The Brockley Assembly: a new voice for local people?
Lewisham Council has come up with a new way of listening to its constituents: local assemblies for each council ward. These were suggested by the mayor's commission and passed by the council last year, and Brockley's version is due to launch next week.
The assembly will meet four times a year and all local residents are invited to attend. It aims to give residents the opportunity to:
- Discuss and share what matters to them;
- Work with councillors and others to shape the neighbourhood;
- Raise issues of concern to the mayor and other public bodies;
- Find out what is happening in Brockley;
- consider how Brockley's £10,000 annual Locality Fund should be spent.
The assembly's priorities will be taken on by a working group chaired by councillor Dean Walton. Other local councillors will also attend.
Brockley Ward:
Tuesday 13 May 2008, Lewisham College, Breakspears Building, SE4 1UT from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Crofton Park Ward:
Wednesday 2 July 2008, St Hildas Church Hall, Brockley Road, SE4 2DG from 7:30pm to 9:30pmLadywell Ward:
Thursday 26 June 2008, St Andrews Church Hall, Brockley Road, SE4 2SA from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Telegraph Hill Ward:
Tuesday 17 June 2008, Meadowgate School, Revelon Road, Brockley, SE4 2PR from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
You can find out more about the assemblies here.
This could potentially be a powerful voice for Brockley's interests in the wider coucil area, but on the other hand it could simply be a talking shop. It also remains to be seen how well the assembly will work with existing community-based groups such as the Brockley Cross Action Group, which fulfils some of the assembly's remit already. However it seems to be a promising development and Brockley Central hopes to follow its progress in the months to come.
