Karen Buck: An apology

Dear Karen,

We hope you are well.

As a rule, we try to avoid using this website to go in for a running critique of you, as our local MP. To be honest it's a bit boring and we only tend to see you once or twice a year anyway up here in Maida Vale. Instead, we prefer to concentrate on actually helping local residents to solve their problems and issues.

A few days ago, however, you really got us. It was only a few weeks ago that you were pledging whole-hearted support for our local Post Office on Formosa Street, and you accepted a huge 2,000 signature petition organised by our mutual friends at Paddington Waterways.

And then on 19 March you had the chance to suspend the current programme of closures, including the one in Formosa Street. You could have voted in the Commons for just such a motion. And you failed. Totally and utterly. Not only that, but you voted against suspending the closure programme.

And we've been waiting until now for the reason why. And we've waited and waited and waited. Last week we saw a mumble from you in the local press which muttered something about it being a "Conservative motion". And since then, nothing.

So, Karen: an apology. At one time we thought you might have some principles. Sadly, we were wrong. In fact, it seems that you have completely forgotten about why you were elected in the first place.

Not good enough.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Westminster freezes its share of the council tax (if only Ken could do the same)

2008/2009 Conservative Westminster Council Tax: £687.02 (+0.9% due to Mayor)

2008/2009 Labour Lambeth Council Tax: £1,235.11 (+4.0%)

2008/2009 Liberal Democrat Islington Council Tax: £1,248.23 (+2.4%)

Over the last couple of weeks the council tax bills for 2008/2009 have been dropping through letterboxes across Maida Vale. And the really good news is that the share of that bill taken by Westminster Council has been frozen, thanks to the votes of Conservative Councillors, for the upcoming year (remaining at £377.80 for a Band D property). Yet again, every single Labour Councillor voted against the freeze.

As local councillors we wanted to freeze the council tax because we are acutely aware of how people's budgets are coming under tremendous pressure from rises in the price of food, energy, the cost of living and, unjustifiably, from the rising tax burden imposed by Gordon Brown.

Overall, council tax in Westminster this year will rise by 0.9% to £687.02 (Band D property) - the rise solely down to the Mayor who, in his wisdom, is taking an extra £6.02 a year from hardworking families and individuals.

Westminster council tax remains the second lowest in the country - and, as your local councillors, we are working hard to keep it that way.

Lee

Maida Vale Tube: Update

As promised, the latest update from TfL on "progress" to finishing Maida Vale tube:

• Tiling and stair-nosing of the fixed staircase completed;
• Installation of external roof lighting;
• Installation of the fan control unit in the communications equipment room;
• Ongoing mechanical installations in the station control point;
• Completion of ventilation systems;
• Tiling of wall and floor in circulation areas;
• Waterproof render installed in the water meter room;
• Circuit testing in the back of house rooms, and;
• Painting of entrance and emergency stairs.

Despite this pretty list - which seems to indicate that the best part of a month's work consists of the occasional bit of tiling, grouting and painting - we remain unconvinced that TfL really have their foot on the gas on this. Indeed, only a couple of weeks ago we heard that a TfL source had suggested that the July completion target is wholly unrealistic - and December is a much more likely date.

As a result, we have asked for a list of remaining items to be completed, with target completion dates against each - so we can propelry measure progress and watch as TfL fall behind. We'll let you know whether TfL provide one.

Lee

Maida Vale Tube: Unacceptable Delays

We are continuing to put pressure on Transport for London to pull their finger out over Maida Vale tube.

Late last month we reported how, yet again, Ken Livingstone was letting down the residents of Maida Vale by delaying tube works for the fourth consecutive time. We remain completely unconvinced by TfL and the inadequate responses that they send to our questions and queries. We will continue to push for answers and, more importantly, guarantees on dates (which, no doubt, TfL will continue to refuse to provide).

The Evening Standard last week published a damning indictment of Metronet and the shoddy working practices which have left us all worse off (see here). The real villains of the piece, however, are the idiots who forced these contracts on London in the first place - led by Gordon Brown.

After Jan, Alastair and myself tore a strip off TfL for abject incompetence, they have now promised to send us updates on the progress of their works in Maida Vale. We'll post their response tomorrow (and each time, in future, that we receive one).

Lee

Maida Vale Play Project: Update

The debate regarding the Maida Vale Play Project continues apace, following the ending of the official consultation period several weeks ago.

We realise that Westminster Council has a very difficult job in this area - for two reasons. Firstly, the Play Project is significantly under-used during term time - and so it is important that the Council does continaully look at the way in which it provides services to guarantee value for money for local Council taxpayers. Secondly, we are already well-served in Maida Vale regarding provision for children - with three clubs in operation, based at Essendine School, St. Augustine's School and the Play Project itself, in the Rec. The government's official policy in this area is to instruct Councils to base their after-school outreach on school premises and so provides funding on that basis. This has enabled the Council to spent a significant amount of money on providing some fantastic new facilities at Essendine which are due to open later this month.

All of this information has been provided to parents and parent's representatives and formed part of the recent consultation process. Many parents and interested parties have responded to the consultation, offering their comments and thoughts. As local Councillors, we are also providing comments. Last week, we also delivered a 600-strong petition to the Council on behalf of local parents signalling our support for keeping the Play Project in the Rec. We have also arranged meetings between the Cabinet Member who will make the ultimate decision and local parents.

We are continuing to have discussions with Sarah, the Cabinet Member, and her team to find an agreeable way forward. We know that Children's Services is under great pressure to improve efficiency andvalue for money for all residents and we respect the agenda they are pursuing. Nonetheless, we will continue to fight to keep Play Project facilities within the Rec and to ensure that the voices of parents are heard before any decision is made.

We'll keep you informed.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Maida Vale Area Forum: Maida Vale Ward Budget

Last Tuesday was the latest Maida Vale Area Forum, where residents have the opportunity to raise issues in our local neighbourhood and to take part in debates regarding the future policy direction of Westminster Council.

One particularly important part of the agenda last week was the new proposed ward budget allocated to Maida Vale. Each ward throughout Westminster has been devolved £100,000 to spent in a way which it sees fit (subject to certain guidelines). Last weeks' Area Forum was the official launch of the new budgets and gave residents initial information regarding the process to allocate it. We are grateful to all of the residents who turned out to listen, give their thoughts and ideas. Each response will be considered within the wider consultation which we intend to begin later in the year.

Please also do let us know you initial thoughts and ideas regarding the ward budget. E-mail us at maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Maida Vale Area Forum - Tonight!

Don't forget that the Maida Vale Area Forum is happening tonight from 6.30pm at the Amadeus Centre, 50 Shirland Road.

The main issue for discussion will be the new budgets which can now be spent in each local ward
in Westminster. Maida Vale ward has, like every other ward, one hundred thousands pounds to spend this year to improve our local area. Although we will be coming out to consultation with all residents in the next few months, tonight is your first opportunity to discuss the proposals and thoughts you have to spend this budget. We want to hear from everyone in Maida Vale!


There will be an extended surgery to talk to council officers between 6.30 and 7.30pm, followed by the introduction to ward budgets from 7.30pm onwards.

Look forward to seeing you tonight.

Jan

Save Formosa Street Post Office!

Last month, the Post Office announced the latest round of proposed cuts to Post Offices around the country. In our local area, four post offices have been earmarked for closure including, sadly, our local one in Formosa Street, Little Venice.

As local councillors, we despair at the short-sightedness of this move by the Post Office and the government. Whilst we recognise that the Post Office’s business model is broken, the solution to this issue is reduce its network coverage so that large swathes of urban London no longer have access to a local branch. After so many years of taxing, spending and failing it really isn’t good enough that suddenly the government is seeking to penalise some of the most vulnerable members of our local community by closing Formosa Street.

Note to Karen: this is your government closing these Post Offices. For once in your life leave the politics aside; don’t grandstand and try to do something.

Lee

More Cycle Racks coming ...

More good news for local cyclists ...

After last year's well-received installation of bike racks in Castellain Road, Shirland Road and Lauderdale Road, we were keen to ask the Council to install more. And we're pleased to announce that after quite a bit of lobbying, Westminster is now proposing to install new bike racks in both Delaware Road and at the entrance to Paddington Rec in Randolph Avenue.

These new racks should be installed in the next few months. We'll let you know when they have.

If you would like some new or additional bike racks in your street in Maida Vale, please do let us know (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com).

Lee