Here is a briefing on the Cabinet meeting of Newham Council held on 18 November 2025.

The cabinet approved a plan to accept £1.5 million in Pride in Place Impact Funding from central government, allocated funding for school maintenance, accepted a grant from the Department for Education (DfE) for the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme, and responded to a report from the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on leisure inequalities in the borough.

Pride in Place Impact Funding

The cabinet agreed to accept £1.5 million from the government's Pride in Place (PiP) Impact Fund, which must be spent by March 2027 on capital projects that improve public spaces, community facilities and town centres. The funding will be divided across the borough's three parliamentary constituencies, building on existing place-based strategies:

• Beckton: Funding will support the delivery of priorities outlined in the co-designed Beckton Parks masterplan, helping to bring public assets into community use.
• East Ham: The funding will build on strategic collaboration with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to deliver improvements to the High Street.
• Stratford: It will build on the success of the Stratford Vision, extending its impact beyond the town centre to other parts of the Stratford Vision geography, such as Maryland, Forest Gate South or West Ham wards.

The cabinet delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy, Housing and Culture, in consultation with the Lead Member for Inclusive Economy, Strategic Housing Delivery, Culture and Youth Power, to agree on the allocation of funding across projects and to amend allocations as delivery plans evolve.

The Pride in Place Strategy aims to restore pride and belonging in communities across England by empowering local leadership and investing in social infrastructure.

School's Capital Condition Programme 2026/2027

The cabinet agreed to procure capital condition projects for maintained schools, funded by the DfE, up to an aggregate investment of £6.4 million. The works include mechanical, electrical and building upgrades.

The cabinet also delegated authority to the Director of Property, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Resources, to extend the programme if the council receives more than £4 million from the DfE in 2026/27, and to vary the scope of individual projects in response to changing priorities.

The cabinet approved the re-procurement of the school's programme for 2026/27, including pre-procurement supplier market engagement to develop a sustainable procurement strategy, which may include establishing an Open Framework or similar Commercial Agreement for all council services to use.

Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme Grant 2026-2029

The cabinet agreed to accept the annual HAF grant from the DfE for the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays between 2026 and 2029, anticipated to total between £1.8 million and £2.2 million annually. The funding enables the council to work with partners from the voluntary, community and faith sector to provide children and young people with healthy meals and activities during the school holidays.

The cabinet approved a review of the HAF delivery approach in 2026/27, to increase the number of eligible children and young people accessing the provision. For the financial years 2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29 an annual open tender process will be conducted by the Council, and the Council will procure delivery partners for the HAF programme in the following lots:

• Lot 1 – Primary School Aged Provision
• Lot 2 – Secondary School Aged Provision
• Lot 3 – Targeted SEND Provision (1-2, 1-3 or 1-4 Support)
• Lot 4 – Specialist SEND Provision (1-1 Support).

The cabinet delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People to approve the list of organisations who will be awarded HAF contracts for the delivery of the HAF programme in 2026.

Report from the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission

The cabinet agreed to consider and respond to the report and recommendations from the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on Fit for Purpose? Newham's Leisure Inequalities and The Borough's Plans To Address Them . The cabinet also agreed to provide an executive response to the recommendations made.

The Health and Adult Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Commission explored leisure inequalities within the Borough, in response to emergent themes and concerns. The Commission's review provided a snapshot of the local leisure landscape one year into the new provider contract, alongside an exploration of the Borough's wider measures to reduce physical inactivity and health inequalities. The review was informed by evidence from council officers, external partners, providers and community contributors. While examples of good practice were identified, the Commission also noted areas where further progress is needed, particularly in relation to data, equity of access, and communication.

The HASC Scrutiny Commission made 13 recommendations, of which 12 are directed to the Executive.