Wymering Mansions: Garden Party

Last Saturday, we were very glad to be invited to the annual Wymering Mansions Garden Party, held in the lovely gardens between Wymering and Morshead Mansions.

Wymering obviously have a way with the weather - it was another lovely day and the party was fantastic; very well attended, great food and a brilliant concert by some local residents!

Thanks to everyone at Wymering for such a great afternoon. A special thanks goes to Robert and Fiona who have helped to organise it for a number of years (as Chair of the residents association) - they are moving shortly and will be very much missed!

Jan and Lee

Paddington Rec: Environmental Area Opening

We are very pleased to report that the new Environmental Area in Paddington Rec is due to be opened on 12th September.

We were only talking to a group of residents on Saturday at the Wymering Mansions Garden Party who asked us when the area was due to be opened - so it's great news that it won't now be too long!

The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Duncan Sandys, will be on hand to open the environmental area. Do come along between 10.30am and 2.30pm if you want to see what Groundwork have been up to over the last few months.

Jan

Elgin and Randolph: Resurfacing again?

Several residents have been in touch to enquire as to why the Council spent two days last week resurfacing parts of Elgin Avenue and Randolph Avenue which had only been done a couple of months ago.

Having taken up the issue with the Transportation Department, they have been applying new anti-skid surfaces to the approaches of the junctions on both roads. Although it might look like a doubling of work, the Council waits a minimum of a month from when a new surface is originally laid down to allow any excess bitumen to be removed by traffic wear. Once a sufficient time period has elapsed, the anti-skid surface can then be applied.

Alastair

The Thames Hole Patrol: Randolph Avenue

Residents of Randolph Avenue will know that Thames appear to have again taken up semi-permanent occupation of a plot close to the junction with Elgin Avenue. As a result, we took this up with the Council several weeks ago and asked them to find out what was going on.

Apparently, the works are the last parts of the Victorian mains replacement programme that caused us so many problems last year - with the completion elsewhere in our area, some meter works needed to be completed underneath Randolph Avenue.

What is unacceptable, however, is that Thames (and their subcontractors) didn't provide the Council with information about this site when they should have done. Naughty boys and girls. As a result, they have been fined by the Council. Additionally, because they have run far over their intended timescales, the Council is also intending to penalise them for "unduly prolonging their works".

One day Thames will learn that inconveniencing local residents is not acceptable.

Lee

BBC Maida Vale Studios: Chiller update

Last month we wrote about a temporary chiller unit which had been installed on the BBC Maida Vale studios.

Although the chiller was intended to temporary - and concessions were secured from the BBC that it would only be used when absolutely necessary - we were still somewhat concerned about the potential impact on local residents nearby.

We're pleased to report that, following the initial few uses that the residents were informed about, the chiller has not been switched on since. And we're also pleased to report that the BBC has said it will be removing the unit come the end of the month.

Jan

Maida Vale Fun Day

On Saturday, we were very pleased to attend the 3rd annual Maida Vale fun day, held on 40 Tree Green, next to Thurso House.

The day, which is organised and run by the Maida Vale Estate Office (with fantastic support from local residents) was another great success, not least for all the local children who came along and were able to enjoy the attractions. The steel band were also top-notch.

Jan, as Deputy Lord Mayor, was on hand to open the event. It was also attended by Joanne, our parliamentary candidate, her husband and dog!

Thanks to everyone who helped to organise and we hoped everyone had as much fun as we did.

Alastair

Resurfacing Requests: Randolph Avenue and Carlton Vale

Last week, a resident got in touch with us via our Meebo messaging system (see ---> !) to say that they felt that the road surfaces in part of Elgin Avenue and Carlton Vale needed attention.

Well, we've brought it to the attention of Council officers are are pleased to report the following:

• Carlton Vale junction with Maida Vale: repairs will be carried out on the junction after parts of the road were deemed unsatisfactory. The junction will also be looked as part of the longer-term aim to improve many of our key junctions throughout the City.
• Randolph Avenue (between Elgin Avenue and Carlton Vale): officers have scored the road quality between the two junctions and say that it is not quite at the point yet where re-surfacing is necessary. It's going to be re-scored again shortly and we'll press to have it included in the 2010/2011 resurfacing programme.

To the resident who reported the issues - hope that helps! If you have any similar queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to get in touch and we'll see what we can do.

Lee

Tesco Express

Last year, you may remember the campaign to stop Tesco Express on the corner of Sutherland Avenue and Maida Vale from obtaining a licence to sell alcohol. Despite Westminster Council refusing them a licence, it was eventually granted upon appeal by a court with a number of conditions attached (see here).

At the end of last year, Tesco applied once again for a variation to that licence, which watered down the conditions that were placed on it by the licensing court. This was rejected by Westminster Council's Licensing Committee back in January, who also noted (thanks to local residents) that Tesco appeared to be ignoring the conditions anyway.

Any sensible organisation would have gone away and started to adhere to the terms of the original licence that it had been issued. Not Tesco. Instead, it has now appealed against the Council's decision not to vary the licence. Consequently, an appeal is scheduled to be heard on 7 September at the City of London Magistrates' Court.

If you are a local resident and want to make representations, please do get in touch (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com). We will certainly be doing so.

Jan, Lee and Alastair

Maida Flood Action

In our post a few days ago about the heavy rains and flooding we mentioned that a group of local residents were getting together to pressure Thames Water to improve the drainage in some streets in and around Maida Vale.

The group is called Maida Flood Action and you can find out more about them here.

Lee