PIMLICO, SOHO, MARYLEBONE AND WEST END LABOUR ACTION REPORT – January 2022
News from your Westminster Labour Councillors
NEWS AND ACTION
PIMLICO
Malcolmson House – update
Following our enquiries about the installation of double-glazing to windows in Block A, Malcolmson House, Peabody have told us they are bringing forward the programme by three years:
“In relation to the windows of Malcolmson House (Block A), this was recently reviewed by our investments team last month. The installation of the double glazing to Block A was originally scheduled for 2026-27, however, we have decided to move this forward sooner and this is now scheduled to take place next year (2023-24).”
We are delighted by this news and very pleased that our representations to Peabody on behalf of residents has been successful.
Gilbert House, Churchill Gardens
We have been helping residents in Gilbert House, Churchill Gardens who were left with no hot water & flooding in the basement.
Grosvenor Road
We are supporting residents who have objected to the planning application for an additional storey to each of the four existing residential blocks at 138 – 140 Grosvenor Road. Residents are concerned about the loss of sunlight and daylight.
You can make comments online at https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/ quoting reference 21/07659/FULL.
Councillor Liza Begum reported a loose metal manhole cover on Grosvenor Road to the Highways Team. The manhole cover has now been fixed.
Forsyth House, Lillington Gardens
We have been helping residents in Forsyth House where boiling hot water burst through the pipes, coming through the walls and ceilings and travelled down two levels of flats. One ceiling had fallen in, and an elderly resident was rushed to hospital with burns.
Residents tweeted,
“After 12 years of living in absolute disrepair and as a result leading to a burst central heating pipe, I would like to thank @LizaBegum for ensuring @CityWestminster fix my mums property to an acceptable standard!”
For more about this see https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/mum-badly-burnt-after-pipe-22397734
Claverton Street
We have asked the Housing Department to finish the repairs at a house in Claverton Street where the job has not been completed following a flood.
Wilton Road
The Planning Inspector has allowed an appeal against the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a mixed office, residential and retail development at 52-73 Wilton Road. https://mattarchitecture.com/Zurich
Sir Simon Milton University Technical College, Sutherland Street
An update on the closure of the closure of the Sir Simon Milton University Technical College, Sutherland Street.
https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/london-school-cost-16-million-22391222
ST JAMES’S
Westminster Cathedral Primary School
The Council issued a Statutory Proposal Notice to amalgamate Westminster Cathedral Roman Catholic Primary School and St Vincent de Paul RC Primary School as a one form entry RC Primary School on the St Vincent de Paul RC school site to take effect from September 2022.
Many parents have expressed their concerns to us about the proposed closure of Westminster Cathedral school which has come like ‘a bolt from the blue’, with no guarantees around the future of the site and with local Council Taxpayers footing a bill for £400,000 to make up the school’s deficit. We have asked what guarantees have been obtained from the diocese that the Westminster Cathedral site will be retained for educational purposes? Local Council taxpayers are being asked to plug the £400,000 deficit. The very least that should be expected is that the site is retained as a continuing educational asset for our communities.
Leicester Square
You can read about the ‘hardest working man in Chinatown’
SOHO
Soho Clarion
You can read West End Ward Councillor Pancho Lewis’ latest article on page 17 in the latest ‘Soho Clarion’.
Also, Paul Fisher, Jess Toale and Patrick Lilley, Labour’s West End Ward Candidates in May 2022 write about their local priorities on pages 20, 21 and 22.
Berwick Street Market
Martin Elvery writes about the plight of Berwick Street Market
https://www.mylondon.news/news/nostalgia/i-visited-one-londons-oldest-22335693
FITZROVIA
Bolsover Street
Several residents and a care worker have told us that the entry buzzer is not working at Tabron Court, Bolsover Street. This delays the care worker who has to wait in the cold and obviously a huge inconvenience if residents have to come to the door to let people in. We have asked Notting Hill Genesis to fix the buzzer as soon as possible.
Greening Consultation
You can read the results of the Fitzwest Neighbourhood Forum’s ‘Greening’ consultation here
https://www.fitzwest.org/the-plan/greening-consultation-overwhelming-support-next-steps/
Oxford Street
Westminster Council has spent over £20 million on Oxford Street with most of it going on expensive consultants
‘Fitzrovia News’ summarises the recent Council debate about the future of Oxford Street
And the Guardian has published a photo-essay on Oxford Street buildings through time
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/26/oxford-street-buildings-through-time-photo-essay
Fitzrovia Chapel
The Fitzrovia Chapel starts off 2022 with a special exhibition celebrating the life and work of the performance artist, club promoter and fashion designer Leigh Bowery. As a model he sat for painters and photographers: his large naked and bald form becoming as recognisable as his outlandish and ornately decorated costumes and creations.
Leigh Bowery: Tell Them I’ve Gone to Papua New Guinea. From Friday 7 January to Sunday 6 February 2022, at The Fitzrovia Chapel, 2 Pearson Square, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3BF. Admission is free but visits must be booked in advance.
MAYFAIR
£6 million Marble Arch Mound
The Marble Arch Mound is finally coming down! The Council has told us
“The Marble Arch Mound will close to the public on 9th January. The process of decommissioning the Mound will begin on 10th January, with the removal of the art installation and onsite operator facilities. Deconstruction of the Mound will then begin 18 January 2022 and our contractors FM Conway will erect site perimeter barrier. It is anticipated that the decommissioning work will be completed around May 2022.”
The Marble Arch Mound cost £6 million – three times the original budget – and entry up the Mound has been free since it opened as the Council had to scrap the plan to charge visitors because of the very poor reaction to the promised ‘spectacular views’ that never materialised.
UPDATE – The Council Officer responsible for the £6 million Marble Arch Mound fiasco was Westminster Council’s highest paid employee at £220,000 a year. You can read more here
Aldford Street
We have asked the local City Inspector to investigate this issue and take action against those responsible for the rubbish dumping:
“The rubbish is continuing to arrive at the same location in Aldford Street, plus I’m sorry to report, now a lot of human waste, too. Is there a way Westminster Council could monitor the location and catch the fly-tippers? As soon as one pile is cleared, more appears soon after?”
Grosvenor Square
The Grosvenor Estate has submitted proposals to the Council for the transformation of Grosvenor Square. The design would see a central open garden in its original 1720s oval shape, a ‘biodiversity’ garden and new play areas and education centre. You can find out more and how to comment at http://bit.ly/GrosvenorSq
Hertford Street
5 Hertford Street: Westminster Conservative Councillors over-rule their own planning experts SEVEN times to benefit Tory Donor
Down Street
You can read the story of Down Street underground station which closed in 1932 and served as a bunker for Winston Churchill during the Second World War
MARYLEBONE
Luxborough Street
We are supporting residents in Newcastle House next to the former play area on which the Council in now building on and where the enabling works are causing huge disruption. Residents say,
“The enabling works include the excavation of a large hole for a water tank. Attempts to break up the obstacles so far have generated earthquake like shocks greater than the legal limit and have not succeeded in breaking up the obstacles. That legal limit, established in case law is 2 mm/sec. Often, the shocks have exceeded 3 mm/sec. Westminster City Council’s Project Manager advised that, starting on 5th January, the Council’s contractor will deliberately and for extended periods of time exceed the 2 mm/sec legal limit. It cannot be correct that Councillors could possibly condone its officers allowing its contractors to act outside the legally defined limits.”
Western Eye Hospital, Marylebone Road
Following a review of fire safety at the vacant Samaritan Hospital (which closed in 1997), adjacent to the Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has relocated some services from the Western Eye while more detailed investigations and anticipated remedial works take place. Services on the ground and first floors will continue, including the specialist A&E service and specialist outpatient services. Imperial say:
“If a fire broke out in the Samaritan building, there is potential for it to take hold in parts of the adjoining Western Eye building before being detected. Following receipt of the review, we have closed the two areas most at risk and increased our security checks around the Western Eye/Samaritan buildings. As an additional precaution, we are now closing the whole of the lower ground, second and third floors and will be resuming services from those floors in alternative locations as quickly as possible.”
Selfridges
The new owners of Selfridges are planning to open a luxury hotel as well as serviced apartments, as part of a major revamp of the store which was sold by the Weston family for £4billion on Christmas Eve. The buyers – Thai retailer Central Group and Austrian property firm Signa – now want to overhaul the Oxford Street site. Part of it has been empty since 2008 when the old Selfridges Hotel was closed.
Dave Hill writes about the history of Selfridges (with a link to a short film)
https://www.onlondon.co.uk/selfridges-department-store-a-history-of-shopping-and-more/
HYDE PARK WARD
Westbourne Street/Bathurst Street
The daily illegal rubbish dumping continues by the tree at the Westbourne Street/Bathurst Street junction, despite the new warning sign attached to the tree. We have asked the Council to install CCTV so that those responsible for the illegal rubbish dumping can be identified and prosecuted.
Bathurst Street
We have asked the Council to remove a long-abandoned bike by the railings in Bathurst Street. The local City Inspector told us, “A 48-hour notice was attached. The 48-hour notice has expired so I have submitted the job for the contractors to remove it.” We are delighted that the bike has finally been removed.
Also, on our regular walkabouts, we noticed that Bathurst Street needs a good sweeping. We have asked the local City Inspector how often the street is supposed to be swept.
Bathurst Mews
We noticed that there is a large pond and a loose kerb stone at the entrance to Bathurst Mews/Bathurst Street. We have asked the Highways Team if this can be investigated and fixed.
Connaught Square
We have asked the Street Lighting team to fix the street lights in Connaught Square. Residents say, “All lights (including tree lights) have been out for weeks on the North side of Connaught Sq. It’s a dark area and known for drug dealing.”
Stanhope Terrace
We have asked the local City Inspector to have offensive graffiti removed from a wall in Stanhope Terrace. Graffiti was also daubed on the walls of St James’s Church, Sussex Gardens which we hope will also be removed. The Council says:
“I can confirm that City Inspectors have reported this for removal – explaining the insulting nature and asking if this could be a priority for attention.”
Update – the graffiti has now been removed.
Sussex Gardens
The area in front of Claire Court, 144/146 Sussex Gardens, is strewn with rubbish, including used nappies. We have asked the City Inspector to contact the landowner and require them to keep this area clean.
Star Street
We have called on the Council to locate CCTV cameras at the corner of Star Street and Sale Place where, despite the large signs warning of the fines for illegal dumping, the dumping continues. We need to get tough with the illegal rubbish dumpers by using CCTV to identify those responsible, issuing fines and ‘naming and shaming’ those who dump rubbish on the street.
Southwick Street
We are delighted that, following our six-month campaign with residents to remove the two ‘drug dealing’ benches in Southwick Street, they have now been removed. The local press has reported on the removal of the benches
https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-benches-ripped-up-after-22446045
Street Cleaning
We have asked the City Inspector to investigate the street cleaning schedule for Transept and Cabbell Streets. Residents say:
“As far as we can tell, there is no longer a street cleaner patrolling Cabbell or Transept Street. We used to see a street cleaner daily in past years, but this is no longer happening. Given that the streets accommodate hundreds of abodes, and we are throughfares to Edgware Rd tube station – we need daily even twice daily cleaning.”
Sheldon Square
We are continuing to press Notting Hill Genesis and Network Homes on the installation of the air conditioning units for flats on the first and second floors of Sheldon Square. Residents say, “Thanks for keeping up the pressure on this.”
Travis Perkins site, Harrow Road
So far, there are over 140 objections to the proposals submitted by Unite Students and Travis Perkins for the Baltic Wharf site at the junction of Harrow Road and Bishop’s Bridge Road. A few minimal changes have been made from the original proposals:
- The building is now stepped from 6 – 20 storeys, as opposed to the original proposal, which was 7 – 22 storeys.
- The number of student beds has been reduced from 843 to 768 – just 75 fewer
You can object to the revised proposals on-line at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/planning-building-and-environmental-regulations/find-appeal-or-comment-planning-application/search-and-comment-planning-applications reference 21/04536/FULL
We will continue to support residents’ objections to the revised proposals and have submitted another objection letter to the Council.
You can also sign our petition bit.ly/baltic-wharf-petition
Westbourne Terrace – National Express coaches
At the suggestion of a local resident, we have asked TfL to move the National Express bus stop from Bishop’s Bridge Road to Eastbourne Terrace so as to ensure that National Express coaches use Eastbourne Terrace rather than Westbourne Terrace. The resident says,
“Whilst National Express does appear to have stopped its A6 service for the time being due to the pandemic, it has been adding more and more services on Westbourne Terrace. I have taken pictures of the A1 and 400 services on Westbourne Terrace. I have also seen the A11 on the street regularly. There is also at least another service regularly passing on Westbourne Terrace.
It is obvious that unless the National Express bus stop is moved from Bishop’s Bridge Road onto Eastbourne Terrace, National Express will keep using Westbourne Terrace for every single one of its routes heading to Victoria.”
Transport for London say:
“For any white liveried and full National Express branded coaches sighted on Westbourne Terrace please email full details to LSP@tfl.gov.uk with the Date, Time and Registration plate. Please also say if the coach is heading to or from the direction of Paddington station and the illuminated destination shown on the front and/or side of the coach e.g. ‘A6 Stansted’. If smart phone photo images are taken and sent, please send images of the back of the coach rather than the front.
Such evidence will be checked by TfL then by National Express by interrogating its GPS vehicle tracking data system. And if there is a match then a driver will be identified, interviewed and be formally disciplined or dismissed from his/her job, if necessary.”
Gloucester Mews
We have asked the police to investigate residents’ concerns about drug dealing from a property in Gloucester Mews. We have also asked the Street Lighting Team to improve lighting in the Mews, including fixing the streetlight between 56-58 Gloucester Mews which residents say has not been working a few months now.
WESTMINSTER WIDE
Council Tax
We have called for No Rise in Council Tax until at least 2024. As residents face a challenging winter with rising prices and energy bills, they want to know that they aren’t going to have any nasty surprises in the spring in when it comes to Council Tax.
Labour Councillors will vote against any increase in Council Tax until at least 2024 to try to help residents through these difficult times. We think that at the very least Council Tax should be frozen at its current rate, while further efforts are made to protect those on low incomes.
Green New Deal for Westminster
We have launched a Green New Deal for Westminster which sets out a clear, ambitious agenda to achieve the change we desperately need. Key measures include:
- Appointing a Cabinet Member with responsibility for climate action. This will be pivotal to driving change from day one of a Labour Council.
- Implementing a Net Zero Test for all decisions to assess the climate impact of decisions made, and a sustainable approach to procurement.
- Seeking to refurbish first rather than demolish, putting real emissions standards on all developments, and retrofitting our existing housing.
- Driving a green recovery and a just transition, with a Local Climate Bond for investments in our neighbourhoods, a focus on green jobs, and training available to all.
- Starting recovery in the streets, with a commitment to 15-minute neighbourhoods, new tree planting, and high streets that attract customers with active travel infrastructure.
In the spirit of working collaboratively with others we are keen to hear from residents, experts, and other stakeholders about how to develop and build on this plan. So please do get in touch with us to share your thoughts.
Westminster Foodbank
The Westminster Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network of Foodbanks. The foodbank provides nutritionally balanced non-perishable food to residents in Westminster experiencing financial crisis through a referral system. The foodbank is currently operating an Appointment Only Collection Service. Clients can be referred by one of the following agencies:
- Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau: 0300 330 1191 (freephone – 0808 278 7834)
- The Cardinal Hume Centre, (Pimlico): Tel: 020 7227 1673
- Local Support Payments: Tel: 020 7745 6464.
www.westminsterchapel.org.uk/ministries/foodbank/
Voting by post
It is much easier, quicker and safer to vote by post. You can use this form to apply for a postal vote
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/postal-vote-application-form.pdf
You can email your completed form to electoralservices@westminster.gov.uk or post it to Electoral Services, Westminster City Council, 14th Floor City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP.
Refuse collection and Recycling collection times
Recycling bags can be ordered from https://webforms.westminster.gov.uk/order-recycling-bags/. Bags will be delivered within approximately 10 days of order. You can check when refuse and recycling is collected from your street here http://transact.westminster.gov.uk/env/streetsearch.aspx
Report It
You can report dumped rubbish, broken pavements, defective streetlights and more on the Report It service.https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
Electric Car charging points
Charging points have been installed in lamp columns across the area and you can register your interest in having a lamp post charger installed near you by completing the form below. You can also register an interest in having stand-alone charging posts installed in your local area.
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/request-vehicle-charging-point
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
Interactive Map
You can see the latest data for your area here
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map
‘Westminster Extra’
You can read the ‘Westminster Extra’ on-line
https://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=09649383-4dbb-4a3d-b164-9d26398578f3
What you say
“Many thanks for the latest newsletter. Very glad to see that so many urgent issues have been addressed. I support the appeal to rethink the plans for the new M&S in Oxford Street.”
“Thanks again for your help in our housing problem, our lives and health are greatly improved.”
“I have read, with great gratitude as always, the very detailed Action Reports from the West End and Westminster-wide Labour Team. On so many issues I am so glad and grateful for the action the Labour Team have taken.”
“Thank you for the action report and all your help through the year.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking you for all the much appreciated help and assistance that you have so kindly given us during the last couple of turbulent years, especially when dealing with serious Sanctuary issues. I know I speak on behalf of many and all those you have so sympathetically helped.”
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Please feel free to pass this report to your neighbours. If you know of anyone else who might like to receive this report, please send them this sign-up link https://bit.ly/labour-news
Please keep safe, stay well and look after yourself and your neighbours.
Regards
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg
Labour City Management spokesperson
Westminster City Council
Your Labour Councillors can be contacted as follows
Churchill Ward – For details of ways to contact Councillor Liza Begum and Councillor Shamim Talukder, please see the Churchill Labour website
West End Ward – You can contact Councillor Pancho Lewis by email or telephone
