Vote for where you want local funding spent

Following a survey last year, Wandsworth Council has put forward suggestions of what local projects levies on new developments should be spent on. They focused on the areas of Balham, Battersea, Nine Elms, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth (including Earlsfield). The council says:

"The Wandsworth Local Fund (WLF) - also known as the neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - is a charge the council makes (mainly on new homes) to pay for the infrastructure needed to support the development, such as new or safer roads, park improvements or a new health centre.

Most will be spent on borough-wide, “strategic” CIL projects, but 15 per cent must be spent on projects that take into account the views of the neighbourhood where the new development has been built.

There is approximately £1.6m available to meet local priorities across the borough. This figure will increase as further development takes place.

In summary, five issues were highlighted by most residents:

(a) Making the area feel safer;
(b) Improving parks, commons and riverside walks;
(c) Repairing roads and pavements;
(d) Better facilities for cyclists; and
(e) New and improved green spaces."

The suggested projects most relevant to Earlsfielders are:

All areas

Festive lighting in town centres (I will see if I can find out if this would mean Christmas lights in Earlsfield!)
LED streetlights
Improvements to roads and pavements

Earlsfield

Swaby Gardens - Improvements to play areas - £163,000 - Redesign the existing junior play space to improve access and enable children of different ages to share the space and inclusive play opportunities
Earlsfield 20mph zone - Franche Court Road, Burmester and Aldren Roads - £23,000
Earlsfield station rail bridge - Repainting and improvements - £TBC

Not all schemes will be able to be funded in the first phase of work. Options will be considered by the Finances and Corporate Resources Committee in June.

To have your say on what you'd like to see funded, use the council's online form and it wouldn't hurt to contact your local councillor too.

More information and the full list of schemes are on the council website.