Money, Trade and People

Finsbury Park should have a lively local economy, one which keeps money in the area, supports local businesses, allows people to borrow money without being ripped off or exploiting others and which allows people to be trained and work locally.

So far we've organised Show Me The Money! (Open Space session at the Fin Future office, March 2011) and Show Me The Money! II (Visioning session at the Blackstock Greenhouse, May 2011). Some of the ideas kicking around are:

PROMOTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS

  • local business directory
  • shop local scheme – loyalty cards / bags e.g. http://transitionfinsburypark.org.uk/ShopN4
  • publicising and promoting cherished local businesses at our events
  • promote Blackstock Greenhouse, Green Lens Studios, Cob in the Community, Park Theatre, Castle Climbing Centre, local food shops

PROMOTE ETHICAL BUSINESS

  • e.g. Just Change Tea, Fairtrade products
  • encourage LAs to become Fairtrade

ESTABLISH / PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE TRADING MECHANISMS

  • promote North London LETs or Islington / Harringey Timebank – Castle Climbing Centre to find out how companies can operate within NL LETS.
  • create local currency, e.g. extend 'Castle Quids'

ESTABLISH ALTERNATIVE MONEY LENDING AND PROMOTE ETHICAL BANKING

  • open local branch of Haringey Credit Union
  • promote Triodos and the Co-op
  • encourage people to invest in Shared Interest Foundation

RESEARCH ECONOMICS IN N4

  • Dorothy Newton would like to look at how money is spent and earned in area, businesses ownership, business rates and government money vs taxes paid, loan sharks, access to non-paying cash machines and access to money/debt advice.
  • Louise Guibrunet would like to look at how transition towns liaise with local government.

ESTABLISH NEW SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

  • start a people's supermarket or bulk buy scheme
  • have a weekly farmers' market
  • expand the plant nursery site (Edible Landscapes London) to become a food hub / market
  • acquire local pub to create community asset / social hub – pub, community space / venue
  • build a 'town hall' with its own community kitchen in Finsbury Park out of cob (see minutes below)
  • build a bike smoothie generator (with festival money) and then rent out to other groups, let a local business maintain bike and benefit from the profits
  • architects school based on different sites in N4 'campus' that links students to specific projects
  • university linked to local businesses and apprenticeships
  • create a Junk Exchange centre, a place where people can take things to be repaired, waste materials can be disassembled, sorted and re-sold.

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PlanForTN.pdf132.95 KB
TownHallMinutes.pdf55.94 KB