Labour Party members will have been lucky enough to receive a New Year’s message from the Mayor.

A short while ago, we raised the point that Newham has failed to start any new council or social homes for the past three years. We understand that this revelation caused several members of the executive to be upset. So they should be.

Readers will recall that, over a year ago, Cllr Terry Paul and the mayor had something of a contre temps.

In short, at a meeting of the Budget Working Commission, Cllr Paul questioned the mayor on her budget plans. Mayor Fiaz felt “unsafe” when being questioned. Fiaz accused Paul of racism and misogyny. Paul accused Fiaz of bullying.

A ceasefire, like the ceasefire that was in place on October 6th 2023? Or a ceasefire like the one Mohammed negotiated with the Quraysh?

Readers will recognize that Open Newham is not above the salacious; nor opposed to rummaging through the political detritus every now and again.

But even we were unsure about how to deal with this story.

We are anticipating the announcement of cuts totalling £40m. Behind this are the hidden service cuts that have not been announced.

For instance, last year, Special Education Needs and Disability Children (SEND) packages were frozen by the London Borough of Newham. This means that their budgets were not increased while their costs rose.

Across the country, schemes requiring an element of social (or affordable) housing have been negotiated. Usually, these take the form of 30%-35% social/affordable housing with the larger portion, 65%-70% being sold or let at commercial levels.

In a race that echoes the recent battle between Lakmini Shah and Thelma Odoi, it seems that Cllr Terry Paul convincingly defeated Cllr Lewis Godfrey for the vacant position of Scrutiny Chair.

Open Newham has learned that Cllr Miriam Dawood told cabinet colleagues that she was resigning. It is understood that Dawood handed her resignation to Mayor Fiaz. Fiaz in turn asked that didn’t publish the resignation until after the Peer Review had been completed.

At a time of austerity, we expect a bit of belt tightening. Most staff might be unhappy, but it’s better to be in a job with a minimal pay rise than unemployed.

The issue of Plaistow North byelection has dominated our posts for the past month. That does not mean that other things were not happening.

This is one of those stories that you couldn’t make up.

In a story that you couldn’t make up, Newham Council issued a parking penalty against itself. Unable to resolve the matter internally, the case went all the way to appeal. And then the council dropped the case… against the council.

Comments on social media suggest that residents are not seeing the improvements the mayor promised.

Just when you thought that things couldn’t get any worse, they suddenly do.

The Standard reported that IT Boss Jagdeep Nagra, an “Assistant Director of Operations and Interactions” is alleged to have pocketed some £250,000 worth of phones, laptops and tablets bought with council, this is to say , council-tax payer’ money.

The photos above were posted by a well-known local antisemite and member of Newham Council.

She assures readers that “the majority in Latinoamerica is in solidarity with Palestine”.

More news is leaking out about the decision to amend the Green motion on Gaza, rather than to simply oppose it, which is what the standing Labour practice would have been.

A second cabinet member has resigned. Mayor Fiaz would seem to have more chance of keeping water in a colander than she does of keeping members in her cabinet. Carleene Lee-Phakoe is the second cabinet member to resign this week.

The events in southern Israel and in Gaza which are respectively obscene and tragic are already having repercussions in Newham. On Monday 16th October, Newham Council held a debate around a motion submitted by Cllr Mirza (starts at 40.20 on the video) and seconded by Green Councillor Keeling.

Three narratives:

On the evening of Friday 20th October, a modest crowd gathered “to remember those who lost their lives in the senseless violence in Gaza”. Or,

In an attempt to generate political support in the by-election, on the back of the suffering in Gaza, a vigil was held on Friday 20th October. Or,

It was a chance for a bit of virtue signalling.

In the Halcyon days of opposition, Rohsana Fiaz did not have to worry about the consequences of opposing the policy of rehousing Newham applicants outside of London. It sounded like the socialist thing to do; people should be housed locally, or so the argument ran.