Cllr Davie, Can you please tell us why you chose to become a Councillor?
I have always been interested in politics and having learnt a few things as a Westminster journalist. I thought I had something to offer in terms of helping run the council for an area I love.

What do you think is important to be a good ward councillor?
The most important thing by far is listening to the people who live in the ward you represent and working with them to help address concerns and ambitions.

Having listened you must then be assertive in getting a good deal for people from those in power – whether that is the council, a housing association, the police or anyone who affects people’s lives.

What are your key issues you would to see tackled in your first term as a councillor?
There have been many improvements in Lambeth in the past few years but the state and availability of our social housing is still nothing to be proud of in many cases.

I would most like to help bring all of our social housing stock up to decent homes standard and involve the residents more directly in the running of their housing and communities.

How do you think Lambeth as a borough can best improve over the next 4 years?

We will soon begin piloting schemes for our co-operative council model. This means getting local people to help run the services that they use in their own community. The Weir Link is a good example of this in practice. Unlike the Conservative “Big Society” our plans maintain resources and professional help but hand power to the communities who know best what services they want and how they should be run most effectively.

Who would you most like to meet and why?

Barack Obama. He’s a fascinating man in one of the most interesting jobs going.

As a new ward councillor, what would you like to see improved in Thornton Ward?
I would most like to see the Clapham Park Estate redevelopment completed improving sub-standard homes for hundreds of families and improving the whole surrounding area.

What would you say are the important factors to a strong community?
You need people to be engaged in what is happening around them and to be prepared to take some responsibility. It helps to have good communication between people and a sense of stability even in a place that has a very transient population like Lambeth. That means good leadership, effective communication between people and the agencies that serve them and a real sense that people have a say in how things are run. Organisations like tenants associations and the safer neighbourhood team panel that directs local policing, help empower people and give them a sense that their voices are heard and it is worth making the effort to help improve their own lives and that of their neighbours.

Since becoming a councillor at the last election, what has impressed you the most about the area you serve?
There are some fantastically engaged people in Thornton who really care about their community and make real efforts to help improve things.

It is all too easy to give in to apathy and pretend you have no control – it takes hard work and sacrifice to make a positive contribution  but it does pay off.

How do you most like to relax?
I like cooking and dancing with my two-year-old daughter.

What new or different qualities do you feel you bring to the team of councillors in Thornton Ward?
Lib and Diana are both fantastic councillors and we all have very different backgrounds and skills which makes for a great team I think.

I have got a lot of experience in journalism so I help with the communications like leaflets.

I’m pretty impatient which sometimes helps get things resolved quickly though I’m not sure Lib and Diana would agree with that!

How difficult has it been to adjust to your new role as a councillor?
It’s actually not too difficult as campaigning for the election is the best training you could have. In a marginal ward like Thornton you spend up to a year knocking on doors and talking to people so you get to know a lot of the community and hear their concerns. Once you get elected it does take a little while to get used to the council jargon and procedures but more experienced colleagues have been very supportive.

What motivates you to do this role?
I like talking to people and I like being in challenging situations that stretch my abilities – being a councillor gives me opportunities for all of those things.

It might be because my dad was a vicar and my mum a teacher but I really believe in public service and contributing my skills and experience to benefit an area that is my home.

We have always had a good working relationship with our ward councillors at WERA, what do you think you can do as a new councillor to maintain our strong relationship?
I try to come to every WERA meeting and respond promptly to any concerns raised. It is good to get on the estate as often as possible and take part in community events.

What do you think are the strong aspects of Lambeth as a place and as a council?
Lambeth’s greatest strength is its people. Coming from a smallish town in Kent I was drawn to Lambeth because of its amazing diversity and energy, a place where you can listen to live reggae, eat the finest Portuguese custard tarts this side of Lisbon and generally feel like a citizen of the world without having to travel.

Lambeth has great challenges around tackling poverty and lack of opportunity but it also has fantastic potential because of its people and its location at the heart of a great world city.

The council has improved remarkably since Labour was re-elected in 2006. We’ve gone from a zero star rated by-word for incompetence to a three-star local authority with a reputation for being at the forefront of improvements from tackling youth crime to involving local people in their own services.

The Labour Group, that runs the council and that I chair, is blessed with some really talented people determined to improve the lives of Lambeth residents.

Have you had any successes you have been involved in since being elected?
I’ve helped persuade Clapham Park Homes to install secure front doors to several blocks of flats on that estate and we have used some of our ward purse money to refurbish a derelict play facility nearby.

We recently opened the refurbished pond in Agnes Riley Park and a traffic calming scheme should be on its way to Weir Road soon.

How would you best describe a residents association such as WERA and what do you think are the benefits of having such community led organisations?

As I said when I was first elected WERA is a model of good practice when it comes to TRAs. That is thanks to excellent leadership and high levels of participation from residents. It makes a massive difference having such engaged residents taking responsibility for their area. They really give those of us within any power to help a metaphorical kick when something needs doing or they want improvements. You can see from all the improvements on the Weir estate how important local engagement is.

What would you like to say to those in Thornton Ward who chose to elect you as their next new councillor?
Thanks for your support – let’s work together to make Thornton even better. Please feel free to get in touch if you think I can help to resolve an issue.

How would you describe your two other councillors in Thornton Ward?
They are both great colleagues who have been really supportive of me. Both have contributed massive amounts to the community and to the administration of Lambeth and we are very lucky to have them.

Do you do any other job apart from being a Councillor?

Yes, I’m a journalist.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
I think since the 1980s and Mrs Thatcher far too much weight has been given to relentlessly gaining material possessions. This celebration of greed landed us in the financial crisis we are still suffering from.

Serious studies show that the happiest societies are the least unequal ones we should be striving to create a more equal society where we co-operate with each other for the benefit of everyone.

Contact details for Cllr Ed Davie, Cllr Lib Peck, and Cllr Diana Morris are here

Please can you introduce yourself, and explain what your role involves.

What motivates you to do the role?
Everyday is different and every day there is something new to learn. Its hard work but rarely  a dull moment.

What did you do before becoming a councillor, and the Deputy Leader?
I first stood as local councillor when my children were at primary school & I was trying to set  up a community organisation to provide childcare  – this was before the Labour government came  in  – if you wanted childcare then  you had to set it up yourself.

How do you think Lambeth has changed and you think your role has had an impact
Lambeth council has got a lot better over the last 10 years or so. Lambeth has been on a longer journey of improvement than some other councils partly because for the last 25 years no political party has held on to power. So there have been a lot of stops & starts at Lambeth. Thankfully, Labour was re-elected for a second term this year and we can provide the stability that the council needs. I like to think that I did my bit to make this happen alongside my many colleagues and residents.

If you had the power to change the law, what new law would you bring in?
Make it easier for families of children with special needs.

What effect are the recent cuts to funding from central government having on Lambeth Council run services?
The cuts give us the impetus to boost Lambeth as a co-operative borough working much more closely with communities such as on the Weir Link project . Council staff will have to change the way they work – with communities rather than for communities.
It looks like Lambeth will have to cut at least £80m out of its £300m net budget. Instead of spreading out the cuts over 3 to 4 years the coalition government is forcing councils to double the cuts in the first year. ( Its like paying off most of a mortgage in the first year instead of over  a longer time.) This makes it much harder to change the way we run services and more likely that we will have to just stop running some services. We are looking at efficiency savings but with less money from government we will also have to charge residents more for some services to help balance the books.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
Better interactions between the generations

Do you think Lambeth Council, and Lambeth Living engages enough with residents?
At almost every meeting with residents we are told by residents that the council needs to improve the way it works with residents.  The council does need to value the knowledge of local people more and get back to people after consultations. Rather than working for the community the council needs to work with the community.

What is your vision for the future of Lambeth?
Because of Lambeth’s place in London, a global city, we will always have many people spending a short time in Lambeth. That is why Lambeth feels its always on the move – our diverse residents bring new ideas, energy and aspirations.
The vision of Lambeth has a co-operative borough envisages a Lambeth rich in community services where people work with each other and the council making Lambeth a great place to live , grow up and grow old. Lambeth will be t he place where you can see fairness, accountability and responsibility in action.

What is your most memorable moment in your role?
Winning on election day in 2006. We had worked very hard over the 4 years and winning Lambeth back for Labour was great result.

What is your favourite area in Lambeth?
West Norwood, the area I represent, its got a great village atmosphere and the people are very friendly.

If you had to sell Lambeth to the world, what three words would you use to describe it?
Dynamic, co-operative,  diverse.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?
The weather!

How do you most like to relax after a hard day at the office?
In summer, a couple of hours on my allotment.

Can residents contact you and how?
Email me jmeldrum@lambeth.gov.uk or 020 8671 5595

How long have you been doing this role, and what does it involve?

How do you think services can be improved for young people within Lambeth?
Labour doubled investment in youth services over the last four years because we know how important it is to local people that young people have lots of things to do. Unfortunately the massive attacks from the new government on public spending will make it hard for the council to protect everything that we value.

Should young people be given such bad press in society?
Absolutely not. The vast majority of the 67,000 young people in Lambeth are hard working, honest and ambitious for themselves – whatever their background. A small minority – less than one per cent – cause trouble.

What are the most important aspects to have within communities?
Strong communities need real community champions – individuals, families, or groups of people who make a stand when they see injustice, rather than worry only about themselves. People who selflessly give up their own time to improve the lives of people around them. In Lambeth we are lucky to have many people and groups like this – which is why we want to tap into that energy and commitment by making Lambeth a cooperative council.

What impact do you think your role has on improving life for young people and communities within Lambeth?
I have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that every young person in Lambeth has opportunity to make the best of themselves. That can mean everything from fighting to ensure youth services continue to get their fair share of funding, to championing the voice of children in care within the council. I am also committed to making sure our schools can still work together to improve the lives of every young person, no matter what their background.

Do you think more can be done to encourage young people to have a better say in the delivery and choice of services?
You can always do more, but I’m very proud of how involved Lambeth young people are in the delivery of services – for instance we have young people mystery shopping youth services and youth clubs, taking part in the panels that decide which organisations receive funding to deliver services, and even helping appoint senior officers in my department. We are also delighted to have brought in Lambeth’s first ever Youth Mayor, who does a great job of representing young people at every level.

Please tell us what is your view on the importance of residents associations, such as WERA?
Just as community champions are needed for strong communities, a strong residents association is the backbone of a well-run estate. Holding housing managers to account and ensuring services are delivered properly is important of course, but TRAs like WERA go beyond that – they play a vital role in making estates really feel like communities, not just groups of homes.

How often do you visit communities and hear first hand views from local residents?
Almost every day – I place a huge value on the importance of listening to people. If councillors spend all their time pushing pencils around the town hall they won’t have any idea of what is important to their constituents. Of course, we won’t always agree with each other – but if we talk, at least we have the chance to try to change each others minds.

What job would you like to do other than being a Cabinet Member?
I truly believe I have the charisma, looks, and singing talent to be a world-class pop star. Unfortunately I am yet to meet a single person who agrees with me.

How important do you think it is for the council to communicate with groups and associations?
It’s really important to communicate – but the council has to listen to, not just talk at, local groups. The central tenet behind the idea of the cooperative council is that local groups and associations are often much better placed to identify gaps in services – and fill them – than the council, which can be overly bureaucratic and slow to react.

What advice would you give to young people to get involved in making decisions about their community?
They could stand for election as Youth Mayor or join the Youth Council (details at www.younglambeth.org.uk), volunteer for a cause that is important to them, or join a political party (it’s only £1 to join Labour if you are under-27!).

What inspires you to do the role that you do?

I’m a socialist – I believe that we achieve more if we work together than alone, and that everyone has the right to realise their potential whatever circumstances they are born into. But I’m a democratic socialist – I think it is up to us as local councillors to win and hold the trust of the local community, as shown by the ballot box. When I look around my ward I see some fantastic examples of how Labour has delivered, but many examples of where there is still more to do – that is what inspires me as a councillor.

What is your favourite type of cuisine?
I love cooking and eating, and enjoy practically every type of food there is, but if I had to pick then classic French cuisine would come out top.

Why did you decide to become a Councillor and Cabinet Member?
It’s easy to sit on the sidelines sniping and moaning, but if you want to make a difference you have to get involved – it’s not always easy, but I enjoy the challenge of making big decisions.

Do you think Lambeth has improved in its services for communities and young people?
Yes, without a doubt. The Lib Dem/Tory coalition that ran Lambeth until 2006 left us with the worst funded youth service in London. We turned that round, and also invested in innovative programmes like Young and Safe, which helps prevent young people from getting involved with gangs. Our local schools are also doing a fantastic job in giving children a good education – our GSCE results have improved hugely, and are now well above the national average.

What words would you use to describe Lambeth as a place to visit to the rest of the world?
Bold, brassy, and brilliant.

What ambition do you have to develop your role as well as are you planning if re-elected, to continue in this role?
I’ve only been in this role for a few months, and right now all I’m concentrating on is helping to play my part in steering Lambeth through this very difficult period. The Tories and Lib Dems in government might not care about the effects of their cuts on local people, but we do. We’re working very hard to

What better services do you think can be put in place to improve communities for local residents?
I’d like to see Lambeth put more resources into helping build the capacity of communities to provide services and outcomes that are important to them – enabling them rather than responding to them. If someone has a good idea that will benefit their community, or improve services, they should be given the tools they need to make it happen.

If you were a TV Character in any popular tv programme, who would you be and why?

Don Draper, from Mad Men. Because I want his suits. And a bar in my office.

How can residents contact you?

Email me probbins@lambeth.gov.uk phone me on 07946 218346 or find me on twitter: twitter.com/cllr_robbins

Commissioner, Thank you for taking part in our WERA Asks, Can you briefly tell us what your job involves?

I am in overall charge of the Metropolitan Police Service and the 55,000 police officers, police community support officers and police staff who come to work everyday to make the capital safer.

How long have you been the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police?

In December 2008 I became Acting Commissioner and then I was permanently promoted to be Commissioner in February 2009.

How have you brought change to the Metropolitan Police in this time?

I’ve been involved for a long time in pushing for the move back to visible policing within communities. Londoners tell me that they want to see police on the streets and have local officers available to them, so the roll out of Safer Neighbourhood Teams and the move to officers patrolling on their own, rather than in pairs, has been an integral way to increase our visibility and help officers be more approachable.

I also want the Met to focus on ensuring that we are always professional and courteous.  I think Londoners understand that we have to conduct stop and search and other intrusive policing methods in order to remove knives and stop the violence that has been so concerning to us all. However when we are doing those operations we should be explaining what we are doing and why, and treat the person we have stopped like we would want to be treated ourselves.

WERA works closely and has a very good relationship with our SNT in Thornton Ward which has proved to have a positive impact on the level of crime over a long period. Can you please tell us your view on the work of SNT’s in London? Can you please tell us what your service is doing to learn from the concerns of communities across London?

I’m a huge champion for Safer Neighbourhood teams. The feedback I get is that everyone wants to see police on the streets and have local officers available to them. The roll out of Safer Neighbourhood Teams, putting dedicated teams into our large town centres and the move to officers patrolling on their own, rather than in pairs, has been an integral way to increase our visibility and help make officers be more approachable. I believe it is really important that we have the relationship with the public where people believe and trust that the police are there on the street working for everyone in our communities.

Do you think more can be done to encourage co-operation and communication with local policing teams and the community, if so can you please explain?

I’d be naïve to ever say that more couldn’t be done. I’m really pleased about the strong working relationships that have been established with local organisations and our challenge is how to build on that. We know from regular survey work that Londoners feel that we are doing a better job and are listening to them and acting on what their concerns are. However there are still some people who don’t trust the police and I want to keep improving our links with local communities so that we can reach out and help convince everyone that we really are there in your neighbourhoods, working to keep all of us safe.

What would you say are the most important aspects of a ‘good community’?

For me it is an active community who are engaged and participating in finding solutions for local issues. From a policing and good neighbour perspective then not committing crime and anti-social behaviour has to be part of that, as has a shared responsibility to tell police about local crime and criminals so that we can act on it and do something about it.

London has its fair share of anti social behaviour and various other crime issues, what are you and your colleagues doing to make people feel safe in and around London?

Safer Neighbourhood Teams are responsible for finding out what local issues are causing concern and then to work with the council to find solutions. The other challenge we face is that crime is dropping but peoples’ perception of crime doesn’t always reflect this. This fear can be just as damaging as actual crime in terms of stopping people wanting to go out and about and enjoy London. I’m really keen to get the message out and reassure people that overall crime is down.

If you weren’t doing the role you are now, what would you like to do?

For me it would be anything that would get me out of bed in the morning and give me a sense of satisfaction when I go to bed in the evening. I’d never want to go to work and be unhappy.

What would you say are the biggest challenges facing your service today? What would you like to see changed to encourage young people away from crime?

There are two significant challenges that I am focused on at the moment. The first is the upcoming budget constraints. We won’t know until the autumn how big a burden the police will have to carry but with cuts being made across the public sector realistically the police won’t be exempt. I have to continue to deliver high quality, high visibility policing whilst balancing the finances.

The other area is the Olympics. With only two years to go we are making good progress but of course we have a lot of work still to do to deliver a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

I am sure all our residents and the public are concerned about the level of young knife and gun crime victims; what more do you think can be done to tackle this?

What I have asked my officers to do is the suppression – get knives off the streets, find and act on intelligence to prevent kids killing kids. However effective we are at this it isn’t a long term solution. We need the investment in social initiatives to support the communities and families where children are at risk so that they don’t feel the need to pick up that knife in the first place.

How important is it for all officers (both Police Officers & Police Community Support Officers) to understand, and work with the community?

It is core to policing to understand and work with the community. We police by consent in the UK and this is a very special dynamic. If we want to solve crimes we need to use all the high tech tools at our disposal but it still sometimes comes down to communities telling us which person did it. If we don’t work hard to have that relationship then some Londoners won’t feel like they can come forward and talk to us.

How would you like to see our great city change over the next couple of years?

I’d like crime to continue to fall, for there to be fewer victims and for people to feel safe so they can go out and enjoy the hugely vibrant city that is our capital.

What are your favourite things about London and why?

London is so iconic, it is an incredibly diverse city made up of so many communities and I like the fact that this gives it the vibrancy and dynamism that makes it completely unique.

What would you say are the qualities of a good police officer?

The ability to communicate with people underlies everything else. A lot of skills we can teach officers but I want my officers to be respectful, to calm down a situation rather than escalate it, but to take control when it is needed, and they must be able to listen, understand and empathise.

Can you please tell us what your service does to engage with young people and can more be done?

We have extensive engagement with young people such as the Police Cadets programme, through over 300 school liaison officers and with youth diversion schemes that the MPS supports. It is important that we continue to speak with young people but I am concerned that the Met has historically stepped in and filled the gap in relation to youth diversion. In my view this should be met through schemes run by other agencies whose job it is to lead on social policy projects, and the police should support but not run these, as our core function should focus on policing.

What changes lay ahead for the police service over the next few years?

Until we know the extent of the budget situation it is too early to be able to comment on this. What we do know is that the government are currently consulting on what the future structure should be for police forces to be accountable with civilian oversight of policing, and in London we have the Olympics, which as it gets closer will increasingly be a bigger commitment for us.

How would you describe the public image of the policing service in today’s society?

We can always do more but we have seen huge improvements in public confidence in the Met over the last few years. My job is to build on that and deliver a police service that Londoners can be proud in.

How can members of the public get involved in the delivery of policing services and/or get involved with the service, give feedback and how keen are you to hear comments and suggestions personally?

I’m really keen to encourage the public to get involved and they are. We have over 3,000 people who join us in their spare time as Special Constables, standing side by side with their full time police colleagues to tackle crime. Over three months alone they put in over 150,000 duty hours and we are receiving 900 new applications every month. Their dedication is significant.

In addition Safer Neighbourhood Teams are actively seeking out local feedback and I’d encourage Londoners to go and meet your local team, feedback to them at the thousands of public meetings they attend or stop them and tell them your concerns. Part of their role is to stop and listen, and then act on the concerns that are raised.

And finally we are in the modern age so you can also feedback your views via our website www.met.police.uk.

Please can you introduce yourself, and explain what your role involves.

What motivates you to do this role?
My motivation is simple, to improve our community and make it a better place to live for those living on Weir Estate and myself.

What do you most enjoy about representing the residents of Weir Estate?
It’s the satisfaction of knowing your making a difference to people’s way of living and quality of life. I most enjoy seeing the efforts that I put into what I do and making things happen and what I hope our positive results.

Do you think Lambeth council and Lambeth Living engage with residents and the association enough?
I think they do a pretty good job in engaging with us as an association as one of the main things I have tried to establish is good relations and communication between Lambeth, Lambeth Living and all our other community partners. Part of this is also maintaining those relations. More can always be done to engage and work together but Weir Estate doesn’t do too badly. As for one on one, yes I am sure many residents would like to at least feel there is more communication and sharing of information, thankfully this is where WERA comes in.

If you had the power to change any law, what would you change and why?
Being an ex police officer, I can think of many, but I think rather than changing the laws, I would like to see the law come down harder on criminals and give appropriate sentences and be consistent with it. The police do a pretty difficult job but it’s the laws themselves that let us down. I would definitely change sentencing laws.

What does community mean to you?
Community means being part of a place where everyone can live together to improve and share. By taking care of the more vulnerable and elderly as well as engaging with those who live around you and taking responsibility for the place in which you live no matter their age or background.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
This would have to be more people getting out there to make positive changes in the area where they live and not being frightened of what is beyond the doorstep. Many voices are far louder than a few. I would like to see society taking charge of the place in which they live and getting taking more of a stand to demand change and improvements.

What is your vision for the future of Weir Estate?
I am recently quoted in the press as saying I want other Residents Associations to aspire to be like us, this is because I want Weir Estate to be the best model there is for leading the community by continuing to find ways to improve our estate and make it a cleaner, safer, friendlier and attractive place to live for many more generations to come.

What advice can you give to residents about improving their community?
We can all make a difference in many different ways from attending meetings and having a say to taking part in events. The best advice I can give is don’t be afraid to get stuck in, many hands make light work and by being a collective voice we can all make a huge difference, the simplest way is to take part in your association.

What is your most memorable moment in your role?
My most memorable must be securing getting the new windows and doors on Weir Estate. This was a long running issue that had blighted our estate for many years, getting them would make a enormous difference to residents, their families and their homes. This took a lot of hard work over a long period and involved some dedicated people who supported me and this association; it shows what difference WERA can make.

What does WERA do to communicate and inform residents?
Over the past couple of years we have continued to develop many new ways of keeping residents informed from wera.org.uk which has gone from strength to strength. This of course has run the latest news and updates for what has been happening on and around Weir Estate. Our website has a wealth of information and exclusive interviews constantly being updated. However, as we know that we have slightly older residents and those without internet access, we have also put together a bulletin sent to every property on the estate and many people in Lambeth such as housing and the police. Alongside this, we have also embraced social networking sites, using such websites as twitter, where we have quite a following across the whole country and further afield which raises the profile of WERA and we post regular up to the minute developments, news and information. We also have our email system which we always welcome residents to contact myself or the other executive officers or general inquires on.
I am always keen to get feedback and views from residents as at the end of the day, it’s us the residents who matter most. Last but by no means least we have our monthly meetings which are a great forum to keep residents informed and I am always sure to update on what we have achieved and what’s happening at the start of the meeting.

Do you feel you have managed to accomplish what you initially set out to do?
I think we are getting there, however there is still a long way to go before I can say I have accomplished what I set out to. I believe we made a good start and I do feel I have achieved success in many of the areas I set out to improve with WERA. Sadly however, the work is never done as change is progressive.

What is your favourite area in Lambeth?
Of course it’s where I live, right here, home and Weir Estate is my favourite place in Lambeth. I am a very proud Lambethian, being born and bred in Lambeth for most of my life and it’s actually a great borough. My favourite place to visit has to be South Bank on a sunny day, I love the atmosphere and some great things to see and do!

What are the main successes WERA has had recently?
I am proud and pleased to say we continue to see much success with appointing a new great vice chair in Rohema along with my other Executive Colleagues Sue and Mags. We have seen success in continuing to improve the estate with long over due repair works to our estate railings which has in turn enabled us to establish a new relationship with the Youth Offending Service who are re-painting the old tired and tatty railings. We have made good progress on developing a new community Garden in the corner of Anfield Close which is very exciting, of course seeing the end to the windows and doors work and lastly we have managed to help individual residents with long standing issues in their homes.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?
For me personally and this will probably be quite controversial but the Coalition Government. However I would also like to see a better quality of living and better standard of homes.

How would you encourage an area without a residents association to set one up?
Talk to your neighbours and members of your local community and you will surely find many will have the same concerns and fears as you. By getting together you can start making change happen. Its not as difficult as you may think and by forming one voice you really can make things happen and change for the better.

Describe yourself in a short sentence.
I am a caring, compassionate and sensitive person who believes in making change happen.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
The biggest influence on my life has to be my Mum, as she has been through so much and has battled in the face of severe illness, never giving up and always still managing to be there for everyone else showing courage unlike I have ever known. I am the youngest of eight brothers and sisters and despite her own challenges she has still remained strong to us all. I like to think this influence somehow rubs off on me!

What is ahead for WERA, residents and Weir Estate now?
We will continue to ensure Weir Estate is served well by Lambeth Living, contractors and the local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT). We have many great things ahead with the new Community Garden to look forward to and enjoy. We also have some great new WERA Asks to come on the website (I don’t want to give too much away but we have some BIG ones ahead), Weir Estate will continue to see differences unlike it has ever seen before and residents will of course be able to be proud of living as part of this community.

Explain how residents can contact, and be part of WERA.

There are many ways to contact WERA as we want to make our association as accessible as possible. We have email info@wera.org.uk.  We can be contacted through the website www.wera.org.uk. You can drop messages or notes off at The Weir Link, 33 Weir Road) and also by attending meetings which take place at the Weir Link every second Tuesday of the month from 7pm. Also I am often around the estate so please don’t hesitate to stop and say hi.

Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?

How long have you been doing this role?
I have been in post doing similar role since May 2008

What does community mean to you?
A place where we support and cherish the goodness in each other.

How do you feel Lambeth Living is helping to improve estates?
A number of initiatives and projects have been introduced on estates across the borough on finer things which residents have asked for. For each of these initiatives and projects officer have had to work with residents to implement them. Example of these will include building such things as new play area in Tulse Hill Estate, Refurbishment of community hall in Poynders Garden, or new bin sheds in Notre dame estate, etc.

Who would you most like to meet?
Nelson Mandela

Describe yourself in 5 words
Caring, sensitive, patient, honest and truthful.

How did you do before the position you are currently in?
I was in accountancy and banking prior to Life in Lambeth, In fact I came to Lambeth as an accountant.

What aspects would you most like to change?
It will please me more if I have the freedom to do more to change people’s living standard which is my motivation in remaining in Housing Management.

Who inspires you, and why?
My late uncle Cornelius, was a very great influence in my life. He very lovingly took on ten of us little children (none his own) then after the Nigerian civil war and saw us through Secondary School and University. He never asked for anything back but hoped that we too will grow up and take on the responsibility of caring for others who are less fortunate that we had been.

If you could do any job in the world, what would it be, and why?
It would have liked to be a medical doctor, Nurse or some job in the medical field. I would enjoy the satisfaction in helping to make a person well or comfortable no matter their individual situation.

What is the best aspect of your role?
When a person writes back to say thanks you when they move into their new home.

In what way do you work directly with Weir Estate Residents Association?
I will like to think that I have a very good working relationship with the leadership of TRA, and will want to support them in ensuring that life on the estate is as good at it can be.

How do you think Weir Estate has improved?
It is early days yet, but being as inclusive as possible will be of great benefit for all.

How often do you visit estates? And would you like to do this more often?
Depends, some things it could be one a month. I will usually take a walk around on my own just to see what my staff are doing on the estate or to see things for myself.

Do you speak any foreign languages, if so what languages?
My native language is Ibo, and I also speak Hausa, which is another major language spoken in Nigeria.

How do you think Housing within Lambeth has changed with the introduction of the ALMO, Lambeth Living?
It this we are getting there. The ALMO is still very young and we are yet to be inspected. We have a very big challenge on our hands with the inspection were we aspire to get a minimum, of two star rating. I believe there is enough commitment on the staff and management side to make sure that this objective as achieved.

What one item could you not leave home without?
My mobile phone.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
The lack of care or respect for community assets which some members of the public seem to lack.

How and when should residents contact you?
I can easily be reached on the phone of by Lambeth email. My direct line number is 0207 926 1740 email pmokogwu@lambethliving.org.uk. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

How long have you been doing this job? 
I have been doing this job for six years

What are the positives of the role you do?
Delivering Decent Homes improvement works for Lambeth’s tenants and leaseholders to ensure their homes are wind and weathertight, have reasonably modern facilities and are thermally efficient.

If you could choose any other department within Lambeth Living, what one would you choose and why?
Although not strictly Lambeth Living, with my construction and surveying background I feel that I could make a positive contribution to the Children and Young Peoples’ Services Department of Lambeth Council and the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Your department has carried out and overseen the biggest changes on Weir Estate since it was built with the new windows and doors to residents home, what are your thoughts on this?
I am very pleased to see the improvements to homes on the Weir Estate and I acknowledge also the very hard work put in by the Weir Residents’ Association and the Thornton Ward Councillors in bringing this about. When visiting the estate recently with Dave McEvoy I was very pleased to hear residents tell us how pleased they are with the new windows and how they had noticed a reduction in their heating bills as a result.

How do you think your role within Lambeth Living benefits the residents of Lambeth?
I believe that my role and that of the Major Works team is able to improve the quality of Lambeth Living’s tenants’ and leaseholders’ homes probably more so than any other Lambeth Living department. Last year alone, the Major Works team delivered improvements to over 11,000 homes in Lambeth and I am very proud of that achievement.
What part of Lambeth is your favourite and why?
I enjoy the view from Lambeth Bridge and the Albert Embankment looking across to the Houses of Parliament, the mother of parliaments and home of democracy. I think it is great that you can see Big Ben, one of the most famous buildings in the world, from Lambeth.

What was your dream job growing up?
Probably an airline pilot, but unfortunately my eye sight was not good enough.

Can you please tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I very much enjoy travelling, especially to South East Asia, where I have visited all of the many countries in that region of the world.I also enjoy long distance running and have completed several marathons and half marathons (but I only run up to 10 miles at a time these days, as my joints are not getting any younger and I feel the strain more now !).

What changes would you like to see happen within the borough over the next few years?
To see all of Lambeth Living’s homes brought up to the Decent Homes Standard. This will require many millions of pounds of investment over the next few years. I hope very much this will still be possible despite the financial difficulties and uncertainties this country faces over the next few years.

As you have been working closely with WERA, can you tell us what benefits Residents Associations bring to residents in your opinion?
Strong and well organised Residents’ Associations (such as at Weir) provide a very effective way of informing Lambeth Living about the needs of local communities which help us in planning and delivering major investment programmes, such as the recently completed programme on the Weir.

Where In the world do you most like to visit?
As I have said, I enjoy visiting South East Asia, where my favourite location is Bali, an island in Indonesia with a wonderful traditional Hindu culture.As my partner is Turkish, I also enjoy visiting Turkey and Istanbul, one of the world’s greatest cities, with fabulous buildings and history.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
It would be great if Lambeth Living could be given more decision making powers by our client, Lambeth Council, which I strongly believe would speed up the delivery of our programmes and bring about much needed improvements on Lambeth’s estates more quickly.

What do most like to do after a day at the office to unwind?
Have a good Turkish meal with Sunay, my partner. Having a meal at Ev, a Turkish restaurant in Waterloo is a great way to unwind (and it’s great value too !).

What has been your biggest achievement since joining Lambeth Living?
Last year, delivering £25 million of Decent Homes improvement work in Lambeth.

What aspects do you think are the most important for a successful community?
Harmony, understanding, tolerance and a strong willingness to work together to improve the quality of life within the community.

If you could meet anyone famous (dead or alive), who would you most like to meet and why?
Herbert Morrison, one of the most influential British politicians of the 20^th century. Herbert Morrison was actually born in Lambeth and as Leader of the former London County Council (LCC) built thousands of good quality council housing in the 1930s and 1940s, much of which still exist in Lambeth to this day.Herbert Morrison served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Labour government immediately after the 2^nd World War and was the Member of Parliament for Lewisham East, where I grew up and still live today. Interestingly, Herbert Morrison’s grandson is Peter (Lord) Mandelson, who is also a former Lambeth councillor. I was too young to meet Herbert Morrison, but my grandfather did and told me a lot about him, as he was the local MP.
Do you think your department has delivered a positive impact on residents’ lives in Lambeth?
Yes, most definitely. Over the last year alone we have delivered improvements to over 11,000 homes in Lambeth. We have installed new windows and roofs to over 1,500 homes.

What would you say is the most challenging aspect of your role?
Lambeth has such a huge backlog of outstanding repairs and improvement works required to be carried out to its properties. This will take several more years to get underway and complete. Residents, quite rightly, expect this work to take place as soon as possible, and it is very challenging for my team to have to explain that Lambeth only has a limited amount of money each year to be able to carry out this much needed investment.

What positive changes are Major Works looking to implement in the future for Lambeth?
Lambeth Living is hoping to soon let new long term contracts that will run for up to seven years and will include a large programme of Decent Homes works, such as the much needed  upgrading of kitchens and bathrooms and electrical re-wiring.The way these contracts are designed should also mean that we can get works underway much quicker than we have been able to do in the past when we have had to tender works on each estate individually, which is a very time consuming process.

Please introduce yourself

Can you explain what your role is?
In Lambeth I run the parts of the council responsible for resident contact. So the call centre and the walk-in customer centres in Brixton and Streatham are part of my operation, where we handle about 2m contacts/year with Lambeth residents. I also have responsibility for facilities management which involves the smooth running of the council’s 15 major office buildings.

What do you find is the most challenging part of your job?
Working successfully across other departments in the council to produce the best result for the customer. Not because colleagues do not want to help, but rather that every part of the council has a significant improvement activity to be getting on with and ensuring it all fits together and everything gets done is quite a challenge

What part of your job do you find the most rewarding?
Like other local authorities we get complaints in Lambeth. But we also get compliments from customers and these are great to receive. Often these compliments result from a staff member who went the extra mile to sort out some problem for a resident and that is the essence of good customer service.

How do you feel Lambeth Council has improved customer service?
During my 5 years at Lambeth we have come a long way. In 2004 only about 50 % of the telephone calls were answered, now it is 96%. We had no idea how long it took to answer a call, now we know that in February the average time to answer was 20 seconds. Our 2 new walk in centres at Brixton and Streatham are good examples of one stop shops and have been visited by many other councils, central government people and even overseas delegations, as operations which display best practice.

What is the basic minimum service, a service user should expect to receive?
A user should be dealt with promptly by a knowledgeable individual who can resolve the issue to the satisfaction of that user. Sometimes this means just giving some information, but often it consists of some further action, such as fixing a problem for a tenant. In these cases the basic service consists of making a “promise” (to resolve the problem) on behalf of the council and having that promise kept (someone arrives on the appointed day to fix the problem). Customers usually become upset if the promise is not properly made or is not kept.

What does community mean to you?
To me it means a group of individuals connected by some common interest or purpose. Here in Lambeth it means the common interest of creating a Borough in which we enjoy living and working and where people can go about their business with a level of independence of their choice.

What is Lambeth Council’s vision for customer service in the future?
Somewhat paradoxically my vision for customer service in Lambeth is that we have less of it – but for the right reasons. When a resident contacts us it is often (though not always) because something has gone wrong. So a housing repair is required, or a family has become homeless, or there is a problem with bin collection. If we can all work together to reduce the need for people to make such calls then for me that would be a sign of genuine progress.

What would you like to do if you weren’t working in the Customer Service sector?
As a professional engineer (many years ago!) I would like to run a small engineering business, maybe a boatyard, a garage or a machine shop.

What are the biggest challenges facing customer service at the moment?
Customer service sometimes struggles to justify its role. In many organisations it is seen as just a cost or a support service with the “real” business being done elsewhere. 20 years ago customer service meant receptionists at the front desk or the complaints department. We have come on from that position but many managers in all industries have not yet recognised the fundamental importance of customer service in creating the relationship between the customer and the organisation and helping to ensure that customers receive the services they are paying for.

What is a typical day in the office for you?
I travel in from Bedfordshire and arrive around 8.30am. At 9am I hold the daily performance meeting where I discuss the previous day’s results with my managers and see if there are any problems we need to iron out to improve future performance. There will then be a number of meetings through the day reviewing progress on key projects, developing plans for future service improvements and ensuring that service results and financial spending are in line with what we expect. If not we have to agree and implement actions to fix the problems. I will visit parts of the operation to hear how others think we are doing and in between times keep up with e-mails and telephone calls.

What 3 words sum up your ambition for customer service.
Fast, friendly and reliable

What CD would you have at home in your CD player at the moment?
Yiruma – River flows in you, plus some other of his pieces

What do you think is the most important aspect of working in Customer Services?
When I recruit people for service work I concentrate on their attitude to customers and colleagues. I am looking for someone who builds understanding with others and is a good listener and able to see both sides of an issue. I don’t really care about the skills people have – we can teach new recruits the stuff they need to know. But if people don’t bring the right attitude that is much harder to change.

If you could adapt your role, what would you introduce?
In customer service we see all the problems in the organisation (including the ones we create ourselves!). The reason is that when anything goes wrong the residents contact us to get the problem resolved. So we handle many contacts which reflect shortcomings in the organisation. Rather than treating these calls as a problem I see them as a real opportunity for improvement – any serious service organisation would be keen to study these contacts, understand the reasons for them and then fix the underlying problems. This activity however, requires skills which are not directly service related. Rather they are analytic skills associated with processes and consequently with IT and computer systems. In my ideal world I would ensure these improvement teams were able to work across the organisation rooting out the problems and getting them fixed. Currently these people don’t really exist in Lambeth and this is an area which requires our early attention.

What was the last book you read?
Fiction “A most wanted man” by John le Carré. Non fiction “History of the English speaking peoples” by Winston S Churchill.

How has the ‘Lambeth Promise’ improved communication with customers contacting the service centre?
It is still early days to see an effect from the “Lambeth Promise” but we have a number of programmes running which will start to make the Promise real. First there is the issue of measurement. The Promise is aspirational and unless we can measure how well we are doing against these aspirations we will not stand much chance of actually achieving improvement. So early in January I organised a mystery shopping exercise across all the council’s advertised telephone and e-mail contact points (not just the service centres). We asked the mystery shoppers to assess how well the Promise was met during their contact with the council. The results were mixed, with some areas doing very well and other areas needing to improve. We will repeat this exercise every 3 months and all services will be expected to improve their scores. To help deliver this improvement we have just started a council wide programme to help establish more customer responsive behaviour in all council staff who regularly deal with residents. I believe these 2 programmes taken together will make the Lambeth Promise increasingly effective over the next 6-12 months

Do you think more could be done to integrate and encourage communication between residents associations?

More can always be done. But I think the associations have to be clear what they are there for. On the one hand an association needs to champion the particular issues in its area and be a strong voice for the residents it represents. On the other hand by acting in some form of combination there is likely to be more opportunities to influence council policies and programmes. Both aspects have advantages and disadvantages, but generally working in combination is more difficult to achieve simply because of the number of people involved. Here is where I think there may well be opportunities to encourage associations to work together more effectively. The council has to make some decisions quite soon about how television services will be delivered to tenants once traditional analogue services are replaced by digital around 2012-13. The current views are that TVs will cease to be just receivers of broadcast services and become much more a window on the digital world, almost certainly handling internet services as well. With some help from Lambeth this change could easily help create groups and on-line communities equipped with the means to work together much more effectively than is typically possible now. Personally I would encourage associations to keep a close eye on proposals to upgrade the TV systems so that benefits such as I have described are incorporated into the new systems.

Who inspires you?
Over my 40 year career quite a few people. I was trained as a scientist and engineer and the story of John Harrison who made the first accurate sea going clock in 1735 and so enabled the measurement of longitude for ships, is very appealing. This is one of the most elegant combinations of science and engineering that I know and it saved many lives at sea. Later I was hugely inspired by one of the great intellectual achievements of the 20th century- the story of how mankind came to understand simultaneously how the very large –planets, stars and galaxies – are connected to the very small – atoms and fundamental particles – in ways that are completely outside our normal experiences. Some of the people contributing to this great quest helped me realise that often obvious explanations are not in fact correct. Beware of jumping to conclusions!

If residents are unhappy with the customer service they receive, how can they complain? Similarly, if they would like to comment on good service, how can they do this?
There are a number of ways to register comments and complaints with us. One easy way if you have internet access is to go to the website www.lambeth.gov.uk and use the “Contact us” link which will take you to the pages you can use to report your issue. You can also call us on 7926 1000 and at the automated voice prompt ask for “Complaints”. This will connect you to the switchboard and your call will then be directed to whichever Department can best deal with your issue. If you visit one of our Customer Centres in Brixton or Streatham the staff there will aim to resolve any problems, but you can complete a complaint /comment form if you wish.

Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?

Can you give a brief description of what your role involves?
Managing staff, resources and performance to achieve the best result possible in the circumstances

How long have you been doing this role?
Nine months

How do you think Lambeth Living is changing, and do you think your role has had an impact on this?
We are improving performance in managing resources and most of the key business targets are being met. The organisation is continuing to improve and will focus more on the customer facing services in 2010/11.

What were you doing prior to joining Lambeth Living?
Working for Wandle Housing Association as Assistant Director of Housing Management and Leasehold Services

Who or what inspires you and why?
Achieving against the odds

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Remaining committed and motivated despite the palpable hostility of residents representatives to the ALMO

Do you think enough is being done with the turn-around of ‘voids’ in the borough?
At the present time yes.  The only impediment at the moment is the lack of revenue as it costs money to repair a void property and the long it has been vacant the more it costs. The Council does not have the money it needs to repair its void properties hence many will remain empty for this reason.

Lambeth Living’s Tenancy Services Team operate from various Housing Offices, are there any plans for housing offices to be relocated?
The Council has imposed 20% cuts on Lambeth Living since inception and a further 10% cut is planned for 2010/11. In this situation it is impossible to give any promises about housing offices

Do you ever manage to visit estates, meet residents, and hear their concerns?
Yes. Often. Especially when invited

As a residents association, the main problem we hear of with Tenancy Services is communication – In what ways do you think communication could be improved?
The Customer Service Center is run by the Council. We should get another provider if the service does not improve

What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth as a Borough?
Residents can have a major role in helping us to plan the service for the future and monitoring performance and delivery of services in the current. However this is only possible if there is a constructive relationship between resident representatives and Lambeth Living

What was your first job?
Storeman in a Jewish supermarket when I was 15.

What does community mean to you?
Working together for the advantage of all

What role do Leaseholder Services play?
Leaseholders are 33% of our customers so their role is crucial
What would you most like to achieve from your role within 10 years? Top quartile performing housing service, 90% customer satisfaction, 95% decent homes, national recognition for the quality of the service we provide.

What are the key areas of your role, as Director of Housing Management?
Managing staff and resources. Raising motivation and skills.  Achieving efficiencies and continuous improvement.

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy, and why?
Achieving performance targets because it shows we are moving in the right direction
Describe yourself in three words. Pragmatic and driven

How and when should residents contact you?
During normal working hours, preferably by email feedback@lambethliving.org.uk, made for the attention of Cedric Boston.

Please introduce yourself

I’m Diane James-Mcfee, Interim Head of Service Delivery, Lambeth Service Centre

Can you explain what your role is?

I am responsible for leading the staff and managing operational functions of the Lambeth Service Centre (call centre) and local Area Housing Office counters. This includes ensuring that a customer service driven environment is developed and sustained across these services.

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Balancing resources with the demand for services – Whilst this is challenging it is also exciting.  Having to look at ways to deliver excellent customer services with an ever-reducing budget is challenging but allows for innovative thinking, whilst at the same time maintaining quality through good management practices. For instance, I’m currently considering applying a ‘lean’ process to help identify any waste in our processes. The recession has hit every sector and it is key that our service demonstrates good value for money.

What would you like to do if you weren’t working in the Customer Service sector?
I can’t imagine my self outside the customer services sector, be it operational, strategy or policy; I guess the only other sector would be travel. I would love to be a tour guide – only if it came with free holidays!

Lambeth Service Centre is the first point of contact for phone calls and emails to Lambeth Council, do you think this service shows Lambeth Council in a good light?

We are ambassadors for the Council.  Being the first point of contact it, is important that we demonstrate excellent customer services at all times. Customer Satisfaction results show that 87% of our users are satisfied with the service they receive from our call-centre agents, if not necessarily with the overall council service. Our services cover a wide remit from Parking, Housing Repairs, Homelessness, Social Services, etc and another part of our job is to help these departments identify areas of dissatisfaction and improve on them.  Some of these services affect very vulnerable people and are often governed by national policies that we have to adhere to; this means we can’t always give our customers what they would like so the job is also about managing expectations.  We continue to attain recognition for how we deliver customer services.  In 2005 we were awarded the European Call Centre of the year Award.  We are current holders of both the Charter Mark Award and Customer Excellence Award.

What does community mean to you?
Community is about life – Our Citizens are at the heart of our community, the community helps to shape the success of our country.  No two people are the same, neither are communities.   Within Customer Services it is key that we have an understanding of what the community needs are and are able to tailor our services accordingly. We have to listen outwards as well as inwards.

What would you like to see more of from the Service Centre?
It would be great if our staff were able to see all enquiries through to resolution, so the caller can leave satisfied that their action has been attended to. The current organisation of our business does not always allow for this and therefore enquiries are passed to the service units where specialist and trained professional complete the end task.

We understand you recently received a letter from the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
How did you feel when you received the letter and Can you explain why the PM wrote to you?
It was a nice feeling, more importantly it was good to see that the Prime Minister took the time to acknowledge excellence in Customer Services.  The letter acknowledged our recent award of ‘Customer Service Excellence,’ a new accolade aimed at ensuring that public services meet the official government standard for organizations in the public sector effectively.  This award can only be obtained following a far more rigorous assessment process which challenges the strategy and principles behind delivering excellent service to customers rather than simply ‘ticking the boxes.’

What is a typical day in the office for you?
No two days are the same; our Service is driven by customer demand which guarantees a different challenge every day. I oversee an operation that handles an average of 5000 telephone calls each day. My day can comprise anything from monitoring call volumes, redeploying resource based on volumes or staff shortage or handling customer complaints or dealing with an incident in an office front Counter. I’m frequently meeting with our internal partners or liaising with our training and development teams about updating staff on changes to services. That’s not to mention reporting performance issues up the line, hosting visits from a huge range of internal and external guests, and getting involved with arranging staff motivational events. Actually, one thing that is typical is that the days are always long!

What CD would you have at home in your CD player at the moment?
I love music so my collection varies.  At the moment I have the Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Lady Gaga because I can workout to their tunes. I look to Bob Marley for inspiration.  If I need to chill out then it’s anything from R&B to Jazz

What do you think is the most important aspect of working in Customer Services?
Customer Service might not be rocket science, but there’s a lot to consider. It’s about getting it right first time wherever possible, listening to the customer to learn and make improvements, and communicating very clearly. It starts with respect. If you respect the customer as a human being, and truly honour their right to be treated fairly and honestly, everything else thereafter is much easier

If you could adapt your role, what would you introduce?
I would spend more time in the Community running focus groups to improve Customer Services across the Organisation.

What was the last book you read?
The Time Traveler’s Wife it’s a romantic drama about a Chicago librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and the complications it creates for his marriage.

How has the ‘Lambeth Promise’ improved communication with customers contacting the service centre?

The Lambeth Promise is our pledge to our customers that we will work hard to provide them with the very best service.  As a result of the pledge our Customer are now more aware and comfortable about discussing their problems with us and our  staff also understand and appreciate the importance of the pledge and ensure this comes across when communicating with customers.

Do you think more could be done to integrate and encourage communication between residents associations?
Although I have worked in the Lambeth Service Centre for a few years, I am new to managing the Housing element of the call centre.  I am a firm believer that more can always be done to manage the communication flow and build working relations with our partners, and I’d be keen to embrace ideas about an improved consultation mechanism with our RAs. I know that our colleagues in Revenues and Benefits hold regular meetings with these groups and I’m looking into how could perhaps share in that arrangement. Marshalling the range of views held by a variety of resident groups could be a significant benefit in helping develop the service further, but it’s important that such events are managed with a positive and constructive approach.

Who inspires you?
Maya Angelou because of her inspirational work which is centered on themes such as identity, family, and racism. Gandhi because he was a great leader and Richard Branson for the range of creativity, leadership and entrepreneurial skills he instills.

How many telephone calls does the call centre receive on an average day?
On an average day we receive around 5000 calls, that’s over a million calls per year.

How many emails does the call centre receive on an average day?
Typically, it might be around 150-200 emails, but we’re hoping to encourage expansion in this area over the coming year.

How many members of staff work in the Lambeth Service Centre?
We currently employ 104 staff working within the Lambeth Service Centre including all of its support functions. However, this number varies throughout the year. Staff handle enquiries for up to 16 different service areas, each with considerable seasonal variation in demand.

If residents are unhappy with the service they receive from the service centre, how can they complain? Similarly, if they would like to comment on good service, how can they do this?
The Council has a complaints/ comments policy which applies to the Lambeth Service Centre.  This can be accessed at www.lambeth.gov.uk/complaints and leaflets are available at council offices. Alternatively, our customers can contact the Service Centre on 0207 926 1000 and ask to speak to a manager, who will record the feedback provided appropriately. While Matt Cooper (the Assistant Director for the service) and I are always happy to hear the views of our users directly, contacts which avoid the official complaints procedure risk not being properly logged or tracked, so it’s definitely best to follow the above process – our Complaints team always ensures that we are made aware of any escalations which need our attention.

Can you please introduce yourself, stating who you are; what your role is; and briefly what this involves?

What motivates you to do your job?
Customer satisfaction.

What does community mean to you?
People of different backgrounds being able to live together in harmony.

How many people are in your team?
There are six people in my team and this is made up of five housing officers and one Voids Officer.

Do you feel there is enough communication between Tenancy Services and Residents Associations?
I think there is enough communication between the Tenancy Team and Residents Association because most of the issues that the Tenancy Team would normally deal with relate to individual tenants which cannot be discussed with the Association unless they have the tenant’s written permission because of Data Protection Act.

How do you think Weir Estate has improved?
It has improved in the last two years because they have become very pro-active in taking up issues relating to the estate.
What is your biggest professional ambition?My biggest professional ambition would be to have a very cordial working relationship with all the Residents Associations in the Clapham area.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
The most influential person that I have ever met is Danny Glover, the actor. This is because we are both called Danny.

Do you think Britain is getting better or worse, and why?
This depends on the period that you are comparing but personally, I think Britain is getting worse because compared to 30 years ago; we are all getting too selfish and no longer care for our neighbours.

Does your team work directly with WERA, and if so, in what way?
My team works directly with WERA by attending their meetings and taking up any issues that fall within tenancy management.

What do you think is most important about working with residents?
To maintain effective communication with residents and the TRA so that the Council can deliver a consistent and good service.

In what ways do you think the Weir Estate Residents Association benefits it’s residents?
Taking up issues on behalf of all the residents on Weir Estate.

Do you like to read? If so what was the last book you read?
I like to read and the last book that I read was Barrack Obama’s ‘Dreams from My Father’.

Where in the world would you most like to live and why?
I would very much like to live in Las Palmas because of the climate and the food.

How do you like to relax after a hard day in the office?
I relax by watching the comedy channels.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am a keen photographer.

What do you most enjoy about your role?
Helping to re-house the homeless people and ensuring that residents are happy and safe in their homes.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?Best advice that I was ever given was to take a scholarship examination to enable me study in the UK. I was successful and ended up coming over to study in the UK in 1974 on full scholarship.

What job did you do before coming to work for Lambeth Living (or Lambeth Council)?
I worked in the media all my life before coming to Lambeth.

How can residents contact you, and when should they contact you?
I would prefer residents contact me through 0207 926 6000, the Service Centre number so that their calls can be logged.
You never know when this may become relevant.

Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?

Can you give a brief description of what your role involves?
Delivering around £25 million of revenue works and services through 30 contracts and £55 million of capital works through 80 contracts. These contracts and services affect tenants in Lambeth Living and Tenant Management Organisations outside Lambeth Living and the contracts and services also affect leaseholds in all over 30 thousand homes. There are over 130 multi disciplinary staff involved in this work in the Property Directorate that report to me and in addition we use external construction industry specialists to protect our interests.

How long have you been doing this role?
Four years.

What is the biggest change you have seen to Housing during the time in your role?
To date securing increased capacity to deliver new roofs and windows and increased value for money for tenants and leaseholders in Lambeth by joining a local authority purchase club called the London Housing Consortium has meant we have delivered the annual budgets we are given more effectively and have secured over £6 million of savings when compared to traditional small scale contracts that we used four years ago.

How important do you think it is for estates to be improved under the major works programme?
A safe, warm and modernised home can transform the lives of people and that is the objective of our decent homes investment plane over the next few years but we need to compliment this with improved day to day services.

Do you think there could be more investment in bringing council homes up to decent homes standard?
The Decent Homes standard is a minimum and residents could well wish to see further improvements to communal and external areas of their neighbourhood. Also there may be some neighbourhoods that require finance beyond the capacity of an ALMO where discussions will need to take place about the options for further investment to be made.

What are you and your team doing to improve communities and residents lives within Lambeth?
The Property Services directorate has an improvement plan following our view of what it takes to get to a two star organisation. This means that we need to respond to requests for repairs on time, ensure that gas servicing is completely up to date, deliver programmes successfully within budget and above all make decisions in collaboration with residents so that the disruption that goes hand in hand with investment is minimised.

Who has provided the biggest influence in your life?
The biggest influence in my housing career has been that of local residents involved in making key decisions about the management and investment in their neighbourhoods. There is nobody better to see the issues that need resolving and to be part of unlocking successful solutions.

What changes would you like to see being made to improve the way Lambeth Living delivers planned maintenance on estates?
Lambeth Living has plans to devolve and de-centralise housing maintenance and investment as currently it a centralised process. We have plans to devolve into 6 neighbourhoods and bring both accountability for service delivery closer to the 6 neighbourhood representative structures.

Where was your last holiday destination?
My last holiday destination was Centre Parcs in Penrith in Cumbria as it provided an opportunity for
strenuous physical activity with my three sons.

If you could change one thing about Lambeth as a place, what would it be and why?
The one wish I have about Lambeth is that it is seen as a place that delivers excellent housing services. The reason I would wish to see this is for too long residents have been disappointed in the level of services provided.

What is your favourite quote?
My favourite quote is that “individuals are seldom perfect, but teams can be”

How would you say your friends and family would describe you?
Driven

What services would you most like to develop under your remit of responsibility?
The service that I would most like to develop is that of the day to day responsive maintenance as it is that service which residents on average use three times per year and affects their view of their landlord significantly.

How important do you think direct communication with residents associations is in your division?
Direct communication is vital from the start to the end of a project. Without direct communication significant floors and mistakes develop.

What do you think has been your biggest achievement since taking up your position?
Stabilising the Property Directorate following a serious fraud over three years ago!

How do you feel Lambeth Living compares to the former delivery of Lambeth Council’s housing repairs and maintenance?
On a journey to improve and is just about to complete the performance year 2009/10 where improvements in time taken to respond to urgent repairs and resident satisfaction with repairs will show an increase on previous years, as will the ability of Lambeth Living to deliver the annual capital allocation.

What aspects of your role do you find most and least enjoyable?
Most enjoyable in receiving the thanks of a resident; least enjoyable receiving the disappointment of a resident!

What does community mean to you?
A place where people want to live

When should residents contact you, and how can they do this?
My telephone number is 020 7926 3427 or may be answered either by myself or my Support officer, it is also possible to leave a voicemail on this number should I or my support officer not be able to take the call

Please introduce yourself, and what your role is.

Can you explain what Trading Standards is?
We are a statutory service, which means the council is obliged to operate a trading standards team, concerned with the prevention and detection of crime. In the past we were primarily concerned with weights and measures but over the years we have been given more and more legal responsibilities and now enforce over 70 Acts of Parliament with attendant regulations. For example we might be enforcing simple price marking one day, to raiding a factory turning out counterfeit DVD’s the next, whilst advising a trader on how they can make their products safer. It’s an incredibly varied job and can be fantastically rewarding in terms of job satisfaction.

In what way does your department directly affect residents?
It’s a tough job to deal with all the demands of a borough the size and complexity of Lambeth. To make sure that we make the best use of resources we have chosen 4 themes that we have prioritized and focused on over the last 2 or 3 years. In short these are to tackle rogue traders, deal with unsafe products, thwart counterfeiting and reduce the level underage sales of knives, alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks.
How big of a role does Trading Standards have within Lambeth?For a small team I believe we have a big impact. Residents can often find stories related to the work we are doing in Lambeth Life whether it is arranging free food deliveries to a homeless charity in exchange for counterfeit materials ( to be reprocessed for more legitimate uses) or reporting on undercover test purchase activities in the bars and cafes in Clapham. We often work with Police and we have a reputation for delivering results.

What is the best way for residents to report concerns to Trading Standards?
All our complaints are first referred to Consumer Direct who offer free expert individual consumer advice. We are notified of all complaints and if it is a serious criminal matter we will investigate further. To contact Consumer Direct ring 08454 040506, there is also a link and further information on the Council’s website.

What advice would you give to residents before purchasing a high value item?
It depends somewhat on the item. If you log onto to the councils website and find the trading standards section you will find a selection of information and advice pages which will give step by step advice. The link is: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Lambeth.WebApps.TradingStandards/AdviceConsumers.aspx

What does community mean to you?
The oxford dictionary defines community as: A group of people living together in one place. 2 (the community) the people of an area or country considered collectively; society. 3 a group of people with a common religion, race, or profession: the scientific community. 4 the holding of certain attitudes and interests in common.
On this basis I belong to several different communities all at one time but the most pertinent for me is the first part of the definition.
Can you explain what rights consumers have after purchasing goods, and the statutory guarantee which comes with all goods.There is no statutory guarantee that comes with the purchase of goods, other than that offered by a manufacturer as an inducement for a sale. However in every normal retail purchase the consumer has certain statutory rights the most of important of which is that the item must be of ‘satisfactory quality’. There is more at our website which goes into far greater detail:
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Lambeth.WebApps.TradingStandards/Detail_AdviceConsumers.aspx?DocumentNo=122526&Classification=Goods_leaflets

In your opinion, what benefit does a No Cold Calling Zone (NCCZ) bring to a community?
The principal benefit to setting up a ‘no cold calling zone’ is that raise awareness of some of the most pernicious crimes that are committed in the Borough. Every so often we receive reports of elderly or otherwise vulnerable people who have been robed of almost every penny by bogus traders in their own homes. It is a common story; the trader door stepping a victim, gaining their trust, asking for huge sums in cash for minor shoddy repairs or sometimes no work at all and then disappearing.  It is the cruelest of crimes leaving victims debilitated and isolated, whilst the perpetrators frequently get away never to be traced or brought to justice.  We hope that in setting up the zones people are forewarned of the dangers and have the courage and support of community to say no to cold callers.

What CD would you have at home in your CD player at the moment?
Selected tracks from Ennio Morricone’s film scores (e.g. “For a fistful of dollars”, “The Mission” etc).   Do you think enough is being done by trading standards to ensure that weights and measures are fair and legal?The importance of weights and measures cannot be overestimated everything we buy from food to fuel is either weighed or measured – just imagine if it wasn’t! In the UK I think we can be assured that almost all bona fide traders will weigh and measure fairly and accurately, but as raw materials get scarcer and more expensive there will always be a temptation to cut corners. However, currently we get very few complaints of short measure in the Borough.

What do you think is the most important aspect to be a Trading Standards Officer?
I think it is the ability to listen.

If you could adapt your role or trading standards, what would you introduce?
If money was no object I would like to reintroduce a comprehensive consumer and business advice service that could give deeper levels of advice and support to residents, particularly those who are more vulnerable and a service that could provide quick and assessable advice free to traders.

Do you think Trading Standards Officers have enough power to tackle product counterfeiting?
Yes, I think we do, we have very significant powers of entry and inspection and should we really need we can search computers, filing systems bank accounts etc. Counterfeiting is often associated with serious organized crime and we cannot operate against it without sufficient powers, which we only use legally and proportionately.

If you could choose any other department with Lambeth Council to work in, what would it be and why?
I think the role of Town Centre Manager is one that I would really enjoy.

At what point should members of our community contact Trading Standards?
Whenever they have a consumer law related matter
How important do you feel it is to educate the community in understanding their consumer rights?I think it is very important the more people know the less likely it is that rogues will exist. We want to see educated consumers and safe prosperous businesses.

How many people are in the Trading Standards Team?
8, including me.

Can you give your top five tips that are relevant to residents for ensuring they are getting a good service from local businesses? Shop around, always look for the best deal but never go solely on price.
For big purchases think about after sales service.
Check the small print, if it’s too good to be true then it probably isn’t.
Do some research, the web can be a wonderful thing, if you use Google remember to get a specific search to put “-” around the term or name.
Don’t be reticent about coming forward we can only act if we have the information.

Can you explain what TrustMark is?
Trustmark is a not for profit, government backed, initiative to help consumers find reliable and trustworthy tradesmen to carry out repairs inside and outside the home. It is widely supported by consumer protection organisations and the building industry.

Lambeth trading standards are proud to support the initiative and consumer can find further information on our website entry.
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Lambeth.WebApps.TradingStandards/

Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?

How long have you been doing this role?
3 months

How do you feel residents could be encouraged to get more involved in local organisations?
Residents are more likely to get involved in issues if they can see their involvement leading to positive changes. Traditionally most housing organisations have not been good at feeding back how residents views have led to improvements to services.

Who or what inspires you and why?
Nelson Mandela. He has demonstrated amazing courage, humility, wisdom and generosity. He is an inspiration to us all.Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?Still living in London, still working in housing. Apart from that, I don’t really know!

Do you feel there is enough communication between Lambeth Living and the community?
I think there is a lot of communication between Lambeth Living and its residents, and our residents groups are very active. However there is definitely room for improvement in this area. I hope that the communications review we are carrying out will deliver this improvement.

Do you ever get the time to leave the office, and visit estates?
Would you like to do this more often?I have visited some of our estates, such as Ethelred and I took a very enjoyable stroll along the lambeth walk just before christmas. I look forward to seeing more estates over the next few months.

What is your favourite place within the Borough of Lambeth?
Lambeth Palace. A beautiful building and a magnificent view of the Thames and London.

Unfortunately Lambeth Living often gets bad press, how do you feel Lambeth Living as an organisation is improving?
I think Lambeth Living is trying to improve in very difficult circumstances. It has inherited substantial legacy problems from the Council that date back several years, and below standard housing services. Added to this were substantial budget cuts in its first year and a half of operation.There have been some improvements despite these challenges, such as bringing 150 empty properties back into use, and maintaining a 90+ per cent satisfaction with repairs that are carried out. However we do know there is still a lot of work to do to get our services to where residents want them to be.

What improvements are you hoping to bring that will particularly benefit residents?
I will be overseeing the implementation of new and updated tenancy conditions, improving information provision to residents by developing new tenant and leaseholder handbooks, and improving customer care by learning more about our customers and then shaping our services around them.

What immediate improvements do you feel can be made in your role for the benefit of Weir Estate residents?
Improving Lambeth Living’s communications and the amount and quality of information available to residents. The recent local newsletters and soon to be consulted on customer care standards are examples of this.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
People who always focus on or chase what they don’t have and do not appreciate or are not thankful for what they do have will never be truly happy and content with life.

What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth as a Borough?
The residents are Lambeth! They are what makes it such a unique and exciting place. One thing that has struck me since I started working in Lambeth is the pride people take in their local area and its history. And this is right across the borough, from North Lambeth to Streatham. The number of TMOs in Lambeth is an example of this.

Do you think more can be done to listen to residents views?
Always. One thing I have implemented recently is the idea of service user consultation, as opposed to just resident consultation. This is very important as a service user will have recently experienced a service such as repairs and will have a more up to date view of what could be done to improve it. Another resident may not have experienced that service for some years. It’s also important to offer more ways to become involved. Telephone based focus groups, online surveys, community events etc are new ways to consult people that compliment traditional ways.This is an area that will always be crucial to an organisation’s success.

What was your first job?
I worked in my local supermarket as a cashier and stacking shelves to support myself through university

What steps could be taken to get the youth more involved in residents associations?
This is a difficult one, but it can be done. It needs a different approach, and one that does not patronise young people or try to ‘get down’ with them. One initiative I have previously involved in provided 10 and 11 year olds with disposable cameras and asked them to take photographs of their estate. it taught us a lot about how they see their estate.

Who would you most like to meet and why?
My Irish Grandfather. I was born on his birthday, but unfortunately he died when I was very young. I would have liked to have got to know him when I was old enough to have known him.

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy, and why?
I enjoy improving things, so the most enjoyable part of my role is seeing something working much better than before.

How and when should residents contact you?
Residents can contact me through the call centre, or by using our feedback@lambethliving.org.uk email address.

Please introduce yourself.

Can you explain what your role is?
My role as RPO involve me working to develop local community groups that can represent their communities, identify where necessary particular training needs and facilitate access to such in the aim of capacity building individuals and groups.

In what way do you directly work with residents?
I have being assigned to working with groups particularly in Clapham, as part of the contribution of the Central Team, that also works with Brixton residents. Through face to face meetings, telephone conversations, email and via letters I communicate with the residents of my Area (normally through the structure of their individual TRAs). My aim is to listen and be able to provide advice, support and direction to community groups to be successful at representing their communities.

What are Lambeth Living and Lambeth Council doing to engage residents?
There is a positive move from councils throughout the metropolis to enable representation of the ordinary citizen at all levels of community consultation. This means that LL and Lambeth Council are proactive in enabling residents to engage in the processes that lead to this. There is assistance to developing and forming local groups – often TRAs, but other interest groups can equally emerge and be supported. An annual funding enables groups to operate.

What advice would you give to residents before purchasing a high value item?
Make sure you really need it and you buy it under the best terms you can negotiate.

What does community mean to you?
People identifying that they have many things in common, to work together for the common good.

In your opinion, what benefit does being part of a community group bring?
The fact that you can be part of a group, mean that your efforts can be multiplied to a level that enables change to occur.

What CD would you have at home in your CD player at the moment?
Something spiritual, such as the works of Burning Spear or to bring things up to date, Taurus Riley, something that deals with reality.

What do you think is the most important aspect to be a Resident Participation Officer?
One needs to be a good listener, able to put people at their ease and get the best out individuals who are often prone to under estimate their own potential. and stick to the task to produce the positive changes that residents desire.

If you could adapt your role, what would you introduce?
All new residents should be signposted to joining their TRA at the beginning of tenancies or on moving into the community.

In what way do you work directly with Weir Estate Residents Association?
I am kept in the loop in what takes place in the WERA community. I take part in meetings as often as I can, contributing to discussions as they arise and accept my role in AGM activities.

What was the last book you read?
The Brotherhood of the Unicorn by Wilfred LB Fraser took me on a journey of the adventure of becoming a teenager (a positive reflection). This is the work of a local author who has produced his work as a response of giving others a glimpse into the past of an earlier generation.

Do you think more could be done to integrate and encourage communication between residents associations?
There is always room for improvement. Thing begin with getting the individual TRAs working effectively, with emphasis on attracting membership from all of the community, to be truly representative. Inclusion can often be the solution to some issues. We presently operate a Forum system, that allows TRA members, to meet and share, via open discussions with others, a wonderful opportunity.

Who inspires you?
Many people, those that I meet in my daily exploits have some thing to contribute to my thinking and approach and my reason for doing what I do, under the banner of LL and beyond. If the question was who inspired me? then, the answer would have to be my father, who taught me to have my own mind and be resolute.

In what ways do you feel residents help to shape the Borough?
Residents are willing to participate, and I believe that they hold the power to be listened to and be consulted. Things can begin with very local involvement, but it has being my experience, that the voice of the TRA Rep, can go on to influence policies and decision making that have Borough wide significance.

What do you like most about your role?
Meeting and working with people to make things happen.

What improvements do you feel Lambeth Living could make to estates on the Borough?
Make community spaces more family friendly – provisions for children to play more safely and unencumbered.

Why do you think it is so important to have a good community spirit?
Community spirit is like the beating heart of any community. There are other descriptions that I could use but they would all convey the same thing, that  a healthy community requires people who share ‘care and concerns’ about where they live, have neighbourliness as part of their psyche and personality. We are never going to get everyone thinking and believing in the very same thing, but if there is sufficient with a shared positive ethos, then things can only be better.

If you could choose any other department within Lambeth Living, or Lambeth Council to work in, what would it be and why?
I could happily spend my day playing tennis/table tennis, sports that challenges the individual to be as fit as they can be, develop the skills to master a sport that they could enjoy and share enjoyable times with others. I believe that sport is multifaceted, able to break down barriers while promoting good practices. I am able to escape while on the tennis courts or around a table tennis table and I would like others to get to share this experience.

How and when should residents contact you?
I can be contacted at the Brixton office at Greenleaf Close or on my direct line of 020 7926 3799 and via email

Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?

Can you give a brief description of what your role involves?
I help people across Lambeth set up green community groups like Hyde Farm CAN

How long have you been doing this role?
About 9 months

What is the best advice you would give to someone who wanted to save energy?
Try to understand your energy use – then you can see where the biggest savings can be made. If you track your bills you will soon see how much energy you actually save by turning things off, and only using the heating when you really need to.

How is Lambeth Council encouraging it’s residents to be more eco-friendly?
My role is to encourage people to work in their communities to become more eco-friendly. There are lots of things that are relatively easy to do as a group, and it makes it much more fun and interesting. There are four main areas that I work on - energy, food (grow your own, cook your own, waste less), waste (composting, reuse, reducing waste, recycling) and transport (cycling, car sharing etc.). There are teams of people in the council that work on sustainable transport and sustainable waste.

What aspects of your job do you most enjoy?
Meeting people and starting a conversation around the environment.

How do you think residents can be motivated to leave the car at home, and take public transport?
I think the planned new bus service will make it easier for residents on the Weir estate to get to Balham and Streatham. There is also a need for safer bike storage on the estate. Residents could save a lot of money by giving up their cars, and one way to make this more attractive would be to have a car club car on the estate (eg Streetcar).

How can residents on estates grow their own food?
The easiest way to start growing food on estates is to plant some tasty salad leaves such as rocket in a pot and put it on a balcony or window sill. Herbs are also very good to grow in pots. Otherwise residents can get together and campaign for areas of the estate to be designated for food growing. The council has produced a set of guidelines to help residents set up community food growing proejcts on estates.

Who would you most like to meet?
Barack Obama. I met Gordon Brown last year and am meeting Hilary Benn next week so I don’t think that’s too ambitious!

What is the main aim of the Green Community Champions Project?
The main aim of the Green Community Champions Project is to support individuals that are championing green activities in their communities. When I first started I had a goal of 6 groups across the borough by the end of the year. There are actually now 50 groups.

How do you think Residents Associations benefit estates?
Resident Associations are essential if estate residents want to improve their environment and lives as part of a community. I think RAs are also good for streets – they are rare, but Green Community groups are starting to fill that role.

What does community mean to you?
Community is how we nurture the environments in which we live, work, play and pray…our lives are richer and more fruitful if we appreciate our communities.

What one item could you not leave home without?
My house keys!

What do you think is the easiest way for residents to start to be more sustainable, and think about their carbon footprint?
The easiest way is to get together with neighbours and get a conversation going. I am always happy to help facilitate a discussion!

How would you encourage youth to get involved with the Green Champions Project?
I am currently working on a Green Communities volunteering programme, to make it easy for young people to take part. We are hoping to organise volunteer days and events. I am also working with a local community gardener who specialises in working with young people.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
I only work 20 hours a week, but could work 80! and I would enjoy every minute of it.

How would you sell Lambeth to the rest of the world?
I am very proud of some of the things Lambeth is doing with regard to the environment – there is still a lot more work to do but in terms of Green Communities it is leading the way.

Describe yourself in a short sentence.
I am passionate about the work I do but tend to try to do too much!

What is your biggest achievement in your current role?
The fact that there are now 50 Green Communities across Lambeth.

How can residents contact you?
Susan Sheehan, Green Community Champions Officer
Phone: 020 7926 7672 – Fax: 020 7926 6201  Email: SSheehan@lambeth.gov.uk

How long have you been an MP?

What do most enjoy about representing the people?
Occasionally securing justice for a constituent against all the odds.

How do you feel you as an MP has benefited our residents?
Helping in campaigns for new schools, new health facilities, and new community centres – like the Weir Link.

What does community mean to you?
Mutual aid – the basis of my personal politics.

Keith, We understand you are due to retire at the next General Election, how would you most like to be remembered once you have retired?
As an advocate for the poor and powerless.

What are your plans once you retire?
What do you mean “retire”? I can’t keep up with all the jobs people want me to do.

How do you think your constituency has changed over the years?
Definitely for the better, and partly because there are more voluntary groups of residents working for the common good.

What advice would you give to the person who becomes our MP?
Never forget the folk who put you there!

Can you tell us what other roles you have had during the time you have been an MP?
I have been a transport minister, a housing and planning minister, minister for London (twice!), a whip, and Tony Blair’s parliamentary private secretary.

Please describe in which ways you work directly with WERA?
By visiting the estate and maintaining contact with WERA officers. I expect to continue the link in my new job as Chair of Lambeth Living.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?
Put an end to graffiti which is a crime. Prosecute Banksy!

What is your most memorable moment in your role?
Meeting Nelson Mandela at the Brixton Rec.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
Probably President Clinton when he visited the Labour Party Annual Conference.

What more do you think can be done to improve communities?
You can never have enough people participating, and money.

Where would you most like to visit in the world?
I would like to return to India, my most vivid travel experience ever.

What could you most not leave home without?
My Oystercard (soon to be my Freedom Pass!)

What advice as an experienced member of parliament would you give to our residents about improving their community?
Elect good leaders.

What is your favourite aspect of Lambeth and why?
I think the kids in our Lambeth schools are marvellous. They give me hope for the future.

Do you feel you have accomplished all you have set out to do in the time you have been an MP?
Probably not, but I feel immensely privileged as a person from a very modest working class background to have done what I have done.

How and when should residents contact you?
After I retire as MP, I can be contacted at Lambeth Living, as Chair of the Board (board@lambethliving.org.uk)

How long have you been doing this role?

Do you do any other job apart from being a Councillor?
No, not any more.  I am now retired.  I used to work as a town planner and I am also a qualified electrician.  After retiring I worked on a freelance basis but I don’t seem to have the time now that I am a councillor.  And I still have a school age child to look after and, until recently, had caring responsibilities for two very elderly parents.

You are one of three councillors in Thornton Ward, what role do you feel you have within the ward?
Because I am available during the day and can therefore attend estate walkabouts, I tend to deal with a lot of housing management issues, trying to improve conditions on our estates.  I chair the Neighbourhood Forum that is organised by the Clapham Park Project.  The Forum is designed to bring local people together and to give them a voice.  I’m an active member of the Friends of Agnes Riley Gardens and I sit on the Board of the Clapham Park Project trying to ensure that there will be a worthwhile legacy from that project to the benefit of everyone in the area.

What has been your biggest achievement as a ward Councillor?
I suppose it must be playing a part in getting the investment into the Weir Estate and Thornton Gardens for new windows and doors.  But I also managed to secure free access to the sports pitches in the Agnes Riley Gardens and some planned improvements to the pond and, last but not least, successfully campaigning for the TfL proposal to extend the 255 bus service to Balham.

How would you most like to see things change in the future for residents?
I would love to see our housing finances on a firmer footing so that we as councillors aren’t put in the impossible situation of having to raise the rent by as much as we had to do recently.  This would help tenants and leaseholders to be able to plan their own finances.  We have been able to get the council’s overall finances into pretty good shape having inherited a bare cupboard.  It would be a great achievement to do the same for housing.

What one thing do you think is the most important about working with residents?
Trying to see things from their point of view.  I think that life generally would be a lot better if we put ourselves in others’ shoes from time to time.

In the time you have been a Councillor, do you think Lambeth has improved if so can you tell us how?
I think it has.  I’ve mentioned the finances – that sounds a bit abstract but it has meant that we have been able to plan our non-housing expenditure better. I know that there have been some problems with refuse on the estates but generally our refuse collection system has improved and people seem much more satisfied with the cleanliness of the streets than they used to be.  We have been making great efforts to increase recycling -with some pilot food recycling projects – and the new Clapham Leisure and Library/Health Centre now seems to be getting off the drawing board.  We have opened two new secondary schools, in Brixton and Herne Hill, and are planning another and we have rebuilt some other educational facilities in an award winning way.  And, in housing, we have dramatically improved our ability to spend the capital money that is allocated to us.  That’s, in part, why we have been able to get the windows programme off the ground.

What most frustrates you about your role?
The length of time it takes to get anything done and the difficulty of getting hold of people.  I have worked in local government, so I know that it doesn’t have to be like this.  We are beginning to change the culture and things are starting to get better but there is much more to do.

What do you most like about living/working in Lambeth?
Definitely the people – if that isn’t too cringe-making.  We really do have a fantastic mix of people in Lambeth, lots of whom are hugely dedicated to making the place even better.  But it’s a good place to enjoy yourself, too – the cinemas, the ice-rink, the South Bank and Brockwell Park Lido to mention just a few of my favourites.

What is your biggest inspiration in life?
I think that’s too difficult to answer.  Lots of things inspire me but one of my heroines is our local one, Violette Szabo, who worked alongside the French Resistance and made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedoms.  I remember seeing the film about her, ‘Carve Her Name with Pride’, when I was quite young and being inspired by it.  I often wonder whether any of us – least of all me – would rise to such a challenge.  I think of her life when I need to make difficult decisions.

What impact, if any do you feel a residents association has?
I’ve always believed that people working together can move mountains.  When officers (and councillors) are presented with a united voice they find it difficult to ignore that voice.  And WERA has a fantastic record on delivering benefits to the estate from the involvement in the Weir Link project through to exerting the pressure that was needed to get the windows programme moving.

How would you describe WERA to our residents?
Basically that it is their organisation.  It is where they can come together to achieve things to their common benefit.

Should more be done to empower Residents Associations?
I think WERA is quite powerful.  Generally council officers and the local Safer Neighbourhood Team attend when they are asked.  And we as local councillors rarely miss a meeting. This isn’t necessarily the case with all residents’ associations.  And having the aerial money to dispose of each year gives it more resources than most.  But perhaps there is a case for formalising the rights of RAs to be able to call people to account.  And residents could let us know what would make them fell more empowered.

Please describe your best day out?
I suppose this should be a Lambeth one but I find it difficult to get away from councillor duties when I am at home so I’ll describe a good day out that I had earlier this year with my partner, my daughter and one of her friends in North Wales where my parents lived.  It was a lovely sunny spring day – we first went to Portmerion, a very attractive Italian style village built as a sort of folly, we admired the architecture and had a picnic lunch.  We then spent the afternoon on a nearby beach and ate award winning ice cream.  We went on to savour the old fashioned and rather genteel delights of Llandudno, ending up eating a nice dinner with a view of the sea.  Sea and food, that’s me!

As Ward Councillors, you recently held the first ever Thornton Ward event, do you think this is a positive way to improve relations and communication with residents?
Yes, the Strictly Thornton event went well, I think.  A lot of people didn’t quite know what to expect but the verdict was pretty favourable.  We tried to bring a variety of different groups together and lots of people helped and cooked delicious food.  And a bit of dancing broke the ice!  Unfortunately I’d broken a bone in my arm the previous week, so that took the gilt off the gingerbread for me personally.

Would you like to work more with residents to make life better?
I’m open to any suggestions about making life better.  Councillors can’t possibly know what people want without hearing from them.  If more residents got involved with WERA, we’d get to hear a wider range of views and that would be good.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, people too often see the price of everything and the value of nothing.  I’m not sure how we change that – it would be an enormous cultural shift.

How do you feel the labour government has done for communities such as ours?
The obvious one is the Decent Homes Investment Programme that delivered the new windows.  But there are lots of other things, as well.  The Weir Link nursery is a Sure Start centre, a Labour initiative; the local schools are now streets ahead of where they were in 1997; the Working Families and Child Tax Credits have helped lots of families; hospital waiting lists are down; cancer care has improved enormously; we now have local policing in the form of Safer Neighbourhood Teams, a new idea; and the Pension Credits and Winter Fuel allowances have benefited elderly people – to name but a few.

What inspires you?
My mother, who died just recently, always made the best of what she had, saw the good in people and looked on the bright side (oh dear, the last bit sounds a bit Monty Pythonish!) and told me not to whinge about things but to do something about them.  I don’t always live up to that, but I try to.

How best do you think we as residents can take part in improving Thornton Ward?
Taking my cue from the last answer, I suppose it must be doing something rather than silently suffering or just complaining.  ‘Doing something’ can mean getting involved with your local community groups such as WERA and/or getting in touch with us councillors and giving us your ideas about the sort of improvements you want to see.  You can also come along to meetings such as the Neighbourhood Forum (I shall try to make sure that this gets advertised in the WERA newsletter and in the Weir Link one).

You can find details of how to contact Cllr Morris, as well as Cllr Peck, and Cllr Hipwell, by clicking here

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

How long have you been doing this job?
I have now been employed by the Metropolitan Police Service as a PCSO since February 2008.

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy?
The aspects of my role I most enjoy is representing the Metropolitan Police, engaging with the community, learning about different cultures, and working with other partnerships, solving problems and making the community feel like it’s a safer place to live.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?
Tougher laws, and jail sentences to deter people from committing crime.

What motivates you day to day to do your job?
My motivation in my job is the challenges, to reduce crime, dealing with concerns and issues and trying to come to solve problems and having a satisfactory conclusion.

What does community mean to you?
Community means to me getting to know people, how each individual lives differently, getting to know their concerns, it means involvement and aspirations.

Do you think you job makes a difference to our community?
I think my job makes a difference to our community because it makes people feel like it’s a safer place to live, they are able to come forth and speak and trust us, and we are recognised out there in full uniform.

If you had the power to change the law, what new law would you bring in?
If I had the power to change the law it would be raising the legal age of drinking to 21 years old to reduce the number of Anti-Social Behaviour incidents we have.

Do you think Britain is getting better or worse and why?
I think Britain is getting worse considering 25 years ago I didn’t hear of such crimes that are going on today, there is lack of respect to society in general.

Who would you most like to meet?
I would most like to meet the Queen.

What do you most like to see in a community?
The most I’d like to see in the community is peace. I would also like to see different communities engaging with each other and understanding each others.

Does your role encourage you to work with a wide range of people?
Yes

Who would be your ideal ‘Come Dine With Me’ Dinner guests?
My ideal ‘ come dine with me ‘ dinner guests would be, French and Saunders, Davina McCall, Ellen Degeneres.

How many people are in your team (including yourself)?
There are seven in the team. (One Sergeant, 2 Police Constable’s, 4 Police Community Support Officer’s)

What could you most not leave home without?
I couldn’t leave my home without my phone.

What makes you happy?
Coming to work and serving my community makes me happy.

How would you describe the youth of today?
The youth of today I think are bored and misunderstood and need something to focus on and motivate them.

Do you speak any foreign languages, if so what languages do you speak?
No.

What aspect of your job would you most like to change?
I would most like to give more powers to PCSO to enforce the law more efficiently.

When and how should residents contact you, and/or your team?
If residents would like to contact us they can call us on 020 8721 2622 or 07920 233 840, email us at Thornton.snt@met.police.uk or stop us whilst we are out on patrol. Alternatively you could come into the police station at any time.

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

How long have you been doing this role?
I was elected here in 2000. I spent the first 8 years as Chair of the Fire Brigade but now we have a Conservative Mayor he gives the key roles to Conservative members. Technically I’m in opposition.

Can you please give a brief description of what your role involves?
Our principle job is to scrutinise the work of the Mayor Boris Johnson, and the functional bodies of the GLA – Transport for London and the Police included.  But because my constituency covers a population of about 450,0000 people I spend a huge amount of time dealing with casework.  Everything from Planning issues to problems with bus routes.   The Civil Servant who set up the GLA refused to  admit that Assembly members would have casework. In fact it takes up a good half of my time. Its mostly done with groups and community organisations though such as Residents Associations – its not so much for individuals as City hall doesn’t provide any personal care services of any kind.

If you had the power to change the law, what new law would you bring in?
I am concerned about the impact of noise nuisance on people’s health and well being. I would like to see a law to ban the use of boom boxes in cars and  over  loud  car stereos. I also don’t see why we should put up with unnecessary helicopter noise in London. We should ban everything but emergency service uses. Businessmen can get to their golfing holidays by train!

What is your favourite place to visit in London?
I am very fond of that long stroll along to SouthBank from Westminster Bridge all the way to Shad Thames via the Eye, the Globe, Southwark Cathedral and More London.

What do you think is the most important about working with communities?
It’s important to remember that often people express anger because they feel unsupported and powerless in the face of Authority.   However tired I am, I always try and remember how ‘hard pressed’ community volunteers feel!

Do you think London is getting better or worse and why?
It’s getting better in many physical ways but I am deeply depressed about the continuing high level of drug dealing and abuse in our society and the appalling level of drunkenness.

What one item could you most not leave home without?
My Blackberry

What do you most like about living/working in London?
Its glorious mixing of peoples.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
David Blunkett – he taught me to ‘practice fearlessness’ however scared you are; if it’s important, you give it a go.

In what ways do you think the residents associations benefit residents?
Residents Associations are a crucial link in the chain of information and influence between individual people and the community at large.  I wish we had more of them! I work with them a lot and find they aid my understanding of what is needed in the community.

What impact do you think your role has for those living in London?
I am part of the wider GLA system. It’s important that we have a democratic government for London – in the years without a GLC and GLA London suffered and deteriorated - the Underground became dilapidated and the bus service was gruesomely bad.  It’s important that we provide democratic leadership on all kinds of issues  – environmental protection is a big challenge for London with its polluted air.

What areas are you directly responsible for?
Over the last 8 years I know I had a beneficial impact on modernising the Fire Service in London.  We can measure it in the reduction of fire deaths in London. At the moment my job is to try and shine  a light and ask questions on the Mayor’s Transport plans.  But very often it’s on  the casework and local issues where I have most helped.

Please describe yourself in three words?
Affable, energetic and well organised

Should more be done to improve facilities and engaging of young people in London?
There’s a lot to do in providing youth activities but often young people say to me that they would like better policing on the streets and in the buses  and tube. Young men are most often the victim of attacks and muggings and they need to feel the freedom and confidence to move safely around their own city without fear of violence.

How do you most like to relax after a hard day at the office?
That would be nice.

Who would be your ideal ‘Come Dine with Me’ Dinner Guests (max 4)?
I’d like to eat at home with my husband occasionally.  It’s privacy I crave at the end of the day.

What aspects of society would you most like to see changed?
I’d like to see the end of age discrimination in our society. We see it in the way the media treats un-young women and in the uncaring way that elderly people may be dealt with in hospitals and social care.   I think age discrimination results in elder abuse and violence at one end of the spectrum.   I come across cases where   elderly people  get ‘scammed ‘out of their property and money  by their children and family members when they become vulnerable and dependent. Respect for the elderly would be a way of restoring some of their power.

Who inspires you?
This week Pastor Leke of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Congreve St)  did a good job of giving me some inspiration during a superb London Peace week service. Next week it will be someone else I see working in the community who gives me a kick in the right direction.

When and how should residents and members of the community contact you?
You can call me on 0207 983 4401  or email me on Valerie.Shawcross@london.gov.uk.

You can write at
Valerie Shawcross AM
LONDON Assembly Member Lambeth & Southwark
City Hall
The Queen’s Walk
London SE1 2AA

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

How long have you been doing this job?
Seven months at Lambeth Living.

What did you do before coming to Lambeth?
Was there life before coming to Lambeth? I was the first Chief Executive of Stevenage Homes for two years helping them to achieve their two star rating from the Audit Commission earlier this year. This has unlocked £63m to spend on the council’s housing.

What does community mean to you?
It means life, comfort, support and a force to celebrate. I want Lambeth Living to embrace the community in Lambeth and serve it well by providing excellent housing services.

How do you think Lambeth Living has changed and do you think your role has had an impact on this?
Lambeth Living is now much clearer about its direction and vision for the future. We are a very self aware organisation and have become increasingly realistic about what we need to do to improve services for residents. The Board is dedicated and hard working and has come through some very challenging times. We are optimistic and looking forward to helping to make life better for Lambeth residents.

Do you think residents associations benefit residents?
Very much so. They help the local community to come together in a way that promotes togetherness and support. They speak on behalf of residents, help them to access services, give then advice about what to do if something goes wrong and work with us to improve services. They also tell us if something has gone wrong and can help us to put it right. Lambeth Living is working to develop more residents associations and we want to empower residents to get involved in the services we provide.

Describe yourself in three words?
• Passionate
• Fair
• Determined

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
Roy Irwin, Chief Inspector of the Housing Inspectorate, Audit Commission. Roy introduced the customer focused approach to housing inspection that has been responsible for driving up standards of service in housing. Lambeth Living is at an early stage of being one of the best organisations at providing housing management services and Roy’s approach teaches us that the only way is up.

Describe your role in a sentence?
To lead Lambeth Living to achieve its mission to manage and deliver high quality homes and excellent service to Lambeth tenants, leaseholder and freeholders.

Do you feel enough is being done to encourage a more positive approach to the younger community today?
More can always be done. Young people are our future and they deserve to be cherished and supported to be part of our society and community. Lambeth Living works with young people and others to show that we value and support young people.

Where would you most like to visit in the world?
Colorado, United States. Great snowboarding country!

How important do you think diversity and communication is in a community?
Lambeth is a great place to work because it is so diverse and so vibrant. I get a real buzz from working with so many different people and communities. It really adds to the richness of life. Lambeth Living aims to value, recognise and celebrate the diversity of our customers while supporting those who are vulnerable. Good communication unlocks meaning and information for communities and there is certainly more Lambeth Living can do to improve communication.

What is your biggest ‘pet hate’?
Marmite – yeuch!

What would you most like to achieve in the next 10 years?
Professionally – for Lambeth Living to achieve provide excellent services and achieve an excellent, three star rating from the Audit Commission within the next 5 years. For all the council’s housing to be decent. Lastly, for Lambeth Living to help develop and manage new affordable housing. Personally -  to continue to live life well, making a difference, being happy and enjoying the support of my family and friends.

How would you like your role to develop?
I’d like to meet more members of the community and learn where our services need to improve and what we can do so that more people are aware of our services.I would like to be a part of any new proposals to change the housing revenue account so that more money can be spent on council housing.

What item could you not leave home without?
My mobile phones – personal and work one.

What is your favourite area of Lambeth?
Brixton – I am energised by walking through Brixton. It is so rich, so diverse – it always makes me feel good.

How many people are in your team?
Team Lambeth Living consists of 410 staff. My most immediate team is the Strategic Leadership Team of four directors. Housing Management, Cedric Boston; Improvement, Chris Hunter; Property, David Thompson; Resources Terry Gallagher.

Who would I invite to dinner?
Nelson Mandela and the Obama family. I would learn from Nelson about how he maintained his vision for South Africa despite long years of imprisonment. With Barack, I would find out if he loves his new role as much as I love mine. And with Michelle, I would find out what it feels like being part of such a dynamic duo. I would tell them that despite and because of all the challenges, being the Chief Executive of Lambeth Living has got to be the best job in the whole wide world!

Can you explain the procedure residents should follow for contacting Lambeth Living?
Cathy Deplessis provided an in-depth list of contact details for Lambeth Living, and contractors who work for Lambeth Living.
All these details can now be found on the Lambeth Living page… Click here

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

How long have you been doing this job?
I have been employed by Lambeth since November 2004. Originally as a caretaker working in the Brixton Area. I moved to Clapham as the Senior Handyperson in late 2006. I then changed to the Senior Caretaker in mid 2007 now known as the Senior Estate Services Officer

Can you please give a brief description of what your role involves?
Between the Estate services Manager and I, we are responsible for all aspects of the communal upkeep of all of the estates and street properties managed by Lambeth Living in the Clapham Area. This covers communal repairs, Grounds Maintenance, Estate Cleaning, Graffiti Removal, Bulk Refuse Removal, Parking Enforcement, Tree Maintenance, Refuse removal and managing the Estate services officers.

Please describe yourself in three words?
Approachable, Helpful, Focused

What one thing do you think is the most important about working with residents?
To be able to improve the environment in which we all live and/or work.

In what way does your role help improve our estate/community?
By keeping the estates clean, safe and maintained.

Do you think Lambeth services are getting better or worse and why?
Better! There has been a recent job evaluation of the Estate Services Team role and as a result the Estate Services Officers have now been given more authority to arrange for works to be carried out on the estates they cover. As a result there is not such a delay in communal improvements and repairs being carried out.

If you could chose any other job other than the one you are doing, what would you like to do?
Hmmm, So many choices! Maybe something involving Motorbikes or some kind of engineering

Do you have any hobbies, if so what are they?
I am motorbike mad, I love getting my hands dirty working on bikes. I am also in the Scout Association, and love my weekends to go and let my hair down. I am also an avid Millwall Fan and love music.

Do you think Weir Estate has improved?
Definitely! There have been vast improvements to the road ways on Weir estate and I think the cleaning and grounds maintenance have improved

What do you most like about living/working in London?
Its got to be that there is always some where open if you fancy going out.

What does Community mean to you?
In essence a ‘community’ is a group of people living in a common area or a group of people share a common interest,  In my opinion to make a proper community that group of people work and socialise with each other to improve their area and build relationships.

If you were in a TV programme, what character would you be?
I’ve got No Idea, maybe Richard Hammond from Top Gear, WHAT A JOB!!!!!

What more do you think can be done to improve relations between you and residents?
I feel I have a good relationship with the residents on the estates and am always available to discuss any issues

Who would you most like to meet and why?
The Beatles, They changed the way music is thought of and are still now one of the biggest selling bands in history.

Do you have a phrase that sums up your take on life?
Every Thing that has happened in your life be it good, or bad makes you the person you are today.

What was the last Movie you watched?
Being honest, unfortunately it was Bridget Jones with my Girlfriend. I’m normally in to action adventures and thrillers, not Romantic Comedies.

What item could you not leave home without?
My mobile phone!

What makes you happy?
Lots of things, In the work sense I’m happy when I see the results of my work. Away from work, going out and letting my hair down

Are residents able to contact you? If so when and how should they do so?
I am available by phone or email. My email address is RRiversSimpson@lambethliving.org.uk I can be contacted between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday but would ask for all concerns or issues to be raised via the Lambeth service centre in the first instance on 020 7926 6000.

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

Cllr Lib Peck. I am a Local Labour Councillor (and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration)

How long have you been doing this role?

I have been a Local Councillor since 2001 (and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration since 2008)

Can you please give a brief description of what your role involves?

As a local councillor my job is to help people and to try and make our neighbourhoods and our borough a better place to live.  This means I get involved in many local issues and make sure residents’ views and issues are heard and looked at by the Council. The best part of my job is working hard with communities and then seeing the results. For instance, I and my fellow councillors have been campaigning for an extra bus service, it’s taken some time but we haven’t given up and we now have the possibility of a bus. I also take up work on behalf of individual residents on a wide variety of issues such as problems with housing or education or any of the services that the Council provides, and I work with local groups such as the Weir Link.

Please describe in which ways you work directly with WERA?

I attend as many WERA meetings as I can and I also work closely with the WERA committee on areas of concern. Over the last 2 years, local labour councillors have worked very hard with WERA to secure new windows for the estate. Once the money was committed to this project, we have met with the major works team to resolve issues about design and time-scales. And we have held surgeries for leaseholders on the estate to keep them up to date.

If you had the power to change the law, what new law would you bring in?

I am proud to see improvements in Lambeth but I want to do more. When I see billions of pounds being spent on things like nuclear weapons its hard not to look at Lambeth and think about what we could achieve with a small fraction of that money, so if were to do one thing it would scrap our nuclear weapons and spend the money on improving homes, schools, hospitals and our environment.

What one thing do you think is the most important about working with residents?

Being able to listen – a much underrated skill in society. And being honest about what you can and can’t do.

Do you think Lambeth is getting better or worse and why?

Yes, I think Lambeth is getting better. We have better schools – and the improving results to prove it, more activities for young people, we involve and talk to community groups more frequently and have some fantastic and improving public spaces and leisure facilities. And Lambeth has won several awards recently that would suggest other people outside the borough think so too. However I am very aware that the bit of the borough that is in most need of improvement is housing – we still have far too many people living in overcrowded accommodation, poor quality housing and not enough of a customer focused housing service.

What one item could you most not leave home without?

My keys!

What do you most like about living/working in London?

Its diversity and dynamism.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?

My parents have been the most influential people in my life.

In what ways do you think the Weir Estate residents association benefits its residents?

By keeping up the pressure on the Council and Lambeth Living to improve life for Weir estate residents; and by keeping residents informed and in touch with one another. I visit lots of estates and I can genuinely say that WERA is one of the best TRAs.

What makes you happy?

The sun shining, my family and friends, and an empty email inbox!

How important do you think having a community is?

Absolutely essential – it is one of the reasons I love my job and love living in this part of London

Please describe yourself in three words?

I did a quick straw poll of friends and the complimentary ones came up with:  passionate, friendly and interesting (my six year old came up with freckly)

Could be more done to engage the younger generation in today’s society?

I think young people are very engaged and aware of their community and society and they have strong and valuable opinions – that’s why we always try and talk to young people and get their input. Our own youth council and Mayor are a great example and how young people can have such a positive impact. But it goes without saying that we should always try and involve young people and never dismiss their ideas out of hand on the grounds of age or inexperience.

How do you most like to relax after a hard day at the office?

My day often finishes at about 10 – so it tends to be wine and The Wire.

Who would be your ideal ‘Come Dine With Me’ Dinner Guests (max 4)?

Barack Obama, Elizabeth 1, George Mitchell (who secured the Northern Ireland peace negotiations), and Jamie Oliver because he can do the cooking (not one of my strengths)

What aspect of your job would you most like to Change?

Getting stuck in local government red tape.

Who inspires you?

People with clear principles who face obstacles and get on with life

When and how should residents and members of the community contact you?

Councillor Hipwell and I do a surgery at the Weir Link on third Tuesday of every month between 7-8pm. My fellow councillor Diana Morris does a surgery at Community Advice flat on Plummer Road on the first Thursday of every month from 7-8pm.
My email is lpeck@lambeth.gov.uk and my phone number is 020 8673 6859

Please tell us what your role involves?

I advise Housing Officers on how to manage nuisance cases appropriately and I lead on on complex cases.  I also deal with escalation of nuisance that may lead to legal action.  I work very closely with the Police, other social landlords, Mental Health Team, Social Workers and the Lambeth Mediation Service.

How long have you been in this role?

Since August 2007

What aspects of your role do you most enjoy?

Working with young people, resident and tenants, and outside agencies to tackle nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

What is your favourite cuisine?

Caribbean food.

Do you think your job makes a difference to the community, if so, why?

Nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour is a growing problem in Britain today.  As a community we need to learn to respect and value ourselves and our neighbours.  As a landlord we have a duty to ensure that all our tenants honour their obligations.  My role is not only about intervention, prevention and enforcement, it is also about educating people about acceptable ways to live in our community.

Where would you most like to visit in the world?

California

If you could chose any other job other than the one you are doing, what would you like to do?

An adviser to the Prime Minister

What item can you not leave home without?

My mobile phone

What motivates you day to day to do your job?

My son

How do you like to enjoy your spare time?

Spending time with my family, socialising with friends

Who inspires you?

Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, my parents

Does your role have a direct benefit to the Weir Estate? If so, can you please explain how?

The purpose of my role is to tackle ASB in all parts of the Clapham Area including the Weir Estate. ASB can take many forms whether it is rubbish dumping, noise nuisance, verbal abuse or drugs dealing.  I work with residents from all over Clapham to resolve any ASB issues that they maybe are experiencing.

What does community mean to you?

People from all walks of life living, learning and working together.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Fun, determined, passionate

What is your biggest ‘pet hate’?

A barman who can’t make a good Mai Tai!

Where is your favourite place in Lambeth?

Brixton

Who would be your ideal ‘Come Dine with Me’ Dinner Guests? (max 4)

Barack Obama, Simon Cowell

What makes you happy?

Watching my son grow up

What one change would make your job easier?

Information Sharing

Can you explain the procedure for how and when residents should contact you?

Each case is judged on its individual circumstances and as such, this will determine on who will investigate your case. In the first instance the resident should contact the Housing Officer to report nuisance/anti-social behaviour.  I can be contacted directly on 0207 926 3835 or e-mailed on svjoseph@lambethliving.org.uk.

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

I am the Borough Commander of Lambeth Police.

How long have you been doing this job?

I started on June 29th 2009

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy and why?

The overall responsibility for delivering a policing service, the interaction I have with my officers and staff,
working with partners in Lambeth First and of course meeting the people of Lambeth.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?

Re-introduce National Service.

What motivates you day to day to do your job?

Policing is too important to be left to chance

What does Community mean to you?

All of us together

Do you think you role makes a difference to the community (directly or indirectly)?

Yes – I aspire to make Lambeth a Safer Borough and for people to feel safer too.

If you had the power to change the law, what new laws would you bring in to improve life for Lambeth residents?

I think there are enough laws, it is the sensible enforcing of the ones we have that is important

Do you think Britain is getting better or worse and why?

Better – I am an optimist and see huge potential in our young people. They face a tough challenge given the complexity of modern life and all the issues associated with climate change, population migration,  economic difficulties etc but I have no doubt that Britain in 2030 will be a wonderful place to live.

Who would you most like to meet?

Stephen Hawking

What do you most like to see in a community?

Team spirit, a strong sense of identity and responsibility.

Does your role encourage you to work with a wide range of people?

Yes – the police need to work with many other agencies and organisations if we are to deliver a safer Borough.
Most of my work involves collaboration with partners from the public, private and voluntary sector.

How often do you do you visit communities and would you like to do more of this?

I am always out and about – I believe in being as visible and accessible as I can be.

How many people are in your team (including yourself)?

1300

What could you most not leave home without?

A sense of humour.

How many people are you responsible for?

1300 officers and staff and 270,000 residents

How would you describe the younger generation of today?

They are our future

When and how should residents contact you and/or your team?

There are many ways to contact the police, depending upon what you need. In an emergency use 999. To speak in confidence regarding crime information use Crimestoppers, for general enquires then I would suggest popping in to a police station or approaching an officer or PCSO on the beat. There is also an ‘Ask the Borough Commander’ forum on the Lambeth Police website.

Do you speak any foreign languages, if so what languages do you speak?

A little French

What do you think is the most important improvements to local policing you would like to make?

Increasing our presence in public places

For further details about contacting the police, or Crime Prevention, visit our Police and Crime Prevention page.

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

Patrick Horgan, Estate Services Manager, Clapham Area.
How long have you been doing this job?

The role was previously called Local Services Team Manager which I started in 2004.
Can you please give a brief description of what your role involves?

Leading a team of estate services officers (Caretakers) managing day to day estate services with a view to improving residents environment.
Please describe in which ways you work directly with WERA?

Ensuring your estate services officer has regular contact, being contact-able to WERA by phone email etc and carrying out estate walkabouts.

How important do you think having a community is?

Very important. It’s what brings us together to make improvements.
What aspect of your role do you most enjoy?

Working and communicating with a wide range of people on a daily basis.
How many people are in your team?

Seven
What is your favourite cuisine?

Chinese & Indian, it’s too difficult to pick a favourite.
Do you think you job makes a difference to the community, if so why?1What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth?

An important role, it’s where they live.
Where would you most like to visit in the world?

Brazil.

How would you best describe Lambeth to the rest of the world?

Unique.
If you could chose any other job other than the one you are doing, what would you like to do?

A football coach

What one item do you have to make sure you don’t leave home without?

My door key
Do you think Weir Estate has improved?

I do.

How do you most like to relax?

Watching my favourite football team, Tottenham Hotspur

Do you have any favourite music?

I listen to all kinds of music

What do you most like about living/working in London?

The people
What would you most like to see changed in the areas in which you work?

More people working on front line services.

When and how should residents contact you?

Firstly via the Lambeth Service Centre, then on 020 7926 3842 or phorgan@lambethliving.org.uk

How long have you been doing this job and briefly what it involves?
I’ve been a councillor for 11½ years and Leader of the Council for 3½ – ever since I led Labour to a landslide victory over an unsuccessful Tory-Lib Dem coalition that had run the council rather badly for four years.  As Leader I’m involved in all the key decisions the council takes about our area and council-run services.  I’m also Chair of Lambeth First, which covers the council, the police, the health service, businesses, the voluntary sector and other public sector organisations in Lambeth.  And I’m the lead member for housing for London Councils, which means I have a key role in housing policy right across London.

What motivates you to do the role you are?
I want to make change happen and make a positive difference for our area.  The council used to be a by-word for failure and incompetence.  That meant misery for people who pay council tax or rely on council services.  But now things have changed – many of our services are among the best in London, including housing benefits, education, planning, community safety, youth services.  Our council tax used to be one of the highest in London, now it’s one of the lowest – we’ve just frozen it for two years.  All of this has changed in the past few years, and we are working to change other areas like housing that need to improve faster.
What job did you do before coming to Lambeth?
I was a publishing manager for a major global information company, publishing books, magazines and online information about business, management, finance and education.

What do you most like about living/working in London?
The best things about London are its diversity and the huge range of things there are to do here – restaurants, theatres, music, parks.  We’re a global city and that means we can sample the best the world has to offer right here on our doorsteps.

How do you think Lambeth has changed and you think your role has had an impact on this?
I think Lambeth’s council is delivering better services in most areas, and people have become more confident about Lambeth as a place.  You don’t have to take my word about the services improving – we’ve had inspection after inspection that have put Lambeth among the top performing councils for the first time in our history.  As Leader of the Council, I have a key role in making sure our team keep focused on the things that will really make a difference, and also in making sure we listen to residents and service users about the changes they want to see.
If you had the power to change the law, what new law would you bring in?
Actually I think we have too many laws, not too few!  But if I had to make a change in the law I would like to see more power given to local communities to take decisions about the things that affect them like crime, housing, education, transport, job training or the environment, and less direction from central Government which can sometimes be remote from what’s happening on the ground.
What is your vision for the future of Lambeth?
My goal is for Lambeth Council to be one of the best performing councils in London, offering high quality services that are good value for money, and flexible enough to meet the needs of our different communities.  That really is within our reach now!   And for our area, I’d like to see more opportunity for everyone regardless of their background to make the most of their life with a good education, a good job, decent housing, and a clean environment to live in.
What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth?
Residents have the most key role of all.  They elect the people who will take decisions on their behalf.  When they elected the Tories and Lib Dems in 2002 they got a 40% council tax hike and cuts in services.  In 2006 they voted Labour and we’ve frozen council tax for two years and are investing in new services paid for by cutting out the waste the Lib Dems and Tories left behind.  Apart from voting, I want to see more residents involved in taking decisions about their local area through local forums, community panels and service user groups.
What is your most memorable moment in your role?
Actually, despite all the big decisions that involve millions of pounds, it’s the smaller, personal things that you really remember.  I was once able to help a care leaver who’d been left to live in a cold, damp flat find a better place to live.  That helped him find the stability he needed to get a job with good prospects and good training and start to make more of his life.  He came back to see me about a year after I’d met him to show me some pictures of how his life had changed.  That really touched me – it showed you can make a difference for people, and they do care.
Who would you most like to meet?
Because my job’s quite high profile I’ve been lucky enough to meet some very interesting people, including Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey and the Queen!  I’d really love to meet Nelson Mandela – I was in the crowd years ago when he visited Brixton but I think it would be a real privilege to shake the great man’s hand.

What do you most like to see in a community?
People who know each other and look out for each other, and who get on and make a difference for their area.  We have plenty of communities in Lambeth like that or striving to achieve that.

What is your favorite area in Lambeth?
I love walking along the South Bank – that’s not just one of my favourite places in Lambeth, it’s one of my favourite places in the world!
If you had to sell Lambeth to the world, what three words would you use to describe it?
Diverse, vibrant, ambitious.
If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?
The weather!  I’d rather have more sunshine in the summer, more snow the winter and fewer grey drizzly days.

Do you travel, if so where was your last holiday destination?
I had my first two-week holiday for four years this summer.  I went to Italy and I absolutely loved it.

What aspect of your job would you most like to change?
My job’s so busy it’s impossible to do everything people ask me to – I’d have to be at three separate events all the time.  I’d love to be able to say yes to more invitations from local groups and spend more time answering letters and emails personally.

How do you most like to relax after a hard day at the office?
My working day is usually very long – often over 12 hours, and I usually work weekends too.  So when I get free time I like to catch up with friends over food or a beer, and I love the theatre.
Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?
It must be Bill Clinton, who I met at a Labour Party conference in Manchester a few years ago.  As US President he was the most powerful man in the world for 8 years, and he had more personal charisma than anyone else I’ve ever met.
What would you most like to achieve in the next 10 years?
I’d love the chance to continue leading Lambeth on its journey of improvement until we’re recognised as one of the best councils in London delivering good services right across the board, and I’d like to feel settled and happy in my personal life too.  It’s hard to balance a very busy job with a good personal life because there’s not enough time for both.

Can residents contact you and how?
There are plenty of ways residents can contact me.   My email is sreed@lambeth.gov.uk, my website is www.stevereed.org.uk, my phone number at the town hall is 020 7926 1167, I do a public advice surgery as part of a rota with other Labour councillors at the town hall every Saturday morning from 10am,  and I’m out and about across the borough visiting different groups and areas every week!

Can you please tell us who you are and what your position is?

How long have you been doing this job, and have you always worked for Lambeth Council?
I have been doing the Chief Executive’s job for 14 years, the last 3½ with Lambeth.

Please describe your role in a sentence?
I am the person who oversees the running of all the Council services – the most senior paid officer of the council.

What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth?
At the end of the day the services we provide need to be relevant to our residents and citizens.  We go to some considerable lengths to ensure that what we do is informed by the opinions and priorities of local people.  The issues impacting on local people drive our annual priorities.  At the moment these are tackling crime and improving community safety, improving opportunities for children and young people, flourishing economies and better housing, respecting the environment, better personal social care services and improving efficiency and value for money for the council.

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy?

Working with groups in the community, who are making a real difference in their neighbourhoods.

If you could change one thing about this country what would it be?

I’d eradicate racism.

What one thing do you think is the most important about working with residents?

Listening.

Can you make a suggestion for the one best thing to do in Lambeth?

Visit our parks.

How do you most like to relax after a hard day at the office?

Pounding the cross-trainer at the local gym.

What motivates you day to day to do your job?

Making things happen in the real world.

What is your biggest professional ambition?

I’ve never been ambitious for myself, but have always concerned myself with being ambitious for the communities I work for.

Which item could you not leave home without?

My wallet.

How would you describe Lambeth to the rest of the world?

One of the most vibrant, energetic and interesting places in Europe if not the World.

What areas of today’s society in Lambeth would you most like to see improved?

I’d like to see more opportunities for work and play, especially amongst our young people.

Who is the most influential person you have ever met and why?

Nelson Mandela.  He’s the most authentic and sincere leader I’ve known and emanates a calmness I would love to be able to mirror.

Do you think Britain is getting better or worse and why?

Having been born in the 50’s and schooled in the 60’s where racism was openly directed without confrontation, I certainly think it has got better.  It is testimony that 25/30 years ago it would have been unimaginable for somebody with my background to be Chief Executive of a Local Authority.

Do you speak any foreign languages, if so which languages do you speak?

I speak a bit of Portuguese, which I picked up on my travels in Southern Africa.

Can you tell us what Lambeth Council is doing to engage the varied society we have in the borough?

Lambeth is an incredibly diverse borough with more than 150 languages spoken, each of whom have substantial communities for which we must cater.  In recent years we have developed an elaborate web of consultation techniques, which include things like public meetings, Expos in Town Centres, citizens survey, Area Forums and partnership activities in neighbourhoods.  All of these things feed into annual service and financial planning and determine our priorities.

What is your biggest achievement in your current role?

Starting the turnaround and reputation of the council in the eyes of key funders and policy makers, all of which will bring new resources and money to the borough for the future.

Do you have a famous quote that best sums up your take on your life?

‘What goes around comes around’.

How long have you been doing this job?
I came to Lambeth in November 2004 at the time of ‘Re framing as the Housing Manager for Brixton

Have you always worked for London Borough of Lambeth?
I previously worked for Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewisham and New Islington and Hackney HA

What is the best aspects of your role?
Being in a position to improve the services we provide

Do you think you have a direct benefit to residents on Weir Estate, if yes, please explain how?
Most of what I do will I hope indirectly benefit the  residents of Weir through the staff I manage. We provide resident participation support to Weir and other TRA’s. We provide grounds maintenance and cleaning which is on the whole a good service – although clearly there are lapses when we will default the contractor. We work with the TRA to use the income from mobile phone masts which comes to the estate

In an ideal world, How would you change the way services work in Lambeth for residents?
Less bureaucracy, and speedier responses. Better able to deal with nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Cycling, reading and running.

Do you think Lambeth as a borough has improved?
As a borough definitely. As Housing and Lambeth Living we are working on it.

If you was not doing the job you are now, what other job would you like to do and why?
Member of Parliament – chance to change things.

What is your favourite aspect of living in Britain?
London – fantastic multiracial community. Britain- some of the best scenery in the world

What role do you think Residents Associations such as WERA play in the Borough?
Take part in as many activities as possible. Work with the whole community to bring all sections together and increase the possibility of all residents benefiting and participating

In what other country apart from Britain would you most like to live in?
Italy, Mexico.

Who inspires you?
Malcolm X, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Hilary Clinton.

What sports if any do you follow?
CA: Cycling, squash, football and rugby

Do you feel that more can be done to help councils and those living in Lambeth?
Of course

What do you think are the best things about living/working in Lambeth?
Fascinating place to work, all sorts of interesting people

When and how should residents contact you?
Telephone: 0207 926 1882 or email cadamson@lambeth.gov.uk

If you had to have a moto, what would it be?
? CA was unable to answer this question.

What do you think is the most important aspect of community?
Togetherness and fairness – both of which we’re a bit short of in many parts of Britain today

Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
Trekking in the Peruvian Andes – a repeat of the journey which I and my wife did last year