The issues were raised at an independent citizen’s assembly set up by the Redbridge councillor Shanell Johnson, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
Crime and unaffordable housing are prominent concerns in Leyton and Wanstead ahead of the election, according to residents who spoke at a citizens assembly this week.
People in the east London constituency say that while their neighbours are “accepting and respectful,” there are “seedy pockets” and they don’t always feel safe.
And though a series of housing blocks have been built in Leyton, long-time residents feel they are being “priced out” by real-term “gentrification”.
The issues were raised at an independent citizen’s assembly in Leyton Orient FC’s ground on Tuesday (2nd July).
It was one of three events organised by Redbridge councillor Shanell Johnson, who is standing as an independent electoral candidate for Leyton and Wanstead.
Around 20 residents gathered in groups to discuss what they liked about the area, what they disliked, and what they wanted to change.
On top of local issues, which extended into overflowing litter bins and congestion caused by the closure of side roads, the 20 east Londoners said they would also like to see international justice upheld.
Presenting their groups’ lists to the room, designated speakers called for peace and an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
Other, more niche concerns were also given time, including the campaign to fully rejoin the European Union and reverse Brexit.
The event was hosted by Assemble, a political group dedicated to grassroots campaigns and independent political candidates.
The aim of a citizens’ assembly is to raise awareness among local residents and boost “engagement,” according to organiser Lachlan Ayles.
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He said: “A lot of people haven’t been asked these questions before, so it’s the first time people are being really encouraged to think.
“This is how we create engaged citizens, and citizens invested in their local areas and national politics.”
He described it as a “new way of doing politics”.
Assemble’s website promotes similar independent candidates across the capital. They include Andrew Feinstein, contesting Labour leader Keir Starmer’s St Pancras and Holborn seat, and Nandita Lal, who is challenging Labour frontbencher David Lammy in Tottenham.
While the three events were explicitly part of Shanell’s campaign drive, she said the model worked to give a variety of people a voice.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Peace, not war, has been a huge one. But locally, there’s been a lot of concern about drugs and knife crime in the area.
“We’ve got concerns around housing insecurity – there’s quite a lot to get to grips with.”
The independent councillor for the Redbridge ward of Fullwell added that it was “heartwarming” to see potential constituents prioritise an end to conflict and “less divisiveness”.
She said she wanted to continue the system going forward, but said it “needed support”.
Though she is unveiling her manifesto later than other candidates, her campaign is “community-led” and reflective of what constituents tell her, she says.
Crime has been a common thread among candidates’ manifestos.
Charlotte Lafferty, standing for the Green Party, said she would look into an “holistic approach” to solving drug crime, focusing on harm reduction.
Labour’s Calvin Bailey said he would work with the police and councils to “tackle antisocial behaviour,” while Conservative candidate Gloria Croxall prioritised “visible policing”.
Tara Copeland, for the Liberal Democrats, said it would was “really important” that the police reopened a police station in Leyton.
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