Update on Len’s Meeting with Deputy Mayor of London – Seb Dance!
Blog by Krissie Nicolson, EETG Director with research support from Frances Northrop & Emmet Kibberd, New Economics Foundation.
“It was a pleasure to meet with the Deputy Mayor for TfL on Monday with the team from the Guild. I was pleased that I was able to express my experiences to him as a tenant and witness Seb Dance’s intent on finding a solution to this urgent ongoing situation” Len Maloney, JC Motors.
For now, while TfL is reviewing the way ahead and with a commitment to another meeting, we have postponed our collective singing action, however, we may still need to follow through so stay ready to sing your heart out with Len!
The Guild views this moment as an opportunity to shift a difficult situation into a renewed commitment from TfL to Affordable Workspace for foundational businesses such as Len’s which have a long history of providing social value to the local community.
TfL was a partner in the original research conducted by the EETG and New Economics Foundation (NEF), funded by the LEAP. NEF has also used this methodology to support Haringey, Islington and Peabody Housing Association in developing social value lease policies since then and it is becoming accepted practice in London for progressive boroughs where social value can be measured through industry standard portals such as TOMS and HACT.
We estimate that since Len has been a tenant of TfL he has supported 300 local young people over the years either via formal apprenticeships in partnership with Hackney Inspire, through work experience in partnership with local schools and via informal mentoring. The value that the apprenticeships would offset in terms of lifetime benefits would wipe out the arrears Len accrued via the unaffordable rent imposed on him with just one apprentice;
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Marginal Lifetime Benefit of Achieving a Level 2 Apprenticeship compared to anything less for males |
£ 171,160 |
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Marginal Lifetime Benefit of Achieving a Level 2 Apprenticeship compared to anything less for females |
£ 83,049 |
https://www.greatermanchester-
As set out in Monday’s blog, the definition of affordable workspace in the London Plan (p.246) spells out that businesses providing apprenticeships with links to local colleges and schools meet the criteria for public landlords such as TfL to provide affordable spaces.
Thank you to everyone who has signed Len’s letter to Sadiq Khan. Keep the signatures coming, we’re not out of the woods yet but thanks to the power of the people Len now has a fighting chance!