It is all action stations again this month as the Action in Merton teams come to St Helier to help improve the area and advise on issues around the environment, crime, anti-social behaviour and health.
Teams from the council and the police, part of Safer Merton, will be around Canterbury Road taking action on Thursday 17 June and will be joined by other partners from Safer Merton including the health service. They will all be based around the Green Lane shop parade in St Helier on Friday 18 June to offer advice on how residents can keep safe and healthy.
This is the second of this year’s Action in Merton events taking place as part of a major initiative run by the council and its partners to make Merton a safer, cleaner and healthier place for all. The first AIM event in High Path took place at the end of May and a number of areas were given attention. Action included re-marking yellow lines to keep residential roads clear of unwanted cars, a litter pick by local Merton Abbey Primary School across the estate, re-painting the play area and also removing graffiti and re-painting lamp post columns.
In a change to previous AIM events the venues for the action have been chosen by residents at their local community forum. The Canterbury Road area was selected by members of the Morden community forum back in May and last week was visited by the teams to talk to residents and assess what action needed taking.
Day two on Friday 18 June, invites residents in the area to come along to the Green Lane shop parade and speak to teams about how to keep safe, prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, keep the family safe from fire risk and live a healthy lifestyle. The teams will be there from 10am until 2pm.
Councillor Edith Macualey, Merton Council cabinet member for community safety, engagement and equalities said:
” The first of this year’s event’s went well and through listening and responding to what our residents told us we were able to make real changes for residents in a very short amount of time.
” Crime is the top concern for our residents and we are dedicated to doing what we can to change this so residents feel safer. The Action in Merton events give us a great opportunity to do this in a way which is very specific to the area and can therefore achieve a greater impact and help us put residents’ needs first.”
Further AIM events will take place throughout Merton including Shannon’s Corner in Raynes Park on 22-23 July. To decide where the next AIM events take place, residents are invited to come and join discussions at the Colliers Wood Community Forum on Wednesday 16 June and Mitcham Community Forum on Tuesday 22 June.
Look out for information coming to your door or find out more at http://www.merton.gov.uk/aim