My 6 Priorities
PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
I pledge to promote development opportunities for West Central because it is essential to scale up the economy as we emerge from the latest national lockdown.
And excellent economic outlook benefits everyone by being a driving force to create jobs for our residents, rebuilding our high streets, and helping small and medium-sized businesses to grow. This moment is a window of opportunity to establish a foundation of sustainable economic growth for decades.
DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change affects all of us, no matter where we live. We cannot escape the damage to the environment unless we all take proactive action to save it now. Longer and hotter summers, for instance, are environmental factors we are already dealing with in London.
I believe we have to do our part to save our environment before it is too late.
Pollution levels from vehicular traffic contribute massively to bad air quality. Harmful air quality levels pose an inherent risk to our residents’ health, particularly those who suffer from respiratory diseases, such as asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Therefore, we must recognise that climate change can affect our lives in more ways than one. I would push the London Assembly and the local authorities in West Central to create incentivised schemes to motivate and engage residents to do their bit regarding climate change.
According to Sir David Attenborough, Climate change could, within a lifetime, destroy “entire cities and societies”.
INVESTING IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE PROJECTS
I believe children and young people are our future.
We have a moral duty to invest and engage them by developing appropriate activities, keeping them safe from the influence of deviant behaviour, such as knife crime and gangs, and striving to give them a brighter future.
An investment in children and young people can reduce loneliness, for example, as it is critical to understand how their mental health and wellbeing has and will be impacted both during and after the coronavirus pandemic. The London Assembly and local authorities can partner with charities to put together children and young people-focussed projects so as to help them to hold a more positive outlook for their lives.
TACKLING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS
I am committed to tackling violence against women and girls for whatever reason. Safeguarding them is essential for better communities, neighbourhoods, and families so that they, too, can experience life opportunities to learn, grow, and make choices without fear, intimidation, and abuse. The London Assembly should take steps to lead on regulation and law-enforcement powers to safeguard vulnerable women and girls by providing, among other things, an emergency crisis hotline managed by local authorities and relevant charities, offering domestic violence safe houses available across the capital, and implementing a befriending service at the Metropolitan Police, with specially-trained police officers. Our families, neighbourhoods and communities benefit when women and girls safe are to pursue their dreams.
BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCHEMES
There is a national housing shortage of affordable homes for families, including for residents of West Central. I will raise my voice in support of the London Assembly and local boroughs to bring forward the building of socially-integrated, shovel-ready affordable housing projects in Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster. Residents and essential workers, including teachers, face higher rents and joblessness due to the coronavirus pandemic and are forced to find new accommodation outside of West Central. We should strive to keep our residents in West Central and give our neighbourhoods a sense of togetherness by constructing affordable homes. Property developers, partnering with the local authorities, should make a measurable commitment to have socially-integrated affordable homes available to West Central residents.
KEEPING THE HOPPER FARE SCHEME ON TFL BUSES
I support the Hopper fare scheme led by Transport for London (TfL) because it gives residents of West Central a cost-saving alternative to Tube and Train fares to get to and from work, shops,
and other destinations. The £1.50 fare scheme makes it possible to complete a journey without having the stress of paying more for it.
According to TfL, “London’s buses remain the most relied upon form of transport in the capital. 368 million Hopper journeys have been made since its launch - with more than 450,000 ‘Hops’ now being made each day”.
Fare increases on the Tube and Train transport network mean the Hopper fare scheme is the most economical way for residents to travel around London.