WESTBOURNE ACTION REPORT – May 2023 News from your Westminster Labour Councillors   Bayswater Children’s Centre Reopening After years of campaigning by your Westminster Labour Councillors we were delighted to be able to attend the re-opening of the Bayswater Children’s Centre, which will provide stay-and-play facilities and other support for local families in particularly in the Westbourne Park area as well as Bayswater and Lancaster Gate. The much- needed new facility on Shrewsbury Road in Bayswater, W2 offers Stay and Play groups that will help families meet new people and make friends in a relaxed atmosphere. The sessions will enable children to learn, play and sing, contributing  to their overall health and wellbeing, as well as preparing older children to start school. Family Hubs can improve children’s wellbeing, educational attainment and life chances, reduce family poverty, improve mental health and lead to lower crime, unemployment and other negative outcomes. The services on offer include parenting courses, family therapy clinics, baby groups, support for special educational needs and disability, as well as advice on housing, debt and benefits. At the moment the new services are operating from the ground floor of the building but we will be able to provide more information about reopening the rest of the centre for community use over the summer.

Westboourne Councillors Adam Hug, David Boothroyd, and Angela Piddock at the reopening of Bayswater Children’s Centre, May 2023

Community Events The arrival of spring saw some very successful events at the Westbourne Family Centre. The Westbourne Spring Festival was extremely well attended  and was a chance to see some local musical talent as well as demonstrations of activities that are held at the centre. On a more sombre but important note, residents, councillors and members of the council’s anti-social behaviour team as well as our MP Karen Buck attended a session on knife crime. A very pleasant evening was spent celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Westbourne Park Family Centre (just over the border in Bayswater but predominantly serving families from Westbourne). It was a chance to hear how the work of the centre has enhanced the lives of local people. It was an inspirational evening. Grand Junction continues to provide an interesting array of events and workshops. It also hosted the launch of the council’s Fairer Westminster agenda. During these sessions residents, local organisations have had a chance to talk to councillors, learn about plans for the area and raise concerns.

Gaydon House

We have been helping a number of residents dealing with complex neighbour noise issues.

Brinklow House

We have been assisting residents with issues relating to the lift replacement and helping residents with leaks.

Brindley Estate Network Homes

At the Network Homes blocks on the Brindley Estate, residents have asked for help with a large amount of what appears to be unused medication dumped in the basement. Westminster Council’s city inspectors are investigating; we have also alerted Network Homes and asked them to improve their performance for residents.

Blomfield Mews

We recognise resident frustration with dumped rubbish in the area between Blomfield Mews and Warwick Crescent. We have been assured that action is being taken to remove the rubbish and secure the site but we have insisted that the council develops a longer-term management plan for the area now it is no longer being used for redevelopment.

Canalside Rubbish

We have worked with residents to get dumped rubbish on Canal and Rivers Trust land near Westbourne Green successfully removed.

Amberley Estate

Westbourne Labour Councillors have worked with local residents to fix a security door not closing properly.

Waste Action Squad

Westminster City Council’s new waste action squad visited Westbourne ward at the end of April providing support and advice at locations across Westbourne

Graffiti Removal

Over the last two months we have had graffiti removed from the railway bridge panels opposite Westbourne Park Tube, from the walls of Westbourne Park tube, the Bus Shelter and BT phone box outside Oldbury House, the hoardings outside Brinklow House and the Veolia Depot

Great Western Road

We worked with residents to stop Conways blocking out an unnecessary number of parking spaces for an extended period.

Bourne Terrace

Westbourne Labour Councillors reported a missing manhole cover on Bourne Terrace which was replaced.

George Lowe Court

We are working to support residents who are dealing with issues around poor service, repairs cancellation and heating costs at the Notting Hill Genesis managed block. We have also successfully requested the council’s parking team to expand the use of double yellow lines around the exit to the block to make it easier to see oncoming traffic.

Notting Hill Genesis

Ward councillors and officers supporting them continue to raise issues affecting local tenants and leaseholders of this Housing Association at monthly meetings. If you have a problem that has not been resolved we would like to hear from you.

 

Parking Suspensions

We have dealt with several instances when parking bays have been suspended, but no work was being done.We are grateful to residents who have alerted us to this issue. Please keep us informed of any other instances where parking bays are suspended for no apparent reason

 

Football Sessions Saved

We intervened to ensure that the football club run by longstanding local PCSO  is able to continue.

 

Windsor Gardens Dumping

Residents of Windsor Gardens off the Harrow Road have alerted us to someone who appears to be regularly dumping mattresses on the estate. Council officers are on the case and trying to identify the culprit.

 

Light Pollution

We have helped a resident who found that a floodlight from a neighbouring property was shining brightly into their bedroom all night. Council officers spoke to the managers of the property who agreed to install new lights and have also had them fitted with a sensor so they only come on when an intruder triggers them.

 

Westbourne Place

We’re happy to report that the bin store in Dixon Butler Mews which was closed up, so the bins had to be left out in the yard next to residents’ flats, has been reopened after councillors intervened on behalf of residents.

 

Taxi House

When planning permission to redevelop Taxi House was granted, it included several community initiatives and the developers are required to set up a Steering Group to discuss them. The development has taken longer to start but the Steering Group is now ready to meet and will hold its first meeting shortly.

 

Other casework

We continue to work on other issues for individual constituents, including issues about the council chasing council tax debts that are not owed, disability adaptations, tracing leaks, rehousing for local residents, structural repairs to leasehold homes, persistent noise issues, redecorations following water damage, and poor treatment by the local NHS. Overall the vast majority of cases we deal with relate to housing or homelessness.