- A new Commission on Multi-ethic and Inclusive Newham is established
- Led by an independent Chair, Sunder Katwala, the new commission will focus on six key objectives to position Newham as a pioneer inclusive borough
This March, Mayor Fiaz and her Cabinet has reinforced the commitment to create an inclusive sense of belonging for all residents by establishing a new Commission on Multi-ethic and Inclusive Newham.
Building on the achievements delivered over the last four years to tackle the structural inequalities, the work of the Commission will build on the agenda to advance as a Council that challenges all forms of hate, including homophobic hate and transphobia, antisemitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, misogyny and the discrimination that those with disabilities face.
The findings will then be used to re-evaluate how diversity, equality and inclusion are approached and incorporated at every level of the Council.
Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz OBE said: “Newham is proud to be one of the youngest and most diverse boroughs anywhere in the UK. Seven in ten of our residents are from ethnically diverse communities, speaking over 220 languages and dialects. It is therefore essential that we continuously seek new ways to ensure that the work we deliver as a Council continues to create a diverse and inclusive society for the betterment of our community.
“The fact that we have ‘the world in one borough’ is our opportunity for Newham to be the practical pioneer in achieving an inclusive sense of belonging in our corner of the most diverse, global capital city in the world.
“We can also become a national beacon for how best to champion diversity and inclusion to counter some of the danger and division that has emerged in our country in recent years.
“Above all, it offers us the opportunity to proactively embed inclusivity into the way the Council operates, including in our approaches to service delivery and design; as we advance our ambition of Building a Fairer Newham for everyone.”
Mayor Fiaz announced to the Full Council meeting in November 2022 that Sunder Katwala, the nationally recognised Director of British Future, was going to lead the Commission as independent Chair.
With up to eight commissioners, the new Commission will make recommendations about how the Council can systematically embed inclusive practice, to represent all our communities, in every aspect of the Council’s service delivery.
The Commission will begin by identifying the key inequalities that Newham faces and introduce change to reduce these in a measurable way.
Recommendations will then be made on how the Council can systematically embed inclusive and intersectional practice that represents all the demographics of the borough in every aspect of the Council’s service delivery across a range of strong practical actions.
Newham’s Cabinet agreed the recommendations in a report to establish the Commission on Thursday 9 March 2023.
The aim of the Commission will be to:
- Position Newham as a practical pioneer for how to achieve an inclusive sense of belonging in London, an increasingly diverse global city; and the nation of the United Kingdom.
- Identify the key inequalities that Newham faces and the measurable change that it would need to achieve to reduce these, via quantifiable metrics.
- Make recommendations about how the Council can systematically embed inclusive and intersectional practice that represents all the demographics of our borough in every aspect of the Council’s service delivery.
- Establish Newham as the leader in service delivery for diverse communities where every experience interacting with the Council, including using services, is as inclusive as possible.
- Contribute to the Council’s strategies for inclusive growth and democratic participation through making recommendations across a range of strong practical actions the Council can undertake; alongside the actions that its economic and civic society partners can take.
- Highlight practical ways in which: (i) The Council can mobilise and support residents as citizens to strengthen belonging, inclusion and shared identities in their neighbourhoods; (ii) The Council and other partners can mobilise and support residents as citizens to strengthen belonging and inclusion within communities and contribute to the Council’s ambitions for fairness, equality, inclusion and systemic change in Newham.