ST JOHN’S WOOD LABOUR ACTION REPORT – November 2021
News from the St John’s Wood Labour Action Teams in Abbey Road and Regent’s Park Wards
WARD NEWS AND ACTION
Blandford Estate
Residents have reported the following to us and we have asked to be kept updated so that we can take further action if required:
“The council have put steel strips across the bottom of the main bin cupboards after your intervention, but haven’t done a very good job. The lady that comes and deals with our rat problem has been today and has taken photos of the said cupboards. Some you can still see the holes at the bottom and some the screws have fallen out. I want to thank you on behalf of myself and all the residents on Blandford for your help.”
Northwick Terrace/Cunningham Place
At the request of residents, we have urged the Council to clean up the refuse and recycling bins on Cunningham Place. Residents say:
“I have raised this issue with the Council before but to no avail. There is too much dumping going on at the recycling bins at Northwick Terrace/Cunningham place. The bin lids are broken and have been prised open and it all just looks a mess and is unhygienic.”
Abercorn Place
We are making enquiries with the Highways Team about this issue:
“Under a year ago Abercorn Place was dug up by Virgin Media. Now, for the past week the same has happened again this time laying cable for G-Network. Do we have any say in the matter? Each time the road is dug up it is noise, dirt, mess no parking and the anxiety that they may hit a water pipe or other utility. Another competitor will doubtless appear and do the same again. My property has just been redecorated and now they have splattered mud over the door and brickwork! Do we residents have any rights in the matter?”
The Highways Team tell us, “Unfortunately, we cannot prevent utilities carrying out works/digging up the highway to install a service.”
Trees
A resident has suggested that the leaning tree in Abercorn Place in front of the church needs attention as it may be at risk of collapse. We have asked the Tree Officer to investigate and he says:
“Although it looks a little odd this tree has been like this for a while now and it’s not unusual for trees to grow in this habit as the seek the light. I had a look at it earlier today and there hasn’t been any movement around the base of the tree so I am satisfied it doesn’t require any action at this point in time.”
St John’s Wood High Street – what you say
“St Johns Wood High Street with all the outside cafes particularly on the west side of the street where the pavement seems narrower and there’s a proliferation of small children on scooters and adults on electric scooters plus the occasional cyclist. There should be a Marshall in attendance”
“I am concerned about one way traffic in the High Street as it makes Cochrane Street dangerous (especially at junction with Circus Road.) Visibility is non-existent because of continual illegal parking on the corners and traffic swings in from Circus Road in and straight across from St Anne’s Terrace. It then proceeds at speed down Cochrane Street which has parking on both sides of the street, often blocked by lorries delivering to two building sites!
Many elderly people and mothers collecting young nursery children use the street! There should be no or little traffic in street which has now become a at run for cars driven by frustrated drivers denied access to the High Street!”
£6 Million Marble Arch Mound
It is costing Westminster Council Tax-payers about £150,000 a month to keep the Marble Arch Mound open to the public. The Council had planned to charge visitors for entry to recoup some of the £6 million it has cost to build the Mound. But, because the Mound failed to live up to the Council’s misguided high expectations, the Council was forced to scrap entry charges.
The costs have trebled from £2 million to £6 million and the Deputy Leader of the Council, who was responsible for the debacle, has resigned. The £6 million could have been put to much better use – for example, on CCTV to catch illegal rubbish dumpers or on more police on the beat or on re-opening the youth clubs that were closed by the Council a few years ago.
Rubbish dumping
Westminster’s streets are littered with mounds of dumped rubbish from Pimlico to Paddington despite the Council spending £50 million a year with Veolia whose contract has just been extended for another three years. The time is long overdue for tough action against the regular rubbish dumpers who litter the streets of Westminster and who are currently getting away with this particularly selfish and nasty form of anti-social behaviour. We have put forward a 5-point plan to tackle the rubbish dumping menace.
Council Tax
We have called for No Rise in Council Tax until at least 2024. As residents face a challenging winter with rising prices and energy bills, they want to know that they aren’t going to have any nasty surprises in the spring in when it comes to Council Tax.
Labour Councillors will vote against any increase in Council Tax until at least 2024 to try to help residents through these difficult times. We think that at the very least Council Tax should be frozen at its current rate, while further efforts are made to protect those on low incomes.
Green New Deal for Westminster
We have launched a Green New Deal for Westminster which sets out a clear, ambitious agenda to achieve the change we desperately need. Key measures include:
- Appointing a Cabinet Member with responsibility for climate action. This will be pivotal to driving change from day one of a Labour Council.
- Implementing a Net Zero Test for all decisions to assess the climate impact of decisions made, and a sustainable approach to procurement.
- Seeking to refurbish first rather than demolish, putting real emissions standards on all developments, and retrofitting our existing housing.
- Driving a green recovery and a just transition, with a Local Climate Bond for investments in our neighbourhoods, a focus on green jobs, and training available to all.
- Starting recovery in the streets, with a commitment to 15-minute neighbourhoods, new tree planting, and high streets that attract customers with active travel infrastructure.
In the spirit of working collaboratively with others we are keen to hear from residents, experts, and other stakeholders about how to develop and build on this plan. So please do get in touch with us to share your thoughts.
Electric Car charging points
Charging points have been installed in lamp columns across the area and you can register your interest in having a lamp post charger installed near you by completing the form below. You can also register an interest in having stand-alone charging posts installed in your local area.
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/request-vehicle-charging-point
Voting by post
It is much easier, quicker and safer to vote by post.
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 10 days 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, potholes, uneven pavements and other hazards to the Council’s ‘Report It’ service https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
Interactive Map
You can see the latest data for your area here
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map
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/
What you say
“Excellent work”
“Thank goodness for you!!!”
“You are a mine of information and so helpful”
“I agree with all points raised in your action report – Well Done”
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
Your St John’s Wood Labour Action Team – Here to Help, All Year Round