MARYLEBONE LABOUR ACTION REPORT – April 2023
News from your Westminster Labour Councillors
Airbnb registration proposals
Following our campaign for all Airbnb and other short term lets to be registered, the Government has now published its proposals for consultation. You can read the proposals and make comments online by 7th June https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-registration-scheme-for-short-term-lets-in-england
Dudley Court
We have reported unauthorised short-term lettings at Dudley Court, Upper Berkeley Street. Also, we are very concerned at the appalling condition of the common parts on all 8 floors of Dudley Court which are in a shocking state. We have asked the Council to take urgent action to require the long leaseholder of Dudley Court to improve the state of this block.
Western Eye Hospital/Samaritan Hospital, Marylebone Road
Residents have asked us for an update on the situation at the Western Eye Hospital/Samaritan Hospital. We received this update from the NHS Trust,
“Following a review of safety at the vacant former Samaritan Hospital adjacent to the Western Eye Hospital, at the end of November 2021 Imperial College Healthcare took the precaution of immediately relocating some services from the Western Eye while more detailed investigations took place.
After undergoing 18 months of repairs, the Western Eye Hospital is due to fully reopen in June this year. The reopening of the hospital includes an additional operating theatre to tackle long waits caused by the pandemic and refurbished pre-assessment and pre- and post-operation areas. The scaffolding outside the former Samaritan Hospital is mostly about accessing the roof area where shared plant equipment for the two buildings is located.
We anticipate that the Samaritan and the Western Eye buildings will eventually be sold together to support the Trust’s overall redevelopment programme. This will take several years as it requires us to first permanently relocate the Western Eye services in purpose-designed facilities on another of our sites.”
E-bikes
We have reported e-bikes obstructing the pavement at various locations in Marylebone, including Seymour Place, Bryanston Place. Manchester Square, Westmoreland Street, York Street, Upper Montagu Street, Seymour Street, Paddington Street, Crawford Street, Ossington Buildings, Gloucester Place and Great Cumberland Street. We have asked for the e-bikes to be removed and the riders fined.
We are working closely with e-bike companies to introduce a Westminster-wide scheme of dedicated parking bays for e-bikes this summer. The parking bays will be geofenced which means that if riders do not park in a dedeicated bay they will continue to be charged for the hire of the e-bike.
Bus Route changes
Transport for London has announced bus routes changes that will come into effect on 29th April.
Route 6 (Aldwych to Willesden Bus Garage): 24-hour route 6 will be rerouted from Marble Arch to Victoria station via the current route 16, instead of running to Aldwych. Customers can instead use revised route 23 between Marble Arch and Aldwych.
Route 16 (Victoria Station to Cricklewood Bus Garage): Route 16 will be extended from Cricklewood Bus Garage to Brent Park, Tesco following the current route 332. Route 16 will also be rerouted at Edgware Road station (Bakerloo line) to Paddington station following the current route 332. Travellers can instead use revised route 6 between Edgware Road station and Victoria station.
Route 23 (Hammersmith Bus Station to Westbourne Park Bus Garage): Route 23 will be rerouted from Hyde Park Corner to Aldwych, replacing route 6 between these points.
Route N16 (Victoria Station to Edgware Station): Night Bus route N16 will continue to operate as it does now but will be renumbered as Night Bus route N32.
A dedicated webpage provides detailed travel advice for each of the changes taking place, as well as route maps and interchange maps.
Cost of living support for families
To help Council tenants who do not qualify for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, we have introduced a Rent Support Fund to help those in financial difficulties.
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/news/ps1m-fund-offers-tenants-lifeline-rent-payments
Children aged three to 14 in Westminster will now be able to receive a free school lunch https://www.westminster.gov.uk/news/westminster-rolls-out-free-school-meals-14000-children-huge-expansion-lunch-scheme
Around a quarter of households across Westminster (approximately 31,000 households) are particularly vulnerable to rises in living costs, with some people facing extreme hardship. We can help you get the support you need, from showing you how to access government financial aid to finding local advice services. Whatever hardships you’re facing, we’re here to help.
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support
Food Waste recycling
Please let us know what you think of the new food waste recycling service and how it is working. For more information, please see https://www.westminster.gov.uk/food-waste-recycling-expansion or contact foodwaste@westminster.gov.uk.