Councillor Alan Griffiths
Email: alan.griffiths@newham.gov.uk
Council: Newham
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Positions, Voting Record & Activity Summary
Councillor Alan Griffiths has demonstrated consistent engagement in council activities across his service, with a pronounced focus on budgetary matters and strategic development in the most recent year of 2025. In 2025, Griffiths was a vocal participant in council meetings, particularly in February where he strongly defended the council tax, citing increased costs for temporary homeless accommodation as the primary driver of budget deficits. He was critical of proposals he viewed as detrimental to the council's financial health, stating that independent councillors' suggestions > did not add up
and expressing skepticism about ULEZ payment rates. His commitment to strategic development was evident in his attendance and voting in favor of the Final Budget Proposals for 2025/26 in March, and further demonstrated by his participation in the Strategic Development Committee in July, following a site visit. Notably, in April 2025, he introduced himself as Councillor Kenny Downshire
at the Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting.
While his activity in 2024 was less detailed, it also centered on council meetings. He was a member of the Strategic Development Committee in October and attended meetings in September and October. His most prominent contribution in 2024 occurred in December, where he spoke in strong support of Lynn Brown's nomination for the Freedom of the Borough, highlighting her local ties and contributions to local government with personal anecdotes, stating, > I was very pleased to commend her to you.
Key Themes and Priorities: Griffiths' primary focus appears to be on fiscal responsibility, particularly concerning the council's budget and tax rates, and strategic planning for the borough's development. He is a defender of existing financial structures when he believes alternative proposals are unsound.
Evolution of Focus: While his engagement in council meetings and strategic development has been consistent, his recent activity in 2025 shows a more detailed and assertive stance on budgetary issues, directly addressing the causes of deficits and critiquing specific financial proposals. His advocacy for Lynn Brown in 2024 suggests a capacity for strong endorsement of individuals he deems worthy of recognition.
Most Significant Contributions (Recent Years): In 2025, his vigorous defense of the council tax and detailed critique of budget proposals stand out as significant contributions, demonstrating his commitment to fiscal prudence. His attendance and voting on the Final Budget Proposals further solidify this. In 2024, his passionate endorsement of Lynn Brown's Freedom of the Borough nomination was a notable act of support.
Patterns and Consistent Areas of Interest: Griffiths consistently participates in council meetings and shows a sustained interest in strategic development. His recent emphasis on budgetary matters and his critical approach to financial proposals indicate a strong concern for the council's financial stability and efficient resource allocation.
Yearly Activity Timeline
Throughout 2025, Councillor Alan Griffiths was an active participant in council meetings, particularly focusing on budgetary matters and strategic development. In February, he vigorously defended Newham's council tax, attributing budget deficits to the rising costs of temporary accommodation for the homeless and criticizing proposals he deemed as giveaways to drivers.
He also expressed skepticism about ULEZ payment rates and the financial sense of independent councillors' proposals, stating they did not add up.
Griffiths continued his involvement in March by attending the Strategic Development Committee and voting in favor of the Final Budget Proposals for 2025/26. In April, he attended the Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting, introducing himself as Councillor Kenny Downshire.
His engagement in strategic development continued into July with his attendance at the Strategic Development Committee meeting, following a prior site visit.
Monthly Activity in 2025
During July 2025, Alan Griffiths attended the Strategic Development Committee meeting on July 15th. This attendance followed his participation in a previous meeting on May 20th and a site visit to RMS on Bradfield Road with the Chair regarding a prior application.
Meetings in July 2025
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 15th July 2025 6.00 p.m. - 15 July 2025
Alan Griffiths was present at the Strategic Development Committee meeting on July 15th, 2025. He had also attended a previous meeting on May 20th, 2025, and participated in a site visit to RMS on Bradfield Road with the Chair concerning a prior application.
During April 2025, Councillor Alan Griffiths sent his apologies for the Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on April 17th. He then attended the meeting on April 23rd, where he introduced himself as Alan Griffiths, councillor Kenny Downshire.
He also responded to the Chair regarding apologies for absence, stating,
I haven't received any apologies for absence, Chair.
Meetings in April 2025
Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 23rd April 2025 7.00 p.m. - 23 April 2025
Alan Griffiths introduced himself as Alan Griffiths, councillor Kenny Downshire.
He also responded to the Chair regarding apologies for absence, stating, I haven't received any apologies for absence, Chair.
Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Thursday 17th April 2025 7.00 p.m. - 17 April 2025
Councillor Alan Griffiths sent his apologies for the Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on 2025-04-17.
During March 2025, Alan Griffiths was a member of the Strategic Development Committee and was present at their meeting on March 18th. He also participated in the Council meeting on March 24th, where he voted in favour of the recommendations for the Final Budget Proposals for 2025/26.
Meetings in March 2025
Council - Monday 24th March 2025 7.30 p.m. - 24 March 2025
Alan Griffiths voted in favour of the recommendations for the Final Budget Proposals for 2025/26.
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 18th March 2025 6.00 p.m. - 18 March 2025
Alan Griffiths was a member of the Strategic Development Committee. He was present at the meeting on January 21st, 2025, but was noted as absent from the meeting on February 4th, 2025. No specific statements or actions by Alan Griffiths were recorded in the provided documents for the meeting on March 18th, 2025.
During the February 27th, 2025 council meeting, Councillor Alan Griffiths actively participated in a debate regarding council tax and parking permit proposals. He defended Newham's council tax as competitive and noted that many other boroughs already charge for the first parking permit. Griffiths identified the rocketing numbers of people who become homeless and are in priority need that we need to put in temporary accommodation
as the main cause of the council's budget deficit, linking it to a dysfunctional housing market. He criticized proposals that would allocate a significant portion of the budget to giveaways to drivers,
arguing that most homes in the borough do not have vehicles. Griffiths also commented on the ULEZ, suggesting low payment rates and that many payers were not London residents. He further critiqued the independent councillors' proposals, stating they did not add up
and made them appear rather foolish.
Meetings in February 2025
Council - Thursday 27th February 2025 7.00 p.m. - 27 February 2025
Councillor Alan Griffiths participated in a debate on an amendment, questioning the rationale behind proposals for lower council tax and parking permits. He argued that Newham's council tax would remain competitive and that many other boroughs already charge for the first parking permit.
Griffiths identified the rocketing numbers of people who become homeless and are in priority need that we need to put in temporary accommodation
as the primary driver of the council's budget deficit, attributing this to a dysfunctional housing market. He also criticized proposals that allocated £18 million out of £32 million
to giveaways to drivers
in a borough where most homes lack vehicles.
He commented on the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), suggesting that few people were paying it and that a significant portion of those who did were not London residents. Griffiths also critiqued the independent councillors' proposals, stating they did not add up
and that they appeared less enumerate
than the Green Party, suggesting the independents had made themselves look rather foolish.
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 4th February 2025 6.00 p.m. - 4 February 2025
Alan Griffiths, a Councillor for Canning Town South, was a member of the Strategic Development Committee present at the meeting on February 4th, 2025. However, the provided document does not indicate any specific statements or actions taken by him during the meeting.
Councillor Alan Griffiths (Canning Town South) attended the Strategic Development Committee meeting on January 21, 2025, arriving late at 18:17hrs. There is no record of him speaking or taking any specific action during the meeting.
Meetings in January 2025
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 21st January 2025 6.00 p.m. - 21 January 2025
Councillor Alan Griffiths (Canning Town South) was present at the Strategic Development Committee meeting on January 21, 2025. He arrived late, at 18:17hrs. There is no record of him speaking or taking any specific action during the meeting.
Alan Griffiths' recorded activities in 2024 primarily focused on council meetings, with notable engagement in December. While he was a listed member of the Strategic Development Committee in October and present at council meetings in September and October, his most significant contribution was in December. During the December council meeting, Councillor Griffiths spoke passionately in support of Lynn Brown's nomination for the Freedom of the Borough. He emphasized her deep local connections, extensive contributions to local government, and shared personal anecdotes, stating,
I was very pleased to commend her to you.
Monthly Activity in 2024
During the December 2024 council meeting, Councillor Alan Griffiths spoke in strong support of Lynn Brown's nomination for the Freedom of the Borough. He highlighted her deep local roots, growing up in Silvertown and attending a local school, and detailed her significant contributions to local government, including her leadership roles in the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Local Government Association. Griffiths also shared personal anecdotes, recalling her sense of humor and a past reference to her as his favorite member of parliament.
He further connected her family history to the Silvertown explosion and the influence of the Match Girls strike on other workforces, concluding by stating he was very pleased to commend her to you.
Meetings in December 2024
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 17th December 2024 6.00 p.m. - 17 December 2024
There is no record of Alan Griffiths saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Strategic Development Committee meeting on 2024-12-17.
Extraordinary, Council - Monday 16th December 2024 6.30 p.m. - 16 December 2024
Councillor Alan Griffiths spoke in strong support of the nomination of Lynn Brown for the Freedom of the Borough. He shared personal anecdotes and historical context highlighting her deep roots in the borough, including growing up in a council flat in Silvertown and attending a local school. Griffiths also detailed her significant contributions to local government beyond the immediate area, mentioning her leadership as chair of the leisure committee for the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and later the Local Government Association. He recalled her sense of humor and a personal anecdote about referring to her as his favorite member of parliament.
Griffiths also touched upon her family's connection to the Silvertown explosion and how her mother shared stories about the Match Girls strike, illustrating how its union organizing techniques influenced other predominantly male workforces, such as the gas workers of Becton. He concluded by very pleased to commend her to you.
During October 2024, Alan Griffiths was listed as a member of the Strategic Development Committee for the meeting on October 15th. However, no specific actions or statements from him were recorded in the report pack for this meeting. Similarly, there is no record of Alan Griffiths speaking or taking any action during the Council meeting on October 21st.
Meetings in October 2024
Themed, Council - Monday 21st October 2024 7.00 p.m. - 21 October 2024
There is no record of Alan Griffiths speaking or taking any action in the provided transcript for the Council meeting on 2024-10-21.
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 15th October 2024 6.00 p.m. - 15 October 2024
Alan Griffiths was listed as a member of the Strategic Development Committee for the meeting on 2024-10-15. However, based on minutes from a previous meeting on 2024-06-18, he did not participate in discussions or vote on applications if he was not present for the entirety of the discussion. No specific actions or statements from Alan Griffiths were recorded in the provided report pack for this meeting.
There is no record of Alan Griffiths saying or doing anything during the September 2024 council meetings.
Meetings in September 2024
Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Thursday 26th September 2024 7.00 p.m. - 26 September 2024
Alan Griffiths was a member of the Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission and was present at the meeting on 26th September 2024. No specific statements or actions were attributed to him in the provided documents.
Council - Monday 16th September 2024 7.00 p.m. - 16 September 2024
There is no record of Alan Griffiths saying or doing anything in the provided documents for the Council meeting on 2024-09-16.
Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
44 meetings · Page 7 of 9
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 17th December 2024 6.00 p.m.
The Strategic Development Committee approved two planning applications: one for the retention of temporary classrooms at Upton Cross Primary School and another for the appearance and landscaping of a self-storage warehouse on Romford Road.
Council - Monday 16th December 2024 7.00 p.m.
The Council voted to approve the minutes of the last meeting, a range of treasury management proposals, amendments to the procedural rules, the new polling districts and polling places review, the recommended recipients of the Civic Awards, a report on exempted decisions made since the last meeting, and to appoint two Independent Persons[^1] for the council. The council also debated two motions, one about recruitment diversity and one about the Olympic Park Fixed Estate Charge. The Council voted to approve both motions, with the Fixed Estate Charge motion being approved as amended.
Extraordinary, Council - Monday 16th December 2024 6.30 p.m.
The Council voted unanimously to award the Honorary Freedom of the Borough to Lyn Brown and Paulette Watson MBE. No one was awarded the title of Honorary Alderman.
Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 2nd December 2024 7.00 p.m.
This meeting was scheduled to hear updates on the work of the Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership, and the experiences of children in the care system in Newham. Councillors were also scheduled to review reports on the sufficiency of placements for looked after children and review key performance data relating to children and young people in Newham.
Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 19th November 2024 6.00 p.m.
This meeting was scheduled to consider 5 planning applications, a report on developer contributions for the 2023/24 financial year, and the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting. The committee was recommended to approve 4 planning applications, and to refuse one.
Decisions from Meetings
1 decision
Gateway Retail Park 8 Claps Gate Lane, Beckton London E6 6LG
From: Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 20th May 2025 6.00 p.m. - May 20, 2025
...to approve the demolition of existing retail and food and beverage floorspace and associated parking at Gateway Retail Park, and the construction of 30,127 square meters of flexible industrial and warehousing space with ancillary office accommodation, landscaping, and alterations to access arrangements, subject to conditions, a legal agreement, and referral to the Mayor of London.
Decision approved
Summary
Meetings Attended: 44
Average per Month: 2.1
Decisions Recorded: 1