£300 million investment in Custom House for new homes and jobs
Residents living in Custom House have voted ‘yes’ in support of the Council’s regeneration proposals that have been developed in collaboration with local people. The plans will transform Freemasons Road and the surrounding neighbourhood to deliver 368 homes at social rent levels that local people can afford, new shops and community facilities as well as create jobs as part of our wider inclusive economic growth plans which will benefit local residents.
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 Get involved in shaping the future of Newham through the Local Plan Review
The second round of consultation (Regulation 18) for the Newham Local Plan Review has formally begun and we want to hear your views.
The Newham Local Plan is the key planning document which the Council uses to assess planning applications and to manage where regeneration and development happen in Newham, what it is used for and what it looks like. It includes policies on housing, employment, climate, green spaces, town centres, design, community facilities and transport.
We want to make it as easy as possible for local businesses to understand the Plan and how you can influence it. To do so, we would like the opportunity to attend one of your local meetings or events where we can explain a bit more about the review process and present the main policies that may be of interest to you. The meeting would need to take place during our consultation period, which ends on 20 February.
If you would be interested in us attending your meeting or event or hearing more about the Draft Newham Local Plan, please get in touch by email for this to be arranged.
Alternatively, there are lots of different ways to be involved. Visit Newham Co-Create to read the Plan, submit comments and answer our response form, and sign up to our online and in-person events.
For more information and to get involved:
Advert.
Mayor to speak at Chamber of Commerce’s breakfast meeting
The Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, is to speak at the Newham Chamber of Commerce’s first breakfast meeting of the year which takes place on Tuesday 31 January at the Holiday Inn Express, ExCeL London.
At the event she will speak about the Council’s Building a Fairer Newham Draft Budget Plan 2023/24, which builds on the successful management of the Council’s finances over the past four years to protect frontline services, support residents and respond to growing demand.
Open to all members and non-members; one person per organisation gets a free place – additional places per organisation are £10 per person.
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 We understand that many businesses are facing rising costs and a sense of uncertainty. In Newham there is a dynamic Chamber of Commerce which offers a multitude of benefits such as networking opportunities, business support, free legal and financial advice, monthly events and a monthly newsletter.
To enable as many businesses as possible to take advantage of this, in collaboration with the Newham Chamber of Commerce we are providing free membership; this is made possible by the Government’s allocation of the Additional Restrictions Grant to the Council.
So we are calling on all entrepreneurs, sole traders, partnerships and small businesses with up to five employees who aren’t already members to join for free and capitalise on this great initiative designed to support the continuous growth of your business.
 Living Wage Champion Awards 2023
Nominations now open.
The Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate people and organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to the Living Wage movement.
This year there are fourteen award categories to choose from, from Advocate of the Year to Third Sector Champion. Four organisations will be shortlisted for each category and each winner will be announced at an awards evening to be held in the summer.
Winners receive a trophy and will have the opportunity to share their Living Wage journey through their sector press and on social media.
Please read the full application guidance for each category before applying.
For more information:
We encourage all Newham businesses to become a Living Wage Employer in three easy steps:
 To find out more about the Living Wage accreditation:
 Wayfinder is here
We have partnered with the London Business Hub’s Wayfinder scheme to help small businesses connect with trusted expert advice and support.
There is no lack of business support services across London, however finding the right one can be tricky. For small business owners focusing on their day-to-day in a challenging economy, it can simply be too time consuming.
We know businesses need a helping hand from experts who understand what support is readily available to them. Experts who can do all the hard work and connect them to impartial and excellent quality advice.
Find out what business support is offered through the Wayfinder scheme and registration details:
We’re looking for more catering suppliers
The Council wants to expand its Food Business Directory list of approved catering suppliers for the smaller events which we organise.
To be considered, caterers must:
- Be based in Newham.
- Pay the London Living Wage to all staff (currently £11.05 and increasing to £11.95 in May 2023).
- Have a Food Standards Agency four or five star rating.
- Offer high quality food which is healthy and sustainable.
- Invest in skills training for themselves and their staff.
If you meet all these criteria, please apply:
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 Debt Free Advice bus visit
Debt Free Advice has created a mobile advice centre in the form of a touring bus for Londoners in need of debt and money advice. With many people impacted by the rising cost of living, the bus serves as an in-person advice centre. Expert advisors from Debt Free Advice and partners are on hand to give free and confidential advice about debt, benefits and welfare.
The bus will also provide signposting to other cost of living support, especially that provided by Our Newham Money, as well as webinars on a range of topics including budgeting, debt prioritisation options and mental health.
It will next visit Newham on:
- Thursday 2 February – 11:00-14:00 City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE. This will be attended by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis.
 Samuel Wilson's Loan Trust for young people
In a cost of living crisis increasing the financial wellbeing, resilience and growth of our local entrepreneurs is key. For example, disabled people are significantly less likely to manage well financially.
Samuel Wilson's Loan Trust is a charity which offers business loans to young people aged 18-39 who are "in need by reason of ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantages" to establish and develop new businesses.
The maximum loan is £50,000, starting at 2% interest. Please note that, as part of the application process, a robust business plan with detailed and realistic financial forecasts is required.
For more information:
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment
Making Tax Digital for Self-Assessment is a key part of the Government’s Tax Administration Strategy. Since it was originally announced the Government has decided to extend the deadline for sole traders and landlords to adopt the mandatory software from April 2024 to April 2026.
For more information:
Remember, if you file your Self-Assessment online the submission and payment deadline for 2021/22 is midnight on 31 January 2023.
 Small Business Britain's new sustainability offer
Following the success of Small Business Britain’s Sustainability Basics Programme, it is now offering SMEs a new programme called the Business for Good: Green Skills for Small Business.
This is designed to accelerate sustainability goals, with the schedule as follows (when registering for the first session, participants will automatically be enrolled on the remaining five events):
- 7 February – 11:00-12:00 The Basics: the latest on energy, transport and the opportunities that being a sustainable business can bring.
- 14 February – 11:00-12:00 Sustainable Marketing: how to market your business sustainably, how to market your sustainable creds and how to talk about it and maximise it for business value and growth.
- 21 February – 11:00-12:00 Building a Green Community: learn how strong peer group, community support, local eco-systems and local initiatives can greatly enhance and build your sustainable practices and knowledge.
- 28 February – 11:00-12:00 Measurement: measuring carbon, measuring impact and measuring your progress.
- 7 March – 11:00-12:00 Financing Sustainability: learn about grants, others sources of cash, bootstrapping opportunities and more.
- 14 March – 11:00-12:00 Accreditations: learn how to apply, who to apply to, what helps, what works for customers, bids, costs and what is coming next.
At the end of the course all participants will receive a virtual award and digital “badge” to say they have completed Business for Good: Green Skills for Small Business.
For more information and to sign up:
Need to be more digitally competitive?
We have partnered with Newham College to support 550 SMEs in the borough in capitalising on emerging digital and e-commerce technologies to drive their long-term growth.
Called the Local London E-business programme, it provides a menu of support and training to develop skills and knowledge of digital technology and applications across all sectors.
If you have been trading for a minimum of six months and would like to simply improve your online presence, increase turnover by creating content that converts into actual sales or you just want to introduce new efficient CRM technologies that will help you save time and money in the long-term, then this e-business programme is for you. It will give you access to expert digital business advisors who can help you to organically grow your business. The programme will tailor the support and provide sessions that work around your availability.
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The Aspers Good Causes Fund
The Aspers Good Causes Fund is inviting applications to grants up to £7,500 from any not-for-profit Newham organisations in the education, art, dance, music, sport and environment sectors.
This fund was set up by Stratford's Aspers Casino and the Council to support community projects that help residents to build confidence and skills and to improve community life in Newham.
Applications open on Wednesday 1 February and close at 17:00 on Tuesday 28 February.
For more information:
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Creative Catalyst 2023 Programme
Creative Catalyst 2023 is inviting applications for up to £50,000 from SMEs which support or operate in the advertising and marketing, architecture, arts and culture, broadcasting (including sport, crafts, design, fashion, film, games, music, publishing) sectors.
Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, which is the non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy providing financial support to organisations to make new products and services. Its Creative Catalyst 2023 programme is designed to scale up end-to-end innovation support for high potential businesses in the creative sector through financial and non-financial activities.
Applications close on 15 February.
For more information:
Give your business a competitive edge with the Help to Grow: Management Course
The Help to Grow: Management Course is designed and delivered by entrepreneurs and industry experts from world-class business schools. It provides:
- access to 12 weeks of learning designed to fit alongside work commitments
- development of a bespoke business growth plan to help your business reach its full potential
- 1:1 support from a business mentor
- networking opportunities.
The programme is 90% funded by the Government, so you only pay £750.
For more information:
Energy Bills Discount Scheme changes
From 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024 businesses will receive a discount when the wholesale prices go over a certain price threshold and with a limit placed to the level of discount a business can receive:
- Gas: a unit of up to £6.97/MWh discount will be applied when the wholesale price goes above £107/MWh.
- Electricity: a unit discount of up to £19.61/MWh will be applied when the wholesale price goes above £302/MWh.
As before, businesses do not need to apply for the discount as suppliers will automatically apply reductions.
The Government’s aim is to strike a balance between supporting businesses over the course of the next twelve months and limiting taxpayers’ exposure to the volatile energy markets.
Energy intensive sectors will receive higher levels of support – for more details on this and the full announcement:
 It is with great sadness we share news of the death of John James, who was Secretary of Newham Chamber of Commerce (NCC).
He was involved with NCC for over 20 years and passed away in hospital 21 January. John had a great relationship with the Council and the wider business community. Also, he had a huge and positive impact on SMEs in the borough.
John will be remembered as a warm and kind man who gave so much energy and dedication to his role at the NCC.
The NCC has set up a messages of condolence page. To sign it:
Events and exhibitions
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StartUp Show is sold out
This has now sold out. However, you can still secure a virtual ticket for just £2.50 – it takes place on 28 January 09:30-16:30.
To find out more and to buy tickets:
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Supporting Trans People of Colour
16 February – 18:30-20:00 The Gate Library, Woodgrange Road London E7
A conversation with Sabah Choudrey, author of Supporting Trans People of Colour: How to Make Your Practice Inclusive. Supporting Trans People of Colour uses case studies, tips, checklists and anonymous survey results to set out best practice for any professionals working with trans people to create safer spaces, support and awareness.
This event will have British Sign Language interpretation.
To find out more and to register for the event:
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London Muslim Shopping Festival
25-26 February – 10:00-18:00 ExCeL London
This event attracts brands from all over the world looking to tap into the Muslim consumer market and the Ramadan consumer economy.
To exhibit your products or services:
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For general entry tickets:
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