Alex Colas |
Make Willesden Green is an independent,
grassroots campaign for next year’s Brent Council elections. It is independent
because it is not affiliated to any political party, and it is grassroots
because its support stems from local residents who have been active in various
local campaigns to save our schools, our libraries, our A&E departments and
our community pub.
The
‘Make’ in Willesden Green is all about emphasising the participation of
ordinary residents in the public life of our neighbourhood. There is plenty of
community activity in Willesden Green – some of it political; other less so.
But it tends to be ignored by Brent Council and by our elected officers.
Make Willesden Green was set up over the
summer by residents who feel unrepresented by local Councillors and mainstream
parties, and who want to redress this imbalance. Our aim is to make connections between local campaigns like Save the
Queensbury, Save Gladstone Park School or Keep Willesden Green, and give them
an electoral voice at the Council elections next year. This electoral platform
emerges directly from the energies and ideas expressed around these campaigns,
but it does not claim their exclusive representation. Instead, Make Willesden
Green seeks to continue highlighting the democratic deficit in our Borough by
putting issues of democracy,
equality, sustainability, the defence of public realm and public services at
the centre of the electoral campaign.
If you agree with most or even all of these
aims, I would very much welcome your participation at the launch of Make
Willesden Green on Wednesday 23 October
2013 from 6-7pm at the Queensbury Deli, 68 Walm Lane, NW2
4RA (the tube station end of the High Road). You will hear brief statements from local campaigners explaining why they think we need Make
Willesden Green, and you will also get a chance to tell me, the candidate, what
you feel our campaigning priorities should be.
We
need to Make Willesden Green together. It will only work if it is powered through
the participation of local residents in whatever form you can offer: by
publicly endorsing the platform, by helping to canvass neighbours,
by offering to research policy ideas, by contributing funds, or
simply by spreading the word.
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday
23rd.
FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE MAKE WILLESDEN GREEN WEBSITE HERE