Peter Landman reports from the 16th July Newham Council Cabinet meeting

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The Cabinet has agreed separate developments for the Rex Theatre site and the island site on adjoining Bridge Road located off Stratford High Street which will help ease the housing crisis in the Borough.

The Council owns the freehold of the theatre site and the Cabinet agreed the Council could lease to an organisation to bring the theatre back into cultural use. But to do that the Council, which only owns 50 percent of the island site, will have to buy the other half which is is owned by two property companies.

Cabinet agreed the Council can make the purchase and enter into a development services agreement with Populo, the council owned housing company, to provide new properties for the whole site.

Populo will provide 179 new homes. Of these 65 will be for social rent. Although this is below the 50 percent target set by the Council the officers point to the extra costs incurred buying from the property company. For information contact: rokhsana.fiaz@ newham.gov.uk

More bike hangars and more electric charging for cars

Newham is to get more electric vehicle charging points and there is also good news for cyclists looking to park their bikes safely.

The Council Cabinet has agreed to start the contract process for a Charge Point Operator to install and maintain 160 Electric Vehicle Charging Points across Newham.

For cyclists, the Cabinet has agreed to start the contract process for 650 new cycle hangars. These will also be spread fairly across Borough and there will be consultation with those involved.

Replacement of Council street cleaning and maintenance vehicles

The Cabinet is to buy new street cleaning and maintenance vehicles. The existing vehicles are beyond their working life, and are more often out of action.

The Cabinet agreed the purchase of 49 replacement vehicles through a lease arrangement with Procurement Partnership Ltd.

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