Other+issues+-+Keep+It+Local


 * RESIDENTS PLEDGE TO WORK FOR STRONGER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HARINGEY**

On Oct 29th 2005 around 40 people from 25 local residents’ organisations attended a __‘Keep It Local!’__ residents’ conference.

There were presentations from local residents associations outlining how their activities had made a real difference to their local neighbourhood and community. There were also very positive workshop discussions on: The needs of children & young people; The needs of older people; Improving our local environment and streets; Planning & development in our neighbourhoods; How do we improve local services and facilities?; How do we create strong local residents groups and associations?

At the end of the conference the following guidelines were agreed by the participants.


 * " Keep It Local!** There are a wide range of highly diverse neighbourhoods and local communities throughout Haringey of all sizes and character. However, many of the issues affecting our lives will be the same or very similar, wherever we live in the borough.

Residents in each locality need to discuss and identify what their most important issues are, and which improvements are needed to their local environment, facilities, services and general conditions - to ensure the best possible quality of life for all who live there, and to ensure strong and sustainable communities. We call for adequate resources to ensure that the improvements can be achieved.

There will no doubt be a mixture of views which will reflect the great diversity of people’s situations, experiences and backgrounds. We recognise this as a strength, and believe that building strong communities is a process of bringing people together, encouraging communication and co-operation, and taking action together to make things better.

We believe in the following 10 general principles:

1. We support efforts to improve local neighbourhoods and communities, and the lives of residents. 2. We oppose whatever is against the interests of local communities and neighbourhoods, and the lives of residents. 3. We seek improvements to the local environment and to the liveability and safety of the local street-scape. 4. We support conserving and of enhancing the positive characteristics of our neighbourhoods. 5. We seek to improve the quality and availability of all the local services and facilities which people of all ages and circumstances need. 6. We seek improvements to people’s housing conditions 7. We seek to build up local awareness, communication and co-operation, as well as community safety and community spirit in general. 8. We support locally-accountable residents’ groups which take up the above issues and activities, and believe people should be encouraged to speak up for themselves about what they need and want. 9. We call for openness - including full residents’ consultation and participation - in all decision-making, especially for local communities affected by particular decisions. We believe that those most affected by decisions should be the main people to influence them. ”