CAMPAIGNING groups and individuals frustrated with local government met to discuss how to shake up the council in order to get their demands met.
About 50 people packed a hall in Jewel Road, Walthamstow, last Wednesday to vent shared disappointments with the council and the possibility of creating a non-political group to challenge seats at the next election.
At the meeting, Darren O'Grady, secretary of Waltham Forest Trades Council, said: “It is about putting our demands on the table because they have been ignored for so long.
“It is about saying, we want a cinema, a library, we don't want our books burned. We need to work out what pins us together and create a basic manifesto.”
A St James' Street Library campaigner said people are fed up because there is no cinema or library in her ward and they are facing losing their swimming pool.
She said the local campaigns need to work together to become stronger and to get someone elected onto the council “to build a grass roots campaign”.
Though no decisions were made on possible candidates or issues they might champion as part of an electoral campaign, a further meeting is being arranged to decide on the main issues.
Michael Gold, of the William Morris Independent Trust, who called the meeting alongside Adrian Stannard of the Civic Society, said many people are frustrated with the three main political parties and said there “is hope” in local government for change because it is currently a hung council.
He said: “Can we put together an organisation that can win seats? There may be a perfect opportunity to tackle the three parties because despite the bravado they have been shaken.”
Resident Martin Duncan Jones said if one independent councillor was elected in each ward, it had the potential to be the largest group on the council and people should not be “too unambitious”.
A Leyton Triangle campaigner received a unanimous round of applause when he criticised the council for its consultation process and claimed plans are made by the council then the public is asked their opinion too late in the day.
He said: “We want a council that will listen more to what we want.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel