Tooting Looks to the Future

On 18th March, I went along to a pre-election event at the United Services & Services Rendered Club, organised by Transition Town Tooting, that brought together local parliamentary candidates and residents to explore what future the people of Tooting would like. Attendees were able to suggest of solutions to build a bright and ecological future to the borough of Tooting and its constituency. Opening the meeting, Transition Town Tooting co-chair Lucy Neal said: "Carl Sagan talked about earth as a blue dot - a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. It is the place we are able to survive, but humans treat it as though resources are endless. If everyone in the world lived like people in the UK we would need three planets to live on. But we can find answers - we humans are amazing - we went to the moon and back with less computing power than a mobile phone."

Asked to pick a favourite memory of Tooting, Conservative party candidate Dan Watkins remembered more freedom to explore as children, there is a very different perception of safety today. Esther Obiri-Darko - the Green Party candidate - remembered the Singer sewing shop as a unique store and always busy! Residents also picked the Tooting Lido - a historical landmark built to help servicemen coming back from the war - the vicar who set it up probably had no idea how much it would serve the community!

During the meeting, people talked about their concerns for the future of Tooting. Liberal Democrat candidate Philip Ling said: "House prices are a worry, plus lifestyle choices, everything is very rushed and people don't feel they get enough out of their lives. Traffic has doubled in the last 10 years on roads and pavements. People want to use their bikes more but feel unable to and there was a feeling that other boroughs seem to have received more investment." Fleur Anderson from the Labour Party stood in for Tooting MP Sadiq Khan, who was delayed by an important vote in the House of Commons. She said: “Traffic is a big worry, so how can we change it? Affordable housing is also a concern, and our children probably won't be able to afford to buy housing in Tooting in the future.”

Dan Watkins said: If we had another 10 groups like Transition Town Tooting it would be marvellous - this is a fantastic forum. Top down, big bureaucracy is not the answer, it needs to come from bottom up." The meeting finished with residents suggesting ideas for how to help Tooting improve, including more green spaces - boulevards in Tooting with more trees? Initiatives like network neighbourhood and litter picking were also popular. Play out - close the street for kids to play football or do skateboarding. Many people wanted to see more cohesion and activism, with creative planning that encourages wellbeing and isn't focused on money. They are looking for Tooting to be a fully functioning community with independent local businesses and more shared community spaces like a cinema and bingo. 

 

Anastasia Sutton

Ursuline High School