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Dear Friends, Residents, and Supporters,
Three months ago, I was elected as your Green Party councillor for West Norwood. I wanted to write and introduce myself properly — and tell you what I’ve been doing. (You can get more regular updates on Instagram.)
I also want you to get involved – we make the greatest change together. Read how below.
Greening up our estates 🌿
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I’ve set up a community gardens sign-off scheme — a new process that gives residents formal permission to garden their own council estates and nearby community land. We’ve already started on Lakeview Road and Truslove Road. |
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I’ve also been working with residents to install pavement planters across the ward. I’ve secured a lease for Incredible Edible — a brilliant local charity supporting community growers. The deal saved them over £1,000, keeping them local for another year. |
Making your voice count 📢
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I asked a Members’ Question about Norwood Feast, with a strong follow-up on what the council is doing to support local events, and how we can support them better. |
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I’ve successfully changed the Lambeth constitution so that petitions on major issues now require only 1,000 signatures — down from 3,000. Your voice just got three times louder. |
Your casework 📋
In my first three months I’ve taken on nearly 100 cases from residents across the ward. Here’s what you’ve been coming to me about:
🚗 Speeding & road safety The biggest theme by far — Furneaux Avenue, Knights Hill, and residential side streets. Multiple residents told me about accidents and near-misses. I’ve submitted multiple formal Members’ Enquiries and am pushing hard for traffic calming measures. |
🏚️ Housing repairs Blocked drains, damp and mould, eviction problems, ceilings falling, broken fire doors, water leaks going back years. Several involve elderly, disabled or vulnerable residents. I’ve escalated every case and resolved many. |
🌳 Green spaces & trees Street trees replaced, planters installed, community gardens supported, bee corridors created. Community empowerment and ownership of public space is exactly why I got into politics. |
♻️ Fly-tipping & street cleaning Crown Lane, Crown Point and across the ward. Feeding concerns directly into the Serco contract renewal. |
🔊 Anti-social behaviour Including one long-running racial harassment case I’ve escalated as a matter of urgency. |
🏫 Work experience Five work experience placements with local schoolchildren — and I think we all sincerely enjoyed it! |
💼 Supporting business I’ve been appointed to sit on the Station to Station BID (West Norwood to Tulse Hill) — learning about issues from waste to crime affecting both residents and local businesses. |
If you have an issue — however big or small — get in touch. That’s what I’m here for.
Food Justice 🥦
I’m meeting food banks, food festivals and suppliers across Lambeth to understand how we can get affordable and healthy food for everyone. I’m now Lambeth’s first Food Justice Champion — and I’m determined to make sure everyone in our area can eat healthily and affordably. If this interests you, it is my big push for August–October so get involved — reach out to me!
Behind the scenes 🏛️
As Chief Whip of the Green Party, I’ve been helping negotiate the cross-party sign-off on the new Green Party Leadership with both Labour and the Lib Dems — because no single party controls Lambeth Council. Getting different parties to work together isn’t always easy, but it’s exactly the kind of politics I believe in.
Want to get involved? 🙋
If you want to help:
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Green up our local area, from planting up elderly housing blocks to getting planters on your street |
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Join the Food Justice campaign to make sure everyone, especially children, can eat healthily and affordably |
Email me and let me know.
Come and see me 🏥
Walk-in surgeries — no appointment needed:
🚒 West Norwood Fire Station 1st Wednesday of the month · 6–7:30pm · Starting 3rd September |
📚 West Norwood Library 3rd Tuesday of the month · 6–7:30pm · Knights Hill SE27 (except August) |
📍 Furneaux Avenue Friday 8th August · 11am · Speeding concerns meeting |
See you soon,
Cllr Matt Wilcock
Green Party Councillor, West Norwood
mwilcock@lambeth.gov.uk ·
greenmattwilcock.co.uk
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Cllr Matt Wilcock · Green Party Councillor, West Norwood
greenmattwilcock.co.uk ·
mwilcock@lambeth.gov.uk ·
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Promoted by the Green Party of England and Wales, The Biscuit Factory, 100 Drummond Road, London SE16 4DG
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