News from your Westminster Labour Councillors
As the new Labour Council settles in, we’re urgently turning our attention to the cost of living crisis. The government has demanded huge cuts to TfL’s bus network, with 11 bus routes in Westminster facing cuts or the prospect of being eliminated altogether.
Buses are the most accessible and affordable transport option – often the only transport option – for so many residents, which is why we’re campaigning to save them. Sign our petition here to help us stop the government’s bus cuts!
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NEWS, CASEWORK AND ACTION
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MAIDA VALE
Food Waste Recycling
We’re delighted that food waste recycling is finally coming to Maida Vale from 20 June. The council will be sending leaflets to all households that can take advantage of the new service. Westminster’s recycling rates are among the lowest in the country so we’re hoping that everyone will take part.
Atholl House
Residents reported a collapsing retaining wall outside Atholl House on Maida Vale. We got in touch with Westminster Housing who will be sending a surveyor to plan the repairs.
Kilburn Park Road
We’ve been in touch with Rita Begum in her new capacity as councillor for Kilburn Ward in Brent. We have asked that Brent stop controlling residents parking on Saturday’s morning on Kilburn Park Road as this is making it hard for residents to find a space on the Westminster side of the road.
Andover Place
We are in touch with council officers about the hoardings surrounding the building site on Andover Place. These have made it difficult for people on foot and the Highways team is proposing a temporary raised walkway as a solution.
Meanwhile, local residents will shortly be receiving a consultation about making Andover Place one-way and installing traffic calming infrastructure near the junction with Kilburn Park Road. This would be designed to reduce congestion at drop off and pick up from local schools.
HMOs
We have been contacted by one group of flat sharers who were told that Westminster’s’ new Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMO) policy would require them to leave their flat as their living arrangements breached minimum space requirements. After intervention from the Maida Vale councillors, officers agreed to make an exception in this case.
Randolph Avenue
We escalated residents’ concerns about noise and disruption from the new Community Centre and Youth Club on Lanark Road. As a result, Dolphin Living – owners of the building – have met with local residents and promised ongoing dialogue.
Essendine School
Essendine School is proposing to join Hallfield School in Lancaster Gate in a new federation. The two schools would remain separate in law but share a governing body and an executive head teacher. You can download details (PDF) here and give your views on a survey here.
Essendine School – heat pumps
Residents have complained about noisy air source heat pumps at Essendine School. The council replied:
“The unit that is being installed meets with the noise criteria defined in the planning permission (i.e. noise levels are required to be 15-10dB below the minimum external background noise, at a point 1 metre outside any window of any residential and other noise sensitive property) and we will check and record compliance once the unit is fully commissioned on 30th May 2022. When the unit is put into automatic operation, it will not operate between 11pm and 7am.
On completion the ASHP will reduce the carbon consumption at the School 42%. This is a positive contribution to reducing the wider community carbon emissions.”
Dolphin Block – Lanark Road
We are supporting residents in their claim for compensation from Dolphin Living. Many were left without heating and hot water due to a series of problems with the air pumps.
Thurso House
The council have agreed to remove a disabled parking bay outside Thurso House now that the relevant tenant has moved house.
School Places
We helped a family that was late to apply find a school place in reception.
Mould/damp/leak repairs
We are supporting a number of households in Edinburgh House, Tollgate House and Dundee House in their negotiations with the council regarding mould, dampness and leaks
Westminster Council early help service
We are supporting a family to access the council’s early help service and other mental health and preventative services that can support young people who are experiencing school exclusions
LITTLE VENICE
Stone Wharf
We organised for fresh graffiti on Stone Wharf to be removed. The area has a historic problem with graffiti. WCC working with Veola and Transport for London (TFL) removed the graffiti, and by the 17th of May, the area was clear.
Similarly, significant graffiti on the walls opposite Harrow Road that backs onto Gilpin Close and Amal Cabral Court was also removed by the 18th of May.
Clifton Road Bench Repaired
The bench near the shops and cafes of Clifton Road has been repaired and repainted after intervention from your Little Venice councillor. It had been left damaged and unusable. The bench was returned to the area and fixed by the 17th of May.
BOTH WARDS
Flooding
The Independent Inquiry into the floods of 12 July 2021 has now produced two of its four reports. The summary so far is that the flood was caused by unprecedented amounts of rain (no surprise to anyone) and that the impact was exacerbated by the high tide. The latter finding is positive for the future as the new Thames Tideway sewer should ensure that sewers will be able to drain freely no matter the level of the river.
Thames Water has agreed to survey all affected properties to see whether non-return valves should be fitted. Please register your property on their website. This will ensure you get a visit from one of their surveyors.
If you would like to receive our regular updates for those affected by the floods, please get in touch.
Inclusive Playgrounds
We are talking with council officers about how to make our existing playgrounds more accessible to children with disabilities and how to create new playgrounds that are fully accessible to children with a range of additional needs.
Maida Unveiled
Paddington Waterways, the local amenity society for Maida Vale and Little Venice, has published its Spring/Summer magazine. You can read it here (pdf) .If you’re interested in getting involved, Paddington Waterways is free to join.
Notting Hill Genesis
We have organised a meeting between senior NHG staff and Westminster’s planning team to discuss how the housing association can retrofit modern insulation into its historic residential buildings. We think should be a priority as residents are facing high and rising heating bills.