HOPAG – the Honor Oak Park Action Group, headed up by Iris Borgers and Fiona Hull – has got off to a good start by planting up a previously neglected patch by the now blocked-off exterior steps down to the railway line. It wants to see our High Street shops revitalised, dog mess cleared off the streets, more and better recycling bins and smarter street furniture, among other aims.

So …where does that leave HOPRA? Well, we have a wealth of neighbourhood history and experience behind us, which has served our             

residents well. While we support all efforts to make this neighbourhood more attractive, we know the long, hard struggle that this can be and how important some of the unglamorous issues such as broken water mains, cracked paving, night noise, fly-tipping, inconsiderate parking and inappropriate development are to all of you.

There is, we believe, room for both organisations, and there are many issues on which we can link up as partners and give a stronger voice for residents.