Listening to St Mary’s residents

Community safety, housing and creating opportunities for all of Wandsworth’s residents were top of the list of discussion topics at the latest open drop-in event hosted by the council.

The event was a chance for residents to discuss the issues that matter most to them with Simon Hogg, the leader of Wandsworth Council, as well as getting advice directly from council officers.

With Wandsworth recently reaffirming its commitment to keeping council tax low, Simon highlighted the council’s sound financial position, alongside having London’s largest Cost of Living support fund, as he pointed out that “value for money is at the heart of everything we do”.

Some of the topics discussed included community safety, including more than 1,200 CCTV cameras working alongside new CCTV vans which allow for a flexible and targeted approach to crime prevention.

Residents spoke to Simon about anti-social behaviour, pavement repairs, street trees and education.

Emphasising the council’s commitment to supporting children with special educational needs, Simon said: “We’ve invested in new school places for children with SEND, including the new purpose-built Paddock School in Tooting.
“It’s a huge priority for us to get that top quality education for children within the borough.”

Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture was showcased, as more than 90 per cent of the borough’s schools have been involved in one of the many exciting events.

Simon was joined by organisations including Neighbourhood Watch and community energy company Crew Energy during the roadshow in Caius House in Holman Road.

Advice was available on a range of council services including housing, street cleansing, waste and recycling, and community safety.

Residents also had chance to contribute their ideas for how best to improve their local area through the council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, which uses payments from property developers to make neighbourhood improvements.

Simon spotlighted our Access for All concession scheme, which provides discounts and offers on sports and leisure, days out, education and other services.

Residents were able to find out more about the programme, and learn about the council’s partnerships with organisations including Go Ape and Lime Bikes, to provide discounts for eligible residents.

More than 10,000 residents have now signed up for the Access for All scheme, making use of the range of concessions across the borough.

Simon added: “Hearing from our residents at the latest community drop-in is crucial for us in continuing to deliver services across the borough that meet people’s needs.
“Listening to residents is at the heart of our work.”

Find your local drop-in

The community drop-in events are continuing across the borough every month this year. Find out more about the local drop-ins.

If you can’t attend in person, you can send in a question ahead of time or share your views by emailing hello@wandsworth.gov.uk.

A listening council

This is all part of our commitment to be a listening council that is modern, open, and working for you.
This includes our new 7 rings, 7 days guarantee, which means calls to the council’s dedicated 0208 871 6000 number will be answered by a member of staff within 7 rings.

A new email address, hello@wandsworth.gov.uk, is also available for residents to get in touch.
In addition, if a resident reports graffiti, a broken street sign, or a dangerous pothole, it will be fixed within 7 days, to ensure everyone can have pride in their neighbourhood.