More on tube ...

Here's a news story on the recent unveiling of the plaque at the tube ...

Click here to find out more.

Jan

Maida Vale Station Gets a Plaque

Next Monday, we're pleased to report that a heritage plaque will be unveiled at Maida Vale tube station celebrating the history and character of our local station.

In both her capacity as ward member and Deputy Lord Mayor, Jan will be unveiling the plaque with representatives of London Underground and others.

Check it out when you go in!

Jan

Planning Application: Phone Mast

Residents living near Lauderdale Parade will shortly be receiving (or may have already received) a letter from Westminster Council highlighting that a planning application has been submitted by Vodafone to erect a phone mast in the vicinity.

You can find out more by clicking here.

If residents wish to object, they should forward them to northplanningteam@westminster.gov.uk or write to 64 Victoria Street, SW1E 6QP, marking them for the attention of Robert Smith.

As local Councillors, we believe this to be an inappropriate place for a phone mast to be cited. We will be making personal objections and are happy to support residents doing the same.

Alastair, Jan, Lee

Mobile Phone Mast

A number of residents have been in touch regarding a notice which appeared a few days ago in Lauderdale Parade suggesting that a mobile phone mast may be erected there.

A company acting on behalf of Vodafone seems to be looking for a new site for a mobile phone mast. As local Councillors, we were alerted by letter a few days ago to the same - indicating that there was a need for a mast in the area to boost signal strength and that up to 10 different sites were assessed for suitability (although only one would be proposed in the end). One of those sites is Lauderdale Parade. Another is in Elgin Avenue.

We have asked for further information and are awaiting an update. Any proposal by Vodafone will be subject to the usual planning process, starting with a formal application being made. Such an application has not been filed to date.

We'll let you know when we know more.

Jan, Alastair and Lee

Maida Vale Tube: Proposal to reduce ticket office opening hours

We've heard on the grapevine that London Underground may reduce the opening hours of the ticket office at Maida Vale station.

We beleive the proposal is to move to opening hours of:

Monday - Friday 7.30am - 10.30am
Saturday 11am - 1.30pm
Sunday 2.30pm - 4pm

This would contrast with the current situation where the ticket offices are open most of the day.

Clearly, there is a balance to be struck here - most people now prefer to use the machines to re-load, meaning less work for the offices themselves. That said, it is important that any reductions do not materially affect the ability of people to travel.

What do you think? We would be genuinely interested to know how local residents feel about this proposal. E-mail maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com to give us your views.

Lee

Want to meet the local police team?

Would you like to meet the local Maida Vale police team?

The team are holding a series of 'street surgeries' across the ward over the next few weeks for local residents to come along and discuss any issues, problems or concerns.

If you would like to go along, here are the dates:

7th June 7pm - 9pm: at the Elgin Avenue/Lanark Road junction

12th June 2pm - 4pm: in Paddington Recreation Ground

3rd July 2pm - 4pm: in Paddington Recreation Ground

24th July 2pm - 4pm: in Paddington Recreation Ground

The team will be bringing along the mobile police station - so you should be able to find them!

Lee

Bowling Green re-opening soon

Not long now until the Bowling Green re-opens - and many local residents have commented to us on the works that are underway on the Pavilion. David has posted pictures on his blog here.

The green will be opened for its fantastic second season on 1st May, with an opening by the Lord Mayor on Saturday 15th May. All residents are welcome to attend and further details with follow.

In the meantime, the group of local residents set up to protect and improve the Green are meeting this week to discuss the upcoming season (Thursday 8th April at 8pm). If you would like to attend, please e-mail info@maidavalebowls.org.uk.

Jan

Paddington Rec Steering Group

A few days ago we had one of our regular, quarterly steering groups to talk about Paddington Rec with Council officers.

It was a good meeting with much discussed and agreed:

• improvement works to the cafe are progressing well;
• the redevelopment of the bowling hut is underway (delayed slightly due to the bad winter weather) but, hopefully, still ready in time for the re-opening of the Bowling Green in May;
• plans are well progressed for a new 'adult's playground' near the running track;
• we continue to monitor behaviour in the Rec (very little anti-social behaviour or problems) and any issues with dogs (and have requested further visits from the dog warden), and;
• the improvements to lighting at the Carlton Vale entrance have begun.

There are also plans an official opening of the bowling green in mid-May with the Lord Mayor. We'll let you know more when it has all been agreed.

Jan

Starbucks, Randolph Avenue: litter bins

Just a quick note to say pleased that Starbucks have now taken us up on our suggestion to install a couple of litter bins near their premises on Randolph Avenue. We asked for this some time ago as part of their application to maintain tables outside. Although it's taken a little bit of time to come through, it is very welcome!

Alastair

Paddington Sports Club: Planning Application

Last week, the application to cover two tennis courts at Paddington Sports Club came in front of Westminster Council's planning committee, with a number of local residents listening in the audience.

As local Councillors, we provided our own comments directly to the committee - saying that we couldn't support the application because of the potential effect on the quality of life of local residents.

The committee made their decision on the evening and agreed with our (and many local resident's) comments - that the plan shouldn't go ahead. Although they were keen to promote sport and sport facilities throughout Westminster they agreed that it shouldn't come at the expense of local residential amenity.

Thanks to all local residents who have been involved in the process over the last couple of months.

Alastair

Paddington Sports Club: Planning Application

Planning officers at the Council have now confirmed that the planning application for Paddington Sports Club will be heard next Thursday, 24th February, starting at 6.30pm.

The papers for the hearing have now been published. Planning officers, having considered the application, have recommended refusal on the grounds of (i) potential to harm the character and appearance of the area and (ii) potential to harm the amenity of the residents living closest by.

The full papers are available here.

The final decision rests with the planning committee (who can choose to accept or ignore officers recommendation next Thursday). Please do feel free to come along if you wish - the meeting is open to all. We will be there.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Paddington Sports Club: Planning Application

A number of local residents have been in touch with us over the last week or so regarding the recent planning application made by Paddington Sports Club.

The club is proposing the erection of a metal and canvass structure over two of its tennis courts (closest to the entrance of the club on Castellain Road). We understand that the structure might be up to 10m high (at its highest point).

As local Councillors, we would very much like to hear from any local residents who has a view on this issue. We have circulated a letter to residents on Delaware, Castellain and part of Elgin today to highlight that the application has been submitted and seeking comments (and encouraging comments to be provided to Council officers in the usual way).

If you are a local resident and would like to discuss the application, please get in touch (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com). We'd be delighted to hear from you.

Alastair

PS And if you want to make comments to officers to be considered at the planning committee (when the application will be decided - and currently scheduled for towards the end of February), you should e-mail those to northplanningteam@westminster.gov.uk, marking it for the attention of the case officer, Robert Winkley. The reference is 09/10162/FULL.

Paddington Rec: Meeting

Last week, we attended the quarterly Paddington Rec meeting with Council officers. This meeting, which is held in the Pavilion, is the time when local Councillors, officers and representatives of Nuffield Health (who manage the Rec) come together to discuss issues and developments. It's also our opportunity to feedback everything local residents have told us about the Rec over the previous few months.

There are a number of things to report:

• Cafe Extension: is on track for completion in Summer, as previously reported;
• Wifi in Cafe: Westminster will be installing wifi in the cafe from early in the New Year, following a request from a resident, via Jan;
• Environmental Area: has won an award from the Institute of Groundskeepers - this is great news which is a testament to all the hardwork designing and constructing this area;
• Bowling Pavilion: planning permission has now been obtained for the upgrade of the Bowling Pavilion - work is scheduled to be completed for the re-opening of the Green in Spring;
• Anti-social behaviour: The police were pleased to report that the Rec remains very quiet with no incidents being reported recently - regular patrols, regular visits with the mobile police station and a number of banning orders against known troublemakers all seem to be helping this;
• Leaf Blowers: a number of residents in Randolph Avenue have raised concerns about the practice of using mechanical leaf blowers in the Rec in recent months. We asked the officers to undertake a thorough assessment of their use and whether any alternative provision could be put in place. We are pleased to report that we agreed to stop the use of the blowers during the weekends, which we hope is a helpful compromise for those who are concerned.

If you have any comments on the Rec, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com). We'll be happy to raise them on your behalf at the next meeting, which will be held in the Spring.

Lee

Thames Water: Progress

We wrote last month on Thames's rocky ride at the latest Area Forum in Maida Vale, where they were repeatedly questioned by residents and local Councillors on a number of aspects of their local policy.

Since then, we are very pleased to be able to report further progress.

I represented all three of us at a meeting in early December held at City Hall where Thames were questioned once again by Councillors and the public regarding their policies. I emphasised the effect that some of their policies were having on the local area - the regular breaking of the mains pipe on Kilburn High Road and the flooding in Shirland Road and Kilburn Park Road. It was a useful meeting and Thames seemed willing to listen.

Since then further meetings have been held between the Council and the local residents group leading on this issue, Maida Flood Action. On the flooding issue, we are very pleased that Thames have now accepted the case that more work needs to be done and are no working through the data collected by the Group to work out next steps. Slowly, but steadily, we are getting there!

Jan

Award for Tube Station

Congratulations to Maida Vale tube for winning a National Railway Heritage award for its modernisation last year. More details can be found here.

Congratulations to TfL (even if it was late!)

Lee

Maida Vale Police Team: Latest Update

The Maida Vale local police team have sent us their latest update:

• Priorities: Police priorities in oura rea remain tackling anti-social behaviour in Elgin Avenue and the Rec, along with a continuing campaign to reduce residential burglary;
• Elgin Parade: groups of youngsters have continued to gather at this area in the evening, with some anti-social behaviour occurring as a result. The mobile police station has been deployed as a visible deterrent and have spent time trying to work with some of these young people to find them alternative thigns to do (including a number who have been introduced to the Army Cadet scheme). Further work continues.
• Paddignton Rec: The Rec remains, on the whole, quiet. The mobile police station has been deployed on a regular basis to both deter any anti-social behaviour and to provide a point of contact for the public. A total of 13 people have been banned in the last 12 months from the Rec for poor behaviour.

As local Councillors, we know that the top priority of many residents around Elgin Avenue, Lanark Road and Hamilton Court is tackling the youth congregation issue. Further work has been undertaken since this update was provided to us and we will continue to press for a resolution. As part of our determination to solve this problem, we have allocated monies from the Maida Vale Community Fund to support two additional uniformed City Guardians in the area until March 2010.

Jan

Lauderdale Parade

Several weeks ago, local residents raised the issue of the cleanliness of Lauderdale Parade.

This is one of those difficult to crack problems, not least because it is often due to the carelessness of students at the City of Westminster College across the road. Every so often, a reminder is needed.

As a result, the area had a deep clean a few days ago and the street cleaning teams have been asked to pay special attention to the Parade. Four extra bins have also been installed to try to stop the problem at source (dependent, of course, on individuals actually using them). The local college, who to their credit have always been willing to engage and anxious to mitigate any issues caused by their students, are re-inforcing the message that littering is unacceptable.

The cleansing teams have been asked to monitor the situation over the next few weeks to ensure that the issue has been resolved.

As your local Councillors, we are keen to help with any issues on your street. If you have any problems, please do not hesitate to get in touch. And if you live near Lauderdale Parade, do let us know if you still think there are issues with the cleanliness.

Jan

Maida Vale Station In Bloom

Just a quick note to say a belated congratulations to the staff of Maida Vale tube station for coming 3rd over the Summer in the 'Stations In Bloom' competition.

Thanks also to everyone in Paddington Rec who were able to help the tube station out with some planters for the competition.

Jan

Graffiti Watch

Over the last few weeks we've reported the following graffiti:

• on the phonebox on the corner of Biddulph Road and Elgin Avenue;
• on the postbox near the corner of Essendine Road and Morshead Road;
• on the phonebox on the corner of Sutherland Avenue and Castellain Road;
• on the stairwell of Tollgate House;
• on the phonebox close the entrance of the Rec on Randolph Avenue;
• on the Brent side of Kilburn Park Road;
• in the garden area on the corner of Randolph Avenue and Carlton Vale.

If you spot any graffiti, please do let us know (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com). Our new street guardians are also keeping a close watch on graffiti and anti-social behaviour - we'll continue to get rid of it as quickly as we can!

Lee

Bowling Green

Last week, we were very glad to attend this year's final Tuesday night open bowls session organised by Maida Vale Bowls club.

It was great to see many of the local residents who have worked so hard to prove that the bowling green has a future - and great to see how their bowling abilities had improved so much over the Summer months. Sadly, the same can't be said for either myself or Jan!

The club are keen to come back again next year and, pending the decision being taken by the Council about the future of the green, are seeking feedback on what could be changed and improved. If you have used the green this year and have any thoughts you want to feed through, do get in touch with them: info@maidavalebowls.org.uk.

Lee and Jan

PS The latest user numbers for the green over the Summer has shown that over 800 people have played bowls there since May - an absolutely fantastic result! The green remains open for another few weeks - so do get another few games in while you have the chance!