Philippa Roe - the new face of Westminster Council. Photograph: Westminster Council

Cllr Philippa Roe was elected earlier this week as the likely successor to Colin Barrow, the embattled outgoing leader of Westminster Council.

So what does this mean for Queen's Park and the 15 month long campaign by residents to form London's first Community Council?

The new leader will decide in the next few weeks the fate of a little reported petition by residents in Queen's Park which either way will have big implications.  It is an historic decision.   The initiative has received widespread support from local people, as well as support from community groups, businesses and organisations both locally, nationally and even internationally. 20% of the electorate signed up to the proposal, and four times as many people as expected took part in Westminster's own consultation on the proposal, with an overwhelming majority in support, and less than 1% opposing the plans.

"...the decision is a chance to

demonstrate that Westminster

does care what its residents think."

Queen's Park's spirited campaign has become synonymous  with government plans to empower communities and to devolve decision making to the most local level appropriate - indeed it is held up as one of the best case studies of its kind anywhere in the country.  Universities and civic administrations around the world are taking an interest in the proposal as western governments come increasingly under pressure to find ways of engaging their citizenry at community level.  Just in the last month we have hosted a Dutch delegation including the deputy mayor of Amsterdam, and have been contacted by the university of Sapporo, Japan to support their research into neighbourhood level civic engagement.  It is clear too that we are not alone in London, having been approached by several groups around the Capital interested in pursuing a similar model.

One thing is certain: if the government is to deliver on its promise of localism, sooner or later parish councils will become a feature of London life - bringing London in line with the rest of the country.  The government is currently drawing up plans to make it easier for communities to establish parish councils where they are wanted by local people, and is therefore legislating to ensure that the intransigence of some local authorities (who wrongly see hyper-local government as a erosion of their power) does not continue to be a barrier to local people's aspirations.  The recent Localism Bill and the Open Public Services white paper are proof positive of this commitment; both see parish councils as a tried and tested model for ensuring representation from within a community and accountability to it.   The Neighbourhood Forums that communities now have a right to form are positioned as a stepping stone for those wishing to go the whole-hog and establish a Parish, Community, Neighbourhood or Town Council - elected by the people and recognised in law.

"sooner or later

Parish Councils

will become a feature

of London life"

The fact that Queen's Park residents have taken the long hard road and are still upbeat is evidence of their good nature, commitment and grit - a rare resourcefulness much in need at a time of dwindling resources.  For Westminster's new leader the decision represents a formidable chance to silence its critics and to demonstrate that Westminster does indeed care what its residents think - including those in the poorer parts of the City.  This is a unique chance to genuinely involve residents in finding lasting solutions to enduring local problems and to mobilize the local citizentry to mitigate the worst effects of inevitable budget cuts.

Campaigners at Westminster City Hall

This upsurge in organised, self-financing, local volunteerism is precisely what the country urgently needs to encourage at this time.  We are confident that the new Leader of Westminster Council will take this opportunity to show leadership in the implementation of government policy on localism in the capital.

Could the Olympic year mark the beginning of a new dawn for London's citizens?  A decision will be reached by Westminster's Cabinet on 16th April and ratified by full council on 25th April.

From Marylebone to Mayfair and from Westbourne to the West End communities are waking up to the fact that a little-publicised consultation could have long lasting implications - not just for Queen’s Park - but for all neighbourhoods and comunities across the City.

Queen’s Park Campaigners have been spreading the word across Westminster of the importance to communities of the “Westminster Governance Review”.

Mayfairites and West Enders have been fired up by their free-parking success, and are supporting the parish council model as a way of having more say on local issues in their neighbourhoods too.

According to Westminster’s website the consultation ends on the 3rd February, but we’ve heard on the grapevine that a two week extension has been given.  For more about the consultation and how to take part see our article “Have Your Say!” posted on 20th January.

What the press are saying:

Guardian January 25th 2012

West End Extra January 27th 2012

Evening Standard January 25th 2012

Evening Standard January 30th 2012

For a listing of older press articles see the Talk of the Town blog post.

Further comment in the West End Extra 27th January 2012

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The second edition of the community magazine, written, produced and hand-delivered by local residents will be coming through your letterbox in the next few days. Packed full of local news and views … keep your eyes peeled for the new edition!