Peter Landman reports from the marathon Newham Cabinet meeting on 5 September

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In a five-hour session, the Council cabinet dealt with some major issues – not least the housing crisis and fresh efforts to tackle the scourge of domestic abuse.

The meeting began with a review of the latest Building a Fairer Newham Performance Report which is a summary of the implementation of the council’s flagship programme.

One major development was a £500,000 allocation for new pocket forests across the Borough. Some 15 schools will be involved in this environmental programme.

Regeneration of Carpenters Estate

There was an update on the regeneration project which is currently paused due to the compulsory purchase order process affecting the first major phase of work at James Riley Point.

The council work is carried out through an agreement with Populo Living and Design, the Council’s Housing Development Company in which the council are the only shareholders. The council pays up front to Populo for development of the latest phase, in return for receipt of rents from lettings from the new properties.

This latest phase of the agreement is for new homes in Lund Quarter, and Station Quarter; a hotel with 220 beds; community provision; and for rebuild of Carpenters Primary School. There are 289 new homes are targeted for the Lund Quarter, with 116 to be at social rents.

There will be 425 new homes are targeted for the Station Quarter, with 111 to be at social rents.

There are also “Meanwhile Developments” (carried out while the compulsory purchase order delay continues) which will be on conversion of the tenant management organisation building for business start ups, and expansion of the neighbouring food bank for food stalls.

Homes for the homeless

The Council has found three new sources for securing much needed accommodation to house needy people and families.

Buying back ex council property, that was lost to the council through right to buy and is now in the open market on lapse of the right to buy. This will bring in 95 new homes.
Buying newly-built property from a developer. There is agreement to buy 24 units at Olympic House 60-62 Barking Road.
Buying from landlords who are about to evict tenants as a form of so called preventive acquisition.

Combating Domestic Abuse

This is a comprehensive strategy both in relation to the people it reaches out to, and the range of domestic abuse situations.

Fiona Hackland, Assistant Director of Commissioning explained that this is not being operated from a single office base, but through pathways and links to where people affected are.

The strategy takes in sex workers, survivors, perpetrators, and children caught up in domestic, family abuse.

The Cabinet was told that new working groups have been established and that healthy relationships programmes are running in schools and colleges.

There is also collaboration with police and the Mayor of London’s police unit and behaviour modification programmes have been agreed for violent perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Recommendations on maternity services

The cabinet considered the Council’s Health and Social Care Commission thorough report, which included three key recommendations for closer partnership between maternity services and Council services.

Council officers also gave written responses in a report to the meeting and also responded to a question from Councillor Susan Masters who asked about maternity services for pregnant mothers in temporary accommodation.

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