Greening Sebert Road

Posted on July 7, 2026 by racheltripp

For years now residents of Sebert Road and those around have been asking for improvements to the road. One resident shared some frankly terrifying stories of near misses with speeding vehicles and his small child. Others raised the issue of the lack of trees. Many of them pointed out that Sebert Road is one of the most heavily used roads by pedestrians in the whole ward, and includes the cemetery at one end, two nurseries, one infants school, a church, and more. We already have Newham’s first school street on Sebert Road, which definitely helps a lot, but there is still space to make things better outside the hours of the closure. Some residents wanted their concerns addressed by the installation of the Capel and Woodgrange LTNs to address rat running. What definitely united people was the desire for some improvements.

Liz and I spent a lot of time advocating for Sebert Road, raising it with officers, pointing out that as a long straight road with schools on, it was a particular area of concern for safety. So we were really delighted when this bore fruit and the then cabinet member for Sustainable Transport, John Morris, got in touch to tell us about a project being run by the charity Possible and Newham, looking at greening Sebert Road. I was already really familiar with the great work Possible do, and couldn’t have been more excited to hear that they were helping us with engagement and planning. The focus of this project was on greening, and on climate sustainability, and we hoped that as well as realising these benefits, we might be able to increase the impact by having a calming impact on traffic too.

Carolyn from Possible brought together a group of Sebert Road and nearby residents – as we knew would happen, there was so much interest in this that not everyone who was interested could be part of that group. People were chosen to ensure a good mixture of different voices and perspectives, and the group got together to discuss their experiences of using Sebert Road … see the illustration of their discussion below.

And they then imagined how it might look in future…

These workshops were facilitated by the Active Travel Academy (ATA) who have also written a blog post about it if this blog post is just not enough for you. The brilliant illustrations above were done by Dulce from the ATA. They also assembled some information about why the improvements to Sebert Road are so necessary.

Since that initial discussion this brilliant group has been hard at work contributing to designs for Sebert Road. They have put together a vision for two lovely projects: greening the junction with Sebert and Avenue Road, and adding rain gardens to the space that is currently zig-zag lines outside Woodgrange Infants school. You can read all about these projects on the web page here: www.wearepossible.org/sebertrd

If you’d like to help make this happen, there are a few things you can do:

  1. come and meet some of the residents who will be running a stall at the Forest Gate festival.
  2. Follow the link above (www.wearepossible.org/sebertrd) and add your name to show your support.

If you live on Sebert Road, Matthew Carlile, my new ward colleague, and some residents have already knocked on your door and delivered a post card which has all the above links and more information about what is happening. We did so on one of the hottest days of the year (so far) and the irony of talking to residents about cooling and climate sustainability whilst we were all absolutely roastingly hot was not lost on any of us.

If you live nearby and have any comments to make, do email me and Matthew and we’d be happy to chat to you: rachel.tripp@newham.gov.uk matthew.carlile@newham.gov.uk

Needless to say, more information on this project will be coming. I’m too excited about it not to share! Follow me on instagram and Facebook too as I will certainly be putting more on there too.

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The Newham Food Alliance

Posted on May 19, 2026 by racheltripp

I am in post-election mode, which is to say I’m still catching up on sleep, still trying to make up for a period of prolonged physical and emotional absence from my poor family, and still trying desperately to get back in control of my inbox and all my casework.

In doing the latter, I came across an email with details of some training about helping residents with the cost of living, and was so struck by some of the stuff I read about the Newham Food Alliance that I thought I should share it here.

The Newham Food Alliance is ‘an open collaboration between partners who reach thousands of residents each week with food parcels, meals and other support’.

Sadly I think food banks are now a much better recognised and more widely used part of society than they were.

‘Food Banks support those experiencing an emergency and offer time-limited food support as well as other support/assistance/crisis resolution.

•Examples include delays with benefits – universal credit, people not knowing or struggling to assert their rights re benefits, escaping domestic violence, family break down, sudden life changes – from a sudden loss of job to a broken-down car or boiler, or leaving prison.

•Currently 24 organisations continue to identify as Food Banks in Newham Food Alliance but important to note that most of these offer substantial wraparound support.’

But I only knew about the idea of ‘food clubs’ very vaguely so it was great to find out more about how they work:

‘Food clubs are a way to work with a regular group of residents who are long term low income by offering food support. Examples include gig economy, zero hours contracts, debt, benefits cap, benefits thresholds too low, inadequate pension, NRPF.

•They operate as a membership scheme with fees of around £2 – £10 per week depending on the club, household size, and basket and type of items.

•They offer access to additional services & support such as financial & digital inclusion, training & employability.‘

Most importantly, and what I really wanted to share here, was that the Alliance operates an online referral form where anyone can refer themselves or someone else if they are having trouble affording food. The online form is here: The Newham Food Alliance – Newham Council (there is also a phone number where you can leave a message, or an email address).

I hope anyone who needs it finds it helpful.

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Some information about rats

Posted on May 15, 2026 by racheltripp

Honestly, the absolute GLAMOUR of local government… !

I am fresh out of the election (and should probably post something about the election on this blog too – I’ll get to it) but in sorting through my emails I found a reply to a query I raised about rats on Wanstead Flats that was quite interesting so I thought I’d share it here.

You may know already that Wanstead Flats falls just outside Newham, and is managed by the Corporation of London. I try to keep in regular contact with them as this space is so heavily used by Forest Gaters, and is so important to us all. Whilst out door knocking recently I was told by a resident that there was a particular issue with an increasing rat population around Jubilee Pond, so I went home and flagged this up with my contact at the Corporation.

I received the following in response:

‘Thank you for bringing to our attention the resident’s concerns about rat activity at Jubilee Pond. This area has been victim to historic rodent activity for quite some time for various reasons. One of the biggest factors is the level of bird feeding that takes place in this area, which is a tricky issue to control. Our Forest Keeper Team regularly patrol this area and educate members of the public about the issues associated with feeding the birds, particularly the resultant waste food available for rats. We are also working with our engagement team to improve our signage and online resources available to educate people about the risks of feeding the birds.

‘Another contributing factor is the availability of food from fly tips and other waste which has been dumped by irresponsible persons. Or dedicated waste management team continue their best efforts to litter pick these areas on a regular basis, and our litter cart works hard to collect fly tipped waste in a timely manner to help restrict food waste available for pests. Additionally, our Forest Keeper Team and Volunteering Coordinator has supported the creation of a new local community litter picking group which had their most recent community litter pick at Jubilee Pond on 11th April, picking and removing 26 bags of litter in a couple of hours.

‘Following a site survey which identified extensive rat burrows within the bund along Dames Road, our specialist pest control contractors conducted a 6-week programme of rodenticide baiting to control elevated levels of rat activity around Jubilee Pond throughout November and the first half of December last year. You may have noticed, that following the success of this treatment, we have subsequently removed much of the scrubby vegetation which was providing shelter and refuge for rats where they were burrowing along Dames Road. This clearance work will restrict conditions which attract rats as they are more exposed and will also facilitate waste removal going forward.

‘Whilst we have made good progress in managing pest activity in this area, this is an ongoing issue and there is more that we would like to do to help limit pest activity. As I’m sure you can appreciate, we are somewhat limited in our capacity to give adequate attention to every area across Epping Forest due to its size and the level of usage it receives. Additionally, we are now in bird-breeding season, meaning all our management works must be carefully evaluated so as not to disrupt any potential bird nesting sites. However, I can assure you that we are actively monitoring the conditions of this site and planning additional works to help manage pest activity for later in the year.  I hope this email gives you a better understanding of the issues we face in managing pest activity in this area, and the interventions we are putting in place to try and control this.’

Well,. the email did INDEED give me a better understanding of the various issues. So I thought I’d share it here. (Especially after chatting to a resident on a different doorstep who confessed that she rather liked some of the detail that I share about how to tackle local problems, which made me resolve to share more.)

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Our local police team

Posted on December 4, 2025 by racheltripp

I realised recently that I spend a lot of time recommending that residents contact our local community police team, so I thought it would be helpful to write a quick blog post about them and to collect the information I share in emails / in person in one place.

The Metropolitan Police has a structure of community policing, which means that every ward or every couple of wards has a local team called the ‘Safer Neighbourhood Team’. These are officers who are assigned to the local area, getting to know it and its residents, getting to know the hotspots and the issues.

They don’t replace an emergency response, or the necessity of reporting a crime. If a crime is happening, or if someone is in danger, always call 999. To contact the police in a non-emergency, call 101. To report a crime you also can use the form provided by the police online.

But, for example, if there is an ongoing issue with something that keeps recurring, with something that might appear to be ‘lower level’ but which is nonetheless making people feel unhappy or unsafe, it can also be useful to contact the local team to see if they can help.

A good example of this is an issue that Liz and I were talking to residents about recently when we were door knocking: concerns about anti-social behaviour and drug taking on a road in the ward. We advised them to report noise and litter to the Council, to report any crimes that they witnessed to the police, but also to drop the Safer Neighbourhood Team a line, to let them know that this road seemed to be emerging as a bit of a hotspot. (And of course we have also alerted them) The local team can make sure they visit the location when they are out on patrol, they might have links with support services, they can do some problem solving and try to help resolve the problem.

The local SNT also run our busy ward panel. Liz has been the main point of councillor contact on this panel for a few months now and has been doing great work representing residents, making links with Council services and the work the police are doing, and more. This group meets once every few months, and is a way of local people feeding back to the police about the issues they are experiencing. Often people will also attend from other interested organisations, like the Council or Housing Associations, to talk about how to find solutions. When local residents contact Liz and I about issues that include crime, we will often raise these at the next ward panel on their behalf.

Contact the Forest Gate North team:
See their website: https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area/met/newham/forest-gate-north/about-us/top-reported-crimes-in-this-area
This site includes information on crimes, on local officers, on any events coming up (two ‘cuppa with a copper’ events are scheduled for 2026)
Email: forestgatenorth@met.police.uk

Please remember that this team work on shifts, and will therefore get back to you when they have a chance. Local officers are also often called away to help other teams to deal with urgent situations. If you need to speak to someone in the police urgently, as above, dial 999 or 101.

MetEngage
The Met has also recently launched a new way of keeping in touch with local residents. (I have signed up to it, and it seems promising, but also seems like something that is still being tried out and not quite up to speed yet.) Sign up to MetEngage here: https://www.metengage.co.uk/ to receive information by email or by text about the police.

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Food waste collections coming soon

Posted on November 21, 2025 by racheltripp

Food waste collections are coming to Newham, and they are coming to Forest Gate, so I thought I’d share some information about them here. I know how committed Forest Gate North residents are to reducing our environmental impact, and disposing of rubbish correctly, and this is both a really positive development, and also a big change that we’ll all eventually need to get our heads around.

So first, why is this happening now? The short answer is that it’s being required by law. Lots of local authorities already provide a food waste service, but we haven’t done it here so far, and now we have to. But quite apart from the legal imperative, how we dispose of waste is a vital part of how we live more sustainably. Food waste can make up to 40% of all rubbish thrown away, and collecting and disposing of it separately not only reduces the environmental impact as it breaks down, but should also in the longer term encourage all of us to throw away less food.

There are a few logistical hurdles which make collection of food waste hard – firstly of course just the behaviour change. Just as separating out recycling started off as a new way of doing things and then became second nature, there will be a process of remembering to separate food waste. There are also issues around storage and bins. I know from social media from our neighbouring Waltham Forest that foxes in particular can be very determined about getting into food bins and making a mess of the contents. (In fact, Liz and I sit on the scrutiny committee where we were asking questions of officers about planning, communication, budget, implementation and more, to to try to help ensure this new waste service is a success.)

Another issue is that waste collection is always harder in blocks of flats, where there is no separate front garden space, and waste is kept in communal bins together. Again, this is an issue common to all local authorities, and officers are talking to other Councils to find out what lessons they have learned.

The first step in food waste collections for every home is a pilot which includes 10% of the borough, which includes some homes in Forest Gate North. If you live in this area you will probably have already received a food caddy, plus information about what happens next.

The roads in Forest Gate North that are in the pilot are over on the western side of the ward, including Wellington Road, Dames Road, Odessa Road, Field Road, Essex Street, Station Road, Suffolk Street, Eric Close, Eric Road, Fowler Road, Moore Walk, Forest Street, Leonard Road, Macdonald Road, Forest Lane, Clare Gardens, Wooder Gardens, Dean Street, Bignold Road, Ingestre Road, Norfolk Street, Strode Road, Talbot Road, Clinton Road, Emily Duncan Place, Norfolk Street, Stracy Road (and possibly a couple of more that I have missed here, sorry).

You can put all kinds of food waste into your bin, including meat, and dairy.

Image shows what can be placed in food recyccling bin: All uneaten food and plate scrapings Bread, cake, pastries Raw meat, cooked meat, bones Tea bags, coffee grounds Fish, cooked fish, bones Raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, whole fruit, peelings Dairy products, cheese, eggs Rice, pasta, beans

If you, like me, live in an area not part of the initial pilot, then we can sit tight for now and wait to see what the results of the pilot are, and what the next steps are, but just be aware that these changes are coming.

If you’re keen to start reducing the environmental impact of your food waste already, you might want to think about composting. Composting is surprisingly easy, reduces the amount you throw away, and even provides a free source of soil for the garden. Newham subsidises compost bins for residents, and you can find out all about composting in Newham, including a link to buy a subsidised bin, here.

I’ll share more on this as we have it. Any change to rubbish collection is a huge task, both in terms of the mechanics of actually picking up a different waste stream, but also in terms of the ongoing communication with people to let them know what is expected, and when. Overall though, I’m personally very positive about this change, which is not only required but also once we have bedded in, will be really beneficial.

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Betting shop licence application

Posted on July 31, 2025 by racheltripp

In brief:

An application has been made for for a gambling licence on the high street, at 176-177 Forest Lane, E7 9BB . The Licensing function of the Council has to consider the licence application and residents have the opportunity to write in and object if they want to.

How to share your views

Objections need to be sent to licensing@newham.gov.uk by the deadline of the 6th August (although, if you are reading this on or just after the 6th and want to object, I would say do send something in any case).

If you want to object to this application, in order to be most useful, your objection should focus on the Licensing Objectives, which are:

·        Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.

·        Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.

·        Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

If you are objecting, you might want to include things like:
·        the proximity of this site to Forest Gate Community School (and the fact that large numbers of school children congregate in this area before and after school)
·        the fact that the premises is right in-between two pubs
·        the possible impact on crime and anti-social behaviour (including litter and street drinking)

Some background

Forest Gaters will probably be aware that there is a shop at 176-177 Forest Land that has sat empty for some time, just opposite the station in between the Forest Tavern and the Fox & Hounds. This used to be ‘Your Move’ estate agents, but has been boarded up for some time. I’ve had a couple of conversations with residents interested in trying to use the space, and at one point an officer from Regeneration at Newham was trying to find out who the landlord was, to see if there would be any interest in a ‘meanwhile’ use whilst the shop was empty.

Liz and I recently received an email which made my heart sink somewhat, saying that there was an application for a betting shop there. I know that people in Forest Gate North feel passionately about the high street, and about supporting local businesses, and we’re really concerned that having another betting shop on Woodgrange Road will have a negative impact on our local area.

I have read that betting companies tend to target low income areas where they can grow their customer base, encouraging people who are already struggling to make ends meet to lose more money on betting. I know that some people are concerned about the impact betting shops can have on anti-social behaviour, on litter and street drinking too.

(I do have to hold my hands up here and say I’m not a natural gambler: I don’t tend to make bets with friends, and I *think* my only real gambling experience was a one-off bet on a horse on a day out to the races where I basically bet because I liked the horse’s name. I don’t want to judge people’s hobbies, and I can see that for some people, placing bets on sporting events with friends could be a social activity and one that offers connection and intensifies their enjoyment of sport. So I can see the argument that my approach and my objections could seem judgemental, or patronising. But honestly, on the other hand, there is a Ladbrokes just over the road already, so I also think objecting to this application doesn’t prevent anyone from gambling with friends responsibly, if that’s what they want.)

Can the Council just say no?

The short answer is, not really. Licensing decisions are made using specific legal powers that are given to the Local Authority by particular legislation, which sets out how decisions are made and on what basis. The decision will be made by a panel of councillors, who will have a recommendation from officers, and will consider information from the applicant, as well as any other information (like objections from councillors, residents and / or the police).

That legislation says that local authorities should ‘aim to permit‘, so you start from the point of view of seeing how the application does meet the criteria, or what conditions could be put in place so that it does meet the criteria.

So the panel could of course say ‘no’, but the chances are that if they did so without really strong legal reasoning, that decision would be appealed, that appeal would cost LBN a considerable amount of money, and at that point the application would be granted.

This is why we are encouraging residents who feel strongly about this to write in and object, to make sure that officers and councillors have all the available information, to give them the strongest possible opportunity.

Can Newham just require a different kind of shop to be opened in this site?

Again, the short answer is no. The shop is privately owned, and the landlord will presumably have advertised to see who is interested in fitting out and renting the site. The local authority has the power to grant any licences required (for selling alcohol, for example, or as here, for gambling premises) but doesn’t have the power to require that a certain shop or type of shop has to exist.

What about planning permission?

I have asked officers to get back to me on this. It seems that changing the use from an Estate Agents to a betting shop would require a ‘change of use’ application that would be made via the planning permission process. I have had a look, and there was an application for this change of use last year, which was refused (ref: 24/02658/FUL, information online here.)

It’s possible that the applicant is appealing against this refusal and aiming to get a licence in the meantime, but it’s not clear.

If I object, will the licence be refused?

I’m going to hold my hands up here: honestly, I don’t know. I genuinely don’t know what chance there is of preventing the application, and this is the first gambling licence application in the ward that I’ve been aware of. so I don’t have any prior experience to draw on.

But I do know that the more information that the Licensing team have about local views, and local concerns, the better equipped they will be. And I also know that if no one objects, the licence is much more likely to be granted. So if you have an opinion about this application, I would strongly urge you to send your views in, and to send them in before August the 6th so that they can be taken into account.

What happens next?

Officers will put together papers for the licensing panel to meet. They will also liaise with local police to see if they have a view on the application. Liz and I will both write in to object, as local councillors. A date for a licensing panel to consider the application will then be set, and on that date a decision will be made. I will give an update after that.

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Forest Lane Park updates

Posted on February 13, 2025 by racheltripp

There was a meeting at Magpie Lodge in the park in January, to share some updates about the work planned to improve Forest Lane Park. I wanted to share some of that here.

As set out in a previous post, Newham Council has been awarded National Lottery Heritage Funding to improve the park, and in particular to reinstate a statue in memory of Lucel Tate. Currently we are working with an organisation called Arkwood to run community engagement, to develop plans, and this will lead on to the next stage of applying for the funding to make the improvements.

If you are interested in the park, I would strongly suggest you visit the project page on Newham Co Create. (Newham Co Create is a site for tonnes of consultation and participation, and there is a page at the top ‘projects’ where you can read through all manner of different things going on that you could take part in.)

https://newhamco-create.co.uk/en/projects/forest-lane-park

The event in the Lodge in January was a summary of the engagement work done so far, with tours of the park available too.

Forest Lane Park is a really special place, with (as the project web page says), a unique social history.  It has transitioned from a field enclosed by hedges that was used for agriculture, to an Industrial School for orphans and abandoned children, to a hospital and then maternity hospital, to the park you see today. The Forest Lane Park Restoration Project aims to celebrate this history, restore much of the original landscape, enhance accessibility and biodiversity, and introduce new elements designed by the community. Central to the project is honouring the work of local activist Lucel Tate, who worked in the maternity hospital in the 1970s.’

I am often struck by how little known the park is. I periodically meet people who live relatively close but are not necessarily aware of the park, particularly of the green space at the back. (I have to admit I used the playground on Forest Lane very regularly when my children were small without necessarily knowing about the ponds or the grassed area.) As well as it’s history, it is a special place for biodiversity, and I am really pleased to think of improvements being made that will celebrate what we love about the park, make it more accessible, as well as celebrating and recognising its history.

The pictures here are ones I took on my phone, but the plans and work thus far are all summarised in a PDF document that is available on the Newham Co Create link above. I have also put a copy here:

250213A1837 Forest Lane Park Showcasing Boards_Digital VersionDownload

Do sign up on the Co Create website to stay informed about the project, or email Arkwood on ForestLanePark@arkwoodltd.co.uk or, as ever, drop Liz and me a line.

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Introducing Liz

Posted on July 17, 2024 by racheltripp

Now that the General Election is done, and we’ve had our by-election here in the ward too, I thought I would do a quick post to introduce my new colleague, Liz Cronin, who joins me as the other councillor in Forest Gate North.

We had only a few weeks to campaign but we spoke to hundreds of people on the doorstep, and door knocked almost the entire ward with just us and a trusty band of a few volunteers. Nevertheless, I thought an intro post might be useful, and wanted to start with a few ‘getting to know you’ questions.

What motivated you to stand to be a councillor?

When I first moved to Newham, mid-pandemic, I was bowled over by the sheer strength of community. People have been so welcoming; I really wanted to give back and work hard to improve people’s lives – especially those who often feel frustrated with politics! I absolutely love Forest Gate, so it’s a privilege to have been elected and have the chance use my experience (in the civil service, Parliament and now the charity sector) to serve local residents.


What do you do outside of local government?

I’m the climate change policy lead at CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. This involves working to help some of the world’s poorest countries, and a lot of advocacy aimed at the UK Government to up its ambition on climate action. Outside of work you can find me in coffee shops and pubs with friends, and I love the theatre. (I just saw Hades Town – can highly recommend!)


Why did you join Labour?

I grew up in a blood-red household in Preston, so Labour’s always been part of my DNA really. I left my impartial policy adviser job in the civil service partly because I was feeling too political for it, and once I joined the party I never looked back. I fundamentally believe that we can achieve much more collectively than we can striving on our own, and that society needs fundamental changes to address its inequalities – so the Labour and trade unionism families are ones I’m proud to be part of.


What is your favourite thing about Forest Gate?

It’s a toss-up between the book stall at Woodgrange Market, and the cinnamon buns at Ramble.

How was the election campaign?

Very tiring (I definitely got my steps in). But ultimately a brilliant experience – me and the team spoke to nearly a thousand people, which gave me a great sense of what people are bothered by – but also proud of – in Forest Gate North. I’m really proud of the positive campaign we ran, focused on making our area the best it can be and showcasing our fantastic local people and organisations.


What do you plan to get involved in first, and what are your local priorities?

I’ve started speaking to council officers and my fellow councillors about what power and levers I have to make a real difference here. I’m under no illusions that local government can’t be overly bureaucratic and slow sometimes, so I want to get to grips straight away with the best ways to navigate procedures and processes to get things done. After that I want to start making some of the changes that most impact the lives of the residents I’ve spoken to: feeling safe from anti-social behaviour day and night, having cleaner streets, and a thriving high street.

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Good news about Forest Lane Park

Posted on November 7, 2023 by racheltripp

I thought I’d quickly share some good news about the future of Forest Lane Park, which is that officers who have been working on getting some Heritage Lottery Funding have been successful in getting to the next stage. (I will be keeping in touch with them to make sure that residents’ ideas and views are at the centre of the design process – I know that there was a consultation meeting but also some concern about how much residents were able to take part.) For now though, some much-needed good news.

This is the email which I received:

‘I’m delighted to let you know that we have been successful in obtaining a development grant for the works to improve Forest Lane Park!

HLF have put out their press release today so I am finally able to share the news – Restoring Forest Lane Park for people and nature | The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The development phase will enable us to continue to work with you all to develop final designs for the proposed improvements, we will then be required to submit another application to unlock the delivery fund of just under £1million.

There are a number of tasks that we need to complete ahead of starting work, including appointing a design team which could take until the end of this year.

I will keep you updated along the way and really look forward to working with you as we take this project forwards.’

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All about cleaner streets

Posted on October 2, 2023 by racheltripp

The last council meeting, on the 18th September, was a themed meeting, on the topic of ‘A Clean Borough’. I wanted to take a moment to share some of the information from that meeting about some of the work that is being done to help make our streets cleaner.

Several years as a councillor have taught me more than I ever imagined I would know about street cleaning and I’m still very aware that there is much more to learn, and certainly plenty more to do. One thing I have definitely noticed myself, though, is that the end of the summer always feels like a bad time in terms of street cleanliness. I’ve been a councillor for nine years now, and generally I have noticed that in September a feeling of of ‘the streets are a mess and it’s worse than ever!’ descends upon everyone, including me.

I don’t necessarily have an answer as to why that is, but I do have some ideas. Fly tipping and rubbish always increase when the weather is warm, and we all spend more time outside… and of course extra time spent outdoors means that we all notice the rubbish more. I imagine that like the rest of us, street cleansing officers take proportionately more leave during the summer. Weeds on pavements (on which more later) grow furiously over the summer, which both increases the impression of mess, and also can ‘catch’ litter and rubbish and make it hang around for longer.

The last time I blogged in a substantial way on street cleansing was here, when I’d had a flurry of casework and was keen to understand a bit more about what was happening in the service. That post outlined various plans to make structural and organisational changes to street cleaning, the kind of work that takes a while and is frustratingly ‘behind the scenes’, but which is vital to making a more modern and efficient service. I was pleased to look back and see that although some progress was delayed by factors like the refuse strike, others have progressed and are now in place.

So I turned to my colleague James Asser’s speech from Council, where he gave an update on various bits of work that have been done, or are being done, and thought I’d summarise some of that here.

Work already done:

Brought street-cleaning services back in-house in a single borough-wide service.
Invested in new uniforms for staff
Invested in new street-cleaning equipment to make the frontline staff’s work easier and more effective
Invested in new drain cleaning equipment
New gum busting kit to clean our pavements
New bin lorries, that will be more reliable and have modern electric bin lifts to reduce the noise during collections.
Expanded the amount of waste that can be recycled
Removed the worst fly-tipped recycling points and are investing in the remaining ones to make them tidier and cleaner

Work underway:

Rolled out a new revised street-cleaning strategy with new rounds and new ways of working (this is happening now)
Bringing in new vehicles for gritting and tackling winter conditions on pavement and bike lanes
Additional vehicles to meet growing demand on the waste service
Modernising our mechanical sweepers
Moving to weekly recycling collections to meet our commitment to increase the amount we recycle and meet the resident demands for more recycling opportunities.
Changing collection of waste from flats above shops to reduce the waste and time it is left on high streets

As well as those, James also mentioned the work LBN is doing jointly with Keep Britain Tidy on the Better Streets project (which you can read about in more detail here), and a new borough-wide approach to fly tipping on private land. Regular correspondents with me about fly tipping may be aware of the frustrations that previously occurred when a fly tip was on land that is privately owned, for example a forecourt in front of a building. Often reports on the Love Clean Streets app would be marked ‘closed’ whilst officers at the Council contacted the landlord, but in the meantime the fly tip remained, sometimes attracting more rubbish. Now, we are now clearing these areas anyway and then working with the landowner on costs, speeding up the clearance rates on privately owned public areas.

Another project that I mentioned in my post last year was the commissioning of an external contract for Enforcement, and that has also happened, with a company called Kingdom now providing additional resources to issue Fixed Penalty Notices against people fly tipping and littering. You can read a bit more about that here.

If this information has whetted your appetite and you’d like more, you can read the substantive paper that went to Council here. You can also read the really excellent research done by Keep Britain Tidy (which has driven and informed so much of our work in Newham since we started working with them in 2018) ‘Beyond the Tipping Point‘. I might blog about this research separately as it’s so illuminating about the factors that contribute to fly tipping and gives a really helpful UK-wide perspective.

I was pleased to see that inspecting our street cleanliness and reporting on it is now, as promised, not done by Council officer but has been outsourced to Keep Britain Tidy. This means we’re not ‘marking our own homework’ (though actually, previously going out on a street inspection visit with a Council officer was very reassuring in terms of seeing how rigorous he was!) and gives us some really robust data to track how things are changing over time. The stats show an improvement. Honestly, I am not sure we’re quite seeing or feeling that in Forest Gate North at the moment, but that combined with all the other work happening does make me feel cautiously optimistic for the future.

I need to finish by saying that of course I’m not complacent. Litter and fly tipping continue to be one of the most common issues that residents contact me about, and as the excellent research from Keep Britain Tidy showed us, they are thorny problems with no easy solution. Our streets in Forest Gate North are a wonderful and frustrating mix of the best and worst of Newham: peaceful low traffic neighbourhoods, speeding vehicles, healthy school streets, careless drivers endangering people on bikes and pedestrians, re-surfaced pavements smoother and perfect for scooters and wheelchairs, road surfaces blighted with pot holes, new and old small businesses lighting up the high street, recently empty shops, people improving our streets with projects and litter picks, and other people dumping their rubbish without a thought. Of course 13 long years of austerity are a hugely important factor here, with council services along with all public services visibly hanging by a thread after years of Tory government. Along with Sasha, I’ll carry on doing my best to improve things, and will always try to be honest and up front about what we can achieve, and what we hope for.

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