Churchill Ward Labour Councillors Andrea Mann and Shamim Talukder have secured improvements on cycle storage and dog waste issues for residents on the Churchill Gardens estate.

Following enquiries from residents, the following action is planned:

Cycles

Secure cycle parking facilities are being consulted on and their installation should be from March 2020. The proposed places for the new hangars/storage are by the following houses – Coleridge, Blackstone, Erskine, Shelley, Keats, Tyrrell.  The Council adds:

“We will be getting an extra 10 hangers in this programme, so we can let these ones out and then review the need for additional ones next financial year.”

As a result of us and residents pushing for more, they later confirmed:

“We are going to add another hanger next to the new one at Wilkins House. We are constrained by time and funding for this financial year, so future locations can be identified and developed later this year.”

Dogs

Following our enquiries, Council officers did a walkabout on the estate with the Waste and Park Team and the Westminster Dog Warden. They will now be taking the following action to tackle the problem of dog fouling:

• Install dog signs for fouling and exclusion in popular communal areas
• Sticker litter bins to show pet owners can use these to deposit bagged dog waste
• Put educational signs/leaflets in all notice boards for education and awareness raising
• Raise awareness through social media or newsletters to better inform owners and ensure irresponsible owners are reported.
• Arrange for joint visits with estate staff in order to better identify and educate irresponsible owners.
• Longer term, updating and replacing the current ‘fixed’ (outdated/damaged) signs across the estate
• school visits with our animal warden and one of the local charities, such as the Mayhew who have good educational programs that better promote responsibility through children to their parents/siblings.

We will continue to press the Council to take whatever action is necessary on both these issues, including pushing for more bike storage when the next round is looked at later this year.