Residents in Tower Hamlets are being urged not to miss out on the opportunity to decide how to improve their communities.
\nLocal people have come up with dozens of improvement ideas as part of a recently-launched Tower Hamlets Council programme putting power in the hands of residents.
\nThrough the Mayor\u2019s Community Ward Forums, the Council has asked residents to decide how to spend a total of \u00a3170,000 on enhancing communities across the borough.
\nEach of the 17 wards in the borough has its own resident-run Forum, with \u00a310,000 to spend on the local area.
\nDuring February, the Forums will hold their second meetings, at which they will decide which of the ideas to proceed with.
\nTower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: \u201cThis is a golden opportunity for local people to help shape the future of their communities, as \u00a310,000 can make a real difference to an area.
\n\u201cThe turnout at the first round of meetings was really impressive and showed how much enthusiasm there is for this new programme.
\n\u201cLet\u2019s make sure this level of interest continues at the next meetings \u2013 that way we will know the chosen ideas have the support of the whole community.\u201d
\nDuring December each of the Forums held their first meeting, at which residents decided what the top priorities were in their area and came up with a range of ideas for initiatives and events that would help them achieve some of these priorities.
\nIdeas include healthy food awards for restaurants, a community festival, a new children\u2019s play area, planting fruit trees, on-street cycle storage, pop-up smoothie bars, creating music facilities and setting up art classes.
\nThe Forums are being supported by Community Champion Coordinators, local people who have volunteered to lead the process. The Council is stressing that the Coordinators are only responsible for the work of the Forums \u2013 other local issues should be directed through ward councillors as usual.
\nThe Forums\u2019 ideas are being costed and analysed further before they decide at their next meetings which of them to concentrate on and take forward.
\nFor more information on the Community Ward Forums visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk\/localforums<\/p>\n