Tower Hamlets - the council
Tower Hamlets is one of the UK’s best local authorities, and this is the most exciting time in our history.
Many of our services are award-winning and in 2022 we were shortlisted for MJ’s Council of the Year.
We have moved into one of the best Town Halls in the UK - the Grade II-listed former Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel - and we are well underway in delivering the ambitious vision of our Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman.
That vision includes being the first local authority in the country to provide universal free school meals for primary and secondary school children, and the insourcing of services including leisure, youth and housing management.
Our recent Peer Review described the council as ‘an organisation which has a comprehensive understanding of the needs of residents and communities,’ and praised our pace of delivery.
And Tower Hamlets as place offers the best of London in one borough. Our borough is one of the most popular places in the UK to live, work and visit. We provide the UK’s third largest economic output; we are steeped in London’s history and one of the most culturally diverse places in the world; are the fastest growing and most densely populated place in the UK and Tower Hamlets has a set of destinations that are the envy of any city.
A borough for all
We are a borough of contrasts. There is extreme wealth and poverty, and it is our job to broker opportunities to create a Tower Hamlets for everyone.
We build more homes than any other London local authority, yet over 21,000 people are on our housing waiting list, and 70% of those in the top two tiers live in overcrowded conditions.
We have some of the best-performing schools in the country, yet 48.7% of children live in poverty and by age 11 over half of our children are overweight or obese.
There are nearly 300,000 jobs in Tower Hamlets, yet our young people need more support to access further education, or training and job opportunities to start their careers.
We know the value that leisure, recreation and learning opportunities can provide our residents. Many of our 120 parks are award-winning including Victoria Park which has been voted among the 10 best parks in the country.
These are some of the areas where we are making significant investment to improve more lives at a faster rate.
For example, we are investing £28m into our 7 leisure centres and our Idea Stores are hubs for community life, offering a place for families, students and adults to read, learn, use computers and take part in subsidised training courses.
Positive Peer Review and IIP award
We are commitment to constantly improving, which is why we welcome regular external reviews and act on their recommendations.
Our recent Peer Review recognised the excellent work of the council and its staff. It found the council was delivering election promises at speed with the help of ‘highly skilled, dedicated people who are evidently committed to delivering the best outcomes for the borough’s residents.’
It also praised the council as having ‘a good record of financial management, with strong foundations in place to maintain the future financial sustainability of the organisation.’
This is because the council has improved its financial management further by fixing historic issues. Now accounts for 16/17, 17/18, 18/19 and 19/20 have all been signed off by independent auditors, along with the 20/21 and 21/22 accounts.
That financial stability has helped the council exceed its £37m savings target which has allowed further investment in services.
We will deliver the 18 core recommendations in the Peer Review through a detailed action plan which the council has published alongside the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report on the council’s website.
The Peer Review was followed by a successful Investors in People (IIP) inspection in which the council was awarded silver rating. The IIP report praised managers as having ‘a strong sense of belonging to Tower Hamlets and pride in the services provided.’
People First
People First is the council’s new transformation programme and another vehicle in our continuous journey of improvement.
The council has one of the most ambitious agendas in local government and we must change to achieve it.
We must recalibrate to achieve the objectives in our Strategic Plan. This including restructuring parts of the council, and using innovation to provide better customer service, save money and generate income to invest in services.
Through People First we will:
- put our borough first, by ensuring we can support as many residents and businesses as possible and maximise the benefits of bringing Tower Hamlets Homes and leisure services in-house and investing £19m into our young people.
- put our staff first so they have the support to deliver the best outcomes, without being held back by red tape or systems that are not fit for purpose.
Excellent Customer Experience
Our mission is simple. We must have a customer-focused culture to deliver an excellent customer experience.
Our services should be easily accessible, inclusive and improved by using feedback, data, technology and innovation.
While we will strive for the best online experience among the 4.5m annual visitors to our website, we will also be there for residents who need to talk to us face-to-face or on the phone.
Equalities and inclusion
Our council is a beacon for diversity and inclusion. It is ingrained in the history of Tower Hamlets from immigration at the docks, to the suffragette movement in Roman Road, or fighting fascists in Cable Street.
We want a borough where everyone feels valued and included, and we want a council that collaborates to deliver excellence. That’s why we look for people with our TOWER values of Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and being Respectful.
We have set the goal of being an anti-racist borough and through activities including our staff networks we are creating a culture where everyone is treated well and where discrimination is not tolerated.