Tower Hamlets Council is drafting a Strategic Vision 2035, aiming to create a borough where opportunities are shared equally among all residents.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee discussed the latest draft of the Strategic Vision 2035 at a meeting on Monday, with a focus on addressing inequality and ensuring every resident can live a good life and reach their full potential. The vision aims to define what Tower Hamlets should be like by 2035, outlining shared ambitions and how the council and its partners will work together to achieve them. The timeline for finalizing the Strategic Vision 2035 includes formal governance processes throughout December, with a launch around January. Following the launch, the council plans a three-month consultation period and continued work with partners to develop a delivery plan in the spring of next year.

According to the report pack, the development of the Strategic Vision has involved gathering feedback from residents and partners. In the second phase of consultation, the council engaged with an additional 401 people, including 160 residents through online surveys and drop-in sessions, and 115 partners. They also conducted ethnographic research with 16 residents. The council aims to continue engagement with participatory resident groups.

Residents and partners said that they were proud of the borough's history, that its diversity is its biggest strength, and that it has a strong economy and schools. They also noted that not everyone in Tower Hamlets has an equal opportunity to lead a good life, with too many residents stuck in low-paid, insecure work and struggling to make ends meet.

The draft vision states:

In Tower Hamlets, we have a proud tradition of standing together and supporting one another. We are a borough packed full of opportunity, but those opportunities aren't shared equally, yet. That's not something we will tolerate. So together, we'll work with kindness, creativity and determination to make sure every one of us can live a good life and reach our full potential.

The draft ambitions included:

  • People work side by side to improve Tower Hamlets for everyone.
  • All our children and young people get the best start.
  • Every adult has the chance to build a good life.
  • As people grow older, they can live well and stay connected.
  • Tower Hamlets is a place we're proud to call home.

The report pack stated that the council wants key stakeholders to understand the new vision and be inspired to align their work and take action to deliver it.

Councillor Abdi Mohamed raised concerns about the number of residents engaged in the development of the Strategic Vision 2035, arguing that under a thousand people isn't anywhere near enough for such an important document. He also said that the baseline is wrong and that the plan needs to be quite inclusive.

Councillor Amy Lee asked about the commitment to neighbourhood working, and how this would be different from the council's current approach. She asked what gaps need to be filled in terms of hyperlocal working.

Councillor Ahmed Khan asked how the council will eradicate hatred and racism, and how they will create a good life for adults who are not happy living in their homes.

Jonathan Lloyd, Strategic Director Change & Improvement, said that the vision is a statement of aspirations and ambitions for the borough, and does not contain all the answers. He said that the council wants to understand the different experiences of different groups of people around those ambitions.

The committee was invited to provide feedback on the draft strategic vision.