Councillor Nate Higgins was elected as the new Chair of the Council, and Councillor Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta was elected as Vice Chair. The meeting also saw the Mayor, Forhad Hussain, announce his new Cabinet appointments.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

The meeting began with the election of the Chair of Council for the 2026-2027 municipal year. Councillor Nate Higgins was elected as Chair, receiving 40 votes in favour, with 23 against Councillor Idris Ibrahim. Councillor Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta was subsequently elected as Vice Chair, also securing 40 votes in favour, with 23 against Councillor Begum Sahera.

Following his election, Councillor Higgins addressed the Council, expressing his gratitude and commitment to ensuring meetings run smoothly and fairly, upholding the integrity of the body, and working collaboratively for the benefit of Newham.

Mayor's Announcements and Cabinet Appointments

Mayor Forhad Hussain delivered a speech reflecting on his eight years as Mayor, highlighting achievements in children's services, housing, digital infrastructure, and financial management. He thanked outgoing councillors and officers, and expressed his commitment to working with the newly elected councillors to build a stronger, fairer, and a more united Newham.

Mayor Hussain then announced his new Cabinet appointments:

• Councillor John Gray: Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing
• Councillor Lakmini Shah: Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Communities
• Councillor Susan Masters: Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Environment
• Councillor Zulfiqar Ali: Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

Calendar of Meetings and Committee Appointments

Council considered proposals for the Calendar of Meetings for the 2026-2027 Municipal Year. After discussing three options, Council RESOLVED to adopt Option 3, which retains eight ordinary meetings per municipal year, without themed meetings.

Following this, Council reviewed the report on the Review of the Allocation of Seats on Committees, Appointments and Other Related Matters. This report detailed the political composition of the Council following the recent elections: Labour Group (26 councillors), Newham Independents Group (24 councillors), and Green Group (16 councillors). Council RESOLVED to note the composition of the political groups and re-establish the Committees for the 2026/2027 Municipal Year, allocating seats in accordance with political proportionality. Authority was delegated to the Monitoring Officer to reallocate any seats left unfilled after three weeks.

Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Council received and RESOLVED to NOTE the Annual Scrutiny Report for the municipal year 2025/2026. This report summarised the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its various commissions, highlighting key achievements in areas such as financial sustainability, governance, community safety, housing, and education. The report emphasised Scrutiny's role in providing constructive challenge, ensuring transparency, and amplifying residents' voices.

Other Business

• Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Aderonke Benson, Canon Ann Easter, Zakir Hossain, and John Morris.
• Declarations of Interest were noted as having no declarations received from Members.
• The Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 23 March 2026 were approved.
• Announcements were made by the outgoing Chair, Councillor Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta, and the Mayor, Forhad Hussain. The Interim Chief Executive, Paul Martin, also congratulated the newly elected Mayor and councillors.
• Council NOTED the report on Appointments to Outside Bodies.
• Council NOTED the Composition of Political Groups.
• The Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was received and noted.
• A Motion proposed by the Green Group regarding a Fair Parking System for Newham was LOST.
• A Motion proposed by Councillor Mehmood Mirza regarding Defending Newham's Values of Unity, Inclusion and Respect was also LOST.
• Council RESOLVED to APPROVE a dispensation for Councillor Dina Hossain regarding attendance at meetings for a period of two months.
• Council RESOLVED to NOTE the end-of-year summary reports on Deputations, Petitions, Motions, and Outside Bodies.