Tesco License Appeal

... Still no news - we expected the decision weeks ago. We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything.

Lee

Biddulph Road: Hole disappeared.

The hole has gone! After nearly two months looking not terribly nice, the hole was filled in over the space of a few days at the end of November.

With the departure of most of Thames Water at the same time, all is well in Elgin Avenue again.

Jan

Alastair's Surgery This Saturday

Alastair will be holding his surgery this Saturday, 1 December, between 10am and 11am in the Pavilion, Paddington Recreation Ground.

If there are any issues or problems you would like to discuss, please do come along.

Alastair

Torridon House Street Surgery

Last weekend, we held another one of our regular street surgeries at Torridon House, Randolph Gardens.

Torridon House is a fantastic community with a real spirit and one of the most active TMOs in the area. It's always a pleasure to be invited into the block and to chat with local residents.

Most of the residents we called were very satisfied with Westminster Council and the services it provides for residents. We've taken away a number of housing queries which we'll take up with CityWest.

We also took the opportunity to introduce a number of local residents to our parliamentary candidate, Joanne Cash, who is increasingly being recognised as the real voice for local people in Westminster North.

Alastair and Lee

(Photo of Torridon House courtesy of CityWest Homes)

Street Properties Works

Letters will be going out shortly to CityWest tenants in a number of street properties around Maida Vale, announcing the beginning of repairs and further improvement works.

The works will be primarily to the external face of the properties - repairs to windows, roofs, walls, rendering and brickwork. Communal areas will also be spruced up.

The properties affected are in Shirland Road, Elgin Avenue, Carlton Vale, Randolph Avenue and Randolph Gardens.

Lee

Pay-by-phone Parking on its way

Earlier this year, Westminster Council became the first in the UK to introduce pay-by-phone parking facilities in the West End. One of the reasons was to try to make it easier for people wanting to park - no longer the need to fumble for loose change in the rain but instead, after one set-up call, the ability to pay to park by sending a text message from their mobile phone. But also, admittedly, there was another reason - the fact that certain gangs were wandering round Westminster on most evenings with chainsaws and merrily running off with all the change which had gathered during the day. The Council was at some points losing over £100,000 a week - something we just couldn't allow to continue. Thus, pay-by-phone was born!

Now pay-by-phone is coming to Maida Vale, with the first parking meters being taken off line in the last few days, ready to be replaced with the new system.

Lee

Update from Maida Vale Police Team

The Maida Vale Safer Neighbourhoods Team have provided an update on their current activities:

• Paddington Rec: work continues to identify the youths involved with the low-level anti-oscial behaviour in the Rec. A number of incidents of drugs smoking has been logged by polce in recent weeks, which have been dealt with robustly
• Motor crime: Continues to be monitored and officers continue to work with local residents to reduce the likelihood of being targeted
• Westminster College: seems to have been relatively quiet since the start of the new academic year - the police maintain a watching brief

There have also been a number of changes to the team - Matt Medhurst becomes Acting Sargeant for Maida Vale ward, taking over from Aleks Pogroszewski, who has been promoted. PC John Jones has also taken over from PC David Denney as Safer Schools officer for St. George's School.

Lee

Lee's Surgery This Tuesday

Lee will be holding his surgery, this Tuesday between 7pm and 8pm in the Maida Centre, Lanark Road.

If you would like to discuss any issue or problem, please do come along. It would be great to see you.

Lee

Maida Vale Area Forum - This Tuesday

The next Maida Vale Area Forum will be held this Tuesday at the Amadeus Centre, 50 Shirland Road between 6.30 and 8.30pm.

As usual, there will be four topics for discussion and consultation:

• proposed improvements to road management
• Westminster's new proposal for neighbourhood budgets and a discussion about how best the Council can engage with local residents
• local air quality
• promoting and supporting cycling

There will also be a number of information stands on the Safer Westminster Partnership, the five year strategy from the Westminster Primary Care Trust, an update on the Prince of Wales Junction, phone security markings, information on polling districts. Thames Water are also proposing to put in an appearance, so please do come along and let them know what you think about their activities throughout Maida Vale.

More information can be found here.

Lee

Full Council

Earlier this evening all three of us attended a meeting of full Council in Marylebone.

During question time, Lee pressed the Cabinet Member for Parking to look into the continuing problems with Thames Water/Laing O'Rourke on Castellain Road, Elgin Avenue and Wymering Road. He also asked for Thames to provide additional resources for the Council to support the parking suspension team. Cllr Chalkley agreed to investigate and come back to us.

All three of us also made speeches this evening. Jan spoke movingly about a former Councillor and Lord Mayor, David Harvey, who recent passed away. Lee talked in the 'Community Build' debate, strongly supporting the increased provision of intermediate housing within Westminster. Alastair seconded the debate on the proposal to increase the Mayor's planning powers - a proposal which we fervently believe will centralise control away from boroughs like Westminster - just at a time when we should be pushing power to the lowest level we can.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Randolph Avenue: Echelon Parking in!

The echelon parking in Randolph Avenue was completed last week and looks great! After so many years of campaigning for this, it's so pleasing to have been able to deliver for local residents.

Please let us know your thoughts on the changes - we are really eager to know what local residents think.

Jan

Tesco's Update

The Tesco alcohol licence decision was heard by the Licensing Court on Tuesday, with a number of local residents appearing to offer their insight.

Judgement has been deferred for further consideration and should be made public within the next two weeks.

We'll let you know when we hear. Fingers crossed!

Lee