The Assembly was separated into four priority areas:
- Community development and cohesion, including services for older people.
- Community Safety/Policing and Enforcement.
- Environment, including parks and green area.
- Youth provision and support.
The Assembly was hosted in three rounds. The first round was a meet and greet, where the attendees introduced themselves to each other – names and where in the area they live, their work and interests, etc. I got to know the people at the table for Youth Provision and Support, and we talked about possible collaboration between Rising East and the council-run publication, Newham Mag. I was surprised to hear people talk about UEL as a ‘gated community’ with local people shut out of it; we agreed to try and do something about that.
Meanwhile the table prioritising environmental issues drew up a list of suggestions and demands, including: community notice boards outside rail stations, bus stops, parks and libraries; community clean-up events; workshops with primary school children and family-oriented events; residents should be better informed of waste disposal procedures; and landlords must be more accountable for tenants who are fly-tipping.
In rounds two and three we addressed questions such as: what would we like to see happen in Beckton and Royal Docks as a result of the community plan? What activities or projects would help to realise the plan?
At the Safety and Policing table, many concerns and questions were raised: residents feel at risk due to a high number of crimes; local people reported being afraid to walk in alley-ways; young people are socialising in groups and this can sometimes cause fear for other people living in the area.
Stereotypically groups of young people are associated with “gangs” linked to crime, drugs, and danger. This association is often groundless, but it has real effects nonetheless.
The further suggestions that came out of the Assembly include:
- ‘Beckton Cares’ – a project for older people and youth to do things together, to have barbecues, outings, and games across the generations, the message being “we are one.”
- Mentoring for children and young people, encouraging them to have positive activities and role models.
- Education and information to support parents.
- Police officers to be more visible on the streets.
- More community police support for older people.
- Positive relations between the community and UEL.
- Closer police involvement/engagement in local area.
- Crime-stoppers etc to be publicised.
- More extensive CCTV coverage.
- To encourage involvement on the part of residents, programmes like ‘street week’ where the police actively target a street each week and attempt to meet everyone who lives there.
