The first local mayoral hustings of the campaign saw Age UK East London invite candidates to answer questions, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

Newham mayoral candidates at the hustings organised by Age UK (credit Nick Clark)

Older people in Newham grilled candidates standing to be mayor at the first local hustings of the election campaign.

Candidates answered questions on issues such as the care system, the cost of living, public transport and accessibility at the hustings, hosted by Age UK East London, yesterday (Tuesday 14th).

Hazel Watson, chair of Age UK East London’s older people reference group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We need our voice to be heard.

“We need to be involved with the decision-making that the council and other partners make decisions concerning online access, housing – whatever’s going on in the borough – our health, our wellbeing.”

Labour candidate Forhad Hussain said he could work with a Labour mayor of London to improve transport links in the borough. But he said he would do this with local communities.

Hussain also said he wanted to “localise our services through our neighbourhood centres so we will have face-to-face interactions”.

He added that he would ressurrect the council’s community neighbourhood scheme. He said: “It’s so important that we create spaces where our people can connect, socialise and belong.”

Green Party candidate Areeq Choudhury said his party wanted to carry out “a comprehensive review of how streets work” to improve transport and accessibility.

Choudhury said the Green Party would “protect our libraries”, as places where people unable to use the internet can access services. He said: “We need to really value those physical spaces where people get advice.”

He also said the Green Party’s manifesto for Newham would include a “public toilet strategy if we’re elected to focus on how we can improve public toilet access”.

Reform candidate Clive Furness said he said he wanted “absolutely every part of the council to become a place where you can be referred”. However he said major changes at the council would be limited by financial constraints.

Furness said: “There is no way on earth we’re going to set up a whole number of new service centres across the borough – to promise that would be to lie.”

Furness also said that if elected he would trial a scheme where physiotherapists visiting single older people could also become a “link” to social opportunities.

He said: “Simply getting together will help in a whole lot of ways, mental and physical.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Laura Willoughby said Newham didn’t have to have a Labour-led council to work with Labour-led City Hall on transport.

She also said the council could pay small businesses to make their staff toilets acessible to people who need to use them.

Willoughby said the council would work with carers and older people struggling to make ends meet to make sure they’re receiving all the benefits they’re entitled to.

Conservative candidate Terri Bloore said her party wanted to create a “Newham First” card that could be used to access council services.

She said it could be used as a library card, and to pay for council tax and parking and would make accessing council services “much easier and much more accessible for everyone”.

She also said the card would give older people discounts at council gyms and for parking.

Bloore said older people “have to be a priority” for the council. She promised a “thorough audit” of council finances which she said could reveal money that could be invested into services that are “vital”.

Mayoral and council elections are set to take place on Thursday, 7th May.

Newham Independents mayoral candidate Mehmood Mirza had confirmed his attendance at the hustings but didn’t turn up.

Age UK East London says it invited the two other candidates, Kamran Malik of Communities United and Bharath Swamy of the Christian Peoples Alliance.

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