Tell Us What You Think About Resident-Led Ideas for £1MN Investment
The Spaces and Places Programme brought together residents (Neighbourhood Stewards) from all over Barking and Dagenham to work together and explore how £1 million should be invested in the borough. The idea was that people who live in the borough should make decisions about how investments in places and assets are made.
In phase 1, the Neighbourhood Stewards came up with more than 25 ideas through collective discussion, workshops and exploring gaps in the borough. Now in phase 2 the Stewards have narrowed down to three big ideas and they want to know what residents think of their ideas.
What Should We Invest In?
The three ideas Neighbourhood Stewards are researching are:
- A multi-purpose creative hub: A flexible space for arts, culture, learning, and social connection. Stewards are mapping what already exists, identifying gaps, and exploring how a hub could be designed by and for the community – possibly with a focus on young people.
- The Barking and Dagenham running festival: A two-day celebration of health and borough pride with a children’ s fun run, a 5K run and a Half Marathon to encourage everyone to participate. Stewards are speaking to schools, clubs, and families to understand how to make the event inclusive and affordable for everyone.
- A community marketing and branding agency: A resident-led service to boost the visibility of local businesses, groups, and events. Stewards are researching the demand with residents and local organisations.
Your Voice Matters
The Neighbourhood Stewards are deep in research, exploration and community engagement to see how feasible their ideas are and ensure they’re rooted in community needs and desires.
Along with the Neighbourhood Stewards, we want to ensure the investment will have a positive impact for residents – that’s why your voice matters!
Stewards are running surveys to capture resident views on these ideas. Your input will help ensure that final decisions reflect the needs, hopes, and priorities of Barking and Dagenham residents.
If you live or work in Barking and Dagenham, please complete the surveys below about the two more developed ideas:
- A multi-purpose creative hub (10-15 minutes to complete)
- The Barking and Dagenham run festival (2-3 minutes to complete)
