The Officer Key Decision meeting of Newham Council on Wednesday 29 April 2026 was scheduled to discuss the allocation of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding to People Powered Places projects for the 2025-27 cycle. This included the distribution of over £1.1 million to 134 resident-selected projects, as well as the closure of two legacy projects.

Allocation of NCIL Funding to People Powered Places Projects 2025-27

The primary focus of the meeting was the allocation of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding to the 2025-27 cycle of the People Powered Places (PPP) programme. This flagship participatory budgeting initiative, launched in 2018, empowers residents to decide on local spending priorities.

The total funding envelope for this cycle was scheduled to be £1,110,770.50. This sum comprises:

• NCIL Allocation: £800,000, with £100,000 ringfenced for each of the eight community neighbourhoods.
• Rollover Underspends: £230,770.50 from previous PPP cycles, which remains allocated to the neighbourhood in which it originated.
• Royal Docks Team Contribution: £80,000, specifically supporting projects in the Beckton & Royal Docks and Custom House & Canning Town neighbourhoods, as part of joint delivery arrangements. An additional £20,000 from the Royal Docks Team was allocated towards council administration and management costs for the programme.

The report pack indicated that 474 applications were submitted, requesting a total of £5.9 million. Following assessment by neighbourhood Working Groups and feasibility studies where required, 435 applications progressed to The Big Vote. This public vote, conducted online and in person across various locations, saw 11,139 valid votes cast.

Ultimately, 134 projects were scheduled to be offered funding. The report detailed a breakdown of these projects by neighbourhood and type (Voluntary, Community & Faith Sector (VCFS), resident-led, and youth-led). It was noted that due to the reduced NCIL allocation, 24 projects were recommended for partial funding.

Legacy Projects in Plaistow

The meeting was also scheduled to address the status of two remaining legacy projects from previous PPP cycles in the Plaistow neighbourhood:

• Plaistow Eco Hub (2022–23): This project was recommended for withdrawal and closure due to a lack of progress in securing necessary leases, rendering it unviable. Unspent funds were to be returned to the Plaistow neighbourhood budget for reallocation within the 2025–27 programme.
• Walton Road Community Garden (2021/22): Continued support was recommended for this project for a three-month feasibility period to explore delivery at an alternative site identified by Property Services. Should delivery prove unfeasible, any remaining unspent funds were to be returned to the NCIL pot for reallocation.

The report pack included detailed appendices outlining the specific projects recommended for funding, the grant agreements with the Royal Docks Team, and chronologies of the challenges faced by the legacy projects. The decision-making authority for these allocations was delegated to the Interim Assistant Chief Executive – Change & Improvement & Corporate Director of Resources (Section 151 Officer), in consultation with the Lead Member for Resident Engagement and Resident Experience.

The meeting was classified as an Officer Key Decision, meaning the decision was delegated to a relevant officer, with details available for public view. The status of the meeting was PENDING_COUNCIL_PUBLICATION, indicating that while information was available, the council had not yet formally published it.