
News from your local Labour Councillors for Lancaster Gate – Ellie Ormsby and Ryan Jude
Here’s our first Action Report of 2025. It gives news about the Lancaster Gate area and the issues we’ve taken up on behalf of local residents in the last couple of months.
Please do GET IN TOUCH if there’s something in your area that needs action or if there’s an issue we can help with.
Advice Surgeries – no appointment needed
- 1st Thursday of each month 5:30 pm-7 pm – Pickering House, Hallfield Estate
- 3rd Saturday of each month 11 am-12:30 am – Sheila’s Cafe, 24a Craven Terrace, London W2 3QH
Coffee Afternoon with Joe Powell MP
We will be hosting a Q&A session with Joe Powell MP on Friday 14th, February from 3-5 pm in the Hallfield School. This will be your opportunity to hear about Joe’s priorities for the area and for you to raise any local or national issues with your Councillors and Member of Parliament.
Council Launches New Street-based Intervention Team
Building on other initiatives introduced to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), including our new Council-run CCTV network, our night-time estate security (which was first trialled on the Hallfield Estate) and action on short-term let properties, we are pleased to announce a new dedicated Street-based Intervention Team to tackle hotspots of street-based anti-social behaviour. This new unit will be an integrated team, expanding on the work of existing city inspectors, the police, outreach teams and the voluntary sector, using new powers granted to the team. The unit will initially focus on Victoria, and once progress is made and sustained in its initial deployment, it will then be expanded to other areas of the City. Find out more here: New Street Based Intervention Team and more action to tackle anti-social behaviour in Victoria – Westminster Labour Councillors – Westminster Labour
Council Children’s Services Rated “Outstanding in all areas” by Ofsted
We are proud that Westminster City Council’s Children’s Services has been rated outstanding by Ofsted, in all five areas judged. This reflects the council’s commitment to delivering quality child-centred and family-focused services. Among other things, Ofsted highlighted the positive impact the Labour Council’s sustained investment has had on improving the council’s services since the last inspection, including creating effective early help services to support families without requiring escalation into statutory social work. This progress has happened despite increasing pressures following the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, which has seen an increase in demand for social care support. Read more here: Westminster’s Children’s Services wins an ‘outstanding in all areas’ Ofsted Rating – Westminster Labour Councillors – Westminster Labour
Environmental Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
The Labour Council is consulting on its new and improved Environmental Supplementary Planning Document (ESPD). This will embed environmental policies into the planning process. The survey is split into chapters, including air quality, local environmental impacts, greening and biodiversity, flood risk, energy and waste management. You can find the consultation on the Council’s Commonplace website: Have Your Say Today – Environment SPD Consultation – Commonplace
Hallfield Major Works
We have been working with residents to ensure transparency when it comes to the costs of the Major Works for Phase 3 (Winchester, Worcester and Lyton). We pushed for an independent evaluation of the costs last year, and this year have pressed to ensure the full data set and appendices have been shared with residents. Please see here for full cost details: Hallfield Estate Major Works: Lynton, Winchester and Worcester Houses (project X115) | Westminster City Council.
Residents in Phase 3 have also highlighted issues with the quality of the work delivered by Axis on the Estate, including damage to brickwork. We have asked for a walkabout with Councillors, residents, Axis and WCC to be organised so the damage can be reviewed and for reassurances that the cost of any remedial work required will not be passed onto leaseholders and residents.
We are also aware that Phase 4 (Clovelly, Exeter, Carnarvon, Brecon and Bridgewater) of the Major Works will start soon. We knocked on doors in these blocks the day after notices were issued to residents to be on hand for any questions. We have previously undertaken work to secure the cost of Phase 4 so it was no more than Phase 3 and to ensure Phase 4 had access to funding to support the cost of roof replacements.
Queensway 24-Hour Casino
We were alarmed to see a licensing application to extend the opening hours of the existing casino and games centre at 74 Queensway to 24 hours (application number: 25/00173/LIGV). We were extremely concerned that this application will come into tension with the Licensing Objective of preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder and emphasised that there are no adequate conditions which could mitigate against the risk posed by this extension in operating hours. We ensured our objections were noted and encouraged other amenity societies and interested parties to do the same.
Praed Street Idling Taxis – New Cycle Lane
We were really pleased to receive such a positive response to the changes with the new cycle lane next to the Hilton Hotel on Praed Street. As residents will know, there has been a long-term issue with taxis idling there, in a place they are not allowed to stop. The cycle lane was part of our plan to address this. This is now in place, and is having the desired effect.
Hallfield Estate Parking Infringements
We are aware of persistent issues relating to parking infringements outside Marlow House on the Hallfield Estate with mopeds parked on the footpath. The Community Asset Team have been monitoring the situation outside Marlow House. Notices have been issued to the registered owners of motorbikes but the Council unfortunately is not in a position to enforce them as the Estate isn’t under a TMO – Traffic Management Order. However, we have pushed for officers to obtain the owner’s details to pursue other courses of action. We will be working with officers, the RA and residents to discuss whether a move to a TMO would be desirable given the continued problem.
Hallfield Disabled Parking
We were recently asked to support a resident in securing a disabled parking space after years of struggling to be given access to the space. We were pleased that our intervention led to this finally moving forward, and we encourage any other residents in a similar situation to contact to us so we can support them with the necessary assessments required.
Winchester House Lifts – Hallfield Estate
We have had persistent reports of lift breakdowns in Winchester House. We have been working with the lift contract manager to understand why this has been repeatedly occurring. They are undertaking a full investigation to identify the cause and prevent this from happening in the future.
Hallfield Estate Graffiti
We’re aware of graffiti on the rooftops of some blocks across the Hallfield Estate. We have worked with officers to take steps to secure access to the roofs (where there is graffiti) and seeking assurances on timelines for when this will be removed. In some cases this may require scaffolding to access the roofs safely. We have asked officers, and have now had it confirmed, that action to clean the graffiti will not be charged back to residents in their service charge.
Rough Sleeping on Queensway
We are aware of individuals regularly rough sleeping in doorways of unoccupied shop fronts on Queensway. Police and homelessness outreach teams are aware and attempting to engage with the individuals to get them into accommodation.
Chilworth Street Bins
After persistent issues with fly-tipping and poor waste presentation at the bins on Chilworth Street near Westbourne Terrace, we are undertaking a trial to move half of the bins to the other side of the road. So far the trial has seen a significant improvement in waste presentation.
Residents have reported: The new arrangement of separating bins on both sides of the street is a tremendous improvement as it limits the free-for-all that previously existed where people just assumed any and every bit of rubbish could be dumped, as there was so much there anyway. A great initiative and long may it last.
I think that the new arrangement of 2 bins on each side of the road works very well and the street looks much cleaner. I hope this new arrangement of 2 bins on each side and a tidy pavement can last.
42 Queens Gardens
We have been pushing officers to find a solution to improve noise insulation at 42 Queens Gardens. An acceptable product has now been identified, and the Council team is carrying out acoustic testing in neighbouring properties to ensure the product does result in noise reduction. We believe it will be possible to do this as part of the current works, and will continue to push for this to happen as soon as possible.
Westbourne Terrace Postbox
Residents highlighted a disused postbox on Westbourne Terrace which was cluttering the pavement. Working with our colleagues in Hyde Park ward and Royal Mail, this postbox has now been removed.
Westbourne Terrace Empty Property
We were concerned to hear reports of squatters in an empty Council leasehold property on Westbourne Terrace. As soon as the reports came to light we ensured officers attended to secure the building and remove any materials left behind by the squatters.
Hallfield Estate ‘Know Ball Games’ Update
We previously worked with residents to prevent the expansion of the ‘Know Ball Games’ trial on the Hallfield Estate – where ‘No Ball Game’ signs would be removed and play allowed on all green spaces. As promised, instead of introducing this scheme the Council put on activities in the already open spaces, we provide a summary below and welcome any feedback in advance of setting up the next round of activities:
- SportWestminster delivered Multi Sports weekly on Wednesdays between 14/8/24 to 18/12/24 (in the multi-use games area)
- Open Age delivered Older Adult Exercise weekly on Thursdays between 25/7/24 to 17/10/24 (in the senior garden)
- Westbourne Family Centre delivered Multi Sports weekly on Thursdays between 25/7/24 to 24/10/24 (in the multi-use games area)
Inverness Terrace Bus Stop
We are aware of reports of anti-social behaviour and loitering at the bus stop on Inverness Terrace. If you witness any activity here, please share this with us so we can continue to share intelligence with local police officers to build a case to take action.
Chilworth Mews Industrial Noise
Residents have made us aware of ongoing issues with industrial noise from an extraction unit installed for a restaurant on Craven Road. We share the residents’ frustration about the lack of action to adequately address this, including the need for immediate action to undertake noise level monitoring. We are pushing officers to address this as soon as possible.
Ward Budget Applications
Applications remain open to organisations and clubs to apply for project funding which benefits local residents:https://www.westminster.gov.uk/about-council/democracy/apply-ward-budget-funding
If you would like to apply for ward funding for a project but don’t know where to start, please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to assist you with your application.
Whiteleys Community Foundation
The developers behind the Whiteleys are offering funding for organisations and individuals who want to make a difference in the area, with a focus on projects that benefit young people. For more information please reply to this email.
Don’t Lose Your Vote
Whether you’re registering for the first time or recently changed address, make sure you’re registered to vote by following this link. It takes just a few minutes and you can register for a postal vote which gives you the option of posting your vote in case you’re away, unwell or busy on election day.