Councillors Ruth Bush, Tim Rosa and Guthrie McKie
Councillors Ruth Bush, Tim Rosa and Guthrie McKie

NEWS FROM YOUR HARROW ROAD WARD LABOUR COUNCILLORS RUTH BUSH, GUTHRIE McKIE AND TIM ROCA

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.

Goldney Road

Residents in Goldney Road have written to us about speeding traffic which is very dangerous, especially for children crossing the road to get to the garden playground.  

In the first instance, we have asked the Council to undertake a traffic survey. If you have any comments you want to make, please let us know at harrowrdlabour@gmail.com

Harrow Road

We have received a number of comments such as this: 

“I am yet again exasperated by complaints about shops on the Harrow Road using their forecourts to display goods – fruit and veg. etc.  The pavements along the road are very wide and these displays do not disrupt pedestrian traffic.  What they do is add to the vitality, energy and colour of the area, allow shoppers to see goods they might wish to purchase and help shopkeepers to survive. “

To explain the situation, there are three main issues:

  • The retailers often display outside goods beyond the limit of their forecourt, which makes it very difficult for people with buggies, in wheelchairs or on disability scooters to get along the pavement.
  • A good number of the retailers don’t have the legal right to display outside their shops.
  • Legally, the display must be of the goods for sale inside the shop.  Instead, a number of the retailers sublet the outside space to people selling other goods.

We have had many, many calls from residents to get this sorted out.  A couple of years ago, a good, workable plan was developed between ourselves and officers, with us joining officers in walkabouts along the Harrow Road.  It was never implemented.  It is this plan which has now been revived.  There will be plenty of notice and retailers will be offered legitimate options, including stalls on Maida Hill Market.

No-one wants to see a dull set of shopfronts on the Harrow Road, but we hope those who are dubious will appreciate that there are other things to consider.

Shirland Road/Chippenham Road junction

We have again contacted the Parking Team about this recurring issue:

“Again, cars are parking right up to the lights at the junction causing chaos – 3 changes of lights to get through in single file. it’s just not good enough. The more they get away with it the more they assume carte blanche to continue doing it. Something has to be done!! The junction is a complete disaster anyway”

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/

https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/05/11/westminster-labour-calls-for-clear-strategy-and-urgent-action-to-tackle-food-poverty-in-westminster/

Summer Activities for Young People

The Young Westminster Foundation has organised summer activities for young people within the programme in the following link, which will be updated weekly: http://www.ywfoundation.com/2020/07/20/whats-young-people-westminster-summer/

Children’ Art and Poetry Competition 

The Westminster Faith Exchange,a long-standing initiative to facilitate and encourage dialogue between the council and the different faith communities, has announced a Children’s Art and Poetry Competition.In this exceptional year, children are invited to send their artwork or a poem which fits the theme ‘Covid-19, Lockdown and My Faith’. The competition is open to children and young people of all faiths, entry is free and there are prizes to be won. Entries must be submitted by Friday 21 August. For more information and to submit your entry, click here.

‘Westminster Extra’

You can now read the ‘Westminster Extra’ online

https://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=09649383-4dbb-4a3d-b164-9d26398578f3

Voting by post

Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting. You can use this form to apply to vote

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.

Report It

The new Report It service has been unveiled. 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 options).

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/

Petition to remove the statue of Robert Clive

There is a petition to remove the statue of Robert Clive in Whitehall. The petition argues:

“Robert Clive was responsible for the invasion and brutalisation of millions across India and other South Asian countries. Clive looted massive wealth from Bengal. His policies provoked a famine killing an estimated 10 million people. This is Westminster City Council’s opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to anti-racism and to inspire others.”

https://petitions.westminster.gov.uk/RemoveClive/

Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE

Health advice
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Westminster Connects COVID-19 phone line– 020 7641 1222

https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/26/westminster-connects-covid-19-phone-line-020-7641-1222/

Beware the Coronavirus scammers

https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/27/beware-the-coronavirus-scammers/

And finally

To mark the 75th anniversary of Labour’s 1945 General Election victory, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg has written a new book, ‘Cheer Churchill. Vote Labour’ – The story of the 1945 General Election.Starting with the creation of the wartime Coalition Government and the harnessing of the entire machinery of the state to serve the war effort, the book charts the political currents and events which led to Labour’s sensational General Election victory on 26th July 1945.

‘Cheer Churchill. Vote Labour’is available in e-book and paperback format at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08975HFS7/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1590583600&sr=1-3

All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to Foodbanks in Westminster.

Cycle lanes – what you say

“Cycle lanes have been created on Harrow Road and number of other busy roads but there is only a bit of white paint and no protection for cyclists.  The white lines are ignored by car drivers. It shouldn’t be so difficult to install a bit of protection – other councils have done so.”

What you say

“Thank you for this very helpful update and for all your hard work and effort.”

Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.

Please keep well, take care and look after yourself and your neighbours.

Regards

 

Councillors Ruth Bush, Guthrie McKie and Tim Roca.

Your Harrow Road Labour Councillors

 

rbush@westminster.gov.uk

Gmckie@westminster.gov.uk

troca@westminster.gov.uk

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