A common problem for many local authorities, including Waltham Forest, is the impact of crime and grime. If an area looks run down and dirty, due to various forms of anti-social behaviour, it can have a deeply negative impact on residents, in terms of their perception of the area, as well as the quality of services provided by the council.

We wanted to do something significant about this, to really make a difference, and capture the imagination of the public. Through previous experience, we realised that crime and grime affected many of our partners too, and it made sense to work with them on the problem, in a much more cohesive way.