Here’s our latest Action Report with news about Maida Vale Ward as well as updates on the issues we’ve taken up on behalf of local residents in the past few weeks.
Please GET IN TOUCH if there’s something in your street that needs action or if there’s an issue we can help with. Just click the links below to email us, or leave a message on 020 7641 5377 and we’ll get back to you.
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Report It
You can help to get problems sorted quickly via Report It Use it to report dumped rubbish, overflowing bins, broken street lights, wonky pavements, potholes, animal welfare concerns, anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance and much more. Click here for Report It
Nafsika, Geoff and Iman
NEWS CASEWORK ACTION
Westminster Residents’ Survey
Please take a few minutes to fill in our residents’ survey. Labour gained control of Westminster Council from the Conservatives in May 2022. We’re keen to hear how you think we’re doing, as well as your views about your area and what the Council’s priorities should be for the future. Just click here to fill in the survey – it only takes 5 minutes.
Fighting anti-social behaviour
Labour Westminster Council has completed its consultation on new measures to tackle nuisance vehicles, pedicabs and on-street anti-social behaviour. Fines of up to £1,000 could be handed down to people who flout new regulations to keep the public safe. Click for more details.
Bakerloo breakthrough
After years of Transport for London being starved of funds under the previous Conservative Government, the Chancellor’s Spending Review has unlocked the long-awaited Bakerloo Line upgrade. Thanks to a £2.2bn new capital renewals program, TFL can now get on with buying new trains to replace the rolling stock on the Bakerloo line that is decades past its use-by date.
Flooding – Maida Vale and Little Venice Flood Forum
Councillor Geoff Barraclough and Councillor Sara Hassan attended the inaugural meeting of the Maida Vale and Little Venice Flood Forum. This will be managed by the National Flood Forum, a charity that helps communities hit by flooding. If you’d like to receive details of future meetings, please email James@Floodforum.org.uk
Safety of young people
A number of you wrote to us following a fight after school at Paddington Rec during which two local boys were injured with a knife. Although neither was badly hurt, the incident was taken very seriously by the authorities. We supported a public meeting at St Joseph’s School. Parents had the opportunity to speak to Westminster’s Children’s Services, Neighbourhood Police officers and youth workers about what is being done to reduce the risk of youth violence.
Better cycling in Maida Vale
Westminster Council is planning to introduce cycling contraflows on a number of one-way streets in Maida Vale. If the proposals go ahead, two-way cycling will be permitted on Lauderdale Road, Castellain Road, Delaware Road and Widley Road. The changes will make it easier for cyclists to get around, but won’t involve any reduction in residents’ parking. The Council is also planning a new electric vehicle charging bay on Morshead Road.
Paddington Rec
Padel Tennis is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. Westminster Council is running a survey asking residents whether they would like to see council-run Padel courts in the area. Click here for the survey.
A resident queried the music playing at a recent school sports day. Park management responded: “We do acknowledge that PA’s sports day was loud, and agree that sound levels must be kept within reasonable limits in line with Westminster byelaws. We will be reminding all event organisers of this requirement going forward and ensuring that music or megaphone use is at an appropriate volume.“
A resident queried why Lime bikes are allowed in Paddington Rec. Park management responded: “We share the concern about Lime bikes being ridden through the park. We have already reached out to Lime directly to request either geofencing the park as a ‘no ride’ zone or establishing it as a designated ‘no parking’ area to discourage usage within the grounds. We are hopeful this will help reduce the risk to users.”
Masefield Court
We are helping residents of Masefield Court, Shirland Road, get their resident association recognised by Westminster Council, the freeholder.
Shirland Road & Kilburn Park Road
It’s taken some years of negotiation with TFL, but Westminster Council has finally secured a yellow box at the junction of Kilburn Park Road and Shirland Road. This should discourage drivers from blocking the junction, which often leads to traffic standing on the zebra crossing.
We’ve also had the northbound bus stop moved a few metres to create a new parking bay and double lines painted outside the shisha cafe. This will prevent people parking dangerously close to the pedestrian crossing.
Forty Tree Green
Following a suggestion from a local resident, Westminster Housing has planted new shrubs to deter people from leaving food for the pigeons.
Fly-tipping
Local residents contacted us with evidence of flytipping on Widley Road, including photos of the van used by the dumpers. We’ve shared this with the City Inspector to help her investigation. This is a known hotspot and council officers wrote: “Veolia and the local City Inspector have been working together to make sure regular collections are made due to having a lot more fly-tipping near the big black bins.
The inspector has also been increasing their patrols of the area and building up intel in order to take enforcement action where appropriate, including tasking our shifted City Inspectors to monitor on weekends and nights.”
Elsewhere, Council officers issued a fixed penalty notice to a resident for dumping a microwave on Carlton Vale.
North Paddington Youth Club
Georgia Gould MP recognised Ronnie Renny, manager of North Paddington Youth Club, at a special reception held at the Houses of Parliament. NPYC does great work with local young people, and we’ve been pleased to be able to support the organisation with extra funding from Westminster Council, including the cash to buy a new electric minibus, which arrives in the autumn.
Philip Mole House
Octavia Housing Association have promised action at Philip Mole House on Lanhill Road, but we’ve yet to see results. We’ve asked the City Inspector to get involved and see whether the Council can take enforcement action against the out-of-control bin store.
Kilburn Park Road
After intervention from Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Notting Hill Genesis has secured a flat on Kilburn Park Road, which was being used unofficially by a former tenant.
110 Shirland Road
Westminster Council is taking enforcement action against this property for unauthorised change of use from HMOs to serviced apartments and the use of the apartments as short-term let accommodation.
Naming new residential blocks
We are pleased that Westminster Housing agreed to retain the tradition of naming blocks on the Maida Vale Estate after towns in Scotland. The 22-unit block being built on Carlton Vale will be named “Peebles” – the same as the block in replaces – and the 21-unit block constructed next to Torridon House will be called “Wick.”
Essendine Road
The long-delayed pavement replacement project on Essendine Road has begun, and the new footway is looking good. One unintended consequence was that Veolia missed some recycling collections. This should not have happened, and crews have been spoken to. Council officers tell us that they are proposing to install a raised table at the junction of Wymering and Essendine to encourage more cautious driving.
An abandoned car was reported to us on Essendine Road, and we had it removed within a few days. The residents said: “It’s gone! Many thanks. We’re all delighted. Very grateful.”
Randolph Avenue
We had a complaint about litter left on the roof of Randolph Surgery. The City Inspectors raised the issue with members of staff from the surgery. They will review whether there is a need for a litter bin in this location.
Ward budget (funding allocated by local Ward Councillors)
It’s been great to receive the report from Essendine School about the funding they received from Maida Vale and Harrow Road ward budgets. This included visits to a farm for years 3 and 4, school subscription to London Zoo, visits to Kew Gardens for years 1 & 2, forest school involvement, additional swimming lessons, and visits to the Florence Nightingale museum.
We look forward to receiving reports from the other projects we are funding, particularly the ‘floating classroom’ trips for local children.
We are pleased to have funded £101 to the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme Widley/Wymering/Essendine (000067171) to support their scheme with signage and expand membership.
The ward budget also funds the summer flower baskets on our streets from May-September and these are looking excellent this year.
Carlton Vale major works
We share the residents’ frustration that major works have been pushed back to October 2026 and we are working with residents and Council officers to understand the reasons for the delays and to get a firm commitment about the start date. We are also chasing officers to give us a firm timeline about the water pressure works.