May E-Newsletter

16/05/2014 1. Closure of the Jubilee Centre to go ahead

2. High Speed 2 - reflecting local concerns

3. A better deal for private tenants

4. Getting it right for Westminster schools

5. London police numbers continue to fall

6. Farewell to Paddington Law Centre

7. “Protect yourself from air pollution - walk away from the kerb, says advisor”

8. Local round-up

Closure of the Jubilee Centre

People protesting the closure of the Jubilee Sports Centre

I was very sorry that Westminster Council went ahead with giving planning permission to allow the demolition of the Jubilee Sports Centre, and its replacement by (mostly) high-value housing, and the build-

ing of a new sports centre on the Moberly site, in Brent.

This decision was taken despite strong local opposition, including from the 5000 people who signed a petition against the plans. It was also challenged at the last minute by Sport England, who are concerned

about the loss of squash and open play space.

The decision means:

· The loss of the Jubilee Sports Centre in the heart of Queen’s Park. A new sports centre, but in a less convenient location for most Westminster residents, with discounted prices for Brent residents given as

part of the deal for their planning agreement. Westminster cannot even tell us how much this deal - which helped make sure Brent Council approved the Moberley re-build - is worth!

· The loss of open-air play space next to the centre.

· The building of 72 new homes on the Jubilee site for sale at open market prices. As nearby new build homes have been advertised for sale at £800 – £900,000 for 1 and 2 bed properties, these new flats

and houses will be far out-of-reach of most local people, and will do nothing to relieve housing need.

Although the decision has been made, there have been some concessions, notably the agreement to build a new hall on the Jubilee site, for community use. Together with local Labour councillors, I am also

still fighting for more, and improved, sports/play space in and around Queen’s Park, which is very densely populated, and which needs places for people to play which do not have to be pre-booked and paid

for.

I also believe the Council must do far more to meet real local housing need - with the new Jubilee homes being unaffordable for most people, and with only luxury housing being built at local sites like the for-

mer police station at Harrow Road, the former Adult Education Centre on Amberley Road, the Elephant and Castle pub on Elgin Avenue and so on, it is vital that affordable housing for local people must also be

provided.

High Speed 2

Britain has one of the world’s major economies and a growing population and, over the coming 20, 30 and 40 years, we will need to upgrade our transport infrastructure, just as the Victorians understood

when they first invested in rail over a century ago. Long-distance rail demand has doubled in the past 15 years, with a growth rate of 5 per cent a year - and we certainly don’t want to see these journeys

move onto the roads or planes. Whilst appreciating the genuine concerns that many people have, and with some important local reservations, I therefore support the principle of a new north-south rail

line. However, just as there can’t be any blank cheque for HS2, allowing costs to get out of control, - so we must be able to press for specific variations to protect our communities from the impact of HS2.

On the specific local issues:

The planned route currently runs deep underground through the very north-western corner of Queen’s Park, and I want to run this stretch of tunnel under the existing rail line instead. I also want an alterna-

tive to the suggested ventilation shaft just over the borough border in Brent, not least because this is such a traffic hot-spot already, and cannot cope with the additional disruption that the construction would

cause.

You can read my letter to the Department of Transport and the HS2 company here: The link to Westminster Council’s report is here:

Getting it right for Westminster’s schools

Westminster’s schools have been transformed over the past fifteen years, but the latest wave of changes has been beset with problems. The founder of the Westminster CET Free School in Paddington - which

received a poor OFSTED inspection report this spring - has warned of the dangers of Free Schools being set up too fast and without adequate support. The Times Educational Supplement, while running an in-

terview with her, flags up risks such as uncertainty over sites, use of temporary buildings and high staff turnover. Similarly, Marylebone Boys School did not get either permanent or temporary sites identified

until April, with Westminster Council making clear that there was not a current shortage of secondary school places.

Now there are reports of serious over-spending on the Free Schools programme, and that money has to come from elsewhere in the education budget. Already education for 16-19 year olds has been cut back,

with City of Westminster College amongst those facing major budget cuts.

It is increasingly clear that the management of the Free Schools programme is flawed and that local schools cannot be run from Whitehall. Good schools need local support and partnerships to help them, espe-cially when things go wrong. You can read my column on this problem - and how to fix it, here:

Time for a better deal for private tenants

Housing has overtaken transport to become the biggest issue of concern for Londoners, with figures showing property prices having soared nearly 18 per cent in a year, and more Londoners than ever are

renting privately.

Westminster has the largest share of homes in the private rented sector of any council in Britain. Some of these are, of course, at the luxury end of the housing market, and many are well managed by good

landlords, but many are not, and amongst the properties I have had complaints about, are some of the worst conditions that I have seen in any sector.

On top of this, many tenants have faced sky-high rents (even some ex-council flats are rented out now for £500 or more - 4 times higher than the rent charged by the Council), rip-off letting agents and very

high levels of insecurity. Eviction rates have soared and the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy is now the leading reason for households becoming homeless. My report of late 2013, based on a survey of

tenants’ experiences, described many of these issues.

Labour has now set out plans to increase protection for private tenants, with greater security for those who need it - especially the growing number of families.

We will change the law to make three-year tenancies the norm and protect against excessive rent increases to give tenants the stability they deserve. And we will also take action to ban unfair letting agents’

fees for tenants, saving renters an average of £350 in costs.

You can read more details about our plans here:

London police figures show large fall since 2010...

The closure and sale of police stations across London - including our own Harrow Road and St John’s Wood stations, were supposed to lead to extra police on the streets. So far, this has not happened.

The Metropolitan Police’s figures show that overall in London there has been a cut of 3,111 police officers since May 2010.

Westminster’s figures show a reduction from 1628 to 1165 - or a 28% fall since 2010.

Despite the good work being done by local police, and even though we continue to see a welcome long-term decline in crime overall, there can be no doubt that this fall in police numbers has had an impact on

many of our Safer Neighbourhood teams, especially as it seems to have come at a time when they are also being required to carry out additional duties.

...but the Government review of ‘Stop and Search’ powers is welcome (though could go further)

‘Stop and search’ is an important power which can help tackle crime and prevent serious threats. However, cases of misuse and the general overuse of Stop and Search has caused serious problems and under-

mined effective policing, especially in respect of black and minority ethnic communities. Four years ago the Equalities and Human Rights Commission report made a strong case the inefficient use of the powers

and the serious problems these caused in respect of racial discrimination. There is cross party agreement on the need for reform. As Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, has said, “Measures recently an-

nounced by the Home Secretary, such as the review of training by the College of Policing. And revision of the code of practice are welcome. However the Home Secretary has only introduced a voluntary

scheme to require a senior officer’s authorisation, the law on section 60 isn’t being changed, and the guidance on race discrimination is not being put onto a statutory basis”. So there is still more to be done.

Farewell to Paddington Law Centre

Our much-loved Paddington Law Centre, the second-oldest in the country, has closed down its W10 premises and will, in future be based from the Central London Law Centre in Soho. The lawyers will carry on

running a service from the Walterton and Elgin Community Homes, but this is another example of services withdrawing from the north of the borough, coming as it does on top of the closures of the police sta-

tion and the Citizens Advice Bureau office.

The Law Centre has shrunk from 13 to 5 staff in recent years because of funding cuts but has still been providing vital help for people in difficulty… Please follow this link to find a map to CAB services that are still operating in Westminster North.

Air quality: While advisors say ‘keep away from the kerb’, I say- tackle emissions now

This article from the Evening Standard is a powerful reminder of the health hazards facing pedestrians (and cyclists) in London.

London’s air pollution is a serious health and a serious quality of life issue - killing an estimated 20,000 a year in the UK. That is why I have backed calls for the Mayor of London’s Ultra Low emission zone to be

extended to cover the whole of Westminster - and would like to see it brought in as soon as possible.

Local round-up

Dibdin House

I recently met again with Grainger, the property company now running these former Church Commission flats in Maida Vale.

We discussed the need for a new community space, now Grainger have closed the tenants’ hall, the policy on controlling rent rises and ongoing work to get a handle on maintenance.

I am also speaking to the council about what can be done to help facilitate transfers for overcrowded families and people with a medical need to move and I am speaking to the Police about fresh reports of

anti-social behaviour.

Work starts on new Harrow Road crossing

Together with local councillors, I have been pushing for various speed control and road safety measures locally, including this new pedestrian crossing on the Harrow Road.

Following concerns I have raised about pedestrian safety on Elgin Avenue, the council has agreed to install speed activated warning signs along the road, to alert drivers who exceed the speed limit. TFL are

also modernising the traffic signals at the junction of Elgin Avenue and Shirland Road and installing countdown timers on the signals at Maida Hill Market to help pedestrians make informed decisions about

when it is safe to cross. Following complaints I have passed on from local residents, the Police will also be carrying out a short period of high profile enforcement around Warwick Avenue station, to ensure

motorists take due care around the pedestrian crossings.

Wessex Gardens

I recently met with tenants and leaseholders from the Wessex Gardens estate, to discuss their concerns about the costs and management of the Major Works on the estate. As with Hallfield, Wharncliffe and

other examples, residents are frustrated by what they see as the legacy of many years of neglect, which drives costs up over the long term.

Warwick estate re-development

Residents on the Warwick will soon be voting on plans for the regeneration of the area in and around the Harrow Road. Whilst keen for improvements to this estate, Westbourne councillors and I agree that

there should be more affordable homes, and stronger commitments to future community benefit.

You can read my most recent letter to residents here: Wellington/Grove End Road

Road safety and traffic management issues have been big concerns in the area. Recently, constituents have been in touch about theWellington Road and Grove End junction following an accident involving a motorcyclist that was left with serious injuries after being hit by a van. Apparently this isn’t an isolated incident and according to Westminster Council, in the last 36 months prior to this recent incident there have been 10 accidents at this junction. I have taken the matter up with Transport for London, as this forms part of their road network.You can read the news story here.

Window upgrades in W9

I have been contacted by several Maida Vale residents living in Victorian properties who are concerned about the restrictions the council’s planners place on window upgrades. Residents say the traditional

single glazing they must keep is the cause of cold and damp problems and higher heating bills.

Local landlords have also fallen foul of the planning rules, with Stadium Housing Association being ordered to remove new double glazing from 42 properties in Maida Vale.

While I appreciate the council’s efforts to preserve the traditional character of our streets, I am making enquiries with the planners to see what can be done to enable our Victorian housing stock to better meet

the needs of the people who currently live in it.

Thank you for reading.

Karen Buck MP Website: www.karenbuck.org.uk

Twitter: KarenPBuckMP

Facebook: KarenBuckMP

POLICE OFFICER NOs. BOROUGH TOTAL CENTRAL TOTAL MPS TOTAL

MAY 2010 20,641 12,506 33,147

JAN 2014 17,437 12,599 30,036

Difference -3,204 +92 3,111

% Difference -16% +1% -9%