Listening to residents: Leader attends community drop-in event in Tooting Bec and South Balham wards

The event featured a Q&A session where residents raised questions about local priorities including cleaner streets, e-bikes and Tooting Triangle. Councillor Hogg outlined the Council’s work to tackle fly-tipping with our bulky waste scheme, expand our SEND offer for children in the borough, and invest in safer, greener public spaces.

The Q&A session featured questions from residents about a range of topics, including e-bikes and our new scheme to tackle badly parked e-bikes in the borough. Another theme in today’s questions was around Pride in our Streets and how the council is ensuring our streets are kept clean and well-maintained, through our 7 rings, 7 days guarantee and Cleaner Borough Plan.

Council Leader Simon Hogg said:

“It was fantastic to meet so many residents from Tooting Bec and South Balham ward today and hear what matters most to them.

“As a listening council, these conversations help us understand what is important to communities and how we can work together to make real improvements in the area.”

Simon Hogg was joined by Paul White (Cabinet Member for Environment), ward councillors, representatives from Citizens Advice Wandsworth, the local police team, and council officers from housing, waste and recycling, and community safety.

Ideas for neighbourhood renewal

Residents were invited to contribute to an interactive map and ideas wall, suggesting ways to use funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Councillor Hogg also highlighted recent investments in the area, including:

• More frequent Mega Skip Days and free bulky waste collections
• Improving our streets, through repairs to damaged street signs and jetwashing pavements such as Balham High Street
• Support for local policing through community safety initiatives
• Expanding our SEND education offer for children with the new Paddock School

New Tooting Triangle engagement hub

At today’s event, there was a stall with Council Officers explaining the new Transforming Tooting Triangle engagement hub that launched yesterday. Residents were able to speak with the council directly on their vision for this loved space in Tooting Commons and hear how they can get involved in the engagement hub.

Visit the Tooting Triangle engagement hub to have you say.

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 heretolisten@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.