News

______

Deptford launches parish council campaign

Tuesday, 01 March 2016

A second parish council in London moved a step closer today with the press launch of a campaign by organisers of the Deptford Festival to strengthen local democracy in the area, a move strongly welcomed by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC).

Cllr Ken Browse, chairman of NALC said: "I'm delighted to support the campaign to set up a new parish council in Deptford as this will give more power to the people, providing the community with a democratic voice and accountable structure for taking action on local priorities.

"Deptford joins the devolution revolution that is taking place up and down the country with scores of communities in the process of setting up new parish and town councils.

"NALC was instrumental in helping set up London's first parish council in Queen's Park, Westminster and the country's largest in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and we will help the Deptford campaign in any way we can."

Ray Barron-Woolford, press spokesperson for the Deptford Heritage Festival said: “I am truly delighted that after months of work we are in the position to restore Deptford’s pride, heritage, identity and its community cohesion and would like to thank the festival management team who have made this possible, and Lewisham People Before profit, whose members have been knocking on doors day after day collecting the signatures in support that has helped us give Deptford back its mojo.”

A petition requiring 7.5% of electors to trigger a governance review by Lewisham Council is at an advanced stage and a public meeting will be held on 29 April as part of the Deptford Festival.