Stronger Together

We have worked together to manage the coronavirus pandemic and keep our local communities safe.

We have created vital services including the wellbeing service and a new domestic abuse support service. We delivered medication to the vulnerable, food to children who would normally be dependent on school dinners and essential PPE to our care homes. We developed online health and wellbeing support for residents, advice for businesses and new ways for our young people at risk to get help and remain safe.

The cost of delivering these services plus income losses over the period have cost us over £60.5 million. 

This video was published on 20 July.

The Government promise

In March 2020, The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP told 300 councils in the UK:

“My absolute priority is to ensure [councils] are well placed to respond to coronavirus and protect vital services, including social care. The government will provide whatever funding is needed for councils to get through this and come out the other side.”

So far we have received £43m less than what we needed to spend to deliver vital services to our residents.

What we have delivered

We have delivered lots of new services and ways of working, here are just a few of the things achieved:

• 1,700 packed lunches delivered to vulnerable children
• 157 rough sleepers helped off the streets
• 654 volunteers signed up
• 200 pharmacy pickups
• 801 food parcels delivered
• 19,486 calls to residents
• 4.25m items of PPE sourced 
• 50 parks and open spaces kept open safely

We haven't got much left to cut

We are coming out the other side of this pandemic because we are stronger together in Redbridge. Redbridge is one of the lowest funded councils in London but we are still one of the highest performing councils in the country.

Over the last ten years, our borough has faced £180m worth of cuts in government funding.

We haven't got much left to cut. Redbridge people deserve better.