The Newham council cabinet met on 23 October 2025 and made decisions on a range of issues, including agreeing to a five-year vehicle procurement programme to modernise the council's fleet, and allocating funding for the Mayer Parry Bridge project as part of the Canning Town Enterprise Hub Strategy. The cabinet also endorsed a plan to deliver best value for residents and agreed to consult on changes to the council tax reduction scheme.

Here's a more detailed look at the key topics discussed:

• Delivering Best Value for Residents Quarterly Report
• October Finance Review Report 2025
• Increasing Affordable Temporary Accommodation Supply and Tackling Homelessness in Newham
• Canning Town Enterprise Hub Strategy and Mayer Parry Bridge Delivery
• Executive Response to the Manor Park Gym- Call-In
• Award of Highways Frameworks Contracts 2026
• Proposed 5 Year Procurement of Council's Fleet & Plant
• Procurement of Municipal Insurance Cover
• Building a Fairer Newham Performance Report (Period 5 25/26)
• Annual Complaints Report for 2024-5
• Former Stratford East Picturehouse at Great Eastern Road, Stratford, London, E15 1BX - Award of Lease Agreement to Operator
• Independent Living Support Service - Permission to Extend Framework Agreement

Delivering Best Value for Residents Quarterly Report

The cabinet endorsed the Delivering Best Value for Our Residents Plan, developed in response to a non-statutory Best Value Notice¹ received in May 2025. The plan outlines improvement and transformation priorities with milestones up to May 2026. The cabinet also noted progress since the last report, an assessment from the Newham Transformation & Improvement Board, and a report on a meeting with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The report highlighted several key areas:

• Senior Leadership: Progress has been made in stabilising senior leadership, including permanent and interim appointments. A restructuring of senior tiers is underway, and recruitment for a permanent chief executive will begin in the new year.
• Culture Change: Work is planned to strengthen corporate culture and member/officer relations. Recommendations on member values and behaviours from a cross-party working group were agreed by the full council in July.
• Financial Resilience: The in-year budget position is forecasting a £4 million underspend, despite pressures in adult and children's services. The budget-setting process for 2026/27 has started, with a forecast £53 million funding gap.
• Housing Services: Positive progress has been made on the Housing Services Improvement Programme, with improvements in repairs responses and resident satisfaction. The council is exploring entering into a Voluntary Undertaking with the Regulator for Social Housing.
• Service Inspections: The Care Quality Commission[^2] (CQC) conducted an inspection of the council's adult social care services in July, and Ofsted[^3]'s Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services and HM Probation's Youth Justice Inspection are expected this year. [^2]: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. [^3]: Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people, and services that provide education and training.
• Transforming Newham For the Future: A broader corporate approach to transformation is being developed, including the creation of a Transformation Programme Management Office (PMO).
• Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan: Most actions from the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan have been completed.

October Finance Review Report 2025

The cabinet agreed to statutory consultation on changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and to launch a public engagement campaign on the difficult choices facing the council.

The October Finance Review reported the latest budget monitoring as at Quarter Two, re-profiles the approved capital budget across the MTFS period, and addresses how to close the forecast budget gap for 2026/27 budget setting, by setting out the scope of opportunity for savings options to follow in the draft budget report at a later cabinet.

The report noted the council's updated financial situation and agreed to re-profiling and budget reductions to the capital programme.

The report highlighted that the council faces a forecast budget gap of c.£53 million for 2026/27, despite £80 million in savings already agreed.

The report set out a range of measures the council is contemplating to reduce the budget gap, including:

• Increasing council tax by more than the referendum limit.
• Further increases to fees and charges.
• Reducing support offered through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
• Cutting costs in adult social care and children's social care.
• Reducing universal youth services and investment in cultural services.
• Changing staff pay terms and conditions.

Increasing Affordable Temporary Accommodation Supply and Tackling Homelessness in Newham

The cabinet approved a revised Housing Placement Policy and up to £1.7m in additional resources for an enhanced Homelessness Response Programme. The cabinet also noted the intention to conduct an extensive review of all households in TA, with the aim of instigating an extensive resettlement programme where and when appropriate, and approved the initiation of a comprehensive review of the Council’s Social Housing Allocations Policy.

The report presented a strategic response to increasing affordable temporary accommodation (TA) supply and tackling homelessness, structured around four key objectives:

• Slowing demand through strengthened early intervention and prevention, aligned with the Homelessness Reduction Act[^4]; [^4]: The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 requires local authorities to take steps to prevent and relieve homelessness, including providing advice and support to those at risk.
• Accelerating housing duty discharges by expanding access to the Private Rented Sector, improving casework efficiency, and deepening partnerships with Registered Providers and placement services;
• Reducing costs via direct acquisitions, long-term leasing, revised placement policies, and increased use of affordable, lawful out-of-borough options;
• Increasing income by restructuring leases to improve housing benefit subsidy recovery and maximising the potential of our wholly owned housing company.

The revised Housing Placement Policy prioritises those with the greatest need to remain in the borough, while also recognising the need to utilise more affordable, lawful out-of-borough options.

Canning Town Enterprise Hub Strategy and Mayer Parry Bridge Delivery

The cabinet adopted the Canning Town Enterprise Hub Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) and allocated funding to progress the Mayer Parry Bridge project.

The SRF sets out a vision for the industrial areas northwest of Canning Town town centre, aiming to establish the area as a hub for inclusive growth and green innovation. The framework outlines proposed interventions to improve active travel, vehicular and green infrastructure, including bridges across the River Lea.

The cabinet agreed to allocate £4.8m towards the £12m Mayer Parry Bridge project, funded through:

• Extending the scope of permitted expenditure of CIL funding previously allocated for enabling works.
• Allocating funding secured from S106 agreements with English Cities Fund, developers of the Rathbone Market site.
• Noting funding secured from S106 agreement from sineQN, developers of the Bidder Street Data Centre.

Executive Response to the Manor Park Gym- Call-In

The cabinet confirmed its previous decision to release £2.1m for the fit-out of Manor Park Gym, following a call-in by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had expressed concerns about the robustness of the financial documentation and the exploration of alternative funding options.

The cabinet addressed these concerns, noting that the decision was part of a series of decisions related to the Greenhill regeneration scheme and the council's leisure management contract with Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL). The cabinet also noted that alternative funding sources were not readily available and that the inclusion of Manor Park Gym in the GLL contract was a strategic decision.

Award of Highways Frameworks Contracts 2026

The cabinet approved the award of the Highway Professional Services Contract 2026 to Project Centre Limited and the award of two Highways Works contracts to Marlborough Highways Ltd; and Kenson Highways Ltd.

The Highway Professional Services Contract is for a term of 4 years with 2 optional extensions of 1 year each at an estimated value of £12.0m throughout the lifetime of the contract.

The two Highways Works contracts are for a term of 4 years with 2 optional extensions of 1 year each at an estimated combined total value of £150.0m throughout the lifetime of the contracts.

Proposed 5 Year Procurement of Council's Fleet & Plant

The cabinet approved the replacement of vehicles over a five-year period at a maximum cost of £25 million. The decision will directly support the delivery of Newham’s Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) and ensure the Council’s fleet remains compliant with the legal requirements of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

The report noted that following a detailed review with service departments, an additional 180 hire vehicles can also be converted to lease, potentially delivering significant cost savings to the council of approx.: £5.7million.

Procurement of Municipal Insurance Cover

The cabinet approved the commencement of the procurement for municipal insurance cover through the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation’s (YPO) Insurance Placement Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) 01198 for a contract with an initial term of 3 years, effective 1 April 2026, with an option to extend for 2 years at the estimated value of £2.7m per annum.

The procurement will enable the council to comply with relevant statutory obligations and demonstrate responsible risk management practice.

Building a Fairer Newham Performance Report (Period 5 25/26)

The cabinet noted the progress made in delivering the Building a Fairer Newham (BaFN) Corporate Delivery Plan.

Annual Complaints Report for 2024-5

The cabinet noted the council’s performance in complaints handling during the fiscal year 2024-25, and the improvement actions that will be taken in 2025-26 to continually drive performance and embed early resolution for residents.

Former Stratford East Picturehouse at Great Eastern Road, Stratford, London, E15 1BX - Award of Lease Agreement to Operator

The cabinet approved entering into a lease agreement with OFJ London Ltd (trading as Oxygen ActivePlay) to occupy and operate the council-owned asset at Former Stratford East Picturehouse, Stratford, London E15 1BX.

Independent Living Support Service - Permission to Extend Framework Agreement

The cabinet agreed to extend the Independent Living Support Service (ILSS) Framework Agreement, the Home Care Dynamic Purchasing System, and the Dynamic Purchasing System platform (sproc.net) until 31 May 2027.