Cooperative projects around Lambeth
A range of cooperative projects around Lambeth are listed below. These include projects where the council has given new powers direct to residents or transferred its assets and others which are community-led initiatives that fit in with the council’s cooperative ethos.
Young Lambeth Cooperative
2013 will see the establishment of the Young Lambeth Cooperative, a community-owned organisation, totally independent from the council. The YLC will have responsibility for allocating budgets for some services for children and young people, including adventure playgrounds and one o’clock clubs run previously by the council. We want as many people to get involved, no matter what age, to have their say in how Lambeth spends money on young people. To register your interest, please complete the Young Lambeth Cooperative registration form.
The Neighbourhood Enhancement Programme
The Neighbourhood Enhancement Programme (NEP) gives you the opportunity to tell us how we can improve your streets.
We are committed to providing and maintaining roads, pavements and public spaces which are safe, clean and attractive.
The NEP covers Vassall, Oval, Stockwell, part of Herne Hill, Coldharbour, Ferndale, Larkhall and Clapham Town.
Black Prince Trust
In 2011 Lambeth council transferred the old Lilian Baylis school site to the Black Prince Trust a Kennington based community organisation. The trust have already brought in millions of pounds for a new basketball stadium, football pitches and an athletics track to give young people positive things to do.
Lambeth Resource Centre
The Lambeth Resource Centre in West Norwood, is a day-care centre for people with disabilities. The centre is about to become a mutual, run jointly by staff, disabled people and their carers rather than the council. The centre is planning a range of new ways to help disabled people in Lambeth with the new powers and freedoms they will have as a mutual organisation.
Blenheim Gardens Estate
Residents on the Blenheim Gardens estate in Brixton Hill came together and decided to make their estate safer and cleaner. They elected their own management board to ensure housing officers listened to what local people wanted, and as a result cut crime, reduced the number of empty homes, and cleaned up the estate. We want more estates in Lambeth to be self managed like Blenheim Gardens where housing managers are accountable to the tenants they serve.
Edible Bus Stop
The Edible Bus Stop is a community project, backed by Lambeth council, which transforms neglected sites across London’s bus network into valuable community growing spaces.
Community Freshview
Community Freshview is an award-winning scheme that has helped to give Lambeth's streets a new lease of life. The scheme sees residents join forces with Lambeth council to makeover their local areas. Over 150 Community Freshview events have been held across Lambeth.
Weir Link community centre
The Weir Link community centre provides a range of services for residents. It was set up by local people and is run by a resident board. With the support of Lambeth council, Weir Link established a popular children's centre.
Social workers supporting residents
A team of social workers formerly employed by Lambeth council, launched as a social enterprise in July 2012. The team, called TOPAZ or Team Offering People Advice and Support, work alongside health services, voluntary organisations and faith groups to give residents advice and support.
Brixton Pound
The Brixton Pound was Britain's first urban local currency and is backed by Lambeth council. The Brixton Pound has proved hugely successful, keeping money circulating in the local economy and supporting local shops and businesses. The Brixton Pound gives users a 10% discount off whatever they are buying.
Brixton Energy
In 2011 residents in Brixton set up Brixton Energy Solar 1, the UK's first inner-city, co-operatively owned energy project on a housing estate, with support from Lambeth council. A solar power station was installed on the roof of Elmore House on the Loughborough Estate. It's been a great success generating renewable energy, providing an annual return of 3% for investors in the cooperative and delivering savings for residents of Elmore House through lower bills.
West Norwood Feast
The West Norwood Feast is a monthly market run by local residents with the help of Lambeth Council since April 2011.
Elmgreen school
The Elmgreen school was the country's first parent-promoted local authority secondary school when it opened in West Norwood in 2007.
Open Data
Lambeth council have led the country in opening up data and information to the public so that residents can challenge what the council is doing.
A new website for Lambeth
Local residents are currently working alongside the council to design and create a completely new website for the council in a major cooperative project.
Design Lambeth's future library service
The Lambeth Library Challenge is a co-design tool that we commissioned to help get more residents and communities involved in:
- deciding what libraries in Lambeth will look like in the future
- deciding how money (which is ultimately your taxes) is spent on libraries.
Lambeth Champions award
Lambeth Champions award is a resident powered awards programme that celebrates the people you tell us have made a difference in your local area or to the improvement of life in Lambeth.
Lambeth Living Well
Lambeth Living Well is a group of residents and organisations from across Lambeth who are working on a new way of planning and running mental health services. The group includes NHS Lambeth, Lambeth Council, community and voluntary services and people who use mental health services.
Green Community Champions
The Green Community Champions are residents who work in their communities on a range of environmental projects.