Building Strong Communities

Suggested by nathanpmyoung 02 May

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Last activity 3 years ago

Allow immigration visas for those who move and live in London. London could hand out its own visas for people to live and work here. “But what if they leave London?” The visas would be on a country by country basis. If too many people from a country break the terms of the visa, the cap from that country is halved next year. If people abide by the rules, the cap is increased. Countries who play fair get more visas, those who don’t are penalised.

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Suggested by nathanpmyoung 02 May

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Last activity 3 years ago

Allow streets to vote on their planning laws. If the plan gets a majority of voters, then all houses can build extensions according to the rules. Makes it easier for residents to improve their own houses with rules they agree to. This would lead to more housebuilding and more valuable homes for those who want to build extensions. And if a street doesn’t like this they don't have to. It's up to them. Laid out in more detail here: https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Strong-Suburbs.pdf

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Suggested by Ebuaki 22 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

Croydon Town Centre's main pedestrianised zone is called North End and has taken a downturn in its fortunes from recession austerity in 2008, Brexit and a current pandemic to contend with. The loss of big department stores like Allders in 2012 and Debenhams in 2020 have left many buildings looming large and abandoned. Like many high streets, North End, once a prominent destination for people, has now become somewhat of an afterthought when up against online shopping. Walking through the pedestrian precinct, the gloom of the weather does not really aid the bleakness of closed shops. Is there any way in which this very long pedestrian walkway can be greener? The current tree planting is certainly not thriving, so perhaps turn it into more of a garden along the central section and take away the old and dirty beige paving that dominates the area looking worn and tired. Croydon was hailed as the second unhappiest place to live and looking at it, didn’t inspire me to think differently. An appreciation of the outdoors has definitely been underlined during lockdown, so why not make high streets greener, especially over such a large, long area of central Croydon? The shopping experience is changing so why not make it something greener, wilder and healthier for all? From pedestrian precinct to pedestrian garden.

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Suggested by C_Mullan 21 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

Please can we have standards for pavements introduced and applied so that pavements are fit for walkers of all ages, and wheelchairs, buggies and other mobility and transport aids. Pavements in my neighbourhood are in an appalling state making them hazardous to walk or try to push a buggy or wheelchair: deep cutthroughs; uneven, cracked pavers; bad laying so that rain leaves deep puddles. My neighbour cannot safely push her husband in his wheelchair, I have damaged my knee tripping over a badly cut driveway. I have seen an elderly gentleman fall when his stick went into a deep hole left by a broken paver. Also, please can we have more and better cycle lanes to keep bicycles off pavements. It doesn't help when cyclists use pavements to escape from unsafe roads.

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Suggested by Absolute 18 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

There HAS to be a better way of housing people in London. All we are seeing is demolition, overseas investors, councils pushing through high rise towerblocks and of the small areas left of green land on council estates being 'infilled'; All this means locals are getting priced out of the market and the waiting list for council housing goes up and up; families are moved out of the area or crammed into unsuitable temporary space, whilst 1 in 12 properties sit empty; either on the market for YEARS or sit as empty investment properties that cost more than TWENTY FIVE times the average wage. Southwark is selling off land, chopping down trees, demolishing perfectly good buildings rather than retrofitting them (retro is usually cheaper & much better for the environment) and then trying to market it all as if its 'regeneration for all' - MY IDEA ::::: so I would like to see an investigation to weed out into the corrupt, revolving door, pocket lining councillors who are only interested in themselves and then put some investment into hiring TALENTED, environmentally & socially aware & focused town planners to work with the communities to find REAL solutions rather than plastering over increasingly large cracks....THEN the few genuinely community focused councillors can actually start to engage with the people in their wards rather than spending 99% of their time trying to hold others to account and ending up being exhausted from constantly having to battle for basic services. We need to incentivise council staff with targets that benefit the people who LIVE here; retrofitting rather than demolishing, real green space rather than a sq m per person balcony to fill a quota, truly mixed developments and transparent monitoring systems. We need to invest in PEOPLE to stop developers from calling the shots. We urgently need a system where the community are valued by those looking after them and they in turn are looked after, supported and valued by the community.

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There are so many carparks that are closed or have no access to them any more. Business and communities should be able to 'take back' these spaces for community projects (local business markets, urban farming etc.) rather than to sit empty. As a business owner, I'd like to see more inter-community support from greening projects. Yes, we can put insect gardens on bus stop shelters, plant wildflowers on verges etc. But this isn't anything new, we need a fund that can be allocated to such projects - using local business, local, jobs, local knowledge sharing. The opportunities are endless. The access to the space to make it happen, is extremely limited. Another part of this is for wider support for small business who need to invest in their operations. Being sustainable is prohibitively costly, so why not reduce those costs by making the investments more common place. To do this, we have to rethink that a property is 'retail' for instance and think how it could be retrofitted to suit a local business. Afterall, small business are held back by exactly this, and why so many move out of London. Just as they're paying employees, larger taxes etc. Totally preventable - that growth should be here in London!

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Around BR1 the corner of the streets are vacant public plots, these are just grassed over, and not used and so people just dump mattress's and other rubbish on them. We basically have a mini fly tip on each street corner, Could these corners be given over to local community groups who could activate them - with seating planting or play equipment ? some thing to show it is used and so discourage fly tipping? Thank You

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Suggested by GeorgiaGS 06 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

As all those that live in Islington know, we are the borough with the smallest amount of green space available for its community coming in at 61%.We need to love and care for every inch we can.The environment has recently enjoyed an unprecedented level of publicity, with scrutiny falling particularly on the impacts of city living and we need to show the we care and are taking responsibility.Having lived on Petherton Road for over 15 years, I have tried very hard - along with neighbours, to care and tend to what we can. Help keep it a tidy, safe and fun place to be. Over the years the “path” down the middle has become more than just a site for sore eyes. It is now a liability. It is now a popular commuting walk for those traveling to the relatively recently updated Overground line and Canonbury Station. It is a favourite walk and sociable place for local dog owners. It is a common place for teenagers to walk down on their way to the local schools.It is a valuable part of the famous New River Walk of which people walk diligently at all times of year.For over three months of the year, it is hardly useable, unless you have a steady foot and a pair of wellingtons. There was a temporary solution offered in the past of bark chippings, a lovely idea but the reality was that it made the situation even worse as the chippings simply spread wider and wider, were impossible to walk on with a pram or wheelchair and made it much harder for the tender grass to come back though in the warmer spring period.The path is now so wide, there is hardly any actual green left. Even in the summer it hardly has a chance to recover.Re site the seats and the dog bins so that the path can be used by new parents and prams and disabled members of the community. The bins are a fantastic resource, but they really don’t need to be right in the middle of the path making it impossible to walk or be wheeled down.There can be no argument that a path is a successful answer.New benches all the way along

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Suggested by cardriver 03 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

Here in Thornton Heath there are no places of greenery, trees are always being cut down, the traffic on the Pond is out of control and increasing the air pollution and there are many beggars/unsavoury people on the street which cause people to feel unsafe. We need areas of greenery and safety for all, young and old. The streets need to be more pedestrianised so that people can walk safely. Poverty and unemployment need to be tackled. The local shops could also do with improvements as they look run down. Also there needs a greater impetus regarding the rubbish/fly-tips on the streets for eg reinstating a free annual removal of 5-6 items by the council plus reducing their price for rubbish removal as many have lost their incomes due to the pandemic and so can't afford for their rubbish to be taken away. With regards to the Pond maybe it could go back to being a pond and having grass around it.

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Suggested by FaithA.B 01 April

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Last activity 3 years ago

City Leaders is about giving Young people the chance to be the change that they want to see. A holistic programme that educates Young people on many issues and gives them the chance to get involved in the solution. The issues we will cover is Crime ( school to prison pipeline knife violence gang violence/ culture gun violence/culture) Poverty, Mental health ,unemployment and empowering Young woman. The whole programme is based on problem solution resolve. We will deliver workshops that educate Young people on the problem the root cause the systems that allow this issue to keep growing and then we will come up with a solution (Activity)and the resolve is the action that will take place. The event will address the issue and also be a celebration of us overcoming the issue. Workshop- Activity- Event We would complete this by networking with other organisations. Such as Waltham Forest Young Advisors Project Zero, Clore Leap, The Agency, GLA, Connecting communities Young Londoners fund Abianda London Youth etc. Young people will gain the following: Each Young person will have a coach and mentor Training and development The chance to be a part of something The chance to practice what they have learnt Skills Leadership Progression Employment and other opportunities. This programme aims to create positive change in the community using who we know and what we know and creating positive opportunities out of problems that affect Young people and everyone else in Society.

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Suggested by AnotherWaspiWoman 29 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

There is little to do with very young children when the weather is cold. We need free indoor spaces with soft play etc to stimulate them. These should be free and open all day long. Ideally you would have spaces designed for babies, 1-2 year olds, 2-3 year olds and 3-5s.

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Suggested by Sweeneyjn 28 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

Surbiton stations is usually full of idling taxis (pre pandemic). Also car park spaces for about 10 cars at front of station when there are 3 other car parks within a 2 minute walk Could be redesigned so the space in front of the station is car free nd the taxi rank moved elsewheew. Opens up possibilties of tables/chairs for residents, markets and entertainment . Much better use of space.

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Suggested by Dubuffet 27 March

1 comment
Last activity 3 years ago

There is a secret walled garden plot in Hatchard Road, N19 next to the railway line. This is gated, locked and private. It used to be well kept, planted with mature trees and seating. But it has had no upkeep over the pandemic, it is now overgrown, full of litter and a hangout for foxes, it stinks! I think the land belongs to the electricity board? - there is a substation next door. Perhaps this garden can be acquired by the council and given over to a community garden project to maintain and put it back in to use for the local community. There is a community centre nearby with many container plants on the street already. This reuse would be a great asset for the locals and help put this garden back into use for the community to give this street bit of a social focus. And better than just adding a building there.

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Suggested by Curlygirl 26 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

There is a severe lack of public toilets in London, and London boroughs do not have a duty to provide toilets. Lack of public toilets is a major issue for 1 in 5 people. This includes older people, disabled people, pregnant women, parents with young children, people with certain health conditions: IBS, Crohn’s, Colitis or bladder weakness, people who drive for a living and homeless people This has a serious impact on their wellbeing, limits their ability to go out to exercise, travel to visit loved ones, go shopping, pick up medication or even travel to work. Some people become almost housebound, and socially isolated This also creates a public health risk, due to lack of handwashing facilities, and as people relieve themselves in the open. Provision Could it be mandatory for public buildings and stores of a certain size to provide toilets for use by the public. For example DIY stores, leisure centres, pubs, galleries, libraries, museums, council offices. Can the number of Community toilets schemes be increased-local businesses are paid by the borough to allow non-customers to use their toilets, and display window signs to inform the public that their toilets are available. However it must be ensured that Community toilets offer extended opening hours, disabled access, and baby change. Information Up to date and detailed information is needed, e.g a map on the internet which shows where toilets are, when they are open, and the facilities offered such as disabled access or baby changing facilities . Also street signage, telephone helplines, printed leaflets and maps, websites and mobile phone applications.

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Suggested by Anthony Paish 25 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

Where I live, in Barnes, SW13, nearly every household has one or two cars, and most of them are parked not on their own driveways (garages have been converted into additional rooms) but on the road outside. I suggest that on-road car parking should be made much more expensive and people encouraged to give up their own cars and encouraged to join car clubs, whose sites should be multiplied.

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Just something to help life along.

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Mandate product & packaging identification: One of the leading causes of waste crime is the very low chance of detection and prosecution, however most products and a good proportion of packaging already contains coded information. It would be very feasible and cost effective to implement compulsory inclusion of auditable tracking on all products and packaging. As well as serving to reduce other crime such as burglary / theft, an audit trail for all products and packaging would allow highly efficient identification and prosecution of offenders. Legislation could hold the individual or company at the last available audit point responsible, so if fast food retailers fail to record the identity of customers (e.g. coded vehicle registration or card transaction record on packaging) then they are held liable for any resulting offence. Similarly households failing to get receipts from responsible waste disposal agents are liable if the waste is subsequently fly tipped. With a strong audit trail and the threat of identification and prosecution for improper disposal, behaviour would soon change. Enforcement of waste crime in the UK is a joke. Despite the UK having one of the world’s highest density of CCTV surveillance and a range of significant penalties, the chances of detection and prosecution are virtually nil, and this is a major contributor to the problem. The UK’s extensive surveillance network including ANPR could be used to identify waste crime offenders, and much like existing parking enforcement, automated systems could issue fixed penalties which place the responsibility on offenders to appeal. With the massive increase in smartphones and dashcams, it would be easy to implement a citizen reporting scheme where pictures or footage with clear evidence of littering from vehicles could be submitted and generate automatically issued fixed penalties. Implement a public awareness campaign to drive home that waste offenders will be identified and prosecuted.

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Suggested by Fran_ELWP 22 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

The East London Waterworks Park is an idea conceived by local people. At its heart is a community group that wants to acquire and transform a 5.68-hectare site into a brownfield rainforest offering people the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature. Currently a fenced-in concrete depot in the middle of a swathe of green space, acquiring the land and building the East London Waterworks Park will reconnect the lower Lea Valley. It will also showcase an environment-first community-led approach to land ownership that will transform the way we think about green spaces. And it will provide space for people to experience a range of activities that will improve physical and mental health and improve biodiversity, including wild swimming in Victorian filter beds and conservation volunteering. Visit spacehive (https://www.spacehive.com/east-london-waterworks-park) to find out more, or sign up for updates on our website: https://www.elwp.org.uk/ContactUs.htm

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Suggested by woolwich10 22 March

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Last activity 3 years ago

A206 through Woolwich. Yes, it is a busy road, but it is also a very busy road forpedestrians a cyclists. 30 mph almost always exceeded. If the road is clear, bya considerable amount. Noise, impatient behaviour, motor cycle bravado, and speed. Please record it to understand that the many pedestrians crossing this road have to dodge across, even on the crossings. This stretch of road is heavily populated, so this level of upheavel, even at all hours is not conducive to a peaceful existence. This is a shared environment, not an industrial site.

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We can't believe you've given up on this .. So Why do you let wandsworth council & MPs multi-times disgraced builders, Taylor Wimpey, go ahead with the destruction of our trees & genereation of much toxic air at York Gardens SW11 ? Our children are at grave risk & some with die because of your decision - according to data provided by Royal Charity , Fields In Trust. We will have nowhere to exercise & over 100 mature trees destroyed for 12 years at least ! Why did you allow this as is ? RK

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