It is fantastic news that Wealdstone has become the first ward in Harrow to achieve a full compliment of Neighbourhood Champions, and many congratulations are due to the committed residents who have made this possible.

I’m sure the new champions will enjoy working with Sergeant Paul Mills and his excellent safer neighbourhood team in looking after Wealdstone.

The Neighbourhood Champions scheme has really taken off since it was launched by our administration just over a year ago. It has done so in the face of some opposition as well — not least from the current leader of Harrow Council, who wanted to spend its funding elsewhere — but it now enjoys cross-party support at the council and has clearly been taken to heart by the people of Harrow.

I’m therefore very pleased indeed to see Labour have put the continuation and maximisation of the scheme at the top of the list of priorities for the year ahead — with the goal of reaching 2,000 champions by March 2012. It’s extremely good news that they have recognised the value of Neighbourhood Champions, both in terms of their potential to improve the services the council provides, as well as their inherent value to their own communities and neighbours.

When Labour recently consulted Harrow residents on their priorities for the council, a whopping 50 per cent of them chose “keeping neighbourhoods clean, green and safe” as the most important one of the four.

This confirms something residents told our administration and many before it; that what they want is a Harrow in which they feel secure and proud to live. Neighbourhood Champions have an enormous part to play in fulfilling that desire, and I continue to wish the scheme every success in the future.

Councillor Susan Hall
leader, Conservative group, Harrow Council