Brixton Area Forum
What is the Brixton Area Forum?
The basics
The Brixton Area Forum (BAF) was set up in 2000 with support from Lambeth Council, to bring together residents and businesses in Brixton. It is there to:
- Put local people's views to the council
- Make sure local people have a say in decision-making for the Brixton area
- Run projects aiming to reduce crime, improve transport, regenerate areas like the Brixton Windmill and Gardens, and provide activities for young people.
How the forum works:
BAF regularly mails out to some 1,500 residents and businesses in the five-ward area which makes up Brixton Town Centre.
As well as people being on this mailing list, local residents and businesses can become registered members of the Forum by filling in a membership form. These 500 registered members receive regular mailings, invites to events and can vote for Committee positions of the Forum.
BAF is currently split into 11 working groups. These are:
- Five ward-based groups: Herne Hill, Brixton Hill, Ferndale, Tulse Hill, and Coldharbour and Angell Town.
- Six issue-based groups: Business Forum, Environmental Quality, Young People’s Services, Traffic and Transport, Community Assets, and Crime.
The board of the Brixton Area Forum
One representative from each Working Group sits on the Board, they are usually the Chair of that group. Only the Chair of each of the 11 Working Groups can stand for election for Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary of the wider Forum - voted for by registered members at the Forum's Annual General Meeting, usually held in May each year.
The Brixton Area Committee was set up in 2003, and the Brixton Area Office now also supports this Committee which is made up of all the 15 councillors in the Town Centre area. The Forum therefore needs to decide how it will co-exist and structure itself to accommodate these developments during 2004/05.
Projects
Recent projects which BAF have delivered, with support from the Brixton Area staff, include:
- A Day in the Life - photographic/arts project by BAF Young People’s Services Working Group.
- No Room for Smack - publicity campaign delivered in partnership with BAF Crime Group, Brixton businesses, the Crack Out initiative, Lambeth and Metropolitan Police.
- Brixton Windmill and Gardens - Brixton Hill Working Group helped to set up the Friends of Windmill Park group to lead the community regeneration of the Windmill, in partnership with Lambeth Environment.
- Safe travel at night event – evening of fun, games, free gifts and travel information in Tunstall Road as part of Travelwise Week.
Brixton Central Square consultation and design work
- Herne Hill Improvements – Bike stands put outside the train station and road modernisation.
- Clean up Herne Hill and Tulse Hill Campaigns.
- Trams for Brixton petition.
- Report cards for potholes, faulty street lights, poor pavements etc.
- Consultation and influence on Lambeth’s Community Strategy in Brixton and the Council’s Unitary Development Plan 2003/04 and 2004/05.
- Advising and monitoring Neighbourhood Renewal Funding in Brixton in 2003/04, including £400,000 for Coldharbour and Angell Town.
Forum support
The Forum is the 'voluntary arm' of the council and gets support from Brixton Area staff, based at 205 Stockwell Road, who service meetings, give general advice and support, and follow up on actions from meetings on behalf of the group, linking the Working Groups to the council.
Are you interested in joining us as a member?
If you would like to join, please fill in the membership form. The more members of the Forum, the stronger will be the voice and the influence of the Forum to help improve the area.
For further information, please contact:
Elaine Evans, Area Information Officer
Brixton Town Centre Office
2nd Floor, 205 Stockwell Road, London, SW9 9SL
Brixton@lambeth.gov.uk
020 7926 1077