ENGLISH

The Mayor of Tower Hamlets has urged local residents and businesses to add their voice to a joint Tower Hamlets Council, East End Trades Guild and Hackney Council petition urging a rethink on the government's planned hike in business rates. The local petition, with more than 2,700 signatures, highlights the impact on independent East End businesses and calls on the Government to stop the implementation of new valuations until they have committed to: ● increasing the rates relief for small businesses and introducing a new relief system for medium businesses ● devolving the operation and setting of London's business rates to London's government so they better suit the challenges of the Capital. Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs said: "Many small and medium sized businesses have expressed co...

More than 150 people discussed the future of the Isle of Dogs with Mayor John Biggs at a packed Ask the Mayor event. The session at Jack Dash House, Marsh Wall, gave people who live on the island the chance to give their views on and aspirations for the area's development. The Isle of Dogs and South Poplar are undergoing major change with the rapid construction of residential and commercial developments. More than 2095 housing units were built in the Isle of Dogs/South Poplar area between April 2014 and December 2016. The population of the Isle of Dogs is expected to be one of the fastest growing areas in the country over the next decade. The mayor made it clear that he supports the views of residents that new developments must meet the needs of the local community including affordable hou...

A housing fraudster was given a custodial sentence of 16 months after defrauding the council of more than £64,000. Mr Abdul Aziz pleaded guilty to Fraud contrary to Section 3 of the Fraud Act 2006 at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 10 February 2017. Mr Aziz claimed to be living in overcrowded conditions in 2011, despite joint owning a property in Ilford where he lived, and was awarded a one bedroom housing association property with Newlon Housing Trust. His actions prevented a legitimately homeless person from being housed while the property was illegally sublet. The court is now deciding how much of the £64,000 he must pay back. John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets said: "I am pleased we are now able to offer this much needed property to a genuinely homeless person. "We will always take steps to...