The job of councils, like my own in Wandsworth, is to do everything we can to even out the playing field across a community and to create an environment where everybody can succeed through hard work and endeavour. It is this quest to unlock the potential of all individuals in a society which led me to a political role and continues to motivate my every action as leader today. But the reality of course remains that the lottery of geography, gender, race and class can still have a significant impact on how well we do in life.
This philosophy is embedded in everything that we do at Wandsworth Council – from our ever improving schools, helping the youngest get the best start in life, through to leading the regeneration of areas like Nine Elms. I am delighted that we have been recognised by the Social Mobility Commission, chaired by former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn, as one of the best places in the country for people to get on in life. At the same time consultancy firm PWC showed our borough to be the best borough in London when it comes to the factors that are critical to success; including employment opportunities, health, income and skills.
I see it as my biggest measure of success as a council leader to ensure that nobody in our borough is left behind. This is why one of the first things I did as Leader back in 2011 was to launch something called “The Aspirations Agenda”. Now you may have never heard of this, but the Aspiration Agenda drives cooperation across council departments to ensure this goal is met; bringing together all our work and thinking from the areas of education, health, housing, employment and skills.
However, we can never rest on our laurels and this is why we are investing so heavily to improve housing conditions on estates like The Alton, Winstanley and York Road; investing £150 million to build new homes that are more affordable to the people who live or work here. It is why, as mentioned before, we are leading the regeneration of Nine Elms which is bringing a whole new world of opportunities for young people. And it is why we are not content that 97% of our schools are good or outstanding because we want 100%.
To illustrate this on an individual level, let me share with you the story of a young man from Tooting. By his own admission, his life continued to head down a path of crime until he encountered the council’s Workmatch Scheme. Just as the name suggests, Workmatch matches your desires and ambitions with the skill, training and job opportunities you need to achieve them. The direction this service provided helped this young man to secure an Advanced Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship at Nine Elms giving him the focus to turn his life around and he is now well on the way to becoming a qualified electrician; who can earn up to £1,000 a week.
Helping to unlock the potential of people, like this young man, is what my council is about.
Cllr Ravi Govindia CBE
Leader of Wandsworth Council