Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz OBE made a promise to put local people at the heart of future regeneration proposals as she visited the Carpenters Estate today with John Healey MP.
John Healey visited Newham in the first week of Rokhsana Fiaz’s mayoralty to learn more about her plans to engage residents and create more social homes in the borough.
John Healey and Rokhsana Fiaz met residents on the estate to ask their views on what they wanted to see from any future regeneration proposals and the Council’s housing policies.
After engaging with local people, they also visited the Building Crafts College and observed carpentry and stonemasonry classes.
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said: “Housing at social rent and genuinely affordable levels is my top priority so I am delighted to welcome John to Newham in my first week as Mayor. I look forward to working with him, the Mayor of London and other partners as I accelerate plans to deliver more homes for local residents.“
“The lack of decent, genuinely affordable homes at social rent levels affects so many of our residents. I will be listening to them, finding out what they want to see in the borough and involve them in any future regeneration proposals. I made a commitment that as a council we will put people at the heart of everything we do. Local people will play a key role in shaping the borough including being involved in our plans to deliver long-term sustainable solutions to the housing crisis in Newham.
“Involving local people also means developing skills to foster the housebuilding industry. The excellent work of Building Crafts College in training and equipping young people in a range of building techniques is crucial if we are to have the skills to build the homes our residents so desperately need. I look forward to working with the college in helping residents, interested in construction, to gain valuable skills.”
Shadow Housing Secretary, John Healey MP said: “Pioneering councils like Newham are the best hope for people struggling with high housing costs.
“I welcome Rokhsana’s bold plans for housing in Newham and her determination to put residents’ views at the heart of the council’s ambition for more genuinely affordable homes.”
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has pledged to consult directly with residents about producing a resident-led Masterplan for its future, including building the largest proportion of socially rented Council homes on the estate that is possible, aiming for a minimum of 50 percent and ensure that a transparent open book approach is adopted to the re-development.