Covent Garden London
The heart of London's West End
Camden Councillors
Covent Garden has an eclectic mix of residencies, business and entertainment venues. This poses challenges for us in Camden on how best to provide services which meet the needs of this diverse community, and by this, I mean, not only the content of services but the manner in which they are delivered.
The intensifying polarisation of income and wealth in Covent Garden means that we must focus on reducing inequality and thereby enhance the quality of life for all our residents.
The majority of Councillors in Camden feel that this type of social inclusion is imperative in order to prevent disparity between different social groups, that is why we voted overwhelmingly to reject proposals to hold new style assemblies, where the public would be excluded, not only from arguing for a better deal for the locality, but also from the decision making process of Local Government. You have an enviable record in Covent Garden of engaging with statutory agencies to create a better environment for the community, this must not change!
Bloomsbury Councillors have worked with community associations to fight for social housing in Covent Garden. During this year we have had three new Soho Housing developments in the area, Green Dragon Court, Aviation House and 14 Stukeley Street. However, we need much more, allowing people to remain in the locality, in order to retain social cohesion in our community. I am hoping to see some vibrant tenant associations formed in these new homes, in the near future.
As local Councillors, we will continue to fight for the best deal in planning gains from the developers, and continue to support the community based Seven Dials Housing Association. Sustained interest and demand for Central London homes has meant an increase in private residences in Covent Garden, I welcome all new home owners and businesses to the area, and aim to work within the Council to achieve improvement in service provision, not only in the manner in which they are delivered, but monitoring their responsiveness to citizens needs.
The constant traffic in and around Covent Garden has a significant consequence on the health of residents and the local environment, which has resulted in it being designated as a Clear Zone area, where funding will be provided to deal with traffic and the excessive emissions which this produces.
Within local government we are progressing with 'joined up partnerships' notably with the Health agencies and the Police. The borough is within the Health Action Zone partnership which has resources to specifically improve service delivery, in certain areas. There is a need within Covent Garden to provide improved access to GPs and community services, especially resources for the children and young people who have little or no recreational service provision at present. During the next year we will be targeting this fund to hopefully provide more appropriate services to this group.
We will work with the Police to combat the escalating incidence of increased drug abuse and concomitant crime and disorder, which residents have to suffer and live with on a daily basis. The Commissioner, Sir John Stevens aims to work with communities to 'make London the safest city in the world', Covent Garden must be a priority need area on his agenda, for without improvement here, regeneration strategies fail.
The local Council, Health agencies and Police Service must, above all, listen to our community and deliver services to our people, which they need and deserve.
Cllr Patricia Callaghan, Bloomsbury Ward
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