Hearty congratulations to our new Mayor, Forhad Hussain, and to Cllr Lakmini Shah, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Communities, along with the wider incoming team. This mandate reflects the confidence placed in you by the people of Newham.

At Just Homes, we are grateful for the time you have spent with us gaining a deeper understanding of our work. We receive this as a meaningful expression of your commitment to supporting our mission to tackle homelessness and to help our clients develop the skills, routines and stability needed to move into employment and secure longer-term accommodation.

Leading in a difficult climate

You begin your term at a time when, as a country, we face an insatiable culture of challenging leadership and seeking someone to blame, where much of the focus falls on criticism rather than solutions. It is hard to recall the last time someone in politics was praised for a decision or action they took. Accountability matters, but so does creating space for leadership to think long term, innovate, and address complex challenges.

Newham faces deep, longstanding and complex issues, and it is worth acknowledging that meaningful change takes understanding, hard work, and most of all, time. We hope this team is given the space to understand the various challenges faced by our borough, devise strategies, and deliver effective solutions — particularly at a time when the nation's finances are tight, with slow economic growth and rising annual budget deficits.

A call for patience

To fellow residents, we encourage patience. This is a democratically elected team, and lasting progress requires time, focus and trust.

Christina Isaac, CEO, Just Homes Charity