainable Food Newham becoming the newest member of the national Sustainable Food Place network.
• The introduction of weekly bin collections for recycled waste.
• Opening a new Housing Hub on the Canning Town Estate, and the approval of plans to construct 147 new homes.
• Approving the Damp & Mould Strategy 2023-25 to improve the quality of housing.
• Continuing to support young people in care, recognised by Ofsted, who commended the council's services as highly effective and impressive.
• Making progress with the borough-wide People Powered Participation approach, including the finalising of Newham’s Co-design standards.

However, the report also identified a number of challenges, including:

• Rising numbers of people in temporary accommodation.
• Delays to the implementation of a full digital repairs offer.
• A need for continuing improvement in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) service.

James Parse, Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Transformation Officer, highlighted a number of areas of emerging risk in the corporate plan, including the plan to deliver 1,000 electric vehicle charging points and the ongoing challenge around temporary accommodation.

The report highlighted a number of commitments in the corporate plan where significant risk has been identified and a ‘red’ risk rating assigned to them. These were:

• The Barking Road cycle route. This commitment relates to a plan to create a borough-wide cycle network, but the risk assessment highlights that TfL’s resources have been diverted to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and Silvertown Tunnel and so the delivery is at risk.
• Investment in children’s play areas. The risk assessment highlights that the play investment has not been included in the current capital programme.
• Investment in SEND play areas. The risk assessment highlights that this investment has not been included in the current capital programme.
• Reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation. The risk assessment highlights that the numbers in temporary accommodation have risen above projections due to the cost of living crisis and a reduction in the private rented sector.
• Increasing the number of homeless households housed in Newham. This commitment aims to increase the number of households housed in the borough to 70% and the risk assessment highlights that the council is increasingly having to place families in accommodation outside of the borough.
  
• Minimising the use of nightly paid temporary accommodation. This is the most costly form of temporary accommodation and the risk assessment highlights that the numbers in nightly paid temporary accommodation are above projected levels.

Local Government Association Corporate Peer Review

The Cabinet noted the latest progress update on the Local Government Association's Corporate Peer Review of the council.

The council published its Action Plan on 1 May, which sets out how it will respond to the 11 recommendations made by the LGA.

The Action Plan has three core themes:

• Getting the Basics Right: The council will refresh its corporate priorities and governance processes to ensure a clearer focus and effective oversight, and that it is able to maintain a sharp focus on delivering high-quality core services for residents.
• Supporting Our People: The council will create a more inclusive and supportive culture for members and officers to ensure the organisation is working together to deliver the best outcomes for residents.
• Meeting Our Financial Challenges: The council will develop a longer-term approach to managing its finances to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the council.

The Action Plan is being tracked and monitored internally and a new Transformation and Improvement Board has been established to oversee delivery.

Here is a breakdown of the decisions that were made:

Agenda Item	Decision
5 Chalkhill Partners - Alternative to Temporary Accommodation - Leasing Programme	Approved.
6 The Rex, Stratford High Street	Approved.
7 Scrutiny Report: Relationship Between Black Boys and the Borough	Noted.
8 Procurement of Electric Vehicle Charge Points (LEVI Pilot & ORCS)	Approved.
9 Procurement of Cycle Hangar Provider	Approved, subject to amendments to the recommendations
10 Award of Replacement Street Cleansing & Ground Maintenance Vehicles	Approved.
11 Building a Fairer Newham Performance Report 23/24	Noted.
13 Exempt Appendices for Agenda Item 5 - Chalkhill Partners - Alternative to Temporary Accommodation - Leasing Programme	Noted.
14 Exempt Appendices for Agenda Item 6 - The Rex, Stratford High Street	Noted.
15 Exempt Appendices for Agenda Item 10 - Award of Replacement Street Cleansing & Ground Maintenance Vehicles	Noted.