Leader's update - Friday 21 August 2026
Published: 21 August 2026
Dear neighbours,
I'm so glad that Thames Water are no longer reporting any issues in their supply of water to our borough. The burst pipes that caused the outage for thousands of households in Redbridge were unfortunate. What was unacceptable was Thames Water's lacklustre response. The Council intervened to identify vulnerable residents, staff water collection points and deliver bottles house to house. We shouldn't have had to, but we stepped in during an emergency. If you have any ongoing issues with your water supply, please do contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800 or via their website.
Onto happier news, today saw the return of our popular Community Activity Days. It was great to see so many people pop down to the Chadwell Heath Central Masjid on Grove Road to meet with their local councillors and find out about council services and other local organisations.
The idea of these events is to bring the services that you care about into your communities, enabling all residents to access information, advice and support, raise local concerns and engage with the Council. Today, the Benefits team was there to support everyone to claim the benefits they’re entitled to, children's services were talking to residents about their needs in terms of support for families and the Healthy Redbridge Bus was offering free health check-ups to anyone who wanted one.
If you couldn't make the event today, please do put Saturday 12 September in your diary. We'll be at Hainault Fire Station on New North Road from 11am to 4pm. This event is being hosted jointly with the London Fire Brigade who will having their open day. It's a truly great family event and you are all welcome to attend.
Supporting residents and community organisations is at the heart of what we do at the Council. I'm very pleased that we have awarded some truly great organisations in Redbridge with grants to further support their work in the borough. This money is part of the Government's Community Cohesion & Resilience Programme (CCRP) delivered through the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). Frenford Youth Club has been awarded £146,000 to refurbish their building and build a new community cafe. We've also allocated £150,000 to Box Up Crime to support their anti-social behaviour and youth work to expand, and Hainault Forest Community Association will receive just under £100,000 to improve their building. I'm proud that we have been able to invest national government funding directly into community facilities that bring Redbridge residents from different backgrounds together.
At the council, we know that the school summer holidays can bring extra financial pressure. This month, we're pleased that the Exchange is hosting the Redbridge Community Food and Advice Hub. Located on the 3rd Floor of Ilford Exchange, the hub is a welcoming space offering practical support, useful advice and family-friendly activities. There are weekly opportunities to meet local organisations, access community services and take part in activities focused on food, wellbeing and everyday support. On Tuesdays, you can meet local organisations, find out what support is available and connect with community services. Wednesdays are when you can pick up affordable pre-loved school uniform and access useful advice and support services. And on Thursdays there are healthy eating & cooking demonstrations where you can discover healthy recipes, practical cooking tips and demonstrations designed for the whole family. Children are very welcome to get involved in activities while parents and carers learn new recipes and cooking skills. This is just another example of what we’re doing to support Redbridge residents this summer.
This week's message is all about the Council doing what it should: stepping in when residents need help, bringing services closer to communities, investing in local organisations and making sure practical support is available to families when they need it most. At the heart of it all is our commitment to supporting and caring for the people of Redbridge.
Kam
