The Newham Council cabinet met on 17 June 2025, and among the items discussed were the progress on the Local Government Association (LGA) action plan, updates to the social housing improvement plan, and the establishment of a community opportunities framework. The cabinet agreed to note the progress made on the LGA action plan, the social housing improvement plan, and to establish a framework for community opportunities, with amendments to ensure greater oversight and accountability. Councillor Blossom Young was also appointed to the West Ham ecclesiastical trust charitable trust.

LGA Action Plan Progress

The cabinet noted the progress made since the LGA peer challenge in December 2023, and a subsequent visit in October 2024. The council had been participating in a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) led by the LGA¹. The LGA had provided 11 recommendations, and the council responded with an action plan.

The cabinet heard that seven of the eleven recommendations had been completed, with the remaining recommendations on track for completion by the autumn.

The report acknowledged the financial sustainability challenges facing the council, particularly in relation to temporary accommodation² and social care pressures. Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, and Environment, referred to the best value notice³ and asked how the voluntary and independent improvement and transformation board was supporting the council to accelerate progress in key areas. Abi Gbago, Chief Executive, said that the board offered a highly experienced team with a depth of knowledge in local government, and that their insights and perspectives were valuable.

Councillor Dr John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Air Quality and Climate Emergency, asked about the impacts of the improvement work so far. Ms Gbago said that there had been good progress around the development of the workforce and leadership, the constitution review, and financial planning and management.

Councillor Sarah Jane Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Children Services and Education, and Sustainable Transport, asked how the refreshed performance monitoring had enabled the council to reach its key milestones at a quicker pace. Ms Gbago said that it had enabled the organisation to be clear about early warning signs, and to streamline where it wanted to focus.

The cabinet agreed to note the progress made, and that in response to the non-statutory best value notice, the cabinet would receive quarterly best value progress reports. It was also agreed that there would be a regular report presented to full council.

Social Housing Improvement Plan

The cabinet received a quarterly update on the social housing improvement plan. Councillor Blossom Young, Cabinet Member for Council Housing Improvements, said that access to safe, secure homes and high quality landlord services for tenants and leaseholders living in council managed housing was of paramount importance.

She noted that the Regulator of Social Housing had inspected Newham's Housing Services in 2024 and gave it a C4 grading against its consumer standards. She said that since the publication of the judgement, the council had embarked on an ambitious improvement journey, which was starting to see results.

Councillor Amar Virdee, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Needs, Homelessness and Private Rented Sector, and Community Safety, asked how the increased focus on tenant engagement had shaped the improvement work being delivered. Councillor Young said that a Resident Challenge Board had been established, and that a new resident involvement strategy was being developed.

Councillor Charlene McLean, Cabinet Member for Resident Engagement and Resident Experience, asked what signs there were that investment was really making a difference for residents. Paul Kitson, Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy, Housing and Culture at the Council, said that the most obvious sign was that the number of historical repairs which hadn't been undertaken had been reduced from 2,700 to about 10. He also said that a significant number of electrical tests and stock condition surveys had been undertaken.

The cabinet agreed to note the council's progress to date on the development and implementation of its response to the Regulator of Social Housing's report, and the further plans to drive improvements and bring the service into full compliance with the regulatory consumer standards.

Community Opportunities Framework

The cabinet discussed a proposal to establish a framework for community opportunities. Councillor Neil Wilson, lead member for Health and Adult Social Care and the representative of the Toronto South, said that the framework would offer several benefits, including enhanced flexibility and choice, improved quality, and cost efficiencies.

Lydia Drummond, said that the framework would put the council in a better position to support older residents and those with disabilities to access the activities they want, at times they want, in ordinary spaces, close to their homes, where possible.

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, of Newham, asked whether the framework aligned to everything set out in the corporate plan and underpinned by the Building of Fear Renewal vision. She also asked whether the co-design outcomes for the resident cohort set out had been co-designed with those residents, and how the council would get specialists that align to each of the resident cohort requirements.

Ms Drummond apologised that the Building of Fear Renewal had not been cross-referenced in the report. She said that the plan was to go out to the wider market, which in the main was going to be the community, voluntary and faith sector, who reflects the population, and to have separate lots for specific cohorts of people, which would allow the council to be able to deliver those specialist services.

The Mayor noted that the value of the framework was £28.2 million over a four year period, and asked whether there was thinking underway around the community wealth building impact in line with council strategies on this piece. She also asked how the council would evaluate impact locally in terms of this framework and the procurement and diversifying the supply chain, and how it would mitigate against the reality that not all voluntary community, faith sector groups are equal.

Ms Drummond said that the focus so far had been on trying to develop a framework where the council could reach a wide range of providers to meet the needs of the residents that wouldn't support. She said that it was a hugely important point that the council could build in going forward to how it evaluates the broader community wealth building impact of this change. She also said that the framework would allow the council to be able to run mini competitions of various values for specific groups, and that the council was planning to do a lot of training for this sector in partnership with its services, and kind of upskilling them to be able to bid for those contracts.

The Mayor asked how the council would ensure that through this budget assignment, it was demonstrating best value in the context that there isn't other money elsewhere in other directorates being spent on the same things. She also asked what the difference would be in a year's time, and what residents from this cohort, and families of these cohorts, would be able to see or feel.

Councillor Wilson said that it was about cost-effective care and support, and reducing the burden on family caregivers. He said that it was about making certain, in alignment with central government as well as local government direction, to providing services.

Ms Drummond said that there would start to be a whole range of changes that residents will experience quite quickly in terms of more specialist services to meet particular cohorts, more support by them in terms of the co-production work, and more independence.

Councillor Whitworth said he appreciated the important points about maintaining people in good condition and preventing deterioration, and also for encouraging independence. He asked how the program would help empower residents to build skills and resilience. Ms Drummond said that the council would definitely be looking to introduce different types of independent living skills, so they would include things like independent travel training, being able to do meal preparation, better understanding of stranger danger, and social awareness.

Councillor Zulfiqar Ali asked how the community would benefit from the framework in terms of flexibility and opportunity, and how this would have an impact in terms of the best value that the council was delivering. Ms Drummond said that the language community opportunities in this paper is about supporting the needs residents who draw on caring support to access the kind of support they access in the community, and that in terms of best value, this was contributing to the council's medium term financial strategy, and also in creating and bolstering the support that the council has to promote people's independence.

The Mayor said that she was nervous about delegating authority to the Corporate Director for Adults and Health in consultation with the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care to approve the extension of the framework after the initial term, and that she would like to see a progress report yearly. She also said that on delegating authority to the Corporate Director for Adults and Health in consultation with the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care to approve commencement of mini competitions under the framework and award contracts, she wanted to include an annual report coming to cabinet around progress and impact.

It was agreed to delete the delegation of authority to approve the extension of the framework after the initial term, and to include an annual impact and progress report to be presented to the mayor and cabinet at the relevant strategic board of the council in line with its internal governance arrangements.

The cabinet agreed to the recommendations as amended.