Proud of Luton? Help shape its future with Resident Voices

What’s good about Luton? What does Luton need? And how would you like to help shape its future?

We all know Luton gets talked about. Sometimes for the right reasons, sometimes not so much. But one thing I’ve always believed is that the people who live here have a lot to say about what makes this town special, what needs to improve, and what we could be doing differently.

And that’s exactly why I’m launching our first Resident Voices: Luton discussion.

So, what is Resident Voices?

The idea is simple. We want to hear directly from local people about their experiences, their ideas and what they want to see happen in their community. Not just from the usual suspects who attend every meeting (you know who you are!), but from people who might not normally get involved in consultations, surveys or conversations about local decisions.

You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to represent an organisation. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to be someone who has something to say about Luton.

We want to understand how best to involve residents in shaping change, and that starts by asking people what matters to them and how they would actually like to be involved. Because asking people for their opinions is one thing. Making sure they feel listened to, and showing them how their contributions can make a difference, is another.

What will we be talking about?

We’ll be exploring three simple questions:

What is good about Luton?

Let’s start with the positives. Our communities, our culture, our people, our businesses, our food, our creativity — whatever makes you proud to be part of Luton.

What does Luton need?

What would make life better for people here? What needs more attention? What opportunities are we missing? What would you change if you had the chance?

How would you like to be involved in shaping change within your community?

Would you rather join a small discussion group, share ideas online, attend community events, speak to a community connector or get involved in something more hands-on?

We want to find out what works for you, not just what works for the people organising the meetings.

Come and have your say

We’re looking for 8–10 local residents to join our first discussion group on Monday 30 November from 3pm to 4pm at Hat Factory Arts Centre.

The session will last one hour, and participants will receive a shopping voucher to compensate them for their time.

We’re keeping the group small so everyone has a chance to contribute, and so we can properly explore the best ways to involve residents in future conversations and research.

This is the first step in a wider piece of work to understand how we can make community involvement more accessible, more inclusive and, importantly, more meaningful.

We only have 8-10 places available, so please register your interest by clicking the button below. Registering your interest doesn’t automatically guarantee a place. We’ll contact you to confirm whether you’ve secured a space.

A final thought from me

I spend a lot of time working with businesses, community organisations, young people and residents across Luton. One thing I’ve learnt is that there is no shortage of ideas. What matters is creating the opportunities for people to share them and making sure those conversations lead somewhere.

Luton belongs to all of us. Its future shouldn’t be shaped only by the people who already have a seat at the table.

So, whether you’ve lived here all your life or arrived more recently, whether you’re full of ideas or simply want to see things improve, we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s talk about Luton. The good, the not-so-good, and what we can do about it.