HYDE PARK WARD LABOUR ACTION REPORT – June 2026
News from your Labour Councillor Md Shamsed Chowdhury and the Hyde Park Ward Labour Action Team
Dear Resident,
We are delighted to send our latest Action Report.
Councillor Shamsed Chowdhury, along with the other two Councillors for Hyde Park Ward, will be at a meeting organised by HyPER on Thursday 18th June at St John’s Church Hall, Hyde Park Crescent at 7pm. Shamsed will be outlining his priorities for action.
Former Hyde Park Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg spoke about his year as Lord Mayor at the Hyde Park and Paddington Neighbourhood Forum AGM on 11th May, after which the Chairman wrote, “All who attended were most appreciative of your having spoken to us, particularly in the positive and enthusiastic spirit in which you did so, notwithstanding the gloom and doom that so constantly surrounds us. You have served this community well, both as our Councillor, and as our Lord Mayor, and we thank you most sincerely for having done so. You have earned respect across the political spectrum.”
Councillor Shamsed Chowdhury holds a regular advice surgery at St John’s Parish Hall, Hyde Park Crescent. His next advice surgery will be on Thursday 11th June 2026, 6pm-7pm.
Please let me know if I can be of help or assistance at mdschowdhury@westminster.gov.uk
NEWS AND ACTION
The Hyde Park Estate area, bounded by Edgware Road, Bayswater Road and Sussex Gardens
Hyde Park Street/Bayswater Road
Following the recent accident at the corner at Hyde Park Street/Bayswater Road, we asked the Highways Team to investigate introducing additional safety features. The say, “We are considering options such as the application of buff high friction surfacing at the informal crossing points, along with the installation of a ‘STOP’ sign at the junction.”
Hyde Park Street
We are making enquiries about locating a CCTV camera in Hyde Pak Street.
Connaught Village Green
We have asked the police to step up their late-night patrols around Connaught Street and Titchbourne Row to address late night anti-social behaviour in the vicinity.
Sussex Square
We asked the Highways Team to ensure that the heavy foliage growing around the street sign outside 1 Sussex Square is cut back so that the street sign is always visible.
Hyde Park
We are helping a resident with a request for special entry assistance to a forthcoming BST concert in Hyde Park due to a medical condition.
Also, the Byron Memorial Statue, now removed from its Park Lane site for cleaning and conservation, will be unveiled in its new position in the north of Hyde Park, close to the Victoria Gate, at 3pm on the 9th September 2026.
Oxford Street
In the first U-turn of the new administration, Westminster Conservatives have dropped plans for legal action to block the Mayor’s plans for Oxford Street. After campaigning on this issue for months, the Conservatives have abandoned their promised court challenge just two weeks after taking office.
Council officers advised the new administration that a judicial review against TfL was highly unlikely to succeed and that the timetable for lodging any challenge was extremely tight. The Leader of the Council has now backed down from his earlier threats. Instead of taking Sadiq Khan to the High Court, he has written him a letter.
We also asked the Highways Team about this issue raised by a resident, about condition of the planters along Oxford Street. “They never were a good design decision and the complete lack of maintenance of all of them is a disgrace. The plants are dead or are dying and the planters have become nothing more than a place for people to but their cigarette butts.”
The Star Street area, between Sussex Gardens and Praed Street
Star Street
The Star Street repaving is now complete – from Edgware Road to Norfolk Place – both sides of the street. We used part of the Ward Budget to ensure that the work was carried out.
Southwick Street
We asked the City Inspectors about the CCTV camera in Southwick Street which appeared to have been moved. The Team says, “This camera has been removed and sent for repair due to water ingress. I have enquired with our engineers if we have any spares that can be used to reinstate the camera while we wait for the camera to be returned.”
UPDATE – The camera has been reinstalled.
Edna House, Norfolk Square
We asked the police to make regular patrols in Norfolk Square after reports that there have been unauthorised entries to the sheltered accommodation at Edna House. We are liaising with the Edna House management who say “regular patrols would greatly assist in deterring further trespassing and improving resident confidence.”
Norfolk Place
A Planning Application (ref 25/06200/FULL) has been submitted for 31 Norfolk Place, W2 1QH for change of use to a private members’ bar. You can see the plans and make comments on line using the reference number above at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/planning-building-control-and-environmental-regulations/planning-applications/search-and-comment-planning-applications-and-register-email-notifications
St Michael’s Street/Bouverie Place
We asked the Council’s Planning Team to investigate this issue raised by a resident, “There is a property on the corner of St Michael’s Street and Bouverie Place which has been undergoing considerable building works. I’ve tried to find the public notice alerting the community to planning permission being sought and later granted on one of the lamp posts which is the usual system. To date there is no evidence of this.”
Edgware Road
Edgware Road/Seymour Street
We asked TfL to fix a damaged traffic sign at the junction of Edgware Road and Seymour Street.
Chapel Street, Cabbell Street and Transept Street area
Chapel Street
We again asked Thames Water to fix a water leak in Chapel Street, near the junction with Old Marylebone Road.
We also asked the Street Lighting Team to fix two defective streetlights in Chapel Street.
UPDATE – The streetlights have been fixed and are now working properly.
Hyde Park Mansions
We continue to help a resident in Hyde Park Mansions with their insurance claim following very bad damage to their ceiling.
Cabbell Street
We again asked TfL and the City Inspectors to clean up the underpass under Harrow Road at the top of Cabbell Street, and to help those who congregate on the steps smoking and drinking.
38-47a Chapel Street
We asked the Housing Team to remove an Airbnb key box from the wall outside 38-47a Chapel Street.
Paddington Basin/Sheldon Square area
Montgomery House
We continue to press Peabody to do the outstanding repairs to flats caused by persistent leaks in Montgomery House.
We also asked Peabody to install a new toilet seat to a flat where there is an elderly disabled resident.
We also wrote to Peabody about the use of undiluted chemicals to clean communal corridor floors which has ruined the floor covering and many residents’ front doors, flooring and left an unpleasant and harmful smell throughout the building. Peabody say, “The caretaker has had floor cleaning training but did not follow this training and the way he used the cleaning chemical was unacceptable. The Caretaker has been reprimanded and enrolled on further floor cleaning training. In terms of the damaged flooring, the work will begin within the next 4 weeks.”
Aster House
We supported residents’ complaints about the actions of a former estate manager at Aster House and were pleased to hear from Octavia that, “Having investigated the incident the conduct of the former Acting Estate Manager was deemed to be inappropriate and not in line with our procedures or expectations. As he is no longer an employee we cannot take further direct action, however we will commit to training our team members and ensuring that they follow the Standard Operating Procedures.”
Dudley House
We continue to assist a Dudley House resident with their housing issues.
27 Sheldon Square
We asked the management of 27 Sheldon Square to fix the aircon system after we were informed that problems arise when “one resident on a system switches off power at the mains, and since they are linked to a shared system this causes the condenser to trip requiring a reset.”
11 Harbet Road
We asked Octavia to fix the communal corridor sensor lights in 11 Harbet Road which currently go off in between 10 and 15 secs. As there are only two sensors in the corridor, it becomes inconvenient for some residents to get up every 10 secs to get the lights on until they open their door or speak with someone at their door.
Travis Perkins site
We asked the City Inspectors to remove graffiti from the Travis Perkins wall.
Harrow Road speeding
We asked TfL to consider install a speed camera on Harrow Road after receiving a request from a resident who says, “There are several schools located nearby, and every day large numbers of children and families use this road while travelling to and from school. Unfortunately, many drivers regularly exceed the speed limit and travel at dangerously high speeds. It is not uncommon to see cars speeding through the area despite the presence of young pedestrians.”
Cleaning up the canal
The best contact for anyone interested in volunteering to help keep the canal towpath clean is Sophie Ford, who is the Canal & river Trust’s Volunteering Leader for the Paddington Arm. She is contactable via email or text on 07557138665 and sophie.ford@canalrivertrust.org.uk. Sophie also publishes all volunteering opportunities on the Canal & River Trust website https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer
