Merton Council and its partners are calling on residents to help them build the new Community Plan to take the borough forward into the next decade. A new website has been launched and the Merton Partnership – a multi-agency partnership of local stakeholders, including bodies such as the council, the police and health organisations – is encouraging you to visit and add your ideas.
The Community Plan will set out a blueprint of Merton’s aspirations for a safe, strong, healthy and vibrant borough. To make sure the long term vision for the borough keeps up to date with what local people want to happen and takes account of local, regional and national developments and emerging issues, the plan is now being updated by the Merton Partnership and a new ten-year Plan for 2009-2019 will be launched in June 2009.
The partnership is asking for residents’ comments to help it shape a plan that gives local people a clear vision of what they want Merton to be like ten years from the plan’s launch. If you live, work, go to school or are a regular visitor to the borough, the council is keen to hear your views on what you want Merton to be like and what can be done to make it a better place.
A special web page has been launched to gather people’s comments and the Merton Partnership is also building on the results of other public consultations and surveys which have taken place such as the annual residents’ survey. Views will also be gathered at the new community forums taking place around the borough.
Councillor David Williams, Leader of Merton Council and Chairman of the Merton Partnership said:
“The more we hear from local people about what they like and don’t like about Merton and what they want it to be like in the future, the more we can develop a strategy that puts their needs first by placing these concerns and aspirations at its heart.
” To ensure we can keep delivering the best services at good value for money we need to know what residents want, so please do get involved and help us build a community plan that works for you.”
Chief Superintendent Chris Bourlet, Merton police and member of the Merton Partnership said:
“Policing by consent is a fundamental element of British policing. In Merton we do all we can to keep the borough one of the safest in London. We can only continue to do this if we understand what is important to the community we serve. The consultation will help us draw up plans to make Merton even safer in the future.”
To get involved and have your say about the future development of Merton please log on to the council website and send us your comments.
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Notes to Editor:
The Merton Partnership is a multi-agency partnership of local stakeholders including Merton Council, the Metropolitan Police Service, the London Fire Brigade, Merton Voluntary Service Council, Merton Chamber of Commerce, Jobcentre Plus, Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust, Merton Racial Equality Partnership, Merton Unity Network, Merton College, the Merton Interfaith Forum, the Learning and Skills Council, as well as local Members of Parliament.