Drug-related deaths hit record levels in England as Prime Minister’s spending pledges ring hollow
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that drug-related deaths last year hit the highest level since records began in 1993. 4,359 people died from drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2018, up 16% from 2017. The ONS figures reveal that in Tower Hamlets drug-related deaths (covering drug poisoning and drug […]
Mayor Biggs attacks government ‘obsessed with no-deal Brexit’
Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs has criticised the government for driving the country towards a no-deal Brexit while at the same time leaving councils out of crucial work to prepare their residents for the possible outcome. New figures show the government is ploughing five times more money into ‘propaganda’ on a no deal Brexit […]
Over two million households paying more than a third of their income in rent
New House of Commons analysis shows that over two million private renting households in England currently pay more than a third of their income in rent. The number of households paying more than a third of their income on rent is much higher across London, and in Tower Hamlets households are spending on average 58% […]
Prime Minister warned we face a national SEND crisis
Government funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services failing to keep pace with rapidly increasing demand Tower Hamlets received £49.7m for SEND services, but it spent more than £56m “We have now reached a tipping point” In a letter to the new Prime Minister, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs and Cabinet […]
Mayor Biggs signs letter to Boris Johnson calling for more funding for councils
The Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs has joined with other Labour Leaders from across England and Wales to call on Boris Johnson, the new Prime Minister, to end cuts to local government. The letter has been signed by over 100 Labour Council Leaders from England and Wales and it calls on the new Prime […]
Government urged to restore role of local councils in schools
Tower Hamlets Council has agreed a motion calling on the government to restore the role of local councils in schools. The motion was proposed during a debate about Stepney Green Maths, Computing & Science College; an academy school run by The Tower Trust. The role of local authorities in schooling matters has greatly reduced over […]
Tower Hamlets Labour sets out ambitious plan to tackle air pollution
At a meeting of Tower Hamlets Council last week, councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of an ambitious plan to clean up our air and help tackle climate change. The plan, set out in a council motion, lists actions that the council will take to tackle air pollution over the coming months and years. The motion […]
“Let boroughs raise money from an ‘overnight stay levy’”
Mayor co-signs letter calling for Government to let boroughs raise money from an ‘overnight stay levy’ The Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs has joined other local authority leaders in co-signing a letter calling for boroughs to be able to retain money from a levy on tourism. The letter to the Ministry of Housing Communities […]
£12.8bn needed per year to end the housing crisis
Commenting on new research from the National Housing Federation which reveals that the Government must invest £12.8bn a year to finally end the housing crisis in England: Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs said: “These new figures from the National Housing Federation show the scale of the housing crisis we face and the level of […]
Mayor and headteachers warn nursery schools are ‘fighting for survival’
The Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs, MPs Rushanara Ali and Jim Fitzpatrick, the Tower Hamlets Schools Forum, Tower Hamlets nursery headteachers and the National Education Union have joined together to write to the Secretary of State for Education about the risk of maintained nursery schools closing. The letter (attached) to Damian Hinds MP highlights […]
