Hollywood is moving East.

Last week, alongside Mayor Sadiq Khan, and leader of the council, Darren Rodwell, I was delighted to virtually attend the official announcement of the new Eastbrook Studios to be built in Dagenham.

This will bring in thousands of jobs and opportunities for people across the borough and the capital. It has also been very positive to see the council secure permission for the delivery of over 60 new affordable homes from its own company, Be First.

Kickstarting a new generation of high-quality council housing developments should be a key part of our efforts to tackle the housing crisis.

From City Hall, I have also published a new report, Policing by Consent, which looks at the areas the Metropolitan Police needs to address to improve trust and confidence in policing among London’s BAME communities. The report recommends that the Met needs to focus on five key areas: recruitment, retention, training, operational practice and community engagement.

Last month, I was pleased to have the opportunity to join Cllrs Rodwell and Mullane with police officers on the beat and discuss the challenges that they are facing during these difficult times.

At the last London Assembly plenary, I also proposed a motion backing the campaign being run by USDAW for specific legislation to be brought in against the abuse of shopworkers. It was great to see this motion pass – as we enter another lockdown, essential retail staff will yet again play a key role, but they must be protected from threats and attacks.