Clean streets remain at the heart of our City of Westminster - compared to Labour Camden where upmarket areas have had waste services cut to fortnightly only
Residents pictured in Belgravia, the third of our local Street Surgeries in recent weeks' conducted in both Knightsbridge and Belgravia. Low level nuisance waste will not be tolerated in our very special urban villages: South and North Belgravia and Knightsbridge.
Outrage as Labour Mayor threatens to shut Belgravia Police Station: sham public consultation slammed by our local residents
Nearly 2,000 local residents' have signed a petition calling on Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to ''think again'' after he decided to close Belgravia Police station - leaving just one 24 hour Police station in the whole of Westminster at Charing Cross.
Local Conservatives branded this 'idiotic'. Knightsbridge & Belgravia Council Candidate Elizabeth Hitchcock commented: 'Our Council Leader Councillor Nickie Aiken and GLA Assembly Member Tony Devenish are leading the charge to shame Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan, post the terrible rise in terrorism and other crimes in London to really think again, to stop the closure of our local Belgravia Police Station'.
Londoners across our City are especially worried that the public meetings to ''consult'' on Police Station closures have been a tick- box exercise - a joke - a complete sham - with Police officers being forced by the Mayor of London to go through a routine to ''consult'' when decisions have already been taken. The London Evening Standard raised this concern as long ago as last August. The Mayor may face a judicial review if any of our residents' wish to finance and organise!
Local councillors working to tackle the blight of Airbnb short term lets
Councillor Rachael Robathan said 'the last few years have seen a sharp increase in the amount of short term lets across Knightsbridge & Belgravia and we are dealing with escalating complaints of waste dumping and noise nuisance, in particular. We are doubling our efforts to enforce against this and, also, lobbying Government for more powers to deal with those short term lets which cause a nuisance to the area.'
Introducing Elizabeth Hitchcock
Elizabeth Hitchcock has lived in Westminster for over 10 years and in London for the past 25. She is currently working in the House of Commons, for a Conservative Member of Parliament. Local people have chosen Elizabeth to join Tony Devenish and Rachael Robathan as the local Conservative candidates for Knightsbridge & Belgravia ward in 2018.
Elizabeth writes:
I have lived in the City for over a decade now, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to be living in such a fantastic part of London. This was the impetus for standing to become a councillor - to maintain the wonderful aspects of living where we do and to work with the local residents and Conservative councillors to help make improvements, where needed. I am confident that my recent position working for a Conservative MP, doing both casework and communications, will contribute towards being an effective councillor. Knightsbridge & Belgravia is a very special part of London - my youngest son attended school in the ward from age 3, so I have spent countless hours walking the streets with him in tow! I'm looking forward to working with Tony and Rachael and to meeting the residents of Knightsbridge & Belgravia in the months to come.
Conservatives propose innovative voluntary Council Tax contribution to build a fairer Westminster
Conservative Councillors have put forward plans for a voluntary council tax contribution from residents living in the most expensive properties in Westminster.
Leader of the Council Nickie Aiken said: “Our voluntary contribution aims to protect Westminster’s front-line services and maintain our low council tax levels for those on the lowest incomes. We believe in low tax, but that those that can afford to give more should be able to do so.”
Westminster will pioneer this scheme, encouraging those at the top to give more to support the wider community. Whilst similar schemes have previously been launched with businesses, Westminster City Council is leading the way by introducing this voluntary Council tax contribution for residents.
From April next year, these plans for a ‘Westminster community contribution’ could see an additional £2.75 million raised through Council Tax, which would make up a significant proportion of the £49 million that the City currently raises each year.
Money raised from the voluntary contribution will be used to protect front-line services, especially youth provision and work to support young people across the city.
