Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman makes his New Year resolutions for the borough

I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you and your families the very best in 2014.

Traditionally, many start the new year with optimism and I am sure that Tower Hamlets has a positive future in spite of great challenges ahead.

I understand that you want your council to work even harder.

My resolution remains to build a better future locally, even though nationally times of austerity are continuing.

In Tower Hamlets we will continue to improve and protect services for all, making efficiency savings count while supporting the most vulnerable residents.

That is why, as we start to set our budget, I propose to freeze the council tax for the fifth year in a row and at the same time keep free home care and council tax benefit support.

Times may be tough but prudent planning has enabled us to invest in local regeneration projects and top priorities that matter to local people – education, housing and jobs.

Tower Hamlets leads the way when it comes to building new homes.

We are ranked one of the best boroughs in the country and were rewarded last month with the highest level of new homes bonus – millions of extra pounds that will be reinvested to build homes.

We have also had national recognition for the quality of our excellent schools and our innovative Idea Stores.

I want the Tower Hamlets success stories to continue in 2014.

Your council, working with its community partners, will strive hard to make that happen.