The Cabinet of Newham Council met on Thursday 9 January 2025 to discuss and approve a ten-year strategy for addressing sex work within the borough, alongside the draft budget proposals for 2025-26. The meeting also covered various other council matters, including updates on treasury management and capital programmes.

The Cabinet approved the Newham Sex Work Strategy 2025-2035 and its accompanying action plan, which aims to provide a public health-led, whole-borough community approach to sex work. This strategy focuses on improving safety for both sex workers and residents, addressing exploitation, and ensuring equitable access to support services. The Cabinet also approved five high-level outcomes to measure the strategy's effectiveness, including reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour, improved perceptions of safety, and increased engagement with support services.

In a significant decision regarding the borough's finances, the Cabinet approved draft budget proposals for 2025-26. These proposals include a request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for a bespoke council tax referendum limit of 9.99%, which would equate to a 9.99% increase for Newham residents. This increase is deemed necessary due to unprecedented financial pressures, particularly the rising costs associated with temporary accommodation. The draft budget also outlines proposed savings of £79.5 million and acknowledges a remaining budget gap of £46 million for the 2025-26 financial year, even with the proposed council tax increase. The Cabinet also agreed to update the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, which includes an average 2.7% rent increase on council-owned accommodation.

Other matters discussed included the Council's response to the Regulator of Social Housing's inspection report, a programme of fire risk assessment remedial works for high-rise blocks, and proposals for delivering new homes at Pier Road and Cyprus. The Cabinet also approved the Sustainable Transport Strategy and Local Implementation Plan, and a package of proposals to improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions through parking charges. Decisions were made regarding the write-off of unrecoverable parking debt, treasury management updates, and the pre-procurement of school capital condition programmes. Finally, the Cabinet noted the exempt appendix for the draft budget proposals.