Bruce Grove Youth Centre
10 Bruce Grove, Tottenham, N17 6RA

 The Citizens’ Inquiry has been led by nine local community leaders based in Tottenham including Dawn Ferdinand, Head Teacher at the Willow Primary School on Broadwater Farm, Symeon Brown, Haringey Young People Empowered and Rev. Bunmi Fagbemi, Holy Trinity Church.

The Inquiry ran for six weeks between October 15^th and November 27^th 2011. In that time teams of people from local community groups gathered stories from over 700 people from across Tottenham about the causes and impact of the Tottenham Riots and gathered their ideas and solutions for moving forward.

The Citizens’ Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots was commissioned by North London Citizens, an alliance of 40 civic institutions, mostly faith and education, who work together to make change in their communities. On 7^th February, the Commissioners will be launching their plan of action for change in Tottenham, including their key findings, recommendations and a ‘Citizens Plan’ for delivering the recommendations throughout 2012.

For more information or interviews please contact Alvin Carpio, Alvin.Carpio@LondonCitizens.org.uk, 07958 397131 or Sophie Stephens, Sophie.Stephens@LondonCitizens.org.uk, 07872 027 621

The event was held at St Mary’s Church, Somers Town, the parish of the 1920s housing campaigner, Fr Basil Jellicoe. Community leaders from across London revealed a series of proposals, which London Citizens will ask the candidates for Mayor of London to commit to at an Accountability Assembly held a week before Election Day.

The Citizens Agenda came out of a 9 month Listening Campaign, which included thousands of one-to-one meetings with Londoners and voting by members of over 220 schools, faith groups and civil society institutions. The Agenda contains proposals on 5 key areas relating to the major hopes and concerns of citizens – governance, housing, crime (CitySafe), poverty (Living Wage) and opportunities for young people.

These range from ideas to boost existing campaigns like the Living Wage to exciting new requests for a summer talent scheme and solutions to the London housing crisis. However, London Citizens have not left it all to the Mayor and, in exchange for these “asks”, have committed to do a number of specific actions to support whoever is elected in tackling these issues.

You can view the Citizens Agenda for London 2012 here in full

Alongside seeking commitments on the specific proposals in the Citizens Agenda, London Citizens aims to increase the participation of our communities in the governance and democracy of the capital. This is London’s fourth Mayoral Election and the fourth time the alliance has run such a campaign, by listening and voting on a common agenda before holding an exciting Accountability Assembly.

Back in 2004, London Citizens secured commitments which led then-Mayor Ken Livingstone to establish the Living Wage Unit at City Hall and enshrine our ethical guarantees in the Olympic bid and legacy. Later in 2008, Mayor Boris Johnson backed all 5 of our proposals in front of a packed Methodist Central Hall. He then opened CityHall as London’s 200th CitySafe Haven. Each time, the Accountability Assembly was the highlight of the election season, demonstrating politics at its best – authentic, engaging and led by citizens.

This year’s Accountability Assembly will be held on April 26th in Methodist Central Hall. Between now and then, our member institutions will be reaching out to their neighbours and raising awareness of the Citizens Agenda in their communities.

For more information about the campaign contact Stefan Baskerville (stefan.baskerville@londoncitizens.org.uk); Neil Jameson (neil.jameson@londoncitizens.org.uk); or Tom Chigbo (tom.chigbo@londoncitizens.org.uk).

Citizens Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots

Launch

Saturday, October 15th 2011

11:00 – 12:30

Tottenham Town Hall (Map)

http://www.citizensinquiry.org.uk/

The Citizens Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots is a community-led response to the riots. The inquiry is an organised long-term response to the riots led by community leaders who will shape the way civil society rebuilds Tottenham and Haringey in the years to come. It is led by a board of commissioners all of whom are community leaders representing civil society in the area. They are supported by a board of advisors who provide expertise. There will be two open hearings where commissioners hear evidence from a broad section of the community affected by the riots. In between the two hearings, inquiry teams from participating institutions will go out to speak to local traders, residents, councillors, the police, gang members, young people, parents and teachers. In the end, a report will be written with a set of recommendations to civil society which will be published early 2012.

This Saturday, we will launch the Citizens Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots.

If you would like to attend, please register before 12:00 Fri Oct 14^th.

Send an email to alvin.carpio@londoncitizens.org.uk with your name and contact number.

Commissioners:

·         Hannah Adu, Youth Worker, Bruce Grove Youth Centre

·         Edward Badu, Student, St Ignatius College

·         Symeon Brown, Co-Founder, Haringey Young People Empowered (HYPE)

·         Patrick Cozier, Headteacher, Highgate Wood School

·         Reverend Bunmi Fagbemi, Parish Priest, Holy Trinity

·         Dawn Ferdinand, Headteacher, The Willow (formerly Broadwater Farm Primary School)

·         Pastor Segun Johnson, Liberty Church

·         Father Simon Morris, Parish Priest, St Mary’s Church

·         Father Peter Randall, Parish Priest, St Ignatius Church

Advisors:

·         Andy Hull, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)

·         Michael Kelly, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, KPMG

·         Tunde Okewale, Barrister, Doughty Street Partners

The inquiry has been commissioned by North London Citizens (NLC). NLC is a broad-based alliance of 40 civil society institutions including schools, colleges, universities, churches, mosques, synagogues, trade unions, social enterprises and voluntary groups.

If you would like to get involved in the inquiry, please contact Alvin Carpio: 0207-043-9881.

http://www.citizensinquiry.org.uk/

The Citizens Inquiry was commissioned by North London Citizens, an alliance of schools, churches, mosques, synagogues, universities and charities, after local community leaders decided they must take responsible for analysing why the riots happened and helping to make sure it does not happen again.

The Citizens Inquiry will be led by eleven local Commissioners. The Commissioners include Dawn Ferdinand, Headteacher of The Williow,Broadwater Farm, Father Simon Morris the vicar of St Mary’s Church, Landsdowne Road and Symeon Brown, founder of Haringey Young People Empowered (HYPE). The Citizens’ Inquiry will launch on October 15th 2012 at the Tottenham Dream Centre.

Edward Badu, student at St. Ignatius College, member of North London Citizens and a Commissioner of the Citizens’ Inquiry said:
“As someone born and raised in Tottenham, and as the a young Commissioner on the Citizens Inquiry, I want to show that not all young people are rioters or looters and that many young people are working to rebuild our neighbourhoods as community leaders. This Inquiry is so important because it will ensure that the community is not just listened to, but an active part of the response. We need to think deeply about the riots in Tottenham and what can we can do collectively with those in positions of power to move forward.”

Hannah Adu, a youth worker in Bruce Grove Youth Centre, member of North London Citizens and a Commissioner said:
“This is an opportunity for us to reflect on the underlying issues which caused two riots. The recommendations will allow us to address these issues and help avert future riots. I see a lot of young people who do not have any hope for the future and I hope the Inquiry can help reverse this.”

The Commissioners, aim to report their findings to the members of North London Citizens by early 2012. London Citizens have a track record of successfully running Citizens’ Inquiries such as the Lunar House Inquiry in 2008 which forced the UK Border Agency to invest in an £800,000 rebuild of the Welcome Centre at Lunar House. The Citizens’ Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots will be aided by a Board of Advisors, including Mike Kelly, Director of Corportate Social Responsible for KPMG Europe and Andy Hull, Senior Research Fellow at IPPR, to provide expertise throughout the process.

Tunde Okewale, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and an Advisor to the Inquiry said:
“I represent people who are alleged to have been involved in the riots in my professional capacity as a barrister, I have been involved in the education of young people in the Tottenham area before and after the riots. I think it’s very important that the community feels like they have an input in the solutions as leaders and that they have an opportunity to share what they feel are causes. I am involved because I believe that this is a genuine and authentic response organised by local leaders.”

After the launch on October 15th 2012, the Inquiry will begin six weeks of evidence gathering before the Closing Hearing on November 26th2012. Local community led teams will actively listen to local residents, traders, young people, parents, teachers, the police and local authorities to gather evidence and start to rebuild and strengthen local community relationships.

The Launch of the Citizens’ Inquiry is to take place on Saturday October 15th, starting at 11am in the Tottenham Dream Centre. All people involved and affected by the riots in Tottenham are warmly invited to attend and give evidence at the Public Hearing. The event is open to the entire Haringey community and we hope it will be a demonstration of the strength and passion of the local community to understand what happened in early August 2012 but also to start thinking about a community led solution.

Citizens Inquiry into the Tottenham Riots – Launch
Saturday October 15th 2012
11am – 12.30pm
Tottenham Dream Centre
www.citizensuk.org.uk

For more details, please contact Alvin Carpio, alvin.carpio@londoncitizens.org.uk. 07958 397 131

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizensuk/5589757739/in/set-72157626304995037

Other Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizensuk/5589759007/in/set-72157626304995037
http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizensuk/5589763025/in/set-72157626304995037
http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizensuk/5590338360/in/set-72157626304995037
http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizensuk/sets/72157626304995037/

By Katie Hill, Finchley Reform Synagogue, North London Citizens

This evening, along with three other members of FRS attended one of the most welcoming events I have ever been to. So welcoming that I felt compelled to come home and write down my thoughts straight away.

The event took place near Queens Park, Brent, in an old synagogue building. At the event, I made friends with incredibly warm people and discussed with them issues that affect our communities in North London. We ate delicious food together and shared stories and ideas of how to make things better.

The event was a North London Citizens meeting at the Al-Khoei Foundation and mosque, originally a synagogue and now so, as the Imam said, there was no need to change the direction of prayer when the building was converted because it was already facing Jerusalem and, therefore, Mecca too!

I had no idea what to expect and as one of my new friends Safah joked, we were expecting a meeting with minutes and voting. As it was, in true Citizens fashion, the meeting was about individual conversations with each other about the importance of social action. However, as a ‘newly-wed’ and a ‘newly-engaged’, Safah and I quickly got caught up chatting about the similarities and differences of religious weddings, practices and how we felt to be part of our communities. Before we knew it, we were being called back to hear from the Imam who invited us to spend time in the mosque for the call to prayer.

We were led into the building and as we were introduced in Arabic and English, the overwhelming feeling in the room was of acceptance, calm and generous hospitality. As we sat facing the beautiful aqua-marine mural, the call to prayer echoed powerfully and I don’t think I was the only one who was moved to be so close to the sounds I had only ever heard from outside. As another of my new friends said later, the call is designed to focus your attention on God. It certainly does that.

Sharing a wonderful meal on the occasion of breaking the fast on the 27^th night of Ramadan, we spoke in groups about the riots – how they had affected us and what solutions we could suggest for moving forward and making change in the future. One of the most important aspects of Citizens is allowing everyone the opportunity to speak. Our group heard from a Catholic youth leader, James, trying to start a youth club to get kids in his community off the streets; the difficulties in doing this and the grassroots approach he was taking as a young person himself. We also heard from leader at New North London Synagogue who suggested that maybe it was time to give young people the chance to make a difference. As a young person himself, he suggested that maybe young people were being listened to, but is any of it acted upon?

Everyone in the room, all 60-odd of us from churches, mosques, synagogues, schools, and even meditation groups, were there because we wanted to come together and make change happen. In November, North London Citizens will join with together to decide on our next campaigning steps. In the FRS community, we are continuing to listen and talk to each other about the things we care about and want to change and how we do that.

As we left this evening, I got goodbye hugs from two almost-strangers. That is unusual in London. And, it touched me hugely. It also confirmed to me that the way to make change is to come together and learn from people you might never otherwise learn from. I hope that this evening was one of the first steps in our journey together as united citizens of London.

You can read the BBC’s coverage here.

UCL joins a growing group of Living Wage Employers in higher education, including Queen Mary, London School of Economics, Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, SOAS, London Business School, Institute of Education and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Living Wage employers in other sectors include HSBC, Barclays, KPMG, the Olympic Delivery Authority and the Greater London Authority, among many others.

There is also significant news from Islington, where 150 cleaning staff will be offered a contract with the council and a guaranteed Living Wage of £7.85 an hour, after a decision to bring the service in-house rather than renew the current cleaning contract. The contract is worth £2.3million and will be brought in-house without any additional cost to taxpayers. More details here.