Welcome to our new look E-Newsletter for September.
We hope you have all had an enjoyable summer. As you can see from this bumper edition, there has been lots going on in Warwick Ward! We hope you find our newsletter both useful and interesting. Don't forget, you can contact us at anytime if you require help and support with a problem. Simply email [email protected] or call our office in Ebury Street on 020 7730 8181.
Councillors Nickie Aiken, Christabel Flight and Jacqui Wilkinson
Were you flooded on 23rd June?
It seems like a while ago but some local people are still suffering the effects of being flooded on 23rd June. That day there were unprecedented levels of rainfall resulting in Thames Water's sewer network being unable to cope. The situation was made much worse in Warwick Ward by the total failure of the pumping station on Longmoore Street. Thames Water has has now rectified the problem and upgraded the equipment to improve the operation of the pumping station.
Cllrs Wilkinson and Flight met representatives from Thames Water to find out what they are going to do to help residents who had been flooded. Surprisingly, they were not aware of the extent of the problems in Pimlico, so we have been encouraging residents who were affected to contact them directly on [email protected] or by phone on 0800 009 3932.
Cllr Wilkinson explains "If you did suffer from flooding on 23rd June, then I would also like to hear from you. Within Westminster City Council, we are in regular contact with Thames Water to ensure that they address the issues raised by residents."
Try Something New on Silver Sunday
Silver Sunday on 2nd October is part of a national day for people aged 65 and over. It's a great chance to try something new and have an enjoyable time. Westminster Older People's Champion Cllr Christabel Flight initiated this event back in 2012. As she explains: "I wanted to celebrate the contribution of older people and also help alleviate loneliness and isolation. We have a fantastic range of events that I hope our residents will enjoy".
Christabel is still the driving force behind Silver Sunday, which is now happening across the country, involving countless different groups and organisations like the Rotarians, BUPA and local Councils. For a full list of the events in Westminster visit westminster.gov.uk/silver-sunday or pick up a copy of Westminster Plus from City Hall, one of our local libraries or the Queen Mother Leisure Centre.
Keeping Warwick Streets Clean
Your Warwick Councillors have been working hard with Westminster City Council, our Warwick City Inspector and Neighbourhood Problem Solving Coordinator to ensure that we benefit from the best initiatives available to residents. It has become clear from Council observations and feedback from residents that the massive amount of education, information and enforcement conducted in Warwick Ward over the past 11 months has translated into real noticeable improvements on the ground.
Recent highlights include:
- New 'graphic' signs across the Pimlico Grid informing people when to put out rubbish for collection.
- Clearing the back of the bins on the Gillingham Street junction with Belgrave Road. This has involved issuing Fixed Penalty Notices to businesses who have been dumping waste there.
- Actively inspecting the dumping 'hotspots' in the Grid, arranging removal and enforcing on fly-tipping.
- In August, 9 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued, 5 waste transfer notices and 3 warnings.
- On 15 September, a special inspection of the bin sites in the Grid was carried out. Of the 11 inspected, 6 were clear and 7 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for rubbish dumped at the others.
- The new transparent bins provided a couple of months for recycling are proving successful and being used correctly. At selected sites in Warwick, bins specifically for blue bags will be introduced this month. We hope this will encourage residents to place their blue recycling bags in these new bins rather than leaving them on the pavement.
Resurfacing of Eccleston and Elizabeth Bridges
Works began after the August Bank Holiday on resurfacing Eccleston and Elizabeth Bridges. This work is needed because both bridges are badly corroded and leaking water onto the railway beneath. The plan is to waterproof the bridges above ground before making repairs below over the railway. Works are being carried out on both bridges simultaneously and expected to last until April.
Cllr Wilkinson has been in regular contact with the Resident Engineer about traffic management, which has been causing problems for residents. Cllr Wilkinson said: "I have raised a number of traffic management issues with the contractor and asked to be kept informed of progress. Residents will be pleased to learn that, for the duration of the works on Elizabeth Bridge, coach parking near Bulleid Way will be banned."
Rough Sleeper in Eccleston Square
We received complaints about a rough sleeper in the entrance of a house in Eccleston Square. Our Neighbourhood Problem Solving Coordinator has been working with Westminster City Council's outreach services in helping the individual and progress is being made.
Westminster has sadly seen a rise of rough sleepers across the city. The vast majority have no connection to the borough but are drawn here because of its central London location. There is a hostel place for every rough sleeper we can help. Our outreach teams are out every night of the year working with those on the streets to help persuade them to come indoors and access support to turn their lives around.
Anyone who is concerned about a rough sleeper they see should report it at www.streetlink.org.uk. An outreach worker will then go and seek them out.
Improvements to Lupus Street
In February, Cllr Wilkinson organised an inspection of pavements and roads in Pimlico.
As a result of this, works are now being carried out to replace damaged paving on the north side of Lupus Street in Warwick Ward between Sutherland and Cumberland Streets and on the south side in Churchill Ward in front of the shops. The inspection also indicated that the pavement on the north side of Lupus Street in Tachbrook Ward between St George's Square and Denbigh Street needed replacing. This has been added to the 2016/17 maintenance programme.
If you notice any problematic pavements, please let us know and we will ask the Council to investigate and replace if necessary.
Our Next Street Surgery
We are available to help whenever the needs arrives. We don’t expect our residents to have to wait for a surgery date. However, we also think it’s important to be proactive and get out and meet local people.
So, we run our popular 'street surgeries' once a month between 10.30 and noon. We visit specific streets in Warwick Ward to meet residents and discuss any issues they may have. We have been gradually working our way around the Ward.
This month, on Saturday 24th September, we'll be visiting Gloucester Street.
Councillor Aiken said: "We already aim to be as accessible as possible to residents. Our street surgeries provide yet another way for residents to have access to us."
