CityWest Homes rated "excellent"

Following the recent inspection by the Audit Commission, CityWest Homes have been given a 3* "excellent" service rating - the highest possible award.

Only half a dozen equivalent housing organisations around the country have been recognised for the same level of service to their residents and customers. The award reflects the huge amount of work that CityWest and CityWest's employees put in every day to improve housing in Westminster.

Lee

(Photograph of Braemar House courtesy of CityWest Homes)

It was the tree's fault

Thames Water's apology letter for the length of time to repair the leak on the corner of Elgin Avenue and Randolph Avenue finally arrived yesterday.

Apparently it was the tree's fault. The close proximity of the leak to the tree caused untold "complications" and delayed the work. Oh, that and the fact that they couldn't find the leak at the beginning.

Luckily, the "learning points from this job will be acted upon", whatever that means. A good point to start from might be learning how to spell "Randolf Avenue" correctly before sending letters of apology.

Lee

PS I should say, as a Conservative, I strongly support privatisation. However, when a company or organisation - public or private - fails to discharge its responsibilities properly, we should have no hesitation in highlighting this. Message to Thames: less apologies, more efficiency please.

Lawrence murder back in the news

According to the BBC, the government is trying to arrange the deportation of the man found guilty of killing Philip Lawrence (once he is released from prison).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5383608.stm

Lee

Westminster College redevelopment plans

Westminster College (CWC) held a briefing this morning to discuss redevelopment proposals for its five teaching centres (including the one on Elgin Avenue) over the next few years.

By far the main focus is on its main campus, a dreary '60s building off Paddington Green which, by all accounts, is starting to fall to bits. As a result, CWC has been forced into a total re-think into what kind of accommodation it needs going forward. This will probably include the re-building of the Paddington Green site. The Elgin Avenue centre is likely to be maintained.

Brought up again the continuing problems with littering (and occasional bad behaviour) around Elgin Avenue and Lauderdale Parade, which the college principal will continue to work with the Council to reduce.

Westminster Council is working very closely with CWC to make sure any redevelopment is in the best interests of the college and the local area. We'll keep you informed.

Lee

Dear MVM (whoever you are) ...

From this ...

Thankyou for the recent submission of your artwork (or graffiti, as we'll call it for short). Not being artists ourselves, we're usually quite in awe of people who can draw. It's just a pity that you seem to prefer scribbling on noticeboards in Paddington Rec and telephone boxes on Randolph Avenue. As much as we love your artwork, please could you stop it.

Otherwise we'll just keep sending round CivicWatch and the graffiti team to clean up after you.

To this ...

Many thanks to Ian Russell and the CivicWatch team for helping to clean up after this rather irritating individual.

Lee

PS If you have spotted any graffiti before we have, please don't hesitate to get in touch and we'll be happy to get it sorted for you.

Paddington Police Meeting

Attended the Paddington/Marylebone Police Community Consultative Group last night, which brings together senior officers and residents to discuss the challenges of policing Westminster.

The latest crime figures for Paddington (April - August) showed a welcome reduction in some offences over the same period last year; 21 less instances of theft of property, 120 less robberies against people, 59 less cycle thefts and 86 less crime against cars. There has, however, been a slight increase in burglaries and criminal damage - both of which the police are working to sort out.

The new Maida Vale Safer Neighbourhoods Team, which has been in place since April, also reported back. The team has highlighted four major areas to work upon to reduce anti-social behaviour in Maida Vale:
(1) Paddington Rec
(2) Dibdin House
(3) St. Augustine's School
(4) Lanark Road

Please do let us know what you think of the above priorities. And don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you are experiencing issues in your building, street or anywhere in our area.

Lee

PS For anti-social behaviour not serious enough to call 999, residents should use Westminster Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Line on 7641 3000. Police and CivicWatch can only address low-level crime if we all provide the information everytime the problem occurs.

Maida Vale Autumn Clean

Maida Vale will get an Autumn Clean this Thursday, 21 September, as CivicWatch and Westminster Council spruce up our area in time for Autumn.

Although Westminster cleans every street in Maida Vale at least twice a week, the Autumn Clean is an opportunity to tackle any problems with graffiti, persistent litter or chewing gum which have appeared in the last few weeks and months.

If residents have any suggestions regarding which streets or area need a bit of TLC, please let us know or call CivicWatch on 7641 1085.

Lee

Lee's Surgery This Tuesday

Lee will be holding his surgery this Tuesday, 12 September, between 6.45 and 7.45pm in the Maida Centre, Lanark Road.

If you have any problems or issues we can help you with, please do come along.

Lee

Thames Water in Leak Repair Shocker

Credit where credit is due, I suppose. Finally, after a massive amount of pressure, Thames Water have repaired the leak on the corner of Randolph Avenue and Elgin Avenue. Of course, it was done in the usual, punctual manner that we have all become accustomed - measured in the weeks rather than the hours. Naturally, this constant irrigation would also have done the tree in the picture a whole lot of good.

Thames Water have said they will be undertaking the usual full investigation to "learn" from this problem. And they wonder why the Council serves them with an improvement notice ...

Alastair

PS Thanks also to Cllr Burbridge for her help in getting this sorted.

CityWest Homes Meeting

My first meeting of the CityWest Homes North Area Board last night - the group of tenants, residents, independent members and councillors who monitor what is happening on all of CityWest's estates north of Bayswater.

The biggest announcement for residents of the Maida Vale estate was that CityWest will soon begin consulting resident's assocations on how to improve communal areas. As Councillors, we are very aware that this is an important issue for local residents (particularly lifts) and we will continue to work hard to highlight the investment that is needed in our area.

Separately, there seems to have been a little upsurge in noise complaints in recent months (information for April - June). Hopefully, this will die down as the summer ends.

Lee

(Photo of Scottish Towers courtesy of CityWest Homes)

Lauderdale and Castellain Road Street Surgeries

This weekend we held one of our regular Down Your Street Surgeries in Lauderdale and Castellain Roads.

A fair few people (unusually for a Saturday afternoon!) were in and were happy to chat to us about Maida Vale and what the Council is doing to improve our area. Most people were very happy with Westminster - and a number were particularly glad for the recent resurfacing in Elgin.

We have a number of environmental, recycling and anti-social behaviour to take up on behalf of Castellain and Lauderdale residents. Some rather tiresome individuals seem to be of the opinion that bicycles locked away, off the road, in Castellain Road are somehow public property appropriate for disposal. Very bad form, and we've made the Safer Neighbourhoods Team aware.

If you live in Maida Vale and have an issue or problem we can help you with, please don't hesitate to get in touch at any time.

Lee