Council launches first youth forum

perspective on what is needed for young people in Southwark and work out how best to achieve this.

Cllr Jasmine Ali, deputy leader and cabinet member for children, young people education and refugees, said: “Two years’ ago we promised Southwark’s children and young people a deal where they were supported and encouraged to fulfil their full potential. We forged some fantastic relationships with youth groups and community organisations towards this ambition. Our new youth forum gives these partnerships a chance to truly flourish, crucially with young people’s voices at the centre of everything.”

In line with Southwark Council’s local lettings policy, at least 50% of the new council homes here will be offered to local tenants in housing need already living in the immediate area. The remaining homes will be allocated

Southwark Council is strengthening how they work with the youth voluntary sector through a new youth forum.

Cllr Jasmine Ali recently welcomed youth groups, charities and young people to a hybrid meeting at Tooley Street to kick off a renewed joint effort to build on their partnership working under Southwark’s Youth New Deal. This was launched two years ago in response to the challenges facing young people as we recover from the pandemic.

Now the council is bringing key players together in a structured way to ensure the needs of young people continue to be acted upon. The forum will be made up of young people and local, regional and national groups who work with or campaign on behalf of young people. They will each bring their unique

21 new council homes completed next to the Old Kent Road

Southwark Council has finished a new development on Ivy Church Lane, just off the Old Kent Road which will provide 21 new council homes for local people.

The new development, which sits on an old garages site, provides 17 flats and four three-bedroom houses, as well as a new community hall and a commercial space. Two of the flats are suitable for wheelchair users and there are disabled parking spaces outside the development.

The development is called Wouldham Court, named after a village in Kent in line with the rest of the estate.

Cllr Darren Merrill, Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, said: “I’m delighted to see this development completed and ready for residents to move in. These properties are spacious and thoughtfully designed, and will make wonderful homes for our residents who are in housing need. We have already built over 1,000 new council homes across the borough and we will continue to build more to tackle the housing crisis locally. I am excited to see residents move in to Wouldham Court shortly and start enjoying their wonderful new homes.”