TASK Newsletter No. 9

With schools now shut until September, and many families thinking of taking some time out - or away- we are pleased to present our end of term report after a busy first few months in existence.

To remind you, TASK was formed on January 1 2008, with a clear brief to tackle what many of us saw as a serious decline in the quality of our local facilities; and a determination to get local people involved in putting things right. Central to our belief is that, whilst its easy to complain about what is going wrong, it is more important to put things right. And that solutions to many issues are held by the communityitself.

Since January, we have:

• strongly promoted Seven Kings, generating a huge amount of publicity on the area, to include lots of easy to implement improvement ideas
• got the Council to undertake regular local streetscene walkabouts, offering immediate action on dumping, vandalism and graffiti
• actively encouraged local police team to enforce the 'no drinking' zone around the station, thus cutting the incidence of unsightly public boozing and all its unpleasant side effects
• successfully opposed applications for new local liquor licences and an attempt to secure extended opening for the Joker pub
• met, and formed rapport with, new lorry park owners, Swan Housing, to promote a high quality build and strong community facilities on this last major local development site
• campaigned to put the idea of a new local library back on the top of the political agenda, maybe as part of the upcoming lorry park development
• built a network of 200 local citizens keen to turn the area around, making us one of the largest community groups in the borough
• secured huge investment in Seven Kings station, to include new windows, major repainting and two dedicated on-site security officers
• supported the campaign to keep our Meads Lane post office. Sadly, this is now closed but as we go to press, we hear the Council may still be willing to support and take over those facilities. Fingerscrossed!
• issued regular newsletters and e-notices, keeping supporters informed of our actions (although we recognise that this has tailed off a bit recently!)
• backed the campaign to keep the local Ilford swimming pool going until full replacement funding is guaranteed
• secured more tree planting locally with yet more to come.

All in all, we think its a pretty flying start and are heartened that so many residents have noticed, and commented favourably on, neighbourhood improvements. We are taking a short break and will return in the autumn, when we will hope to seal the deal on the new Library, and will seek funding for a comprehensive and long overdue regeneration of the whole area, which could so easily be a jewel in the borough's crown yet is consistently overlooked as other less disadvantaged areas derive major funding.

Before we go, three short new items:

1) We need help distributing hard copies of our newsletters, and are looking for someone to organise this for us every 3 weeks or so. Please contact Chris at chrisconnelley@ntlworld.com.
2) The Council is looking for sites to plant street trees and we are supporting this effort. Please let Ali know at ahai@deloitte.co.uk if you are happy to be considered for a footway tree outside your house.
3) Our next streetscene walkabout is scheduled to start at 9 am on Friday 29 August from outside 55 Cameron Road, Seven Kings. We always welcome new faces and hope to see you there.

Enjoy the summer and see you in September!

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The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society.