A unique opportunity to quiz London Mayor Boris Johnson is being launched in Croydon as part of a new initiative on serious youth crime.

The Mayor is launching the first of seven community conversations on Tuesday, December 14.

The series is designed to seek the community’s involvement in tackling serious youth crime.

Residents will be able to air their concerns with Mr Johnson and tell him what they think he should be doing to help.

The event will last for two hours, and will include a question and answer session with Mr Johnson, representatives of the Greater London Authority and community figureheads.

The second half of the event will be workshop-led, where the audience will break off into groups to discuss their ideas.

A spokesman for Johnson said: “Croydon is not the borough with the most challenges, however, there were 41 youth murders in London in 2008-09, and three of them took place in Croydon.

“Croydon has the largest youth population in London, with more than 170 schools in the borough.”

Mr Johnson has worked on the programme with the father of Damilola Taylor – a 10-year-old boy stabbed to death in Peckham in 2000, as well as the Mayor’s expert advisory group and other community representatives.

The aim of the event is to strike up a more informal conversation, away from establishment buildings or events.

Mr Johnson will also be on the lookout for volunteers to join his new mentoring programme, which aims to sign up a thousand black men across London to mentor young black boys going off the rails.

Croydon’s community conversation will take place on Tuesday, December 14, at Croydon Voluntary Action Resource Centre, 82 London Road.

The event will run from 6.30pm to 8.30pm with registration taking place from 5.30pm.

The event is free and residents can book a place by callinh 020 7983 4100 or visiting london.gov.uk/ccp.