Community Council info
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Update: spring 2013
Last year residents of Queen’s Park ward voted in favour of setting up a new community (parish) council here in our neighbourhood. The first elections will be held in May 2014.
The result of the referendum, announced on May 28 2012, was 68% in favour and 32% against the creation of the new council, which will be funded by an additional amount (called a “precept”) added to Queen’s Park council tax bills. The turnout in the referendum was 20% (compared with 33% voting in Queen’s Park ward in the mayoral/London Assembly elections on May 3 2012). Of 1608 votes cast, 1100 said yes and 508 no. The 2014/15 precept is estimated to be £3.70 per month on a band D council tax bill.
A temporary community council is now in place that will attempt to lay some foundations for those elected in 2014. The temporary councillors were selected from among the group who had campaigned for the community council since 2010.
The 12 temporary councillors are: Angela Singhate (chair), Emma Sweeney (vice-chair), Samantha Alleyne, Kimberley Durrance, Jo Fernandez, Gill FitzHugh, Joe Gordon, Julius Hogben, Amil Khan, Tony Reilly, Susanna Rustin, Esther Young. All are local residents.
The temporary councillors have taken up these roles on a voluntary basis and until the 2014 elections they have no allocated budget or administrative support, except that offered by the Paddington Development Trust as part of the charity’s ongoing commitment to community development in our area.
If you wish to contact the temporary council, or come to one of the regular meetings, please email campaign4qp@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply within a few days.
Several committees have been formed and projects are underway. The summer festival in Queen’s Park Gardens will take place on August 10, thanks to funding from our ward councillors Paul Dimoldenberg, Barrie Taylor and Patricia McAllister.
We have an active Friends of Queen’s Park Gardens group that organises regular gardening sessions and is fundraising for improvements to the playground. The group can be contacted at gardens@queenspark.info
Our communications committee hopes to produce a fifth edition of the Queen’s Park Voice newsletter and deliver it to every home in the neighbourhood – if we can raise the funds required to print it.
The temporary council also has links with the “Save the Jubilee” group of residents and a temporary councillor attends the regular “partnership engagement” meetings held by Westminster City Council, along with other local stakeholders, in the hope of securing the best possible deal for local people.
If you are interested in standing for election to the community council in 2014 we would love to hear from you. The hope of the campaign group is that candidates will stand as “independents” or “residents” and put party politics to one side. The campaign group will organise an event later in the year and provide information to all residents about how to go about becoming a Queen’s Park community councillor, and what the role involves. Community councillors are unpaid.
A further update on the temporary council’s activities will appear online during the summer. Meanwhile we are grateful for your interest. And spread the word: from next year Queen’s Park is going to have the first community (parish) council in London!
Campaign Archive:
Marketing Materials
Your Community Needs You! pamphlet
Window poster
(Arabic)
(Somali)
Governance Review
Westminster Council Cabinet Report 27th June 2011
Minutes of Westminster Council Cabinet Meeting 27th June 2011
Community Governance Review Consultation Document – ends 3rd Feb 2012
Government Policy
Plain English Guide to Localism Bill
Agendas and Minutes
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 21st February 2012
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 25th January 2012
Agenda Campaign Group Meeting 10th November 2011
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 10th November 2011
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 6th October 2011
Agenda Campaign Group Meeting 6th October 2011
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 11th August 2011
Agenda Campaign Group Meeting 11th August 2011
Minutes Campaign Group Meeting 13th July 2011
Agenda Campaign Group Meeting 13th July 2011
Public Meeting 18th June 2011 – write up
Public Meeting 18th June – invite
Meeting of Voluntay and Community Groups 18th May 2011 – Agenda
Delivery Committee Terms of Reference
Communication Committee terms of reference
Community Council governing documents
Press coverage
Westminster Chronicle (Apr 2012)
Westminster Chronicle (Feb 2012)
Local Government Chronicle (Feb 2012)
Dave Hill’s London Blog (May 2011)
Local Government Chronicle (May 2011)
Westminster Chronicle (May 2011)
Westminster Chronicle (Jan 2011)
Diary dates
25th April – WCC Full Council Meeting FINAL DECISION, Westminster Council House
16th April – WCC Cabinet Meeting DECISION DATE, Westminster City Hall
4th April – Campaign visit to Oliver Letwin, Minister of State, Cabinet Office
4th April – Report to Cabinet with recommendation published
21st March (N.B. Date change!)- NALC/Campaign workshop for WCC Councillors, Council House, 6pm
21st March – St John’s Wood Area Forum – venue TBC
15th March – Maida Vale Area Forum, venue TBC
7th March – New Leader of Westminster Council elected
6th March – Bayswater Area Forum, Westminster Academy, 255 Harrow Road, W2 5EZ
21st February – Campaign Group Meeting, Beethoven Centre 6pm
15th February Delivery Group Meeting, Beethoven Centre 6pm
15th February – Marylebone Area Forum, Council House, 97-113 Marylebone Road
25th Jan - Campaign Group Meeting, Beethoven Centre 6.30pm
30th Jan – Info drop in workshop for residents, Beethoven Centre, 9am-8pm
19th Jan – Campaign visit to Church Street, 60 Penfold Street, 6.30pm
17th Jan- Visit to Campbell Park Community Council, Milton Keynes
10th Jan 2012 – Campaign visit to Cllr Robert Davis, City Hall 6.15pm
17th Dec – Christmas on Mozart carol singing, Dart Street, 3pm
14th Dec – Campaign visit to Church Street Neighbourhood Management 6.30pm
14th-15th Delivery of Christmas hampers for Sharing is Caring inititative
08th Dec – Campaign Christmas Social, Beethoven Centre, 6 pm
06th Dec – Communications Committee meeting, Beethoven Ctr, 5.30pm
05th Dec – Campaign visit to Westbourne Neighbourhood Forum, 7pm
23rd Nov – Visit from Cllr Colin Barrow, Beethoven Centre 11.30am
22nd Nov – Delivery Committee meeting, Beethoven Centre 6.30pm
21st Nov – St John’s Wood Area Forum, Danubius Hotel Regents Park, 6.30pm
17th Nov – Maida Vale Area Forum, Paddington Academy 6.30pm
10th Nov – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
09th Nov – Campaign visit to Church Street residents, 60 Penfold Street, 6pm
05th Nov – Community Council Showcase and Fireworks, QP Gardens, 5.30pm
02nd Nov – Westminster City Council Meeting, Council House, 7pm
01st Nov – Communications Committee meeting, Beethoven Ctr, 5.30pm
19th Oct – Delivery Committee meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
18th Oct – Visit to Stony Stratford Town Council (Milton Keynes)
15th Oct – Campaign Stall, Maida Hill Market, 11.30am
13th Oct – Public meeting on gang violence, QP Primary School, 6.30pm
08th Oct – Campaign Stall, Maida Hill Market, 1.30pm
07th Oct – Visit to Andover Town Council
06th Oct – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
28th Sep – Delivery Committee meeting, Beethoven Centre, 4pm
21st Sep Governance Workshop w. DCLG, University of Westminster
15th Sep – Question Time with other Local Councils, Beethoven Centre, 5.30pm
12th Sep – Governance review meeting with Westminster Council
03rd Sep- Campaign Stall, Vintage Fayre, Beethoven Centre, 11am
23rd Aug- Governance Committee meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6pm
22nd Aug – Campaign Stall, Dart Street, 12-6pm
18th Aug – Delivery Committee meeting, Beethoven Centre, 4.30pm
11th Aug – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
20th Jul – Campaign Stall, Coronation Mini Marklet, Dart Street 3pm
13th Jul – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
09th Jul – Campaign Stall, Fun Day, Queen’s Park Gardens, 1-4pm
02nd Jul – Campaign Stall, Beethoven 10th Anniversary, 1-5pm
18th Jun – Public meeting, Beethoven Centre, 3-5pm
02nd Jun – Campaign Group Meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
01st Jun – Governance Sub Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 5.30pm
01st Jun – Campaign Stall, Family Fun Day, Beethoven Centre, 2-6pm
18th May – Vol & Comm Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 3.30pm
05th May – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
05th Apr – Campaign Group meeting, Beethoven Centre, 6.30pm
17th Feb – Campaign Social, Beethoven Centre, 6pm
22nd Jan – Campaign Launch, Beethoven Centre, 3pm
Links
National Association of Local Councils (NALC) www.nalc.gov.uk www.createacouncil.nalc.gov.uk
