Haringey’s local elections take place on May - I am asking residents to vote Labour so that we can carry on the work that this administration started when I was elected leader in May 2021.

We want to run a different kind of council, one that empowers you as a resident to shape our borough. This means a cultural change at the council, listening to and working with our communities to find solutions to the issues that matter.

Over the last year we’ve put co-production and participation at the heart of everything we do. We’ve engaged recently more intensively with local communities, designing services with them and responding to their specific needs.

Haringey Labour’s 2022 manifesto will be published soon. It sets out how we can all work together to shape policies on the issues facing us all, like climate change, air pollution, housing, and inequality.

Climate justice is social justice. We want to improve our air quality through cutting unnecessary car journeys and promoting walking, cycling, and use of public transport. We will introduce more safe cycle routes, build more secure bike hangars, introduce an affordable and an electric bike scheme across Haringey, install an additional 400 EV charging points by 2026, making a total of 700 across Haringey. We are also investing £18m in our roads and pavements to make them safer and more pleasant to use.

As a mum to a pandemic baby, I am concerned about the impact Covid-19 has had on our children’s development. I am focused on providing extra speech and language therapy and excellent early years services. I want to keep our libraries open and well-funded, and create more affordable childcare places.

I want to bring our communities together, and I’m excited to announce our pledge to launch Haringey’s first ever borough-wide food festival.

I was born and brought up in Haringey and I’m raising my family here – some politicians may come and go, but I am here for the long haul. I am determined to make the council work better for everyone who lives here.

Cllr Peray Ahmet is leader of Haringey Labour Group. All parties are set to outline their candidates and manifestos in the next fortnight.