Celebrating success with St. George's Hanover Square pupils
Councillor Paul Church spent a day with pupils from St. George’s Hanover Square to celebrate their success before the end of the school year.
He was accompanied by the Chairman of The Residents’ Society of Mayfair & St. James’s, Lois Peltz, to present certificates to St. George’s pupils who had completed an internationally-recognised ballet academy course at Mayfair’s Danceworks. The course was part-funded by a grant from Westminster City Council’s West End Ward Budget.
Later that day, he attended the School’s Prize Day Awards at St. George’s Hanover Square Church at a ceremony led by Father Roddy with residents from the Mayfair community to celebrate pupils’ academic achievements.
Councillor Church commented: “As the Borough’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Public Health and Lead Member for Mental Health, I regularly see evidence of the positive effects that movement can have on preventing both physical and mental health problems in later life, so I was delighted to present certificates, see some exceptional dancing and support the fantastic work that St. George’s and the Danceworks team do”.
Dealing with persistent sites of dumped rubbish
Councillor Jonathan Glanz has been working with local residents, as well as the local Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams, to report and deal with fly tipping. One persistent site of dumped rubbish is the telephone box on Brewer Street, near its junction with Bridle Lane.
Councillor Glanz said: “Along with the telephone box on Brewer Street other telephone boxes across the West End have been sites of fly tipping or even anti social behaviour. I am pleased to report that fixed penalty notices have been issued for commercial fly tipping, and council officers are working alongside local police to investigate and deal with the incidents of anti social behaviour.”
If you notice any dumped rubbish you can report it online here, but please let me know so officers can investigate those who are responsible.
West End Tree Watch
After considerable research into the history and origins of the famous Indian bean tree in Colefax and Fowler's Mayfair courtyard, Cllr Glenys Roberts has persuaded the Council to extend the Tree Preservation Order on this celebrated specimen. Colefax, decorators to the rich and famous including Churchill who loved their chintzy country house look, set up business in the 1930s and were long established at their beautiful listed premises in Brook Street. Sadly, Colefax have had to leave the premises due to rising rents and the Grosvenor Estate's new shopping vision for the area which will now be called the Tyburn Way.
The case was taken to committee by Cllr Roberts who successfully argued for its rehabilitation and hopeful retention next year. She went to great lengths to study the species even ordering one personally. It arrived looking like a highly unpromising two metre twig but is now flourishing. Cllr Roberts took some advice from the specialist French gardener who delivered it. In France, these beautiful trees line the streets and the authorities are used to their maintenance. They cut them back radically in autumn only to see them flourish in the spring. The gardener advised extensive pruning for the Colefax tree rather than felling and warned this should be done in the spring when the sap is rising - not in the autumn or winter when a stressed tree could die.
So that's where we are in Brook Street. The tree will be pruned next spring and fingers crossed will have a new lease of life. Certainly, its Mayfair neighbours, many of whom pleased for its retention, are pleased at this result. Though not visible from the street the courtyard is surrounded by offices and homes whose occupants have always loved this tree and the bird life it encourages.
Working to continue the fight against drug-related crime
Councillor Jonathan Glanz is working alongside council officers and Police in Soho to deal with the drug-related anti social behaviour across the area.
Councillor Glanz said: “Over recent months the issue of drug use and dealing has become more prevalent in Soho and I am working with the police to deal with the issue.
“Officers have been increasing patrols in the area, particularly focusing on the area around Cambridge Circus, Soho Parish School and Rupert Street.
“If you do see anything please contact the local Safer Neighbourhood Team on 07785 401452. Please note that this phone will be off when police are not on duty, so please call 101 in these instances".
The Soho Anti-Social Behaviour Walk-In Surgery is still be held on the first Tuesday of each month, in St. Anne’s Church, Dean Street (between 6pm and 7.30pm) and you can report issues there too.
Pride in our West End
As Westminster City Council’s Lead Member for LGBTQ+, Councillor Paul Church represented the City in leading out the Pride in London Parade into Soho with the Education Secretary, Justine Greening, the Lord Mayor of Westminster and the Mayor of London.
He also organised the first ever City of Westminster Pride Reception, which welcomed local groups working with our LGBTQ+ community to the Lord Mayor’s Parlour to celebrate Pride in London. Over 100 organisations were represented from the charity, education, health, legal, media and sport sectors to come together and celebrate the rich diversity of our great City.
Councillor Church spoke alongside Council Leader, Nickie Aiken, at a packed event kindly hosted by the City’s Lord Mayor. Paul described how proud he is to represent an area as diverse and welcoming as The West End, and of the special relationship that Soho has with London’s LGBTQ+ community.
Organisers worked directly with Councillor Church and Council officers to ensure minimal impact to the amenity of local residents and Westminster’s expert clean streets team were on hand bright and early to tidy up afterwards and ensure that, by early the next morning, The West End’s streets were maintained to the high standards expected by our residents.
