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

Paddington Rec: Planning Application

The Council's Park Department has been in touch to say that they will be putting in a planning application shortly to add a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) in one of the arcs of the running track.

MUGA are becoming increasingly popular in parks around the country - outdoor apparatus that anyone can use to keep fit.

The Parks Department first mooted this idea a little while ago to us as Councillors at our regular quarterly Rec meeting. We asked that, prior to any application going in, the Parks Department undertake a pre-consultation with all residents living nearby. As a result, all residents should have already been sent a letter with further information.

We'll post more details when we have them. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss the matter further, don't hesitate to get in touch: maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com

Lee

Visit from Lord Mayor

Last Saturday we were very pleased - along with many local residents - to welcome the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Duncan Sandys, to Paddington Rec.

The Lord Mayor was here to re-open the much improved bowling green, to name the gate on Randolph Avenue and to name the refurbished pavilion. The green now has a fantastic new hut available to use, which has been extensively improved by the Council over the Spring.

Our Lord Mayor is part of the Churchill family and the gate was named after his great-great grandfather, Lord Randolph Churchill who was instrumental in securing the land for Paddington Rec at the end of the 19th century.

Thanks to all local residents who came out for a really enjoyable afternoon.

Alastair, Lee and 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

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

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

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

Thames: Just checking ...

Following the re-appear of a Thames hole in Randolph Avenue a few weeks ago, we've spent some time trying to confirm that there are no further plans to complete more Victorian mains replacement in our area ....

.... and we are very pleased to confirm it! A few end of project 'snagging' activities are being undertaken (such as Randolph Avenue - and also the one on Maida Vale). After that, they are going to bother other parts of London.

A warm and happy wave goodbye!

Lee

Grantully & Morshead: Changes to waste collections

As local Councillors, one of the things we pride ourselves on is trying to solve the problems that local residents raise with us.

A month or so ago, residents of Grantully Road highlighted that the Council were not collecting the refuse from Grantully and Morshead Mansions at the same time, despite them being just yards from each other – meaning more noise for residents early in the morning.

We’re now pleased to report that, following discussions, the Council has agreed to slightly tweak the collection schedules in Maida Vale to ensure that both will be collected at the same time.

It’s the little things that count!

Lee

Paddington Rec Meeting

Last Wednesday we attended the latest quarterly meeting of the Paddington Rec steering committee, the group of officers who run the Rec on a day-to-day basis. The meeting is a great opportunity to talk through any current issues with the Rec and also to talk through any future plans that officers want to put forward.

We received an update on the long-running upgrade works in the Rec, which have done so much to improve the park in the last few years. Work continues on the Cafe, health and fitness facility and the environmental area - all of which are on plan. On the 20th July, the Hockey pitch will be closed for approximately 6 weeks whilst the surface is replaced after many years hard use.

We also received the latest information on the use of the Bowling Green. The first full month of operation saw more people use the Green than for the whole of last year - which is a great result. Much of this is down to the local residents who have come together to form the Maida Vale Bowls Club. If the Green is to be retained going forward, however, we need to see a similar (if not higher) level of use all the way up to October - so keep booking and keep using the Green!

We also discussed a number of other issues including the continued police presence in the Rec, a proposal to name the Pavilion and the visibility of the dog warden.

Jan and Lee

Maida Vale Police Team: News Update

The Maida Vale Police Team have provided their latest quarterly update of what they have been working on:

Elgin Parade

All members of the group responsible for low-level anti-social behaviour in/around Elgin Parade have now been identified. Four of the group have been made to sign Acceptable Behaviour Contracts with strict conditions (the precursors to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders). Two arrests have been made in relation to incidents that occurred during the Autumn on Elgin Parade and one individual has been taken to court.

The police report that anti-social behaviour decreased significantly since November. ASBOs and other measures will be held in reserve if there is any uptick in problems.

Paddington Rec

Officers are continuing to monitor Paddington Rec and are pleased to report no incidents in the last few months. Known troublemakers remain banned and have not been spotted in recent months and there continues to be attempts to engage other youngsters in diversionary activities (sport or other physical activity).

City of Westminster College

Officers report an incident before Christmas where 7 students from Westminster College were caught smoking cannabis in the doorway of a nearby mansion block. All have been given written warnings by the College, with one youth having been arrested and permanently excluded from the college.

New Team Member

We welcome Sargeant McGregor who joined the team in the late Autumn.

Lee

Thames: The slow wave goodbye

When Thames Water returned to Elgin Avenue earlier this Spring, as local Councillors we let out a collective groan at the prospect of further inconvenience to local residents and businesses. We also confess to being a trifle irritated - the information provided to us earlier in the year told us they were going back into Elgin Avenue, but not until a few months after when they eventually turned up. Not good form.

So, we're trying a new strategy with Thames. Instead of trying to understand opaque maps and diagrams that are provided (usually late), we have asked them directly what their plans are for every single road in Maida Vale. And we have good news!

The following roads have been completed - Lanark Road, Grantully Road, Morshead Road, Essendine Road, Widley Road, Wymering Road, Delaware Road, Lauderdale Road, Castellain Road, Shirland Road and Elgin Mews South. And the following roads are "not covered within current ... scope" - Andover Place, Carlton Vale, Kilburn Park Road, Oxford Road, Maple Mews and Elgin Mews North.

Which leaves just a few roads. For Elgin Avenue, all works should be completed by the end of July. For Randolph Avenue, further works should be done by mid-July 2008 (although this might also relate to the Little Venice side of the road). For Biddulph Road and Ashworth Road, the streets are complete but work still needs to be done on the connections to Elgin Avenue.

We have a few points to clarify with Thames but - finally - it looks as though Thames will soon leave our local area. It can't come a day too soon!

Lee

EdF: Holes filled in

It seems that a friendly kick can sometimes work!

Last week we highlighted the appearance of two holes dug by EdF on Elgin Avenue - both of which had been forgotten and untroubled by workmen for a number of days. Following this, EdF got in touch saying they would sort them out immediately. Whilst they didn't quite get them finished as quickly as they promised, they have now both been sorted out and filled in.

The hole patrol works (sometimes)!

Lee

They keep a-diggin' holes in our roads: We say no, no, no

A quick note to the Chief Executive of EdF Energy

Dear Mr. de Rivaz,

Your company, EdF Energy, appears to be developing a rather worrying habit of digging holes in our neighbourhood and then forgetting about them.

Just a word of advice - as local Councillors, we've been here before. Got the T-shirt. Heard all the excuses. Bored of all the broken promises, so to speak. Type "Thames" into the search engine if you want to find out more.

So, we would be very grateful if you could kindly fill in the holes you have dug on the corner of Elgin Avenue-Biddulph Road and Elgin Avenue-Morshead Road as soon as possible. You know, the ones that have appeared from nowhere and for which no-one in your organisation has had the courteousy to contact us about.

And just to show you we are serious - we have had the council issue a default notice against the Morshead Road hole. That means you are officially mandated to fill the hole in as quickly as possible.
Please do so.

We already have one utility that has messed Maida Vale residents around for too long. Be assure you aren't going to become the second one.

Many thanks,

Lee

Update from Maida Vale Police Team

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

• Motor Vehicle Crime: operation was conducted at the end of 2007 where a decoy car was placed in strategic areas under surveillance. Officers continue to be proactive in crime prevention advice, placing advice cards on windscreens and seeking out the names and addresses of people who leave obvious valuables on display within their vehicles.
• Paddington Rec: A welcome and noticeable reduction in direct low-level anti-social behaviour has been noted in recent months. Police wait to see whether this is seasonal or a permanent improvement. Impact statements continue to be gathered from the public in the meantime.
• Westminster College: Police attended an open day at the college to discuss behaviour with students - but the college remains relatively quiet and there have been no incidents of note since the beginning of the new academic year.
• St. Augustine's Car Boot fair: Police are currently undertaking an operation to address some illegal trading in the streets and to prevent any illegal activities taking place. Warnings have been issued and incidents are being photographed and filmed.

Lee

REJOICE

According to the latest works schedule, THAMES WATER HAVE ONLY ONE ROAD LEFT TO INCONVENIENCE IN MAIDA VALE!

Soon we will be free!

Lee

Motor Vehicle Crime: Update

When the Maida Vale Safer Neighbourhoods police team asked local residents last year for their major priorities to tackle crime, it was theft and vandalism against cars which came the highest on their list. It is something which we both hear about and see the consequences of (smashed glass on the pavement) too often.

The police team have provided us with an update on their latest efforts to tackle the problem:

• intelligence continues to be gathered against 13 identified regular offenders who are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in our local area (with a majority of these currently in prison/on remand)
• issues continued to be regularly discussed at the local Civicwatch briefing sessions, bringing together the police team, the council, City of Westminster College, CityWest Homes and others
• decoy operations have been run in our streets, resulting in one arrest

The majority of crimes against vehicles are speculative, often because criminals think they can get lucky. The best way to reduce the chances of damage is to remove all valuable from sight and to remove the tell-tale signs of any valuables (such as the marks left on the windowscreen from TomTom holders).

Our local Safer Neighbourhoods team are based in Harrow Road. Contact details can be found to the right.

Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss this any further. We've been working closely, for example, with residents in Delaware Road to reduce car crime in the last month or so, and we'd be very happy to help in any way we can.

Alastair

Update from Maida Vale Police Team

The Maida Vale Safer Neighbourhoods Team have provided an update on what they are currently up to:

• Priorities: the two main priorities are currently motor vehicle crime and Paddington Rec youth anti-social behaviour
• Paddington Rec: Photographs are being compiled of ASA gang members, with 93 individuals currently on film. 7 youths have been banned from the Rec to date. 3 individuals have been successfully prosecuted 3 individuals for 5 different graffiti offences and 2 Public Order offences
• Westminster College: letters have been sent to individuals identified as causing issues - behaviour seems to have improved since then

Lee

Graffiti removed

We've reported a number of instances of graffiti around Maida Vale recently. So far, the anti-graffiti unit at Westminster Council have removed graffiti from the following roads:

• the garage on Lanark Road, close the rear of Hamilton Court
• the parking meters close to Dundee House on Lanark Road
• the electricity box close to the Sutherland Avenue junction with Lanark Road
• the entrance to Paddington Sports Club in Castellain Road
• the gate to the City of Westminster College on Morshead Road
• the postbox on Morshead Road, close to Elgin Avenue
• the telephone kiosk closer to Strome House on Carlton Vale
• the electricity box on Delaware Road
• the gate to St. Augustine's School on Oxford Road

If you spot any graffiti in our area, please let us know and we'll make sure it is removed.

Lee

Thames Water Apology: Coming to a letterbox near you (Finally)

After a few more prods from us, Thames Water have finally pulled their finger out and begun to distribute an apology for the unacceptable problems they have caused recently.

Here is the text of the letter, 3,500 of which are currently being distributed:

"Dear Customer,

Thames Water would like to thank you for your patience and understanding during our essential works to replace Victorian water mains in Maida Vale. We understand your concerns and would like to apologise for the inevitable inconvenience and disruption this type of works causes.

To address specific concerns raised by residents, we have been consulting Westminster City Council, Transport for London and, more recently, the Maida Vale ward councillors. As a result, Thames Water will continue to support a full time member of staff on Westminster City Council’s parking team, dealing with parking suspensions.

In addition, our future correspondence will include information of concern to residents, such as changes to the working schedule, work interruptions or suspension of parking bays.

If you would like to contact us to discuss any aspects of our VMR programme, please call our project office Customer Service Team on 0845 603 4002 between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday (or email to twlot6customercare@laingorourke.com).

Your ward councillors have provided their details so that, if you wish, you may contact them. We are in regular contact with them. They are:
Alastair Moss (amoss@westminster.gov.uk), Jan Prendergast (jprendergast@westminster.gov.uk) and Lee Rowley (lrowley@westminster.gov.uk).

Yours sincerely,

Paul Hammond"

Please let us know if you are still having problems with Thames. Unexpectedly their works in Delaware Road seem to have passed off without incident - yes, we were surprised too!

Lee