Busy Labour Movement Day

This morning (Wednesday) started off with a 9am tour and presentation at Anchor House in Canning Town with Councillor colleagues. Anchor House is a former Seaman's mission which is now a charity that specialises in supporting single homeless adults.

It has a very innovative proposal to convert unused space into a further 18 bedrooms. I was also impressed with the improvements to communal livings spaces and installation of a new kitchen and laundry.

Later I went to the UNISON HQ in Euston for a long meeting of its NEC Policy Development and Campaign Committee (PDCC). Which included some excellent reports from our devolved nations Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Congratulations to Northern Ireland  for its recent successful NHS strike action over pay.

I was devastated to see that my beloved North Wales is now almost totally controlled by the Tories. Unbelievable. Incredible. Only Alan & Deeside (I was born and bred in Buckley) survived by a few hundred votes (we would have been wiped out if the Brexit Party had stood down). Need to learn lessons quickly before Welsh Assembly elections in May. Onward and forwards.

We spent ages  debating and voting on draft motions to our National Conference. Finished just after 4pm.

Next as a NEC member for Community (Voluntary sector and Housing Associations) I had a briefing on the Community Service Group in Greater London region.

At 6.30 pm I was in the Old Town Hall,  Stratford to take part in the public consultation on the Newham Council Budget proposals which went really well.  I sat on a round table with Councillors,  officers and residents discussing our proposal to tackle Rough Sleeping by increasing spending by 400% to £1.8 million per year. Residents were challenging but on the whole broadly supportive of all our budget proposals especially those on improving our environment. They recognise that due to continual government cuts, difficult choices will have to be made.

Final event of the day was the launch of a new community group called "Voice of Newham". The Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, myself and local Councillors were invited to speak about our future plans for Newham and how by working with all our communities we will bring about change. Finished about 11pm.

A long day but a good day.

A day in the life - Thursday 27 September 2018

This is one day in my life as a Newham Council Cabinet member, which was particularly busy but pretty much reflects what all Newham Cabinet members experience on a regular basis. Compared to the Mayor's normal diary, it was probably a walk in the park.

I came back late on Wednesday evening from Labour Party conference in Liverpool. 9am on Thursday, I had my first meeting in Newham Dockside, chairing a working group of Council Officers on the future of Community Spaces (Centres) in the borough. A very difficult issue but the meeting (I felt) went really well and was positive and constructive.

Next I had to rush off to chair a UNISON London regional forum on the Local Government Pension Fund in central London. I had doubled booked myself so was a little late. In the afternoon I attended a fascinating meeting of the Newham Homeless Forum in Anchor House with Cllr Susan Masters, followed by a tour of the marvellous new register office at East Ham Town Hall. I then went across the road for a meet with Newham College of Further Education heads.

After that I had a surgery in my ward in the tenants and residents room in Brassett Point. Finishing with a meeting of Audit Committee in East Town Hall which ended around 9pm. (Followed by a short recovery drink in the Red Lion).

Hope this doesn't seem like gloating "look how busy I am" or "pity me". I am really enjoying the challenge because I am convinced that we (all Labour Councillors and the Mayor) will make a big difference for the better to the lives of our residents.