This meeting of Newham Council will include discussion of a range of topics. The most significant discussions relate to the ending of the London Legacy Development Corporation’s (LLDC) planning powers in the Stratford Olympic Park, the Council’s financial position in light of a projected £175m budget gap, a review of the Council’s Constitution and an update on progress implementing the recommendations from the Relationship Between Black Boys and the Borough Scrutiny Commission.

Return of planning powers from the LLDC

The report pack includes a proposal for the return of planning powers in Stratford Olympic Park from the LLDC to Newham Council. The Mayor and Cabinet want the Council to establish an Interim Delegation Scheme. If approved, it would mean that planning applications currently made to the LLDC would be decided by Newham Council from 1 September 2024. The report pack notes that if legislation to transfer powers permanently is not in place by 30 November, it would be possible to extend the scheme.

Council finances

The Council’s financial position is a recurring theme throughout the reports pack. Councillors will be asked to note a report from the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Council's finances, which says

Scrutiny’s work programme includes monitoring of the Council’s finances, via the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Budget Scrutiny Commission, as demands on our services continue to rise. The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee has met with the Director of Resources (Newham’s Section 151 Officer) and the Chief Executive to discuss the current plans around the Council’s finances in the face of the wider Local Authority financial challenge and more generally to discuss how to improve information sharing with scrutiny commissions.

The meeting will also include discussion of the Council’s Quarter 1 budget performance for 2024/25, with a report highlighting “key areas of overspend and underspend and emerging financial risks”. Further discussion of budget performance is scheduled to take place in October and November, with a review of the Council’s draft budget proposals in February 2025.

There are also two motions that have been submitted for debate on this topic. One, titled ‘Temporary Accommodation’ describes the financial pressures associated with the significant number of households in temporary accommodation, and calls on the government to take action to resolve what it describes as a crisis in the housing market, as well as to increase funding to local authorities. Another motion, titled ‘Response to Comments made by Labour Party Leadership’, criticises statements made about immigration and deportation by Keir Starmer during the 2024 general election. It asks that the Mayor “write to Keir Starmer demanding an apology on behalf of the Bangladeshi residents of Newham for the hurt caused by his comments”.

Review of the Council’s Constitution

A report to the Council asks that Councillors note the progress made on a review of the procedure for handling complaints made against Councillors about their conduct. The report pack says a revised Procedure will be presented to the Council for approval in September. Another report, on the appointment of Political and Mayoral Assistants, says that a “new set of standing orders and draft protocol in relation to Political and Mayoral Assistants” will be presented to the Council “at a future date” as part of the review of its Constitution.

The Relationship Between Black Boys and the Borough

Councillors will be asked to note a report from the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which updates on progress being made to implement the recommendations made in the report of the Relationship Between Black Boys and the Borough Scrutiny Commission. The report pack says that the second phase of the review “will delve deeper into the factors affecting young Black men and boys in the borough”. Two further meetings are scheduled for October and December 2024 to discuss topics including the overrepresentation of Black boys in social care, their experiences of mental health services and their experiences of special educational needs provision.

Public Toilets

A motion has been submitted that asks the Council to review its Community Toilet Scheme, which encourages local businesses to make their toilets available to members of the public. The motion also asks that the Council review “all council properties” to assess whether their toilets could be made available to the public, and that a “minimum design standard for the new build of public toilets” be created.

Child poverty in Newham

A motion on tackling child poverty in Newham asks the Council to agree to make providing universal free school meals for all children in the borough an ambition. The motion also asks that the Council call on the government to take various actions to tackle poverty including restoring the £20 uplift to Universal Credit, and ending the two-child benefit cap.

London City Airport

A motion has been submitted that asks the Council to challenge the government’s decision to approve an appeal by London City Airport against the Council's refusal of their expansion plans. The government’s decision means that the Airport will be able to increase the number of passengers it serves each year. However, the government has refused to allow the Airport to lift its long standing weekend curfew. The motion expresses concern about the impact of increased noise on residents living near the Airport, and asks the Council to “consider all options available to them to challenge the decision made by the government”.

Knife crime

A motion on tackling knife crime has been submitted by Labour Councillors. It welcomes the new government’s measures to ban “Zombie Knives” and machetes, and asks that the Mayor write to the Home Secretary to offer the Council’s support. The motion also asks that the Council work with the government to implement its new ‘Young Futures’ programme, which would bring services together to help teenagers at risk of being drawn into violent crime.