Lighting improvements for St Mary's on Paddington Green Churchyard
We are pleased to report that your Conservative Little Venice councillors have managed to get new lights installed in St Mary on Paddington Green Churchyard. Lighting improvements to the area have been a high priority for your local councillors. Previous schemes that have been made include new lights on Church Yard walk, Paddington Green and Sutherland Avenue
Little Venice Councillor Melvyn Caplan said ‘The Church is a central part of the community and an important historical building and so we are delighted to be able to see it properly illuminated.’ This is a well-used area by many local residents and visitors and improved lighting will make people feel safer and make the area look more attractive.
We are always looking to improve lighting in the area and are currently pressing for improvements at the crossings around Warwick Avenue, Clifton Gardens and Warrington Crescent. If you have further suggestions, then please let us know.
Paddington Green campus offers homeless respite from winter
Once again City of Westminster College campus on Paddington Green hosted an annual Crisis at Christmas temporary shelter for homeless individuals living in London. This was the third year running that the college has hosted up to 200 people over the Christmas holiday period, when many of the facilities which they would normally access are closed. As well as making full use of the college's professional catering facilities, the temporary guests were offered a range of learning, pastime and health-based activities and support during their stay. The college worked closely with Westminster Council to ensure the safety of the homeless people staying at the college as well as local residents and shop-keepers.
Ian Adams, Little Venice Councillor and a Governor at the College, said afterwards: 'The appreciation from homeless people who get to stay at the college over Christmas is really gratifying, and the event is well-managed by Crisis and their partners.'
Bringing together the young and elderly
Your Councillors are keen to ensure that all members of the community are brought together. We are proud to have liaised with St Saviour’s Primary School, local volunteers and Leonora House, a care home designed for older and vulnerable adults. For a second consecutive year the St Savour’s choir sang a repertoire of songs to an audience at Leonora House. The songs were so well selected that everyone could not help joining in with the singing. Councillor Barbara Arzymanow comments “The atmosphere was joyous and very rewarding. The children were the stars of the show and admirably took on the responsibility of making the occasion very special. They interacted naturally with the residents.”
Special thanks are due to the deputy manager, Karin Werner and manager, Sandra Ofori at Leonora House, Cllr Arzymanow and the Specialist Music Teacher, Amy Cooke Hodgson from St Savour’s Primary School. Also to local volunteers Barbara Schmeling (school governor) and Michael Wills.
Fly tipping fines increase as Westminster Conservatives crack down on unsightly litter
People who leave their rubbish on the street, ignore waste collection times and dump items around big black bins are now likely to receive £200 fines.
Fixed penalty notices between for household waste will include a £200 fine for a first offence, rising to £400 for a second offence. For trade and business waste a £400 fine can be levied followed by prosecution for continued dumping.
Councillor Nickie Aiken, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Leader Elect said: “We have one of the best cleansing services in the country and we hope that these new fines send a strong message to the minority who think it is acceptable to fly tip and ignore our bins and collections that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Westminster City Council offers various ways old items can be safely and easily disposed of, ranging from ‘Restart’ events for electronics to mobile recycling centres and big black bins. For bulkier items a bulk waste collection service is available, with the option to take large household items to the waste recycling centre at Smuggler’s Way.
During a three-day operation in the autumn of 2016 over 71 fines were issued, with offenders having to pay £80 for illegally dumping their rubbish.
Councillor Aiken said: “Our residents regularly complain about others who choose to dump their rubbish illegally. The vast majority of our residents and businesses are determined to keep their streets and neighbourhoods clean and we are working with them to create a cleaner greener city for all.”
More charging points as Greener City Action Plan aims to improve Westminster’s air quality
This January 60 on-street electric vehicle charging points will be upgraded and 20 additional charging points will be introduced as part of Westminster Conservatives’ continuing work to improve air quality in the capital.
The move forms part of the Greener City Action Plan, a council initiative to make the city a more sustainable and liveable place to call home. Alongside the electric vehicle chargers, the plan includes encouraging car club use as an alternative to a private car use, reducing freight and waste vehicle movement, promoting more cycling and walking, eliminating vehicle engine idling and reducing emissions from buildings.
A Marylebone Low Emission Neighbourhood has been established to trial new measures and help make real improvements to air quality in central London.
Cllr Heather Acton, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Parking, said: “Poor air quality is a continuing problem for us in Westminster, but we’re doing all we can to help improve our environment through our Greener City Action Plan.”
