Lutfur Rahman

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    Delivery & Continuity

    I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE DELIVERED, AND I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO PUT YOUR TRUST IN ME AND THE ASPIRE TEAM ON 7TH MAY 2026.

  • A Council that listens to you

    A proven record of delivery

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    Voices of Support

    Community leaders, residents and public figures are recognising the impact of Lutfur Rahman’s leadership, delivery and long-term vision for the borough.

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Achievements Our Record

Achievements

Explore the progress, delivery and measurable impact made for Tower Hamlets.

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Manifesto Our Vision

Manifesto

Read the priorities, commitments and future plans shaping the next chapter for the borough.

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Endorsement & Feedback

See what supporters, residents and community voices are saying across Tower Hamlets.

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Mayor Lutfur Rahman letter after four years
Vote Lutfur Rahman & Aspire for

Delivery & Continuity

Since being elected Mayor in 2022, my priority has been clear: to make Tower Hamlets work for all. After years of damaging austerity from Labour, we restored vital services and took action to support people through the housing crisis and rising living costs.

I believe the council should always be on the side of its community — listening, acting, and supporting residents at every stage of life. Housing has been a top priority. Everyone deserves a decent home, free from overcrowding, and we are committed to building and improving homes that people can truly afford, so families can put down roots and thrive.

Strong public services are the foundation of a fair borough. We are determined to give children and young people the best start in life, to provide all our residents with a good standard of living, and ensure older residents and those with care needs are supported with dignity.

By delivering joined-up services and investing in housing, leisure, waste, youth provision, community spaces, public health, education and SEN, and community safety, we are building better, stronger neighbourhoods for all.

“

I am proud of what we have delivered, and I ask you to continue to put your trust in me and the Aspire Team on 7th May 2026.

Lutfur Rahman signature
Lutfur Rahman Mayor of Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets Top 20 Achievements

  • Allocated and distributed nearly £10m in cost-of-living support to residents.
  • Froze Council Tax for ALL residents in year 1, then introduced a Cost-of-Living Relief Fund for households earning under £50,350.
  • Provided Winter Fuel Payment of £175 to 4,000+ pensioners and launched £1m a year Meals on Wheels service.
  • 22,000 former THH properties brought back in-house.
  • On track to deliver 4,000 affordable homes.
  • Universal Free School Meals (primary & secondary) – saving families £3.7m annually.
  • Introduced £1,500 University Bursary for 400 students (now 800 students in year 2).
  • Brought back EMA (£400 → £600 per year, 1,200 students).
  • Free school uniforms for 7,000 pupils per year.
  • £13.7m yearly investment in youth services, including centres in all 20 wards.
  • £4m invested to upgrade and install 350 CCTV cameras.
  • £2.9m invested in 41 new enforcement officers (total 73 THEOs).
  • Launched Tackling Drugs Taskforce (£1.5m investment over 3 years).
  • £15m additional investment in waste services (+72 staff).
  • Planted ~3,000 trees.
  • £4.5m in Mayor’s Community Grants for voluntary and community sector.
  • £4.9m yearly for new free homecare service for vulnerable adults.
  • 248k free swimming/aquatic sessions for women & men. £40m invested in leisure facilities.
  • £67m invested in St George’s state-of-the-art leisure facility (family-size council homes included).
  • One-hour free parking to help market traders; Permit Transfer Scheme to support housing mobility.
  • New Town Hall opened in Whitechapel – saving £16m annually.
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Achievements

4 Years of Delivery for Tower Hamlets

A record of practical action, visible investment and community-focused leadership across education, housing, public services, safety, environment, business, leisure and support for residents.

Achievements over four years
At A Glance

Visible progress. Stronger services. Real investment.

Over the last four years, major investment has been directed into education, cost-of-living support, housing, community safety, leisure, youth services, public health, and neighbourhood improvement.

£10M+ Cost-of-living support
6,000+ Homes on track by May 2026
350 New & upgraded CCTV cameras
£13.7M Per year invested in 20 youth centres
Headline Achievements

Major investment. Visible results.

£10M In cost-of-living support to residents
£13.7M Per year invested in 20 youth centres
350 New & upgraded CCTV cameras, £4M invested
£15M Invested in waste services, 72 additional staff
6,000+ Homes on track to deliver by May 2026
5,200+ Students receiving £1,500 uni bursaries and £600 EMA
38,000+ Students benefiting from free school meals
200–300 Residents seen monthly at the Mayor’s surgeries
£4.4M Invested in free school meals
£5M Invested in tackling the waste emergency
£609M Investing in council-owned homes improvement
Mayor Lutfur Rahman
Mayoral Record

Focused on delivery, continuity and community impact

This record reflects a clear priority: to make Tower Hamlets work for all — with direct support for residents, investment in family services, safer streets, stronger neighbourhoods and long-term borough-wide improvement.

01

Accelerate Education

  1. Over £3.2m invested in supporting 2,400 students with university costs through the University Bursary Programme, which offers £1,500 per student.
  2. Achieved Outstanding in our Children’s Services OFSTED inspection.
  3. Over £1.3m invested in supporting over 2,800 students through higher education with the Education Maintenance Allowance - £600 per student.
  4. Over 58,000 children supported through our family hubs service.
  5. Over £2.5m being invested in SEND children provision including £1m in improved transport.
  6. Invested £4.4m to become the first borough in the country to offer Free School Meals for all Primary and Secondary School Students, benefiting 38,000 pupils and saving the average family of 3 children £1,650 a year.
  7. Free School Uniforms for over 7,000 pupils in the borough each year: £50 for reception starters and £150 for secondary starters.
  8. Created Tower Hamlets Education Awards celebrating pupils who achieve high attainment and the families and teachers who help facilitate it.
  9. Invested £800,000 to offer free language classes for young people aged 6-16, teaching heritage languages like Arabic, Bengali, Mandarin, and Somali through our Young Community Languages scheme.
02

Tackling the Cost-of-Living Crisis

  1. Distributed over £10 million in cost-of-living support payments to residents in need.
  2. Millions of free meals for residents from food supplied to food aid organisations.
  3. Froze Council Tax for all residents in year 1 (2022/2023).
  4. Introduced Council Tax Cost-Of-Living Relief Fund for residents earning under £53,350 – meaning these residents do not have to pay any council tax increase.
  5. Invested £1 million a year to reintroduce the Meals on Wheels service - serving hot dinners to vulnerable residents 7 days a week.
  6. Over 4,000 elderly supported with a £175 winter fuel payment in winter 2024, following the government's decision to cut support.
03

Homes for the Future

  1. 22,000 formerly Tower Hamlets Homes brought back in-house, to ensure direct control and management by the Council.
  2. On track to deliver over 6,000 affordable homes by May 2026 – the majority family-sized.
  3. An additional 3,300 homes to be delivered as part of Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme on over 40 council-owned sites.
  4. Delivered wheelchair-accessible housing for more than 100 households.
  5. 1,125 residents suffering from homelessness supported into sustainable accommodation.
  6. Over £134 million spent on Temporary Accommodation to help residents suffering homelessness to remain in or near the borough.
  7. £609 million investing in council-owned homes improvement, including removing damp and mould; fire and building safety; roof and lift repairs and replacements, and improving homes by fitting new kitchen units, windows, doors and bathrooms.
  8. Created a £1 million homelessness fund to support residents struggling with their housing costs.
  9. By May 2026, we will have delivered an additional 1,250 car parking spaces across the borough.
04

A Clean and Green Future

  1. £5m invested in tackling the waste emergency.
  2. £15m invested in waste services – including 72 additional frontline staff.
  3. Over £2m invested in improving recycling in the borough.
  4. Over £1m invested in improving recycling in estates.
  5. Over £350,000 invested in upgrading TH fleet to electric vehicles.
  6. Over £6.3m invested in installing 2,150 new EV charging points across the borough, exceeding our target by 150 chargers.
  7. Over 70 local businesses trained to be more energy efficient.
  8. Around £50,000 in grants distributed to support energy reduction in local businesses.
  9. Planted over 3,000 trees across the borough.
05

Boost Culture, Business, Jobs & Leisure

  1. £300,000 free swimming and aquatic sessions for women and girls (16+) and men (55+). Over 20,000 have signed up – 83% of which are women and girls.
  2. Kept open all of our swimming pools, with a new one to open in St George’s.
  3. Rates relief for thousands of businesses, saving them millions of pounds.
  4. Five new outdoor gyms in the borough's public spaces.
  5. Invested £800k in four new play-zones.
  6. Over £5 million invested in sports facilities, gyms, and outdoor playgrounds.
  7. Over 1,500 residents engaged in over 2,200 training programs through workpath.
  8. Over 340 apprenticeship opportunities created.
  9. One-hour free parking introduced to help market traders.
  10. Introduction of the Permit Transfer Scheme (PTS) – meaning someone moving to a car free zone of two bedrooms or more from overcrowded households can retain one on-street resident parking permit.
  11. Over £40 million invested in Leisure including bringing leisure services under council management.
  12. £67m invested in redeveloping St George’s Leisure Centre and Housing which is on track to be delivered and will deliver 33 family sized council homes.
  13. Relaunched the Brick Lane and Banglatown Curry Festival – celebrating our brilliant cultural and culinary heritage.
06

Empower Communities to Fight Crime

  1. Established an Anti-Crime Taskforce with huge investment in community safety.
  2. £4m to upgrade and install 350 CCTV cameras across the borough and state of the art CCTV monitoring system.
  3. Over £3.3m to directly fund 24 additional police officers and £4m to triple the number of Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers to 72 to keep the borough safe.
  4. 3,000+ weapons deposited in amnesty boxes across the borough.
  5. Invested £500k to launch a dedicated Drugs Squad with 6 THEOs and 1 team leader.
  6. Introduced a dedicated Dog Squad to help tackle organised crime and drug dealing in the borough.
  7. £3.7 million being invested in 100 new estate cameras across 26 estates, and replacing 363 defunct cameras.
  8. Worked closely with the Council of Mosques and the Interfaith Forum to promote community cohesion.
  9. Persuaded the authorities to keep Bethnal Green Police Station front counters open.
  10. Invested nearly £2m to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls, including advocates, housing support, refuges, and a new strategy.
07

Invest in Public Services

  1. £13.7 million a year is being invested to open a youth centre in every ward. 20 are already operating, including Sister Space, a dedicated centre for young women and girls. This funding also provides 75 additional youth workers. To date, 5,632 young people have registered, and more than 5,000 sessions were delivered last year.
  2. Over £11m allocated for mayor’s community grants for local and voluntary community sector organisations, benefiting 86 organisations delivering 110 projects.
  3. Over £2.8m allocated as small grants to help with projects run by the voluntary and community sector.
  4. Achieved ‘Good’ in our CQC Adult Social Care inspection.
  5. Invested £5 million in free homecare for all who need it.
  6. Burial ground at Eternal Gardens.
  7. Opened a dedicated borough-wide centre for women – the Nari Centre – in Vallance Road.
  8. Reopened five Residents Hubs across the borough to improve access to services.
08

A Council That Works for Everyone

  1. New Town Hall opened in Whitechapel – the beating heart of the borough.
  2. 200 – 300 people seen monthly at Mayor’s twice-weekly resident surgeries.
  3. £500,000 invested to reopen Watney Market Idea Store.
  4. A positive Local Government Association Peer Review.
  5. £900k investment in community engagement through Love Tower Hamlets.
  6. Designed and rolled out a Workforce to Reflect the Community strategy to ensure the council reflects our residents.
  7. Trebled council tax on long-term vacant properties.
Mayor meeting residents
Mayor in community engagement
Community impact
Lutfur Rahman 2nd Year Achievements
Mayoral Update

Lutfur Rahman – Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets

Lutfur – delivering a proud record of achievement, with more to come.

Rebuilding the Borough with Delivery and Purpose

In May 2022, I was elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets promising to rebuild our borough after years of neglect. We had one of the most ambitious programmes in local government – designed to meet the challenges faced by you, the residents of our borough.

Two years later, I am pleased that we have delivered so many of the promises we made. From bringing back the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and becoming the first borough in the country to provide Universal Free School Meals, to bringing Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) back under Council management and investing heavily in improving community safety – so much has been achieved.

I know, however, our residents still face many challenges. The cost of living remains a major source of concern for you. We have made a good start, but there is still more for us to achieve together. As long as I am your Mayor, I will continue to work around the clock to address your concerns. I am more committed than ever to building a fairer, cleaner, and more prosperous place to call home in Tower Hamlets.

“

We are delivering one of the most ambitious agendas in local government.

Resident Voices

Caroline Whyte, Tower Hamlets Resident

“Health inequalities are very serious in Tower Hamlets. Bringing leisure facilities under council control and introducing free swimming for all girls and women over 16 and men over 55 is a very important step in addressing these inequalities. My other top concern is waste and cleanliness. The Mayor’s investment of £5million extra in waste should start to show results soon.”

Abdul Khayer Mahboob, Tower Hamlets Resident

“The Mayor and his team seem genuinely determined to reduce crime in Tower Hamlets. Increasing the number of THEOs on the streets and CCTV cameras throughout the borough will make a serious positive impact on the safety of our neighbourhoods and communities going forward.”

Caroline Whyte

“Although I voted for him, I was quietly sceptical the Mayor could deliver all of these pioneering policies in just 4 years. He has done it in 2.”

Our Proud Record of Achievement

Tackling the Cost-of-Living Crisis

  • Allocated and distributed nearly £10million in cost-of-living support to residents.
  • Millions of free meals created from 1000s of tonnes of food supplied to charitable organisations.
  • Council Tax reduction paid to more than 20,400 working-age residents and 7,400 pensioners – saving them more than £32million.
  • Nearly 50,000 resident visits to the Council’s Warm Hubs.
  • Froze Council Tax for all residents in year 1.
  • Introduced Council Tax Cost-of-Living Relief Fund for residents earning under £49,500 in year 2.
  • Provisioned for a Mayor’s winter emergency fund.

Homes for the Future

  • 22,000 formerly-THH properties brought back in-house.
  • 100s of homeless people supported into sustainable accommodation.
  • Rehoused multiple families into wheelchair accessible homes.
  • Targeting the delivery of 4,000 genuinely affordable homes by 2026.
  • £8m per year increase in the supply of Temporary Accommodation.
  • Launching ambitious programme to buy back 200 affordable council homes per year.

Accelerate Education

  • Universal Free School Meals for all primary (£2m) and secondary school children (£3.7m).
  • Introduced £1,500 University Bursary for 400 students in year 1; increased to 800 in year 2.
  • Brought back EMA at £400 per year for 1,200 students in year 1; increased it to £600 in year 2.
  • Tens of thousands of children supported by the Early Help Children and Family Service.
  • Increased provision for SEND children by £730k in year 1.
  • £3m invested to improve SEND transport in year 2.
  • Created a £100k School high achiever awards.
  • £15m to create an Institute of Academic Excellence.
  • Roll-out of an £800k Community Languages programme.

Invest in Public Services

  • £13.7m per year invested in youth services.
  • £3.5m for local voluntary and community sector through Mayor's Community Grants.
  • £2.5m to support free homecare for vulnerable adults.
  • £1.1m investment in 5 Resident Hubs.
  • Creation of a £1.5m culturally-sensitive drug treatment centre.
  • Creation of a £20m culturally-sensitive adult care home.
  • Opening of a £1.4m Women’s Resource Centre.
  • Launching a Somali Resource Hub for the growing Somali population.

Empower Communities to Fight Crime

  • Invested £4m to upgrade and install 350 CCTV cameras.
  • 8,000 additional uniformed police patrol hours funded by the Council (£1.5m).
  • Recruited 41 enforcement officers to protect the public (£2.9m).
  • £1.6m approved to fund additional police.
  • 917 weapons disposed of in 4 amnesty bins, including 767 knives.

A Clean and Green Future

  • £5m waste investment to tackle the waste emergency.
  • £185k to support local businesses to be more energy efficient.
  • Planted almost 3,000 trees.
  • £2.1m to improve recycling on housing estates.
  • £5m for electric waste vehicles and EV charging points.
  • £180k for low carbon fuel supply.

Boost Culture, Business, Jobs & Leisure

  • 248k free swimming and aquatic sessions for women and girls (16+) and men (55+).
  • £800k in community language provision.
  • Rates relief for thousands of businesses, saving them millions.
  • £40m invested in leisure facilities, including bringing leisure services under Council management.
  • Over a thousand enterprises supported by the Council’s business programme.
  • 3,866 jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities delivered.
  • 1-hour free parking to help market traders.
  • Introduction of the Permit Transfer Scheme (PTS).

A Council That Works for Everyone

  • New Town Hall opened in Whitechapel – the beating heart of the borough.
  • 300–500 people seen monthly at Mayor’s twice-weekly resident surgeries.
  • £487k invested to reopen Watney Market Idea Store.
  • Lifesaving equipment installed around the borough.
  • 1000s participated in 100s of consultations.
  • Positive LGA Peer Review.
  • Signed off Council’s accounts after years of Labour’s audit failures.
  • £900k investment in community engagement through Love Tower Hamlets.
Mayoral Record

Year One Achievements

Year One in Office

“We are delivering one of the most ambitious agendas in local government”.

We’ve made a good start but there’s still much more to be done.

Council marks first year under administration led by Mayor Lutfur Rahman

40 Achievements
Year One Achievements
01

Homes for the Future

  • Almost 22,000 properties to be brought back in-house after 86% support by tenants and leaseholders.
  • 227 homeless people supported into sustainable accommodation.
  • Rehoused 31 families into wheelchair accessible homes via our flagship Project 120 scheme.
  • Targeting the delivery of 4,000 genuinely affordable homes by 2026.
02

Accelerate Education

  • All primary school children eligible for a daily free school meal (£2m), rolling out to secondary schools (£3.7m).
  • 400 young people to receive a Mayor’s University Bursary (£600k).
  • 803 young people to receive a Mayor’s Education Maintenance Allowance (£321k).
  • Increasing provision for SEND children.
  • 17,783 children supported by the Early Help Children and Family Service.
03

Empower Communities to Fight Crime

  • 289 CCTV cameras upgraded to help capture evidence of crime and ASB (£200k).
  • 7,779 additional uniformed police patrol hours funded by the council (£1.5m).
  • Recruited 41 enforcement officers to protect the public (£2.9m).
  • £1.6m approved to fund additional police and bring back a community constabulary.
04

Boost Culture, Business, Jobs & Leisure

  • £800k investment in community language provision.
  • Rates relief for 834 businesses (£2m).
  • 919 enterprises supported by the council’s business programme.
  • £40m invested in leisure facilities, including bringing leisure centres under council management.
  • 3,866 jobs, training/apprenticeship opportunities delivered.
  • 1-hour free parking to help market traders.
  • Reintroduced 4 Parent Parking Zones.
05

A Clean and Green Future

  • £185k to support local businesses to be more energy efficient.
  • 972 trees planted.
  • £2.1m to improve recycling on housing estates.
  • £5m for electric waste vehicles and EV charging points.
  • £180k for low carbon fuel supply.
06

A Council That Works and Listens for Everyone

  • £500k invested to reopen Watney Market Idea Store.
  • Around 500 people seen monthly over twice-a-week Mayor’s Surgeries.
  • “You said, we did”: Life-Saving Equipment installed around the borough.
  • Over 11k participants took part in 80 consultations.
  • New Town Hall opened.
07

Tackling the Cost-of-Living Crisis

  • Allocated and distributed £6.1m to support our most vulnerable residents from council and government funds.
  • £31.5m in Council Tax reduction paid to 35,172 resident accounts.
  • 22,343 visits to the council’s warm hubs.
  • 19,772 payments of £100 given to vulnerable families.
08

Invest in Public Services

  • £13.7m invested in youth services including one in every ward.
  • £4.5m for local voluntary and community sector through Mayor’s Community Grants.
  • £2.5m to support free homecare for vulnerable adults.
  • £1.1m investment in 5 Resident Hubs.
“

We have made a good start but there is much more to do.

Endorsements

Voices of Support

Community leaders, residents and public figures recognising the impact of Lutfur Rahman’s leadership, delivery and long-term vision for the borough.

Jeremy Corbyn MP
Public Endorsement

I ADMIRE AND VALUE LUTFUR’S MAYORAL WORK

Lutfur and his team have my full support and admiration, and I am confident that the people of Tower Hamlets will recognise this at the elections next May. Lutfur and Aspire are a clear example of what is possible when local government prioritises social justice—through sustained investment in affordable housing, youth services, and targeted support for low-income and elderly residents.

Jeremy Corbyn MP Former Leader of the Labour Party
Shenaly Miah
Community Voice

REAL PROGRESS FOR WOMEN THROUGH KEY INITIATIVES

I am proud of the positive change delivered by the Aspire administration. These initiatives have already made a real difference for thousands of women — including new women’s centres, more than 20 youth centres with dedicated provision for girls, and free swimming for women aged 16 and above. These actions show a genuine commitment to our communities and to opportunities for all. I strongly support Lutfur Rahman for Mayor, together with all Aspire councillor candidates, and encourage residents to work together for the borough.

Shenaly Miah Tower Hamlets resident and tutor at a local college
Len McCluskey
Public Endorsement

LUTFUR RAHMAN IS A VISIONARY LEADER

I have always supported Lutfur Rahman—both during his time as Mayor and when he was not. I stood by him during the most challenging periods because I strongly believe in his integrity and leadership. I also have deep respect for the people of Tower Hamlets, who have consistently shown their trust and support for him. Lutfur is a visionary leader who understands how to plan effectively for ordinary residents. That is why, during his leadership, so many groundbreaking projects were delivered — projects that have made a real and lasting difference to public life.

Len McCluskey Former General Secretary Unite Union
Mawlana Shamsul Haque
Community

LEADERSHIP THAT BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND UNITY

Mayor Lutfur has once again proven that he works closely and tirelessly with people of all faiths across the borough, ensuring our communities remain united and protected from the threat of far-right extremism. As he did during the London riots and in standing firmly against groups like the EDL, his leadership has brought calm, confidence, and cohesion. Not only did he make us feel safe, he made us proud to call Tower Hamlets our home. His massive success as Mayor shows a deep and genuine commitment to the long-term transformation of this borough and its people.

Mawlana Shamsul Haque Local resident and community leader
Barrister Ataur Rahman
Public Safety

PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED

Under the leadership of the People’s Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, Tower Hamlets has seen real progress and decisive action. Public safety has been strengthened through the establishment of an Anti-Crime Task Force to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, and the installation of new CCTV cameras across the borough. Community organisations have also been supported through grants and well-organised events, creating valuable opportunities for local businesses.

Barrister Ataur Rahman Former Chairperson GSC, Tower Hamlets-based Legal Expert
Guljar Khan
Business Community

A REVITALISED BANGLATOWN UNDER LUTFUR’S LEADERSHIP

I am so happy we have a Mayor who listens, cares, and delivers on his pledges. I wish to formally acknowledge the significant milestones achieved under Lutfur and the Aspire administration. I would like to express my particular appreciation for the improvements to Brick Lane and Banglatown. The deep street-cleaning programs, the installation of festive lighting, and the return of the curry festival after 9 years have provided a vital boost to the local economy and the area's cultural vibrancy.

Guljar Khan Chairman, Banglatown Business Association
Sado Omer
Housing Support

I SUPPORT THE MAYOR’S AMBITIOUS HOUSING PLANS

Tower Hamlets faces severe overcrowding, which is why I welcome the Mayor’s clear and ambitious commitment to house-building in the borough, particularly the delivery of 6,000 family-sized homes by May 2026. The return of nearly 22,000 THH homes to Council management has been a major relief for residents. As a resident of the borough for over 40 years, I am very pleased to see Mayor Lutfur Rahman’s dedication to local people. His actions, including twice-weekly surgeries, are highly effective.

Sado Omer Somali Community Activist & Business woman
Kalam Mahmud Abu Taher Choudhury
Community Leadership

ASPIRE’S ACTIONS ARE TRANSFORMING TOWER HAMLETS FOR THE BETTER

I am a 42-years resident of Tower Hamlets, and all of my children have been educated in the borough and are doing well in life. I am proud of the achievements delivered by the Aspire Party under the leadership of Mayor Lutfur Rahman and our councillors. Their actions are transforming Tower Hamlets for the better. From supporting young people and families to caring for older residents, women and men across the borough, this administration has shown real commitment to serving everyone. The Mayor’s leadership and the council’s achievements give local people confidence in a stronger future for Tower Hamlets.

Kalam Mahmud Abu Taher Choudhury Chairperson, Aspire Party, Tower Hamlets & Local Residents
Simone of Siansah’s Florist
Business Support

1-HOUR FREE PARKING IS PARTICULARLY WELCOME

It’s amazing what Mayor Rahman and the Aspire administration have achieved in just 2 short years. As a small business owner, the 1-hour free parking is particularly welcome, along with the Council’s many business support and apprenticeship programmes. The increased focus on the borough’s profile and brand are also very welcome – essential for attracting a new generation of tourism and investment.

Simone Siansah’s Florist, Tower Hamlets resident
Vote Aspire & Lutfur

OUR Ambitious MANIFESTO 2026

For DELIVERY & CONTINUITY
PROVEN RECORD BRIGHTER FUTURE...

“By investing in housing, leisure, waste, youth provision, community and green spaces, public health, education and community safety, we are building better, stronger neighbourhoods for all.”
Mayors Message

Delivery & Continuity

Since being elected Mayor in 2022, my priority has been to make Tower Hamlets work for all. After years of damaging austerity from Labour, we reversed their cuts and we introduced ground breaking investment in frontline Council services - £250million additional investment over 6 years.

Housing shortages and overcrowding are devastating for many of our residents. This has been and remains our top priority. We are doing all we can to tackle this crisis.

We have delivered thousands more affordable homes for our residents, with 6,441 homes delivered or in delivery by May 2026, while beginning to invest £609 million improving the quality of existing council homes. This includes new windows; front doors, kitchens, and bathrooms, treating damp and mould; building and fire safety improvements, new lifts, roofs and other major works.

We have made history as the first council in the country to provide universal free school meals for all primary and secondary pupils, to re-establish the Education Maintenance Allowance scrapped by the Tories, as well as university bursaries, and to bring back Winter Fuel Payments, cut by Labour.

Through these policies and many others, we have provided more support to our residents with cost of living pressures than any other local authority.

This includes becoming the first council in the country to provide universal school uniform grants for low income families. Our unprecedented investment in services ranges from opening 20 new youth centres across the borough, including the first youth centre dedicated to girls, to bringing our leisure centres in-house and introducing free swimming for families, for all women aged 16+ and men aged 35+. We became the second council in the country to provide universal free homecare to ensure all elderly and disabled people in need can receive free care at home, as well as introducing Meals on Wheels, to deliver hot nutritious meals to vulnerable residents.

By investing in housing, leisure, waste, youth provision, community and green spaces, public health, education and community safety, we are building better, stronger neighbourhoods for all.

I believe the council should always be on the side of its community listening, acting, and supporting residents at every stage of life from cradle to old age. We have delivered all of this while ensuring Tower Hamlets has the 6th lowest council tax rate in London, while freezing council tax for households earning less than £50,350 and making sure those on the lowest incomes pay no council tax at all. Our new manifesto goes even further with groundbreaking cost of living support.

I ask you to judge us on our record of delivery, and continue to put your trust in me and the Aspire candidates on 7 May 2026.

-Lutfur Rahman
Mayoral Candidate and current Execautive Mayor
London Borough of Tower Hamlets

I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE DELIVERED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND EXCITED FOR OUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL IN TOWER HAMLETS. I ASK YOU TO JUDGE US ON OUR RECORD OF DELIVERY, AND CONTINUE TO PUT YOUR TRUST IN ME AND THE ASPIRE CANDIDATES ON 7 MAY 2026.
Contents

POINT 8 PLAN

01.

Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis
02.

Homes for the Future
03.

Enhance Education
04.

Keep Our Communities Safe and Together
05.

Invest in Public Services
06.

Making TH the Best Place to Live, Work & Visit
07.

A Clean and Green Future
08.

A Council that Listens to You

TO CONTINUE DELIVERING
FOR TOWER HAMLETS

Homes for the Future

For too long our residents have been severely impacted by London’s housing crisis, including, overcrowding, housing shortages and poor-quality homes. We have made huge strides over the past 4 years, delivering over 6,400 affordable homes and Introducing one of the biggest investments into existing council homes in our history. The next four years will see even more delivered because a decent, affordable home is a right, not a privilege. Affordable Housing for All

NEW PROMISES
  1. Build on our more than 6,400 new affordable and social homes for rent that we have delivered or are in delivery by May 2026
  2. Continue to fund the Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme, which will deliver 3,300 homes across 40 council-owned sites, in addition to the more than 6,400 affordable homes by May 2026
  3. Build on our £609million investment to ensure all council homes are upgraded to Decent Homes Standard with new double-glazed windows; front doors; kitchens; and bathrooms as well as ensuring they are all fire and building safety compliant. This is possible because of this administration’s successful insourcing of Tower Hamlets Homes.
  4. Continue to explore opportunities for delivering new affordable homes in the borough and to pursue creative and innovative proposals, building on the new Local Plan we introduced, which will see all developments deliver a minimum of 40% affordable homes.
  5. Protect the 1,000+ parking spaces created in our previous term for residents to be able to park near their homes
  6. Continue the new arrangements in car free zones that introduced a permit transfer scheme removing previous restrictions, allowing residents moving from overcrowded households to 2+ bedroom properties with a single on-street parking permit
  7. Ensure housing repairs are delivered at pace to prevent disrepair and improve resident satisfaction. We will review all options, including an insourcing option, for repairs when the current contract ends in 2027
  8. Continue driving forward improvements to ensure that residents are at the heart of all decision making related to housing delivery and repairs
  9. Continue making improvements to empower Tenants, Leaseholder and Residents Associations across the council’s estates
  10. Review the council’s homelessness strategy and increase investment to ensure that it works better for our residents and keeps them near to their support networks
  11. Continue to work cooperatively with Housing Associations and private landlords to ensure their tenants are protected and their homes are of a good standard 12. Ensure all lifts and boilers in council buildings are repaired as a priority
  12. Continue to fully fund and resource housing enforcement officers to hold landlords to account
  13. Following our own planned £609million investment to upgrade council homes, pressure other social landlords to urgently deliver the same improvements to their own housing stock
  14. Over our two terms, we will deliver 12,000 affordable and social homes, this will include the 6,000+ already delivered in our first term.
  15. Introduce a comprehensive estate regeneration programme with flagship projects across the borough
  16. Prioritise social and economic regeneration as part of all the council’s new developments
  17. Address and where possible eliminate the social and health inequalities associated with overcrowding
  18. Explore removing the current restriction on those residents moving from like-to-like properties, for example from a 3-bed to a 3-bed in a car free zone, allowing them to retain their existing permit or acquire a new one
  19. Explore options to access long-term empty properties and vacant land for housing
  20. Ensure rapid turnaround of empty council properties to make them available for those on the housing waiting list
  21. Increase penalties on those landlords who leave properties vacant. The penalty will increase every two years the property remains empty to discourage long-term vacancy
  22. Install lifts in more council residential buildings where possible
  23. Continue to invest in Temporary Accommodation to ensure properties are of good standard
  24. Explore the opportunity to create and acquire more parking spaces across the borough

Enhance Education

We want our children to have the best start in life, and to succeed in their aspirations. We have made history with our investment in children and young people in Tower Hamlets as the first council in the country to provide universal free school meals to all primary and secondary school pupils, as well as the first to bring back the Education Maintenance Allowance and, provide university bursaries and to introduce universal school uniform grants for low income families. We will continue to expand this support to give them the best start in life, invest in their futures and empower them to realise their dreams. Enhancing Education from Primary School to University

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Continue universal free school meals for all primary and secondary school pupils, benefitting 38,000 children so far with hot, nutritious meals at school, after we made history as the first council in the country to introduce this ground breaking initiative
  2. Continue to fund the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and University Bursaries to support young people with university and further education, helping 5,200 students. We were the first council in the country to restore the EMA after it was cut by central government
  3. Continue to fund universal school uniform grants for low income families, helping 21,000 pupils over three years, having been the first council in the country to pioneer this initiative
  4. Continue to explore the establishment of an Institute for Academic Excellence to help further improve attainment levels in the borough’s sixth forms and colleges
  5. Continue to invest in our Ideas Stores to ensure that our residents have the best spaces available to learn; study; and work
  6. Continue to invest in our Youth Services, after having opened 20 youth centres across the borough including our dedicated youth centre for girls, Sister Space Centre. These are safe spaces where young people receive career advice, develop life skills, as well as providing quiet spaces to study and a range of leisure activities.
  7. Continue to provide a Community Language Service that promotes our diverse cultures
  8. Continue the Higher Achiever awards to celebrate pupils who have performed exceptionally
  9. Continue to prioritise SEND support through investment and promotion of council services, building on our £1 million fund to support young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities with their transition into adulthood.
  10. Continue to work with Canary Wharf to provide support through CW Education Trust paying for courses and tuition costing up to £5,900 a year
  11. Continue to promote family hubs and support to ensure that families across the borough have access to support and services readily
  12. Expand on our universal school uniform grant for low income families, providing support with uniform costs for children entering reception; year 3; year 7; and year 10
  13. Explore further support to help parents with children with SEND needs
  14. Promote lifelong learning to ensure that no matter a resident’s age, they can continue to develop new skills and grow, including boosting ESOL classes and access to essential GCSEs
  15. Invest to further improve attainment and to support this work by bringing attainment services in house.
  16. Establish a review to explore the introduction of SEND-friendly afterschool provisions
  17. Formally launch council-run early entry GCSE and A-Level language studies
  18. Formally launch a programme of booster classes after school

Cost of Living Support & Continued

Our residents should not have to struggle with their day-to-day living costs. We are proud to have provided more support to our residents with the cost of living in Tower Hamlets than any other local council, and we will continue to expand on this support for our residents during this difficult financial climate in our country.

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Maintain the freeze on council tax for those on low incomes and ensuring the poorest continue to pay no council tax at all, as well as continuing our policy of scrapping council tax for foster carers in recognition of the vital role they play in our community and to encourage fostering
  2. Continue to provide cost of living support to elderly and disabled residents. Having restored Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners when this was cut by the Labour Government, we have introduced and will continue to provide universal free homecare for all elderly and disabled residents in need as well as a Meals on Wheels service, providing hot and nutritious meals directly to the homes of vulnerable residents
  3. Continue to support families with the cost of living through our groundbreaking universal free school meals for all primary and secondary school pupils, and our restoration of the Education Maintenance Allowance, along with university bursaries. We will also be expanding our universal school uniform grants for low income families.
  4. As part of our commitment to Tackling Inequality and Poverty, provide holiday food and breakfast clubs to feed eligible children
  5. Continue with the Eternal Gardens Burial Ground and support with funeral costs – which we introduced in our previous term
  6. Continue and look to expand our new rent hardship fund for tenants on middle incomes struggling to meet rent increases where the increase is not met by existing housing benefit or universal credit
NEW PROMISES
  1. Introduce a free travel pass for students from low-income families, at least in their first year of university or higher education. As London transport networks are operated by Transport for London (TfL), the Council would seek to fund travel passes to use on TfL networks, in partnership with TfL.
  2. Provide laptops to young people from low-income families to bridge the digital divide
  3. Establish a review to explore the provision of childcare vouchers for low income families struggling with the cost of childcare
  4. Expand the £1million a year Meals on Wheels service to provide free, hot, nutritious meals to elderly and vulnerable residents seven days a week
  5. Launch luncheon clubs to tackle loneliness and get our elderly and vulnerable together
  6. Establish an Anti-Poverty Taskforce to bring together and enhance council services that tackle inequalities.
  7. Adopt the socioeconomic duty to make it a requirement of the council to reduce economic inequality

Keep Our Communities Safe and Together

Being safe is a fundamental right. We have introduced significant investment in community safety and made huge strides in tackling crime as well as addressing the causes of crime and antisocial behaviour, This term, we will continue to invest to build safer and secure neighbourhoods for all.

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING / NEW PROMISES
  1. Continue to work with communities across the borough to bring people together from different backgrounds and promote understanding and community cohesion
  2. Continue to fund the Mayor’s Anticrime Taskforce – a total investment of over £8million into the borough’s community safety
  3. Continue to work with the borough’s Inter Faith Forum, and with faith institutions like the Council of Mosques, local churches, synagogues and all faith groups to identify and meet the needs of faith-based communities and tackle hate crime and discrimination based on religion, ethnicity and all protected characteristics
  4. Build on our £2million investment in services tackling domestic and gendered violence and our dedicated spaces for supporting women residents including the new Nari Women’s Centre and youth centre for girls Sister Space we have opened
  5. After we protected Bethnal Green Police station from closure by the Metropolitan Police, continue to work with the Met to put more uniformed police officers on the streets, as part of our Community Constabulary which previously boosted policing numbers locally. These officers will be supported by Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers
  6. Continue to maintain and invest in borough wide street CCTV cameras, building on our £4million investment during the last term
  7. Complete and maintain the Council Estates CCTV investment of £3.7million, making estates, blocks and leisure centres safer for our residents
  8. Maintain the near £1million investment in a new state of the art CCTV control room
  9. Continue to ensure that anti-social behaviour is addressed as swiftly as possible through our dedicated helpline, Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers, cooperation with the police and community partners.
  10. Continue to invest in drug treatment, rehabilitation and recovery programmes, including projects targeting those struggling with addiction who are hard-to-reach
  11. Continue to promote weapons deposits in our knife amnesty bins
  12. Continue to fund and where necessary expand the Council’s Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officer service
  13. Continue to fund the council’s recently launched dedicated Drugs Squad, the first of its kind in the country.
  14. Continue to fund a dedicated dog squad to help tackle crime in the borough
  15. Improve all lighting and visibility on every council-owned estate
  16. Create a bespoke, in house domestic violence unit to tackle domestic violence and improve protection of women and girls across the borough, building on our £2million investment last term
  17. Provide video doorbells for vulnerable residents to make them feel safer at home
  18. Introduce new and restore broken Communal Entry Security Doors in Council blocks to tackle anti-social behaviour
  19. Explore opening Police Hubs in the Council’s One Stop Shops
  20. Ensure council assets are used for the benefit of council-run community activities and services

Protect and Strengthen Public Services

Public services are the lifeline of our community. Our residents should have access to the best public services, supporting them from cradle to grave From universal free homecare to One Stop Shops that bring the Town Hall to you, we will continue to prioritise the delivery of the best, responsive services for the people of our borough.

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Bring Council services closer to our residents through the opening of One Stop Shops across the borough including council tax support and benefits; housing repairs; and parking services and explore incorporating health, community safety and cost of living support services
  2. Continue to provide drug and alcohol services through the new Culturally Sensitive Recovery Centre
  3. Continue to support women residents with dedicated programmes and community services, including through the Nari Women’s Centre and the dedicated youth centre for girls, Sister Space we have opened
  4. Continue to ensure our borough stays clean, with significant ongoing investment in our waste and refuse services
  5. Ensure that – where possible – the council provides services in-house to guarantee greater accountability to residents
  6. Continue to keep all Ideas Stores open, and explore the feasibility of opening more where there is need
  7. Continue to provide universal free homecare for all elderly and disabled residents in need.
  8. Building on our Care Quality Commission Adult Social Care Good inspection, strive to achieve Outstanding by the time of the next inspection
  9. Continue to invest in inclusive public services to build a fairer and more equal borough for all and to work to tackle all forms of inequality, from class and economic inequality, to inequalities and barriers based on protected characteristics
NEW PROMISES
  1. Introduce the Tower Hamlets Pregnancy Payment to support parents on low income with the costs associated with a newborn baby
  2. Launch a new mobile app that allows residents to access services and applications digitally
  3. Provide Beanos [day trips] for elderly residents to improve mental health and tackle loneliness
  4. Explore establishing a council-run mental health support service working with healthcare partners
  5. Deliver a new ideas store; one stop shop and housing in the former PDC site in Bethnal Green

Making Tower Hamlets the Best Place to Live, Work and Visit

Our borough has always been a welcoming place, with so much to offer. Tower Hamlets showcases the best of London in one borough, with our rich history, iconic landmarks, diverse cultures and beautiful green spaces. We will continue to invest to make Tower Hamlets the best place to live, work and visit.

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Continue to promote culture, heritage and art to keep Tower Hamlets’ visual history alive, including a project to celebrate the history of our East End.
  2. Continue to protect and prioritise our borough’s historic markets, putting them at the centre of our communities and preserving their critical economic and cultural significance
  3. Continue to provide free swimming for all women and girls aged 16+; all men aged 35+; and to parents and carers who swim with their children
  4. Continue to host the Mayor’s cup across a range of sports, promoting physical wellbeing and healthy lifestyles while celebrating the borough’s rich sporting heritage
  5. Continue to invest in the upkeep and protection of our parks and green spaces
  6. Continue to work to protect valued arts, cultural, social and historic venues, and community spaces and organisations which benefit local residents, building on the recent Cabinet approval of landmark new leases for Mudchute Farm, Shadwell Boxing Club and Boundary Estate Laundrette
  7. Continue to create and promote the best jobs in the borough,both through the council and working with partners in Canary Wharf, the City Fringe, and other big employers
  8. Continue to provide, and explore expanding to two hours, free parking for customers stopping to shop at the council’s markets
  9. Continue to ensure that our sports and leisure facilities are sensitive and accessible to different communities and meet the needs of residents, particularly women residents.
  10. Continue to implement £40million investment in upgrading our leisure centres
  11. Keep all our existing swimming pools open, while adding three more across the redesigned Whitechapel and St George’s leisure centres and a new lido in Victoria Park
  12. Maintain and upgrade the John Orwell leisure centre and explore the development of affordable homes around the site, while protecting the area’s unique heritage
  13. Continue to support local businesses and small and medium enterprises in all Council procurement to maximise social value
  14. Continue to invest in outdoor gym and play space facilities across our estates and parks
  15. Based on a review of the results of the pilot, look to extend Leisure Centre opening hours until 2am in response to feedback from residents and generating more income to reinvest in council services
  16. Maintain the increased number of events in Victoria Park, promoting culture and tourism and maximising income generation.
NEW PROMISES
  1. Finalise the delivery of the new Whitechapel Leisure Centre, which will see a new state of the art gym; women only space; two swimming pools; and a spa; as well as nearly 50 affordable homes on the site
  2. Complete the delivery of a new, state of the art leisure facility at St George’s, including two swimming pools; women only spaces; play spaces; and a state of the art gym in Shadwell/ Wapping, alongside 30 predominantly affordable homes
  3. Introduce SEND play spaces in leisure centres with Sensory Rooms to ensure all of our children can enjoy physical activities
  4. Centralise apprenticeships and graduate schemes under Young Tower Hamlets
  5. Explore expanding transport services for disabled residents to access leisure centres and gyms
  6. Rejuvenate our high streets by reviving our historic Town Centres, promoting business, culture and community across the borough
  7. Introduce a Winter Wonderland Festival in one of the borough’s parks.
  8. Provide free exercise classes for women, building on our free swimming sessions and women only gyms and youth spaces
  9. Expand indoor play facilities, including weekend and baby/toddler provision to ensure all children can access fun activities
  10. Open a new outdoor swimming pool – lido – in Victoria Park, as part of our swimming offer
  11. Make Tower Hamlets the top visited London borough for tourism through the expansion of our Love Tower Hamlets campaign
  12. Introduce an app that promotes tourist and significant sites across the borough, as part of our Love Tower Hamlets campaign
  13. Continue to protect the rights of those who hold one-zone borough parking permits to park in zones other than their home zones for three hours, free of charge. Explore expanding free parking around faith buildings during religious services
  14. Continue to work proactively with government; the Mayor of London; CWG; and JP Morgan on their proposed new HQ on the docklands, delivering huge business rates; investment and employment opportunities to the residents of Tower Hamlets

A LISTENING COUNCIL

Our residents are what make our community in Tower Hamlets so special. We will continue to put the people of this borough at the heart of all decision making, ensuring that this authority remains one that listens and responds to their needs.

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Continue to hold regular surgeries around the borough so that you can come to me directly for help with issues you are facing
  2. Continue to work with other councils and the London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to implement Aspire's motion, passed by Tower Hamlets Council, to divest the council’s pension funds from human rights abuses or war crimes around the world, including in Gaza.
  3. Defend the democratic mandate to reopen our borough’s roads in the courts
  4. Any traffic reduction measures to be introduced after extensive consultation with the consent of the people
  5. Continue to make governance and administrative improvements as part of the Council’s ongoing improvement journey
NEW PROMISES
  1. Continue to work with residents, community groups and other interested parties to develop ideas and plans together
  2. Continue to publicise my email address and telephone number for you to contact me
  3. Continue to ensure the Council represents and listens to diverse groups across our community
  4. Continue to work in close collaboration with partners
  5. Install landline phones in the council to ensure calls are answered in a more timely manner
  6. Improve customer services to ensure a good resident experience

A Clean, Green Place to Live

DELIVERED AND CONTINUING
  1. Continue implementing our strategy to transition to a net zero borough and reduce carbon emissions
  2. Continue to ensure a clean borough
  3. Continue to invest in roads and highways
  4. Continue to look after parks and open spaces
  5. Continue to improve insulation standards
  6. Continue to prioritise tree planting
  7. Continue to increase electric vehicle charging points
  8. Continue to fund Find it Fix it
  9. Continue community walkabouts
  10. Continue to support cycling safety
  11. Continue to improve recycling rates
  12. Further reduce carbon emissions
  13. Ensure all new buildings are energy efficient
  14. Plant thousands more trees
  15. Offer rewards for recycling
  16. Introduce dedicated cycle parking
  17. Penalise fly tipping
NEW PROMISES
  1. Continue implementing strategy to transition to net zero
  2. Continue to ensure a clean borough
  3. Continue to invest in roads
  4. Continue to look after parks
  5. Continue improving insulation
  6. Continue tree planting
  7. Continue EV charging expansion
  8. Continue Find it Fix it
  9. Continue community walkabouts
  10. Continue cycling support
  11. Improve recycling rates
  12. Reduce emissions
  13. Ensure efficient buildings
  14. Plant more trees
  15. Recycling rewards
  16. Dedicated cycle parking
  17. Penalise fly tipping

Vote
LUTFUR & ASPIRE

FAIR POLICIES FOR ALL

PROVEN RECORD & BRIGHTER FUTURE

Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis

The cost of living crisis raging nationally is hitting people around here particularly hard. But by working together, we can ensure that no child will go hungry and no pensioner will go cold for the next four years.

I pledge to:

  • Freeze Council Tax for four years, to protect the poorest from rising living costs
  • Establish a fund to support young people who want to stay in education post-16
  • Create a fund to provide bursaries for young people who want to go to university
  • Fund the 10% of Council Tax Rebates that Government does not pay
  • Set up a Holiday Food programme to feed children entitled to free school meals during the school holidays
  • Provide free schools meals in term time to all Primary School pupils, from Reception to Year 6
  • Explore extending universal free school meals provision to secondary schools
  • Work with local food banks and third sector organisations to provide a safety net for those in need
  • Create a Homelessness Fund to prevent evictions and homelessness
  • Protect tenants against revenge evictions

Homes for the Future

There is a social housing crisis in Tower Hamlets. Having a roof over your head is a basic human right, but at the moment we cannot house the people who want to live here and too many live in housing that doesn’t meet their needs or struggle with unresponsive landlords.

I pledge to:

  • Work with developers and housing associations to build a minimum of 4,000 social homes for rent over the next four years, with a focus on 3–4-bedroom homes
  • Review car parking permit transfer scheme, create 1,000 parking spaces over four years and review car-free zones to ensure those who require vehicles for work are not priced out of the local area
  • Establish a Housing Emergency Task Force to drive through change. Residents will be at the heart of this work
  • Work closely with the Tower Hamlets’ Renters Union to achieve all their policy goals
  • Consult residents immediately on bringing Tower Hamlets Homes back in-house
  • Empower local Tenants and Residents Associations (or set them up where they do not exist) to work with the Council to tackle the housing emergency, while encouraging social and private landlords to work with us to effect change
  • Develop strategies to: — Tackle overcrowding, including with knock-throughs and extensions — Adapt homes for residents with physical disabilities — House the homeless (including, as a priority, to house street sleepers)
  • Work with social and private landlords to encourage them to improve the condition of the homes they let and the service they provide to their tenants
  • Fix the landlord registration scheme to ensure it delivers on its purpose of driving up standards in the private sector, including landlord rent disclosure
  • Use new government powers to increase council tax to landlords who leave homes empty
  • Seize long term empty properties and convert them into social housing
  • Fully fund and resource housing enforcement officers to hold landlords to account
  • Ensure social landlords work with us, collectively and individually, to improve housing services, stock condition and governance
  • Establish a new emergency fund and information line for leaseholders affected by cladding, and require developers wishing to build in Tower Hamlets to pay for remediation of existing cladding.

Accelerate Education

    Education is very close to my heart and supporting lifelong learning in Tower Hamlets will be a priority for my administration. I pledge to:

  • Introduce a programme of booster classes after school, tailored to maximise our youngsters’ performance at GCSE
  • Review our sixth forms and colleges’ performance to accelerate A level attainment so more of our pupils go to the top universities, including Oxbridge and Russell group of universities
  • Increase the number of our youngsters going on to Further and Higher Education, including boosting Oxbridge and Russell Group entrance through intensive learning after school, and support with applications, and a full review of sixth-form and college performance
  • Expand Breakfast Club provision in schools and continue to offer a free and healthy school lunch to all primary school pupils, including provision in the school holidays for those most in need
  • Establish funds to support young people who want to stay in education post-16 and to provide bursaries for young people who want to go to university
  • Protect the space in our Idea Stores where young people can study and work with community groups to protect and increase provision of homework clubs. This is particularly important to help young people recover lost schooling during the Covid lockdowns
  • Work with the voluntary sector to increase the provision of devices and internet access to reduce digital exclusion
  • Return the Youth Service to its rightful place as a flagship service in our borough. My administration will prioritise the provision of public sector youth centres which can support young people with homework space, careers advice, gang prevention work, developing life skills, and offer a host of leisure activities
  • Reinstate our award-winning Community Language Service scrapped by the current mayor. It is proven that children who know their mother tongue and who are multi-lingual excel in education generally. We need to support our children and encourage them to take up language lessons from early on in life
  • Reintroduce early entry GCSE studies in languages
  • Rebuild the Good Teachers Network to help educators share best practice and promote high quality learning
  • Restore specialist support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities as a borough wide service
  • Review nursery and day care provision, with a view to bringing back council run centres as a public service
  • Launch a new ‘Lifelong Learning’ programme, with a particular emphasis on courses which can help our residents return to work and enhance their prospects.

Boost Culture, Business, Jobs and Leisure

The Arts:The arts help our diverse communities celebrate their culture and learn about their neighbours’ culture, too. They enrich our lives and improve our mental health and wellbeing. They also offer a great source of employment. I pledge to:

  • Focus on grassroots arts, created by local people and performed in our well-loved arts venues and in our community centres
  • Help our residents, especially our young residents, access ‘cultural capital’ - top-notch cultural and artistic experiences

    • Sport: Indoor and outdoor sports help promote health and wellbeing, and Tower Hamlets has a thriving sports scene for young people and veteran performers. I pledge to:

  • Support current activities and seek to improve them (for example, by adding in more activities targeted at women and girls and more minority sports)
  • Establish a ‘Mayor’s Cup’ borough-wide tournament, beginning with football but expanding to other sports such as badminton and cricket, to harness our youngsters’ competitive spirit, promote active healthy lifestyles, and celebrate sporting achievement
  • Maintain awareness that many groups rely on parks and other Council facilities to play sport, and audit these facilities to ensure they are meeting need
  • Convene a sports summit to examine provision and find a way to improve what we do. This may involve setting up a designated sports forum in consultation with grassroots community sports activists
  • Promote women’s sports and increase availability of women’s gym and swimming sessions
  • Make sure our sports facilities and facilities of our partners are women-friendly and meet the cultural needs of our diverse communities
  • Keep all of our swimming pools open.

    • Business: Local business is the lifeblood of our community. Not only does it sustain our local economy and provide jobs and services to our residents, it also tells the story of our borough in the iconic trades and businesses that have flourished here over the years. I pledge to:

  • 1 Work closely with the East End Trades Guild to ensure their priorities are realised. This includes:
  • a) Protecting small businesses on Brick Lane, including those affected by the development of the Truman Brewery
    b) Supporting an EETG member-led event in November to celebrate small businesses across Tower Hamlets, and raise their visibility to mark the 10 year anniversary of the EETG
  • Protect and support our markets across the borough including Whitechapel Market, Petticoat lane Market, Bethnal Green markets, Roman Road Market, Columbia Road Market, Watney Market, Chrisp Street Market, and put traders at the heart of their management
  • Create thousands of new jobs and training and apprenticeship opportunities for local people. This will be accomplished via a mixture of local government schemes and incentives to business
  • 1-hour free parking for customers stopping to shop at our markets
  • Building on my previous work, establish one of the first community land trusts in the country
  • Appoint a dedicated council officer responsible for Community Wealth Building, and for the development of a Community Land Trust in LBTH to create permanently affordable workspaces
  • Build on East London’s long entrepreneurial history by supporting and encouraging the growth of start-ups locally
  • Support and sustain the growth of our borough’s vibrant night-time economy, but do so in a way that is safe, inclusive, and respectful of local resident.

    • Empower Communities & Fight Crime

    OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

    Our borough’s strength lies in its diversity and the different communities and cultures living side by side.

    I pledge to:

    • Work with communities across the borough to bring people together from different backgrounds and promote understanding. Bringing our whole community together will help reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour, violent crime and hate crime
    • Support events which celebrate the culture of our different communities and promote better understanding
    • Uphold and protect equality and diversity in all circumstances. Nobody of any race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, class or disability should ever face discrimination of any kind, and I want to return to the days when our authority was the highest ranked in London by Stonewall’s Equality Index
    • Wage war on child poverty, as well as loneliness, social isolation and poverty among our older residents
    • Work with the borough’s Inter Faith Forum to identify and meet the needs of our faith-based communities and, most importantly, to tackle crime and discrimination based on religion
    • Support and empower women, particularly ethnic minority women, with dedicated programmes and dedicated community facilities. The current mayor closed the Jagonari Project at the Davenant Centre, which provided excellent services, and this was a great loss to many local women. Support a dedicated resources centre for the women of Bangladeshi community
    • Support a dedicated resources centre for the Somali community, which is underrepresented in employment and local institutions, run by community members and open to the public
    • Ensure, as a first step towards meeting need, that our residents have access to a suitable multi-faith burial ground
    • Work closely with, and provide support to, the borough’s Council of Mosques, one of the largest of such representative bodies in the country.

    CRIME AND SAFETY

    Tower Hamlets’ residents, workers and visitors should always feel safe and welcome. This is a basic right, and we will work night and day to safeguard it.

    I pledge to:

    • Work with the Metropolitan Police to put more uniformed police officers on the streets, as part of our Community Constabulary which previously boosted policing numbers locally. These officers will be supported by Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers
    • Reopen a full-time police station on the Isle of Dogs to reverse Labour’s closure of the previous one last year
    • Support ward-based police forums where our residents can have a regular dialogue with the police, because our BAME communities and women must be able to trust the Metropolitan Police
    • Maintain our award-winning borough wide CCTV service, which has been vital in detecting crime and identifying offenders. Work with local landlords and businesses to widen its scope
    • Identify crime hotspots and tackle them – for example by improving lighting and street design and using CCTV
    • Tackle violence against women and girls. We will support initiatives to end domestic violence and make our streets safer for all women. We will work with the Women’s Forum to organise a public event each year to highlight the importance of women’s safety. We will also ensure that there are sufficient refuges in the borough to meet women’s needs
    • Address anti-social behaviour. Prevention is better than cure, and we will invest in youth services to provide young people with the resources they need to spend their time constructively
    • Work with the police and other bodies to tackle drug-related crime. Aim to arrest at least one drug dealer every day. This work will be supported by drug rehabilitation services to stop these problems from recurring
    • Invest in drug treatment, rehabilitation and recovery programmes, including culturally sensitive projects targeting hard-to-reach addicts.

    Invest in Public Services

    When I was mayor, I safeguarded front-line services from the £125m budget cuts imposed on us by government austerity. The council is currently underspending its ample reserves so much that it is losing millions to inflation. There is money in the council that can be used to bring back public services we can rely on.

    I pledge to:

    • Reopen the ‘One Stop Shop’ counters for accessing council services. Residents who struggle with IT have been disempowered by their closure under the current mayor
    • Clean up our borough with more bins, litter sweeps and a mission to drive down missed bin collections
    • Bring outsourced public services back into public hands and introduce an ‘insourcing first’ policy

    IDEA STORES & LIBRARIES

    We believe that Idea Stores and libraries are an important resource. They help our community learn through private study, internet access and adult education courses.

    I pledge to:

    • Invest in the future of our borough’s excellent network of Libarires and Idea Stores, including the Bancroft local history library and archive
    • Avoid all closures of Idea Stores or libraries for financial reasons. While some venues may need to close for short periods for maintenance, our intention is that all Idea Stores and libraries should re-open and serve our community

    SOCIAL CARE CRISIS

    Our parents and grandparents have contributed so much to this borough and it is our duty to protect and support them in their retirement. They should be able to live independently and in dignity. My ambition is to return to universal free home care, which we were the last council in the UK to provide when I was mayor.

    I pledge to:

    • Invest in our provision of care for vulnerable members of our community, including children and adults
    • Look after our care workers to make sure they are adequately rewarded for their work for the most vulnerable members of our community
    • Ensure we are providing the best quality of services and satisfactorily passing all the appropriate inspections

    HEALTH

    The pandemic has shown us all how important public health provision is. As life begins to return to normal, we must not lose sight of this.

    I pledge to:

    • Introduce a Public Health Service that is COVID-ready
    • Ensure that COVID’s disproportionate impact on Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) people is considered in all public health provision
    • Improve general health education and awareness
    • Ensure that mental health and physical health are given parity of attention
    • Expand GP practices to ensure that patients can get appointments on time, and end to people having to wait for weeks before they can see a doctor
    • Work with healthcare providers to ensure that residents can access GP appointments
    • Promote a system where patients can choose whether the appointment is in person or online

    A Clean and Green Future

      My administration will tackle climate change — the biggest threat to the world we know — as a matter of urgency. We shall deliver actions, not just words. I pledge to:

      • Establish a mayor’s advisory board on climate change to guide our work with a view to making our council carbon neutral
      • Increase the number of charging points for electric vehicles in the borough
      • Work with private and social landlords to improve insulation standards in our homes
      • Install green heating systems on our estates, including the use of solar panels, wind turbines and heat and power schemes
      • Expand tree-planting throughout the borough and line our streets & estates with newly planted trees
      • Look after our parks and other open spaces, ensuring that they are accessible for the whole community
      • Keep waste and recycling services in-house, a process which began under my second term as Mayor
      • Work with the service to deliver further improvements, including education on recycling
      • Encourage our community to become involved in community walkabouts to check standards are being maintained across the borough
      • Wage war on fly tipping, using our boroughwide CCTV and a policy of prosecuting offenders
      • Encourage the community to report eyesores and problem areas (such as places where informal car parking hinders access by the emergency services)
      • Establish a dedicated noise control team to work with residents on reducing noise nuisance, including a rapid response team
      • Work with the Mayor of London to tackle air pollution in Tower Hamlets
      • Research the causes of poor local air quality
      • Work with Transport for London to improve public transport and local car clubs
      • Avoid penalising those in our community who drive, who in many cases are not responsible for the bulk of air pollution
      • Restore the right of those who hold one-zone borough parking permits to park in zones other than their home zones for five hours, free of charge
      • Support schemes to teach cycling and bike proficiency and safety
      • Monitor the effectiveness and safety of cycle lanes, such as those on Bow Road.

    A Council that Listens to You

      When you vote for me on 5th May, I am asking you to support my administration for the next four years. I want you to tell me when the Council has done something well, and I want you to tell me when it needs to do better. And I promise I will listen

    • Hold regular surgeries around the borough so that you can come to me for help on individual issues
    • Reopen our roads, and abolish the failed Liveable Streets scheme, which has seen emergency services and vulnerable residents’ access blocked
    • Recognise that jamming up main roads reduces the speed of traffic, so queueing vehicles emit more fumes, not less
    • Only introduce traffic reduction measures through consultation with, and by the consent of the people of this borough
    • End the practice of ‘consultation’ being nothing more than you being asked to rubber-stamp a decision which has already been made
    • Work with residents, community groups and other interested parties to develop plans and ideas together
    • Carry out consultation which is fair and worthwhile, on the basis of the ‘Gunning Principles’ devised by Stephen Sedley QC.
      The principles are: Consultation must begin when proposals are being developed (not after decisions have already been taken)
      1. Proposals out for consultation must include enough information and explanations so that those being consulted can properly respond
      2. Here must be adequate time for those being consulted to consider the proposals and respond
      3. Consultation responses will be considered before a decision is taken and how the responses were taken into account will be made clear
    • Ensure that everyone affected by any proposals will be notified and can have their say. This pledge is at the start of my manifesto because it is so important to me that the community is at the heart of my administration
    • Hold regular Q&A sessions around the borough so that we can have a discussion, together, about how my administration is doing on the important issues
    • Publicise my email address and telephone number for you to contact me. I promise you that all emails and phone calls will be answered
    • Reinstate and enforce a ‘Workforce to Reflect Our Community’ policy: it is disgraceful that black and minority staff appear to have been treated worse by the current administration. My administration will reflect the diversity of our borough at all levels.
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