News from the St John’s Wood Labour Action Team
Dear Resident,
We are living in very difficult times and, along with Karen Buck MP, we are doing all we can to help the local community and individual residents and their families.
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Please feel free to pass this report on to any of your neighbours who may be interested. If you know of anyone else who might like to receive this report, please send them this sign-up link http://bit.ly/signuplabnews
WARD NEWS AND ACTION
St John’s Wood bus stops
We have written to the Evening Standard Circulation Department to ask that they stop the current practice of leaving newspapers at bus stops. Residents say:
“It’s been a few months now that I have noticed that piles of Evening Standard newspapers are left on the bench of bus stop stations every afternoon — Boundary Road, Marlborough Road bus stops. As a result, after few hours (with the help of wind) the newspapers are spread all over the pavement. I have asked the delivery people not to do that but it seems that I am ignored. I wonder if you could do something about it You could contact these people (in red T shirts) at St John’s Wood station and discuss the issue.”
The Evening Standard Commercial Manager replied:
“I have sent a note to the distribution team in the area instructing them to stop putting copies on the bus stop benches from today.”
We have since heard from residents:
“I think the newspapers issue is sorted now. I haven’t seen any piles at bus stops or anywhere else for a week now. Thank you for your efforts”
Reynolds House
Residents in Reynolds House are opposing proposals to relocate the air conditioning equipment and acoustic enclosure to the north-west side of building at 28-32 Wellington Road. Residents say:
“Since the beginning of the demolition of the old building and the construction of the new apartments, I have been living with constant noise and dust. During the summer, I was unable to open any windows facing the site during the day, and endured terrible heat every day. Now, the relocation of A/C equipment facing our north side windows would not only force us to keep windows shut during summer which would be a disaster, but also would create noise problems”.
Avenue Road
According to the Evening Standard;
“London’s most expensive street in 2020 has been revealed as Avenue Road in St John’s Wood. The average house price on the grand, leafy street was an astonishing £30.5 million, or 124 times the average UK house price. It’s also almost twice as high as last year’s top-ranking street, Ilchester Place in Holland Park, where the average house price was £17.2 million.”
North Paddington Foodbank
If you can help the foodbank or are in need of emergency support please see the information here: https://www.npfoodbank.org.uk/
You can read a report of a recent North Paddington Foodbank customer survey here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J6jKmGhJB_0vDiG2jZLdZahLm7jqCSCK/view
Blood Donors
The NHS Blood and Transplant service is appealing for donations from people who have recovered from coronavirus to help save lives as London moves from “medium” to “high” alert. Donating blood plasma is a simple procedure and very similar to giving a normal blood donation but the red blood cells are returned to the patient and the process takes a little longer.
The nearest donor centre is at 26 Margaret Street, Fitzrovia. W1. Anyone who has had coronavirus, either a test result or the symptoms, can offer to donate by calling 0300 123 23 23 or visitinghttps://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk to arrange an appointment to donate.
Warm Homes Discount Scheme
You could get £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2020 to 2021 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2020 to 2021 will open on 12 October 2020. The money is a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between September and March. See here for more details https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme
Jobs and Skills
Microsoft and LinkedIn have produced a free programme to help those looking for a job and learn new skills
Cycle Mechanics
If you’re between 18-24 and looking at building a new skill that is in high demand, Westminster Wheels offers a paid six-month programme in cycle mechanics. By joining the project, you will be able to (1) learn how to refurbish unwanted bikes and provide affordable high-quality bikes for Westminster residents and (2) get a training and employment experience to help prepare you for a career in the growing cycle industry. https://www.westminster.gov.uk/westminster-wheels-programme
Housing
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg has written a new book, Building the New Jerusalem: How Attlee’s Government Built 1 Million New Homes.
The book explains how Labour went about its task of building homes and fulfilling post-war housing aspirations; how it dealt with the post-war scarcity of materials and labour and how it dealt with the dire economic situation and other ‘events’. The book also includes suggestions as to how a future Labour Government might go about the task of rebuilding Britain’s housing infrastructure following the next General Election.
The book is available in paperback and Kindle format
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08N1H3PYL
All royalties from sales of the book will be donated to Foodbanks in Westminster.
‘Early Voting’ – Voting by post
Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting. Millions of people in the USA voted early by voting by post. You can, too. You can use this form to apply to vote by post
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/postal-vote-application-form.pdf
You can email your completed form to electoralservices@westminster.gov.uk or post it to Electoral Services, Westminster City Council, 14th Floor City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP.
‘Westminster Extra’
You can now read the ‘Westminster Extra’ online
Refuse collection and Recycling collection times
Recycling bags can be ordered from https://webforms.westminster.gov.uk/order-recycling-bags/
Bags will be delivered within approximately 48 hours of order.
You can check when refuse and recycling is collected from your street here http://transact.westminster.gov.uk/env/streetsearch.aspx
The doorstep recycling service concentrates on the recyclable materials most commonly produced by houses so that these can be easily separated into the different material types. The link below summarises what can be put in recycling bags
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/what-can-i-recycle-home#can-recycle
Lots of other materials can be recycled but not through the doorstep collection service. The A-Z list below gives details of what and where items can be recycled or re-used:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/a-z-recycling
Also, here are details of 9 companies that reward you for donating unwanted things, from H&M to M&S https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/g15049323/brands-reward-throwing-things-away/
Report It
You can report dumped rubbish, potholes, uneven pavements and other hazards to the Council’s ‘Report It’ service https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
You can register here https://www.fixmystreet.com/alert for alerts of everything reported in your area (just use your post code and it will offer you the option).
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
NHS Responders and Westminster Connects
Residents have raised with us that there is a shortage locally of NHS responders (volunteers) to support residents who are self-isolating with tasks such as picking up prescriptions from chemists. We were also told that Westminster Connects (the Westminster council service that supports residents during lockdown) was also not supporting residents with such tasks as they were thought to be the responsibility of NHS responders. However, after we raised this issue with them, Westminster Connects officers confirmed that their volunteer team would now pick up prescriptions for residents so there should not be any more difficulties in the future.
Test and Trace Support Payments
You may be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500 if you are self-isolating because of COVID-19 and you are either employed or self-employed. The payment is to support people on low incomes who are unable to work from home if they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and lose income as a result.
Health advice
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Westminster Council’s advice and response website:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information
Westminster Connects COVID-19 phone line – 020 7641 1222
Help and Advice for businesses
You can get the latest information here https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-businesses
Beware the Coronavirus scammers
https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/27/beware-the-coronavirus-scammers/
What you say
“Thanks for update, all most useful to see.”
“If I hadn’t have gone on twitter and got you involved who knows how long this would have taken, really shoddy service, it seems council tenants are treated as second class citizens. Once again thank you very much.”
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Keep well, take care and look after yourselves and your neighbours.
Wishing you all the very best for the Festive Season and the New Year.
Regards
Hussain Ahmed, Janet Seale and Liam Taggart
Your St John’s Wood Labour Action Team