Fancy telling the council what you actually think? You'll get four chances in September.
Waltham Forest Council's Green leadership has announced a series of neighbourhood assemblies across the borough, asking residents what they want the place to look like in the years ahead. The sessions will cover the cost of living, community safety, housing and what the borough needs from its infrastructure.
Here's where and when:
- Leytonstone — Tuesday 15 September, 6pm to 9pm
- Leyton — Tuesday 22 September, 6pm to 9pm
- Walthamstow — Thursday 24 September, 6.30pm to 9.30pm
- Chingford — Wednesday 30 September, 6pm to 9pm
You do need to register in advance, so it's worth sorting that out rather than turning up on the night.
New Green council leader Councillor Paul Perkins framed the whole thing around a single question: "What kind of borough do we want Waltham Forest to be in 20 years' time?" The answers, he said, will feed into the new Borough Plan and the council's longer-term vision for the area.
And if none of those four dates work for you, they aren't the only way in. Ward councillors will be running their own engagement sessions through September and October, alongside invite-only roundtables bringing together residents, experts and community groups.
Twenty years is a long horizon, and plans like this tend to get written by whoever shows up. Three hours on a weeknight is a small price for a say in it.
