Leader's update - Friday 12 December 2025

Published: 12 December 2025 Councillor Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council

This week, I have written to Steven Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Local Government & Communities, following the conclusion of Local Government Fair Funding Review set out in the Local Government Finance Policy Statement.

I have been making the case for fair funding for many years, and the annual financial settlement has not been sufficient to meet the needs of our residents. It has been refreshing to have Ministers who listen and engage with us. We will continue to urge the government to fully consider our representations for an even fairer deal for our residents and to work with us.

On Thursday, Cllr Duddridge and I met with Josh MacAlister MP, Minister for Children and Families, when he visited Redbridge to announce the creation of a new Child Protection Authority. This body will be tasked with identifying emerging threats and driving accountability across the system. The proposals for a new public body will strengthen England’s child protection system by providing national oversight and ensuring that vulnerable children are not failed by the authorities who are supposed to protect them.

Alongside this, the government is also strengthening child protection through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This includes mandatory sharing of relevant information between public authorities and introducing laws to allow the creation of a Single Unique Identifier to help link data across safeguarding agencies.

This week, I also had the pleasure of meeting local businesses in Wanstead and Barkingside to listen to the challenges they are currently facing and to discuss how we, as a Council, can support them. I am always open to meeting local businesses and understanding how I might be able to help through my position as Leader of the Council, or by feeding back to their MPs if the matter involves or requires Parliament’s intervention.

At Cabinet, among other reports, we agreed the Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Priority Action Plan, and reviewed progress towards ensuring our service meets the needs of the children who rely on the Council’s support.

Do you know an unsung hero in your street, group, or organisation who has made a positive and selfless contribution to the lives of Redbridge residents? If the answer is yes, then please nominate them for the Mayor’s Community Awards 2026, which are now open. Nominations will close on Tuesday 6 January 2026.

This weekend marks the first day of Hanukkah, which lasts for eight days and celebrates the miracle where a small amount of oil from the Temple menorah miraculously lasted eight days instead of one. One candle of the menorah is lit each night, and public lighting events are being held in the Borough next week, starting on Wednesday, 17 December at 6pm on the High Road, Woodford Green, and on Saturday, 20 December, at 7pm at Gants Hill.