Following yesterday’s announcement by the chancellor of an enterprise zone covering the Royal Docks in the East End of London, the mayor of Newham has warned that the zone must avoid the mistakes of enterprise zones in the past.

Sir Robin Wales says: “We have led the call for an enterprise zone in this area, as a key foundation of our post-Olympics legacy.

“Newham has significant need for growth as we have a lower than average employment rate for our working age population, and a relatively small business base. We have already had success in getting people into work through our Workplace model, but it’s vital we create more jobs for people over the coming years.

“It is also vital that these new zones do not repeat the mistakes of the past and deliver benefits to our workless community. We will now focus on working closely with government about the detail of the zone to ensure it meets the needs of Newham and get the maximum benefit for new and existing businesses.

“However, overall this budget does little to support my residents who are dealing with the savage cuts imposed on this borough and wider public services.”