An Introduction to the West London Alliance

The West London Alliance (WLA) is a ground breaking cross-party partnership between six west London local authorities. It aims to provide aclear, single voice for the West London sub-region and engages in lobbying on behalf of the area's residents, service providers and business communities.

Formed in 1998, the West London Alliance (WLA) comprises the London Boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow.

The Alliance aspires to a far greater influence than could be achieved by individual local authorities working in isolation. The key objective is to resolve strategic issues affecting West London as a whole and consolidate partnership working across the many and diverse West London communities, a highly successful business sector and relevant public sector organisations.

The Alliance is led at the highest level. Regular meetings are attended by all Leaders and Chief Executives of the six Councils. Additionally, Directors of key services meet in a series of subgroups to develop common programmes on strategic themes such as Community Cohesion, Transport, Housing and Spatial Development.

Promoting Sub-regional Partnerships

The WLA has been pro-active in supporting the development of a sub-regional agenda across all sectors in West London. In particular, the development and simplification of a business partnership in West London was bought about through close collaboration with business partners. As a result West London Business was consolidated in 2001. West London Business gives West London businesses a major voice in the sub-region. It incorporates the West London Chamber of Commerce thereby ensuring the West London Alliance has a strong partner to work with.

West London Partnership

As the need for a West London umbrella organistion became apparent, the WLA led on the formation of a new sub-regional organisation . the West London Partnership, which brings together the West London Alliance and West London Business. It will, in due course include the voluntary and community sector, represented by West Londeon Network.

To support and build upon the policy development necessary to bring about cross borough and cross sector working, West London Partnership has secured significant resources from the London Development Agency. Some of this funding contributed to the development of the West London Voluntary and Community Organisations Network.

Promoting Competitiveness and Prosperity

The West London Alliance and its members aim to maintain and improve the competitiveness and prosperity of the West London Economy. They support the activities of West London Business in providing inward investment and retention and business advice; work closely with West London Business (WLB) on strategy development and planning; sponsor and support major regeneration initiatives like Park Royal/Wembley, Southall/Hayes/Heston and White City; work closely with the education and training organisations; help deliver government programmes; and engage with business to promote their competitiveness.

The West London Alliance sought to take a strategic lead on these issues and in 2001 jointly issued "West London: Building the New Economy Manifesto" which set out their vision for how West London can adapt to the global market pressures and changing economic situation - maintaining and enhancing its position as one of the key economic engines for the prosperity of London as a whole. A loss of competitiveness by West London in the global context will damage London's prospects and its communities. The Manifesto was the basis on which the WLP responded to the London Development Agency Draft Economic Development Strategy.

Sub-Regional Economic Development Strategy

Working through the WLP, the WLA and WLB have formed a senior level steering group to manage their input into the production of a Sub-Regional Economic Development Strategy, supported by the LDA. An early vision of what might constitute a competitive and successful economy was explored at a consultative conference in October 2003, to which key stakeholders were invited. For a summary of the conference click here.

Tackling Transport Issues

A unique partnership between the WLA and WLB has been working to tackle West London's traffic problems, both through developing strategy and by being increasingly successful in securing resources for pan-west London transport improvement programmes. A West London Transport Strategy has been produced and the WLA and WLB have launched a West London Transport Manifesto. These are being used both to steer action and to guide bidding for resources.

The West London Transport Strategy establishes a framework for substantially improving accessibility, both locally and strategically. It seeks to tackle issues of sustainability, reducing car dependence and providing acceptable alternatives to the car, particularly for orbital travel. It aims to support economic growth and develop consistent planning policies. It is designed to be realistic and achievable through a continuation of the public/private partnership approach. It looks ahead over 15 years but focuses on key actions within the next five years.

These key actions are:

• Establish three bus quality orbital corridors with express services
• Complete improvements required at seven key interchanges
• Progress schemes for other corridors and interchanges in West London in order to provide a working demonstration of a strategic public transport network
• Implement traffic reduction measures to help public transport, reduce congestion and support regeneration

Responsibility for implementation is with three groups: Group 1, led by Harrow Council, looking at orbital corridors and neighbourhoods, Group 2, looking at infrastructure and interchanges and Group 3, the West London Strategy Implementation Group lead by Ealing Council.

WLB and WLA are now beginning the work on developing longer-term strategic approaches to securing the major transport infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of the West London economy and community.

Environment and Sustainability

The WLA puts a high priority on enhancing the environmental quality of West London and promoting sustainable development. The work is led by the Environment Lead Members and Directors Group which meets regularly. Work has started on the production of an Environmental Strategy for West London. The strategy will address key issues such as air pollution, water quality, waste issues and bio-diversity.

Community Cohesion

As one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the country West London has much to be proud of. In general terms a cohesive and inclusive community has largely been sustained. However, past experience tells us there could be challenges ahead.

The WLA are therefore pleased to have been successful in securing £600,000 of Home Office funds to promote "Community Cohesion".

As one of fourteen Pathfinders across the country, West London.s programme is the only sub-regional initiative, and also the only programme which involves all sectors . public, private and voluntary.

The Pathfinder will offer a unique opportunity to pilot activities and structures which reinforce best practice, encourage professionals to learn from each other, and promote a dialogue across all stakeholders.

The London Plan

The Mayor's Spatial Development Strategy - the London Plan will have a major impact on the economic, social and environmental well being of West London communities. The WLA produced a response to the "Draft London Plan" document produced by the Mayor in 2002 and contributed towards a joint West London response. The WLA will be the main partner for the GLA in the development of the London Plan West London Sub- Regional Strategic Framework.

Housing Strategy

The aims and objectives of the West London Alliance and its partners for West London can only be met if there are long term fundamental changes to the housing situation in West London. There is a serious shortage of affordable housing for key workers and households in West London; there are significant problems of homelessness and the public housing stock is in need of huge investment to bring it up to a reasonable standard.

The Housing Directors Group of the WLA meets regularly to develop policies and programmes to tackle these issues and they are the main WLA link to the joint public/private sector Housing Strategy Group which operates under WLA.s auspices. The Group produced an Area Housing Strategy which was launched in the House of Commons in July 2003.

The WLA Housing Director's group has been pursuing other initiatives including a successful five-borough bid to the Department of Transport Local Government and the Regions for the resources and support to run a pilot choice based housing allocations system. A new company owned by the local authorities to act as a vehicle for the operational delivery of this project has been formed and is now in operation.

Regeneration and Social Inclusion

A key aim of the West London Alliance is to promote regeneration and renewal and combat social exclusion in West London. The vibrancy of the West London economy disguises pockets of deprivation and socially excluded communities scattered across all the boroughs, for example in Hayes/West Drayton and Feltham, and with particularly heavy concentrations deprivation in the arc of inner West London stretching from Wembley through Park Royal and Acton to White City and Shepherds Bush. Some of the most deprived communities in country exist in West London despite the region being one of the major drivers of the UK economy. The Alliance is determined to bring a fair level of reinvestment locally by spearheading campaigns to secure government, European and the new regional funds for West London and to work with its partners to develop strategies an actions to tackle this unacceptable situation. We are especially concerned to engage our black and minority ethnic communities and businesses in the process of regeneration and renewal. Some of our main policies and proposals are set out in the New Economy Manifesto The West London local authority regeneration and policy officers meet regularly to co-ordinate policy and activities and information.

An early initiative of the Group was to support the development of the SRB6 Renewal Programme aimed at helping to meet the needs of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. West London is home to large refugee communities and receives many new arrivals every year. Meeting their needs is a major challenge to the local authorities, other agencies and the voluntary and community organisations in west London. The successful bid aims to improve services and joint working with refugees and new arrivals and assist those communities through new education, training and community capacity building schemes.

More generally West London is a very diverse multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-faith community. The WLA has been successful in securing Home Office funds to promote .Community Cohesion.. As one of fourteen Pathfinders across the country, West London.s programme is the only sub-regional initiatives, and also the only programme which involves all sectors . public, private and voluntary.

High Quality Services

A high quality of public services is essential to the economic, social and environmental well being of West London's communities. The local authorities in the WLA are collaborating in a wide range of ways to improve and develop the public services they provide directly and with other public agencies such as the police, health services and training and education providers.

Particular areas where the WLA is active are:

• Collaboration on the development of e-government services to local people which is led by a member and officer group and which has developed detailed plans for new e-government services in West London
• Networking on best value and performance, including benchmarking and joint procurement.
• Collaboration on Housing issues and joint initiatives
• Work on transport and the environmental issues and strategies by the Environment Directors and Lead Members Group.
• Co-operation on issues of equalities, diversity and social cohesion, including lobbying for our fair share of resources from central government.

Recent practical examples of joint working include the development of joint protocols to deal with travelling communities; the current development of a joint approved list systems with a extranet interface; plans to set up a shared car pound for abandoned and untaxed vehicles to speed up their removal from the streets; a successful LGOL bid.