MAIDA VALE & LITTLE VENICE LABOUR ACTION REPORT – June 2021
News from Maida Vale Councillors Rita Begum, Geoff Barraclough and Nafsika Butler-Thalassis
And the Little Venice Labour Action Team – Iman Less, Murad Qureshi and Sue Wolff
Survey of Residents’ Views
We want to know what you think the Council’s priorities should be over the coming years. Please let us know by completing this short survey so we can take action on your priorities. Thank you
https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90333853/Westminster-Labour-Survey
WARD NEWS AND ACTION
Essendine School
We have agreed to contribute £15,000 from the Ward Budget to fund a Catch-up Funding project for Essendine Primary School. Essendine Primary envisage funding would enable them to employ an additional staff member for:
- Additional support and focus on basic core skills.
- Additional time to practice basic skills. This will be dependent on need of children in order to re-establish good progress in the essentials (phonics and reading, increasing vocabulary, writing and mathematics) and there will be flexibility on timetables to allow this.
Over 200 children will benefit from this project and success will be measured through ongoing assessments termly, pupil voice, teacher’s assessments, reports of children attendance.
Lower Kilburn High Road
Works begin shortly on improvements to the very northern part of Maida Vale where it becomes Kilburn High Road. We have been working with Westminster’s Highways team to ensure these include a pedestrian crossing of Kilburn Park Road (by the Queen’s Arms pub) and relocating the bus-shelter by Milad Supermarket.
Thurso House – new council houses
We are in touch with Westminster’s regeneration team on plans for a small, new block of council houses to be built in the car park of Thurso House. You can see the proposals and comment on them here: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/thurso-house
Elgin Parade
We have met with the owners of the Elgin Pub and the Vineyard Pharmacy to understand their views on the future of Elgin Parade. We will be pressing Westminster for extra investment in this important shopping street.
Glasgow House
We have been in contact with Westminster Housing to ask for automatic doors to be fitted to the entrance to Glasgow House so that there is acceptable disabled access. The other two Scottish Towers already have this.
Electric vehicle parking on Randolph Avenue
A resident asked about increasing pressure on electric vehicle parking spaces. Westminster’s parking team told us:
“There are plans to introduce more EV bays alongside the LCCP (Lamp Column Charging Point) locations exclusively for residents to charge from. Although a timeframe for this has yet to be finalised, I can confirm, at this point, that some further provision will be added to Randolph Avenue, and we hope that this will greatly improve access to charging facilities for residents at the location.”
Shirland Road – Rubbish dumping
We have reported persistent rubbish dumping outside 53 Shirland Road to the City Inspector. This growing pile of waste has been attracting rats.
Elgin Mews North
We met with residents of Elgin Mews North who are concerned about a proposed extension to the house at 172 Randolph Avenue. We have been in touch with Westminster’s planning offices on their behalf.
Torridon House
Westminster Housing has confirmed to us that 11 storage sheds will be re-provided to residents after the new affordable housing block is constructed in the car park.
Surgeries
The Maida Vale councillor surgeries have started again after an enforced break due to Covid. You can come and meet us at the Café in Paddington Rec:
- First Saturday of the month at 10am
- Third Sunday of the month at 11am
No appointment needed
Paddington Rec – “Barkour Park”
We are pleased that Paddington Rec has been awarded £50,000 from the Open Spaces, Green Places Programme to upgrade and refurbish the dog exercise area by Carlton Gate.
Oak Tree House
After years of campaigning by local residents, Westminster is finally beginning a programme of works at Oak Tree House that will include improvements to railings, lighting and paving. We continue to work with residents to press for common parts refurbishment which was also promised some time ago.
Maida Vale
We are glad to see the derelict telephone kiosk along Maida Vale which we reported recently has been removed.
Canal Tow path
We have written to the Canal & River Trust about this long-standing issue:
“Could you find out when will we regain access to the Regent’s Canal towpath from the North end of the Maida Hill Tunnel to the access near Park Road. This section has been closed, nominally for repairs, for two years or more.”
The Canal & River Trust say:
“The towpath has been closed since the spring of 2019 due to the towpath being unsafe. There are two main reasons for this, oil leaking from the redundant underground cables and a collapsed waterway wall in a couple of areas along the towpath. The oil has been purged from the cables and as such is no longer a problem.
The waterway wall repair works are due to be done from the 19/4/21 – 25/7/21. Once these are complete and Permanent Moorings returned to their berths, I believe our health & safety department should be attending site and giving their opinion on the re-opening.”
Former Paddington Green Police Station
A planning application has now been submitted and you can make comments on line at https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/ using reference 21/02193/FULL
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/
Paddington Waterways and Maida Vale Society
If you’re interested in the local area, please join PWMV. It publishes a regular newsletter and it’s free to join. https://w9w2.co.uk
Street Link
If you see anyone sleeping rough, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Street Link. You can contact them 24 hours a day at www.streetlink.org.uk.
E-scooters
The police have told us the following:
“Currently in the UK, you can legally buy an e-scooter, but you cannot ride it on a public road, cycle lane or pavement. The only place it can be used is on private land. The reason for this is that e-scooters are treated as motor vehicles by the Department of Transport and are subject to the same legal requirement as other vehicles, such as MOT, licencing, tax and insurance. Because they don’t always have number plates, signalling ability or visible rear lights, they cannot be used legally on the roads.
What happens if I am stopped by the police? The police will advise you on the law and may ask you to take your e-scooter home. They may, however, still penalise you depending on the seriousness of the offence. If caught riding an e-scooter, fines you may receive can include: (a) a Fixed Penalty Notice for no insurance, with a £300 fine and six penalty points, (b) a Fixed Penalty Notice for no driving licence, up to £100 fine and three-six penalty points.
Other offences which may result in penalties include riding on the footpath, using a mobile phone, riding through red lights and drink driving offences.”
Voting by post
It is much easier, quicker and safer to vote by post. With a postal vote you have two weeks to cast your vote and can vote at home.
You can use this form to apply for a postal 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.
‘Westminster Extra’
You can 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
Report It
You can report dumped rubbish, broken street lights, graffiti and more using the Report It service https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
Dispelling the vaccination myths
Here is the link to a video featuring Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic celebrities dispelling myths about the vaccine and encouraging people to have the vaccination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Ald__AhbI
Interactive Map
You can see the latest data for your area here
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map
Westminster Council’s advice and response website:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information
Westminster Mutual Aid Group
Westminster Mutual Aid is a group of local volunteers (Westminster Covid-19 Mutual Aid group) trying to help the local community. You can contact them at https://www.westminstermutualaid.co.uk
Beware the Coronavirus scammers
https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/27/beware-the-coronavirus-scammers/
What you say
“Sincere thanks to Councillor Barraclough for his help getting fibre to Elgin Mews South. We can’t wait! Home schooling with multiple devices and working from home during the pandemic hasn’t been easy, and we have had to pay an additional £50 per month for access to mobile data to supplement the Wifi.”
“So appreciate your newsletter update on our area. I find the information about ongoing planning permission particularly important as I am often, for the first time, being made aware of developments which may need a comment or two.”
“Thanks for this – good to be working with such an active group of Councillors and also thank you for the call out for the Society!”
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
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Keep well, take care and look after yourselves and your neighbours.
Regards
Councillors Rita Begum, Geoff Barraclough and Nafsika Butler-Thalassis
Your Maida Vale Labour Councillors
Tweet @MaidaValeLabour
https://www.facebook.com/MVLabour/
gbarraclough@westminster.gov.uk
nbutler-thalassis@westminster.gov.uk
You can read our news here
https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/your-ward/maida-vale/
Iman Less, Murad Qureshi and Sue Wolff
Your Little Venice Labour Action Team
Facebook @labourforlittlevenice
Tweet @labourforlv
You can read our news here https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/your-ward/little-venice/