About us.

What does the Wimbledon Civic Forum do?
It promotes public discussion on matters on importance including: heath, transport, education, youth, urban design.
It works with residents associations to give their voice greater weight, and to achieve practical results for the benefit of the community.

Examples of our work

WImbledon Park Hall. As part of a rationalising/regrouping of their community buildings Merton Council decided that it wished to close this hall. Local residents having lost their library, were not pleased. WCF ‘s role was as mediator. We facilitated a meeting between the leader of the council and the officer responsible to meet the chair of the residents association and the leader of the scout group who were to be relocated. Together we looked at the building, went to see the alternative facilities being offered in Wimbledon Park, and encouraged the creative energies of local residents to be brought to bear on the issues. This was followed by a meeting in the Leader’s office, same people but with also the head of planning, at which it was agreed that the local residents association would write a brief for the site, to incorporate some retained community facility within a new development. We also discussed the development brief being prepared by the planning department, and the local residents had some input into this. Wimbledon Park Residents association have now produced their business plan, which is being examined by the council, and the expected outcome is that the building will be redeveloped, releasing some monies for the council, and retaining some useful facilities for the community.

South Wimbledon Residents - Battles Conservation Area. We were contacted by South Wimbledon residents group and asked to advise on the pros and cons of applying to become a Conservation Area. We spoke at an annual residents association meeting, and explained broadly what was involved, the merits and demerits, and discussed the likelihood of success. The community is now well advanced in information gathering about the history of the site, and have decided to do this as a community building exercise, irrespective of their chance of achieving Conservation Area status. A surprising spin off from this is that the residents association is now communicating far more proactively with with local planning officers and even developers about developments in the area. They recently agreed changes to the materials and details of a new development after planning consent was granted, in order to make the development fit in more with its environment.

Wimbledon Town Centre Traffic management. An issue that WCF and others have been commenting on and trying to influence for a long time. Last November we had a walkabout in central Wimbledon, which included the local cabinet member for Transport, to experience first hand the effects of the traffic management measures in Wimbledon. Several detailed proposals were agreed in principle, most importantly for us a commitment to reduce the amount of railings and pedestrian corralling that seems an increasing feature of local authority design.

Three examples, where the WCF has managed to generate constructive productive dialogue and unlock a situation for everyone’s benefit.

Other examples
- Spot listing of Mansell Road Church Hall to protect it from inappropriate development.
- Workshops and negotiations with developers at Merton priory leading to the formation of the the Merton Priory Trust, building a new Education Centre
- Participation in the Nelson Hospital Reference Group.
Some features of the way WCF works.
It works with others e.g. resident associations, who have an issue of importance to them.
It gets access to decision makers, and gets them in a constructive frame of mind.
Calm productive dialogue - using the creative energies of the local residents. We try to sell this as a resource rather than a drag anchor for new initiatives.
WCF takes the heat and antagonism out of the debate, recognises that we are dealing with the art of the possible, doesn’t demonise, and therefore allows issues to be dealt with in a grown up way.
Neutral, always strives for maximum openness and accountability.

WCF standard operating procedures:
We do not normally correspond with individuals - but with groups - residents associations or amenity associations.
Leave all party politics and point scoring out of it - leave your weapons at the door.

So what use is WCF to you?
If you have a local issue that you want to get wider publicity.
If you need to be put in touch with others, and people with specific areas of expertise.
If you want access to decision makers, or feel that access is being frustrated,
contact us. We may be able to help.

How can we help
Our message board acts a a showcase for issues of concern
Forums and meetings can be arranged if your issue is of general local interest
We can mediate and arrange meetings with decision makers.

How can you help:
Affiliate to WCF and get a free web page and links from our web site.
Join as a member. The more members we have the more weight we carry.
Become a Friend - and support the WCF financially.
Volunteer and help the forum operate.
Distribute the Bulletin through your regular mail drops.

Wimbledon Civic Forum is a non-party political organisation promoting dialogue and action on the most important issues that affect our local area. We assist residents' associations, businesses, and individuals to get their voices heard.

Our activities fall under three broad headings:

1. Specialised Public Discussion Forums, concerned respectively with Health, Education, Crime and Transport, which hold public discussion meetings broadly along designated themes. A fifth Forum - for Youth between the ages of 14 and 21 - is still in a formative stage.
2. Task Forces which are working groups designated to resolving key identifiable issues of concern in the local community.
3. Regional work shop groups as a move towards direct community involvement in the future planning and design of their local areas.

Key tasks in 2004:

1. Regular forums on Transport, Health, Crime, Education, and Urban Design. Build on the programme of forums. Let the forums learn from each other and establish good practice.
2. Community participation in Local Government. Promote and support local area forums and business forums. Work with the local authority in promoting regional forums. Harness the creative involvement of local people in decision-making.
3. Communications. Develop and improve the Forum’s web site at www.wimbledoncivicforum.org.uk Publish results quickly and communicate on matters of community concern, openly and transparently. Explore the new possibilities of local democracy that e-communications makes possible and develop good practice. Continue to communicate in print, building on the Bulletin series, and local media, speaking for all sectors of the community.
4. Expansion of the Youth Forum. Promote and support youth forums, schools citizenship courses, education and business links. Work with existing initiatives, agencies and individuals, help coordinate and focus the work. Support young peoples own initiatives.

More detailed information about specific forums including aims & activities, forthcoming dates, news and archives can be found in the Forums section.