Leadership in the West End Westminster City Council

On the day response – West End Commission report

April 2013

Westminster City Council Westminster City Hall 020 7641 6000 64 Victoria Street westminster.gov.uk London SW1E 6QP Westminster City Council Leadership in the West End 2 On the day response – West End Commission report

Westminster City Council welcomes the West End Commission’s report as a serious and substantial piece of work looking at the future of the West End. We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to Sir Howard Bernstein and his fellow Commissioners for the time, effort and expertise that they have given. We would also like to thank all the many individuals and organisations who have taken the time to submit evidence and engage with the Commission over the last nine months in order to inform their work.

We established the Commission in order to help us secure the future success of the West End, provide strengthened leadership and bring together the various interests and groups involved in this unique part of our capital.

The report consistently highlights the complexities of managing this uniquely vibrant and iconic area. It immediately makes clear that, if we are to maintain and build on the West End’s success and tackle the challenges facing it, from pollution and promotion to crime and competitiveness, all partners need to come together to think about the future of the West End, particularly post-Crossrail. The Commission suggests that this could be done through the creation of new partnership arrangements for the West End. We agree.

Importantly, the Commission has also set the challenges facing the West End in the wider context of the way the capital is governed. In light of national opportunities such as those arising from Lord Heseltine’s review of growth and the Government’s ‘City Deals’ programme, there is currently huge potential to secure a new financial and constitutional settlement for London, including through a central London deal. Again, we agree. We are already actively involved in discussions with the Mayor, London Councils and central London boroughs on how to secure the robust governance structures, genuine influence in areas such as infrastructure and skills, and financial freedoms that London and central London need to maintain the capital’s economic success and share it more widely.

Over the coming weeks we will begin to examine all of the detailed points raised by the Commission; others involved in the West End will wish to do the same. However, we recognise the need, as highlighted by the Commission, to move forward with the main governance proposals as soon as possible. This is why, over the next few days and weeks, we will hold discussions with key stakeholders in London, including the Mayor, and bring together a meeting of West End stakeholders including businesses and residents to map out the next steps.

To help this, we set out below and overleaf both the initial timetable for these discussions and what these entities could potentially look like and do.

Thank you once again for your support of the West End Commission’s work and we look forward to working with you to secure the future success of the West End. Westminster City Council Leadership in the West End 3 On the day response – West End Commission report

Next steps

Time Activity

30th April West End Commission report published Leader of Westminster City Council meeting Mayor of London to discuss West End 30th April Commission and London governance 1st May Central London Forward Board meeting with Leaders of central London boroughs Leader of Westminster City Council to meet with key West End public agencies such May as Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police to reinforce commitment to a West End partnership 15th May Independent London Finance Commission report launched Scoping meeting of West End partners including public agencies, business May and residents Joint letter from London Councils and the Mayor to central government setting out June proposals for a new finance and governance settlement for London Terms of reference and programme of activity for a new West End partnership June developed and agreed A new West End partnership and a broader London governance settlement – what could be achieved?

New partnership structure for New deal for central London the West End Cooperation between central London • A forum to bring together stakeholders boroughs and the Mayor to push for a such as Westminster City Council, Ensuring that the deal with Government, in light of national businesses, residents, Transport for opportunities such as those arising from London, the Greater London Authority unique financial Lord Heseltine’s review of growth. Key and the Metropolitan Police to work and operational potential benefits include: together in addressing the unique • Direct influence for London boroughs in needs of the West End as a place. challenges of the shaping skills and employment • A way to improve how activity is West End and its programmes, many of which are coordinated between different currently run nationally and may not partners in areas of concern to the importance to the address London’s challenges. whole West End, such as marketing • Increased freedoms for boroughs to and promotion, transport, security UK economy leverage their housing assets to build and CCTV, public realm and low are recognised more homes. carbon activity. by Government • Possibilities for London to retain more of • The partnership would have no formal the proceeds of the growth it generates, or statutory powers, and would not including through the proposals of deliver services directly. the independent London Finance Commission, reporting soon.