Like most people reading this forum I have been endlessly entertained by the lists of shops and services that forum members want on our high street. But after a while you are left longing for much of this effort to turn to action and wonder just how much of this is just hot air - amusing but fundamentally a dead end.
Of course, we should make plans for our locality. I'm always doing it and I'm sure most forum members are as well. But without actually getting to grips with the nitty gritty, it's all talk.
Take an example:
One member of this forum who posts daily, sometimes many times daily (!) with impassioned pleadings for changes to the high street is left asking on another thread who our MP and councillors are?!? What greater division could there be between theory and practice?
If you want to progress those "wish lists" for our locality please actually do something. At the very least come to the launch of the new Sydenham Assembly (6th March 7pm Naborhood Centre) where you can actually debate local issues and talk to local councillors. Hopefully at this meeting we will also see plans for the next round of consultation on the £2m Sydenham Road scheme. The new assembly will be something like the community councils which exist in Southwark and where local people control budgets.
Nothing against theorising but please, please turn it into action.
"Wish lists" versus action
I agree!
I couldn't agree more.
I absolutely hate people banging on about problems but then refuse to contact their councillor/MP about it because they think "what's the point"!!!
These people work for you.
If you contact MPs or councillors using the following site you tend to get a speedy response. Whether they respond in a timely manner is monitored by the site:
http://www.writetothem.com/
I absolutely hate people banging on about problems but then refuse to contact their councillor/MP about it because they think "what's the point"!!!
These people work for you.
If you contact MPs or councillors using the following site you tend to get a speedy response. Whether they respond in a timely manner is monitored by the site:
http://www.writetothem.com/
That person was me. You can refer to me by name Nasaroc, it's ok, or you can ask me questions directly if you want.
I use my real name in this forum.
I don't live in the area yet. I currently live in Brockley. Hopefully I will be able to move into my new home in Sydenham soon, it's been a long journey to find a place.
So tat is why I don't know who the local councillors are. I know my local ones where I currently live. I'd like to know who they are where I am moving to, so forgive my ignorance!.
I ask questions to find out what people think. Perhaps someone who is thinking of investing in this area might read what local people have to say.
This forum is for people to discuss local issues. Brands actually look at blogs such as these.
I think more people should be encouraged to come out and talk about things in these forums AND in public, one reason why I think the meeting the forums members had (which I went to) in the Dolphin was a good idea.
Having just got married abroad and buying a house at the same time it's difficult to make various meetings and yes, I haven't been to any recently.
Hopefully when I actually move to Sydenham I will. And I hope to see people who post on here at these meetings too.
Regarding writing to your local MP/councillor, it's better to gather information and do it together. I have found writing on your own really isn''t that effective as some people in the council prefer to ignore people for an easier life. All the more reason to air problems in public and try to make change together. It's far more effective as I am sure members of the Sydenham Society will testify (and I will be joining soon hopefully).
I use my real name in this forum.
I don't live in the area yet. I currently live in Brockley. Hopefully I will be able to move into my new home in Sydenham soon, it's been a long journey to find a place.
So tat is why I don't know who the local councillors are. I know my local ones where I currently live. I'd like to know who they are where I am moving to, so forgive my ignorance!.
I ask questions to find out what people think. Perhaps someone who is thinking of investing in this area might read what local people have to say.
This forum is for people to discuss local issues. Brands actually look at blogs such as these.
I think more people should be encouraged to come out and talk about things in these forums AND in public, one reason why I think the meeting the forums members had (which I went to) in the Dolphin was a good idea.
Having just got married abroad and buying a house at the same time it's difficult to make various meetings and yes, I haven't been to any recently.
Hopefully when I actually move to Sydenham I will. And I hope to see people who post on here at these meetings too.
Regarding writing to your local MP/councillor, it's better to gather information and do it together. I have found writing on your own really isn''t that effective as some people in the council prefer to ignore people for an easier life. All the more reason to air problems in public and try to make change together. It's far more effective as I am sure members of the Sydenham Society will testify (and I will be joining soon hopefully).
nasaroc - you seem to be hopeful that this new sydenham forum will actually bring about change to sydenham high street.
unfortunatly, beyond some minor street-scape improvements (£2m really doesn't buy very much these days), its total impact is likely to be marginal at best. realistically, local councillors and local community representatives are likely to be far less influential over how the high street will develop compared with:
a) transport for london at the station (unelected)
b) the LDA at crystal palace park (unelected)
c) private sector investors / developers on the high street (unelected).
unfortunatly, beyond some minor street-scape improvements (£2m really doesn't buy very much these days), its total impact is likely to be marginal at best. realistically, local councillors and local community representatives are likely to be far less influential over how the high street will develop compared with:
a) transport for london at the station (unelected)
b) the LDA at crystal palace park (unelected)
c) private sector investors / developers on the high street (unelected).
Dick P.
My argument isn't that we depend solely on the Sydenham Forum and our local council for all the changes we need locally, which is why I'm involved (with others) in regular top level meetings with TfL making sure that we get a much improved railway network post 2010 and with private developers along the high street etc. Many others (not me) have been involved in the many consultations run by the LDA at CP. Both the LDA and TfL are bodies which are directly answerable to elected councils - they have shown themselves to be very keen to consult the public - and, more importantly, they are spending lots of money locally.
£2m is enough to give us a new traffic and pedestrian system for the core of Sydenham Road. Of course, this isn't going to transform the high street on its own. But it will make the high street much more pleasant and safe for shoppers and pedestrians and make it much more likely that private investors will put money into businesses.
My main message is - don't just stand there do something! Attending Sydenham Forum is at least a start..
My argument isn't that we depend solely on the Sydenham Forum and our local council for all the changes we need locally, which is why I'm involved (with others) in regular top level meetings with TfL making sure that we get a much improved railway network post 2010 and with private developers along the high street etc. Many others (not me) have been involved in the many consultations run by the LDA at CP. Both the LDA and TfL are bodies which are directly answerable to elected councils - they have shown themselves to be very keen to consult the public - and, more importantly, they are spending lots of money locally.
£2m is enough to give us a new traffic and pedestrian system for the core of Sydenham Road. Of course, this isn't going to transform the high street on its own. But it will make the high street much more pleasant and safe for shoppers and pedestrians and make it much more likely that private investors will put money into businesses.
My main message is - don't just stand there do something! Attending Sydenham Forum is at least a start..
do something
I agree with lee, sharing ideas with others who have got the time to get actively involved surely is very useful and this forum is the perfect place for this. Bullying people into attending meetings they cannot make because they are not retired or have young families is not the way to make friends. I have been getting involved in my own way, as I said elsewhere I have attended some meetings, joined the Sydenham Society and emailed individual councillors, our LGA member and MP regarding local matters. I have also emailed local businesses directly if I have not been happy with something. This is an internet forum afterall, most of the users are using it for what it is intended. We are lucky we have such an active one, many areas cannot boast the same thing.