LONDONERS will be heading to the polls next week in their local elections where residents across the country use their voters to express their views on how things are going in their area.
Local elections in London are held every four years – meaning seats in London’s 32 boroughs will be up for grabs where Londoners can use this opportunity to use their vote to reflex their view on; local issues to issues related to the country’s overall leadership.
Over the past two years, local issues such as planning permission, public transport, climate change and crime have all become focal points of discussion in London, giving prospective councillors the opportunity to address these issues in every borough of the city.
According to the research conducted by the Londra Gazete in the past weeks, the number of Turkish-speaking candidates in this year’s elections will be 66. The region with the highest concentration of Turkish, Turkish Cypriot and Kurdish candidates is Enfield with a total of 33. Followed by 11 in Waltham Forest and 8 in Hackney. Candidates can also be found across Haringey, Bexley, Croydon, Camden, Ealing, Lambeth and Wandsworth.
This week, Londra Gazete as community members living in London get ready to head to the polls about what issues they find most important.
Ersu Ekrem
Ersu Ekrem: “We expect our council members to be elected to take steps, especially for the benefit of the Turkish-speaking society. We hope that they will be sensitive to their own communities, just like other communities. Apart from that, as a resident of North London for many years, the Edmonton incinerator needs serious control in terms of air pollution and public health. We have difficulties with the collection of household garbage, for example, green recycling garbage is taken one week and black garbage is taken the next week. More frequent collection of garbage will be more beneficial in terms of public health, especially when the summer months are approaching, leaving the garbage outside for a long time creates an unpleasant odour.”
Feyzullah Cinpolat
Feyzullah Cinpolat: “I do not believe that there will be great changes from the local elections that will take place on May 5th. In terms of London… In these elections, there are alternative independent candidates and this is promising. Haringey’s budget has decreased by 50% in 12 years. In the Enfield area, the budget was frozen, especially after the reactions caused by the Edmonton incinerator Also, Enfield’s budget has been reduced, two years ago it had a budget of 1.4 billion, now Enfield’s budget is 1 billion. Every year we are faced with expanding needs and shrinking budgets…While there were 30 youth centres in the Enfield area, there are now only two left. The Labor Party has run Enfield for the past 30 years, which the same party says will create more youth centres. It looks like politics in Turkey now, contradictory and empty words are being given.”
Cimen Sadun Hassan
Cimen Sadun Hassan: “The rising cost of living is having an impact on individuals and families, both across the UK and in the capital, London. However, we are experiencing various difficulties in terms of local government. We cannot find a place to park our cars, we have to pay expensive fees to park somewhere. With the increase in the cost of living after the pandemic, we are also experiencing the effect of ULEZ. My personal opinion is the abolition of ULEZ. On the other hand, we have difficulties regarding the collection of garbage. Our garbage is collected every two weeks in Haringey, and we are exposed to extraordinary and unbearable smell when the hot weather influences. You can’t get enough of the smell in Green Lanes.”
Necmi Pirgot
Necmi Pirgot: “It is very pleasing that 66 of our candidates will compete in the local elections, I hope this number will increase in the future elections and most of our candidates will be elected. Living in London has always been difficult, but now it’s even harder. Both within the framework of rent fees, council tax, and general basic needs. We would like the elected councillors to focus on the cost of living.”
