NATIONAL AND The one-way system Wider pavements and station including step-free around South K INTERNATIONAL ensington simplified pedestrian access and improvements Stati DESTINATIONS – on has been crossings will create a much to the pedestrian tunnel. KEEPING ON TOP unravelled, marking the safer and more enjoyable first step in an ambitious environment for residents, FOCUS: project to transform the workers and visitors alike. Exhibition Road Kensington and Chelsea is Exhibition Road area – the home to internationally- capital’s most important The Council would like to The redesign of Exhibition famous areas. From Notting cultural destination. see South Kensington Road will unite the area’s Hill to Knightsbridge the Tube station modernised world-leading museums, borough is studded with Kerbs and traffic islands that to cope with the high educational institutions and places that people want to were no longer required numbers of visitors who arts venues and will provide Dealing Forward to 2028 live in or visit in order to have been removed and the Schools use it daily. A a safer and pedestrian- shop, eat or take in the new sy stem frees traffic flow sympathetically-designed friendly environment for cultural experience found in to ease congesti on and development of the everyone to enjoy a major world city . FOCUS: . provide much better driving station could be condition Commonwealth s for motorists. introduced at and over the Working with the How can we best ensure Institute and museums, loca that these places keep their l residents Kensington High Street and commercial lando place at the top table of wners, the Council is building on London and the world’s Although small, the site of Exhibition residential, retail and Road’s cultural the former Commonwealth heritage ROYAL BOROUGH SUPPLEMENT cultural destinations? . We are actively Institute can play a very large seeking to retain the area’s part in ensuring the vitality of simply with the – a four page FOCUS: unique character, which Kensington High Street, which South Kensington mixes museums and other is facing pressure from the new cultural institutions with Westfield shopping centre. independent retailers at the South Kensington will southern end of the road remain the main cultural Planning permission has and wonderful residential The Royal Boroughattraction of the of borough. Kensington been granted (subject to a premises throughout. Our plans to redesign Section 106 agreement) for Exhibition Road, which the site to be redeveloped to ategy To find out more about the and Chelsea’s Coreattracts more thanStr 11 include a new home for the Exhibition million visitors a year, are Road project Design Museum, which will visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/ attract extra visitors to well advanced. > Artist’s impression of Exhibition Road, north of Cromwell Road the best snow supplement exhibitionroad Kensington High Street. New school for opportunity to permanently borough and the Council’s zones (areas that have assessment for all major Warw ick Road bridge the divide with aim is that they will be historically been the development in the Hammersmith and Fulham stimulated by the Core BUILDING ON SUCCESSlocation for light industry borough. This will set out The Core Strategy caused by the W est London Strategy policy of allowing and office space and where highlights significant the potential impact of Line and provide new high ‘micro’ offices anywhere in the Council restricts the development on local change in and around quality homes and jo bs. the borough. residential development the Earl’s Court area. air quality. to allow relatively-cheap Warwick Road will A cultural facility that SEE PAGE 5 SEE PAGE 7 SEE CENTRE PAGES land to be used for Flooding – the Council undergo a major maintains the reputation of employment purposes) will will require transformation which Earl’s Court as a destination be retained to ensure developments to adapt to has the potential to of national, if not relatively inexpensive floor flooding from the river result in 1,600 new international, reputation space is available to and mitigate the e homes in the area, will also be required. ffects encourage enterprise. together with associated of surface water and community facilities Walking y sewer flooding. our Affordable housing including a new primary neighbourhood school, cafes and Carbon – the Council will The Council wants to bring in much stricter restaurants, a health and The Council wants people encourage more affordable requirements on energy fitness centre, affordable to be able to meet their housing in the borough and efficiency for housing and new public daily needs within their is proposing a relatively low developments in the open space. neighbourhood. The best threshold of 800m2 at which borough. way of achieving this is by The borough has a higher developers will be required providing day-to-day than usual number of jobs in to provide affordable housing facilities like shops, GP very small businesses. Once based on square footage surgeries and primary the need for office space gets rather than the number of schools within walking too big – about 300 square units. This is designed distance of hom es. feet – we must consider the to lead to more potential impact on affordable housing Small businesses in residential areas and try to than in the past. the heart of our locate them in our more The redevelopment of the community commercial areas. Respecting ou Earl’s Co r urt Exhibition environ Centre itself – due ment to Small businesses and the The affordability of office close after the Olympics creative industries must be space is also an issue; the Air quality – the Council in 2012 – presents an allowed to flourish in the borough’s employment will require an air quality “If we are to build on our development in the borough, INTRODUCTION “This is why the Core certain emphasis on what coupled with the highly hich we can be done in the y ears historic successes in Strategy through w i

Royalwww.rbkc.gov.ukBoroughFEBRUARY 2010 No. 162

Shop locally and save Independent retailers and businesses are being urged to sign up to a free borough-wide retail loyalty card scheme aimed at encouraging people to shop locally in return for special offers and discounts.

Wedge is aiming to recruit the borough’s 2,000 small independent retailers and businesses to the scheme, which is being backed by the Council. More than 150,000 Wedge cards, normally worth £10, are being given away free to people who work, visit or live in the borough.

Scores of independent shops and businesses have already shown Relief for residents interest in Wedge, which has been set up by Big Issue founders John Bird and his daughter Diana.

The risk of more damaging floods like those seen in 2007 has receded after Christine Gilmore from No 35, a clothing boutique on Fulham Road, residents won their battle for protective measures. is delighted at the opportunity of working with Wedge. “We feel it’s very important that small businesses should work together to promote local shops and encourage people to use them. The Office of Water Services The Council pressed Thames Water The final submission to OFWAT (OFWAT) decision to award funding to hold meetings at which residents was made in September 2009, Cards will be sent to all residents in March, while students and workers to protection projects in the Royal told the company what they wanted when Thames Water proposed should contact their college or employer. Independent retailers in Borough means Thames Water will to see done about the flooding. an investment of more than £25 the Royal Borough that would like more information should contact be able to develop a local storm million in long and short-term Christina Singleton by emailing [email protected] or relief tunnel scheme that will help The Council then continued to measures. Work will include telephoning 0791 999 6847. reduce the risk of flooding. work with Thames Water and developing a solution to Counters lobby OFWAT on behalf of the Creek flooding with a view to Wedge is currently used in 900 shops and by 40,000 cardholders This victory for campaigning residents affected by the flooding construction beginning in 2014. throughout London. To register for a Wedge card email info@ residents has been welcomed by in the Royal Borough. wedgecard.co.uk or phone 020 7401 3913. Kensington and Chelsea Council, which lobbied hard for two years Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown, Cabinet for this work to be carried out. Member for Environment, said: “We have been working with Thames In the short-term Thames Water will Water and residents for more than install Flooding Local Improvement two years to secure funding for BRIDGE TO CLOSE Projects (FLIPs) at more than 600 Counters Creek. I am delighted that Albert Bridge will be closed from Monday 15 February at the start properties in the Counters Creek OFWAT has agreed to this work and of an ambitious 18-month renovation project being carried out on catchment area to alleviate severe I hope residents will soon feel more behalf of the Council. internal flooding. secure in their properties. The renovation will be the most significant work on the bridge since it was opened in the nineteenth century. While the work is going on, The monsoon-like rain in July 2007 “The agreement of OFWAT was only traffic will be diverted across Chelsea and Battersea bridges and only was too much for the Victorian secured as a result of the hard work pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will be able to use the bridge. sewer system around Counters the Council, Thames Water and Creek and the severe flooding that residents put into providing strong, For further information see www.rbkc.gov.uk/albertbridge ring followed caused massive disruption convincing evidence of the need 020 7341 5220 or email [email protected] and damage. for storm relief tunnels in the area.” 2 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Contacting the Council Contents Top rated services Contact your Council page 3 Information, advice and many services are available online at www.rbkc.gov.uk. Don’t forget that if you need to visit but find it difficult Council tax during normal opening hours, you can phone to make an appointment to see a member of staff on a Thursday evening until 8pm. page 4 St Quintin site opens page 5 Enquiryline 020 7361 3000 Here to help – your Councillors Email [email protected] Leader’s Leader Kensington and Chelsea is served by 54 elected Councillors, three for page 6 Streetline 020 7361 3001 each of the Royal Borough’s 18 wards. They are available by telephone, email and letter. Personal appointments can be arranged and in some Email [email protected] Fraudsters fined parts of the borough you can visit a ward surgery. page 7 Environmental Healthline 020 7361 3002 Tackling crime You can find out which Councillors represent you, and how to contact Email [email protected] them, by visiting www.rbkc.gov.uk or ringing the First Stop Information page 8 Service on 020 7361 2828. 020 7361 3003 It takes all of us Arts and Leisureline page 9 Email [email protected] Environment update Parkingline 020 7361 3004 Surgeries page 10 Email [email protected] Colville, Golborne and Notting Barns Wards Health focus Council Taxline 020 7361 3005 page 11 11am to 1pm, first Saturday of each month – EPICS Westway Centre, Email [email protected] Malton Road, W10 (behind Ladbroke Grove Station). Caring for children page 12 Benefitsline 020 7361 3006 Cremorne Ward Email [email protected] Keep fit and healthy Councillor Mark Daley; 9.30am to 11am, 19 December and 30 January, page 13 Paymentsline 020 7361 3007 Chelsea Theatre, World’s End Place. Events diary Pay online at page 14 and 15 www.rbkc.gov.uk/onlinepayments/general Golborne Ward Sadly missed Housingline 020 7361 3008 (On a rota basis) Councillors Bridget Hoier, Emma Dent Coad and Pat page 16 Email [email protected] Mason; 7pm to 8pm, Mondays (except Bank Holidays) – Venture Centre, 103 Wornington Road, W10. Give us your views Educationline 020 7361 3009 Email [email protected] Notting Barns Ward Write to The Editor, Royal Borough, Press Office, Room 230/3, Town Librariesline 020 7361 3010 Two out of Councillors Catherine Atkinson, Judith Blakeman and Hall, Hornton Street, London Mushtaq Lasharie; 10 am to 12 noon, second and fourth Saturdays of Email [email protected] W8 7NX or email every month – EMB Community Hall, opposite the playground at the foot of Grenfell Tower on Lancaster West Estate (just off Lancaster Walk). [email protected] Recruitmentline 020 7361 3011 Email [email protected] St Charles Ward RoyalBorough Planningline 020 7361 3012 Councillors Rock Feilding-Mellen, Dominic Johnson and Matthew Palmer; Email [email protected] 6.30pm to 8pm, first Monday of every month – Feathers Youth Club, Royal Borough is produced for Dalgarno Community Centre, Dalgarno Way, W10. residents by the Royal Social Servicesline 020 7361 3013 Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Email [email protected] www.rbkc.gov.uk/contactus

It is delivered to 87,000 homes and businesses in the Royal Borough and is also available Local Democracy Information from community venues. The newspaper was produced by February and March 2010 the Council’s Media and Communications Team, Cabinet and Unless the time is given in designed by Go4 Marketing Council Corporate Services and Public Relations and 3 March brackets, all meetings take printed by Harmsworth. We 15 February, 29 March place at 6.30pm at Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, welcome comments about Cabinet this publication – contact the Housing, Environmental W8 7NX. 18 February Royal Borough Editor at Media Health and Adult Social Care 25 March and Communications Team, 15 March Meeting times or dates can Town Hall, Hornton Street, change. Before attending, please

London W8 7NX. Council meetings Planning Applications Public Realm call 020 7361 2265 or visit 23 February www.rbkc.gov.uk/howwegovern If you, or someone you know, 9 and 23 March 8 March would like this newspaper on to confirm the meeting date, place and time. tape, in Braille or in another Audit language, call 020 7361 2826 Major Planning 24 March or write to the Media and Development Committee The web page above also has Homeless but certainly Communications Team 22 February information about the Council’s not talentless (see above). Family and Children’s Services decision-making process and 16 March See page 9

Overview and Scrutiny Committees 10 March allows key decisions to be tracked. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 3 News Unveiling a new future New homes, traditional streets, shops and new jobs are all included in a master plan for the complete redevelopment of the Wornington Green estate in North Kensington.

A planning application from proposing to relocate the Venture that the new community centre Kensington Housing Trust (KHT) Centre to the northern end of and lock-ups are provided before is likely to be considered by Portobello Road. the old ones are demolished. Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Major Planning Development To make sure that these key local Cllr Daniel Moylan, Deputy Leader Committee in spring 2010. Its key assets are protected and ensure of the Royal Borough of Kensington features include: that redevelopment delivers real and Chelsea and Cabinet Member improvements for residents, the for Planning Policy, said: • 538 high quality affordable homes Council, consulted local people on to replace those demolished a planning brief that set out the “I want to reassure the Wornington essential ingredients that KHT’s Green community that the Council • an extra 30 shared ownership application needed to get planning has always been clear about what homes permission. would be acceptable and therefore • more than 300 new homes for sale any application submitted must As well as a traditional street contain guarantees about the • ten per cent of dwellings having pattern and a mixed community Venture Centre and the amount of wheelchair access the brief set out to safeguard public green space. • a return to a traditional street Athlone Gardens and the Venture pattern, with front doors and Centre by insisting on: “The Council’s new local entrances facing the street development framework sets out, • the return of a park at least the amongst other things, a desire to • approximately 20 new retail units same size as the existing Athlone even out opportunities for the north in Portobello Road generating up Gardens once work is complete and south of the borough, and vastly Black Sun shines to 200 new jobs. improved housing and community • much improved park facilities of facilities at Wornington Green would One of the premier sites for contemporary sculpture in London In 2008 the Council accepted in a kind that will reflect what users go a long way to addressing this. became home to a new installation when Douglas White’s Black principle that comprehensive say they want Sun was unveiled in the Napoleon Garden, Holland Park, just redevelopment was the best way before Christmas. to tackle overcrowding on the • the replacement of the Venture The Council’s planning brief estate and bring high quality Centre with a new centre that is is online at www.rbkc.gov. Kensington and Chelsea Council has been encouraging new artists improvements to local residents. at least as large as the current uk/worningtongreen. Hard to display their work in the Napoleon Garden for more than a facility copies of the documents decade and this latest piece of art is one of a series of works by The Council has also reassured are also available for Douglas White that explore opposites. local people that the facilities • new lock-ups on Munro Mews that inspection at the Planning provided by Athlone Gardens and will be designed in consultation Information Desk, Town Hall Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: the Venture Centre will be with the market traders who use and at all local libraries in “Black Sun is a haunting new work which is particularly evocative safeguarded in the longer term them. the Royal Borough. For against the skyline of a wintry day in Holland Park. even though they will be affected further information, contact by the redevelopment. If the plans go ahead, the Council the Planning Line on “The Council is committed to encouraging creative art across the will insist that an area of public 020 7361 3012 or email borough and I am sure that this work by Douglas White will attract The full area of the park will be re- space at least half the size of [email protected] many visitors to Holland Park, as well as introducing his work to provided at the end of the Athlone Gardens will be available or [email protected]. regular park users.” development, while KHT is while building work goes on and

• its investment in parks and open spaces, which saw 12 LEADING THE WAY IN SERVICE DELIVERY new small playground sites opened in 2009, as well as a Public services in the Royal and rescue services to meet the The report outlined how Ofsted also declining, thanks to the new adventure playground at Borough are rated so highly needs of residents. has judged the Council’s children’s Council’s introduction of a Wormwood Scrubs. that they are among the top services to be performing “excellently” borough-wide alcohol control six in London and the top 14 As part of the overall assessment, and in the top ten in the country. zone. The Council has also paid Cllr Merrick Cockell, Leader of nationally, according to an the Audit Commission also looked for 76 Police Community Safety the Council, said: “This is an independent watchdog. at the Council’s performance in The Royal Borough’s outstanding Officers to patrol the streets each outstanding result and is isolation and gave the Council four primary and secondary results day and is committed to doing so testament to the hard work of The comprehensive area out of four, concluding that “overall, were also commended; the for the next five years. our Councillors and staff who assessment (CAA), the Audit the Royal Borough of Kensington proportion of young people work tirelessly to deliver better Commission’s new system of and Chelsea performs excellently”. achieving five or more higher grade The report also praised the services and quality of life for providing an annual snapshot GCSEs was well above the Council’s achievements in key those living and working in the of an area’s quality of life, has Areas of concern and major national average and exam results areas including: Royal Borough. said the Council performs achievements are highlighted using for pupils from minority ethnic “excellently”. a series of red and green flags. backgrounds and those on free • its high standard of refuse “However, I want to assure Significantly, Kensington and school meals were also identified collection, street cleaning and residents that we are not Unlike the previous assessment, Chelsea received no red flags but as being well above the national recycling services complacent and even in the the comprehensive performance was awarded two green flags for average. face of these challenging assessment (CPA), the new improving educational results and • its commitment to helping economic times we will CAA examines how well reducing crime. The borough was Levels of crime are falling and the vulnerable residents remain continue to work hard to councils work with health one of only nine areas to receive borough remains one of the safest independent and the wide range deliver real improvements for bodies, police forces and fire two green flags. in London. Antisocial behaviour is of home care choices available them.” 4 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 News We’re keeping costs down Council tax for residents of Kensington and Chelsea has been frozen for the coming year and will be the fourth lowest in England for the fifth year running.

The Council’s Cabinet has backed The Council wanted to keep “We are firmly on our residents’ side plans – revealed in the last edition council tax low to help residents and I want to reassure them that of Royal Borough – to keep the during these challenging economic these savings will be achieved 2010-11 council tax at the same conditions and has found ways of without damaging frontline services.” level as last year. saving £9.5 million in the coming financial year. The decision, made possible partly by freezing the pay of 800 senior Cllr Merrick Cockell, Leader of the staff and the allowances of its 54 Council, said: “By freezing this Councillors, means that council tax year’s council tax we can help in the Royal Borough will be about residents keep their household six per cent lower in real terms in bills down during these tough 2010-11 than it was five years ago. economic times.

in October 2008 because Royal Going it alone pays off Borough child protection and IT TAKING THE BATON experts concluded that the detailed A child protection system Not only was the initiative hailed by government specification that local Councillors struck a chord with Holland Park ticket scheme for developed by the Royal Borough the judges at the award ceremony authorities had to meet to qualify for members of a string quartet young people. of Kensington and Chelsea has last week as “breaking the mould”, it grant aid was just too elaborate. when they jumped at the scooped a prestigious national has also drawn praise from hundreds chance to conduct them. For 2010, as well as giving e-government award. of social work staff, including many The Council’s own system picked up away 1,200 free tickets to who have used other systems while the e-government excellence award Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown and young people, the Council The Council turned its back on a working in other boroughs. for leadership and professionalism, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea has decided to give away £147,000 Government grant so held at the Guildhall in London and Cllr Timothy Coleridge made nearly 500 tickets for elderly that it could develop the IT system, The controversial decision to turn addressed via video link by Prime the most of the opportunity to people that were subsidised in known as KCics, independently. down government cash was taken Minister Gordon Brown. conduct members of Opera previous years. There are also Holland Park’s resident orchestra, around 1,000 tickets on offer at “We are very proud of this IT the City of London Sinfonia. just £10. award, our system, and our officers who worked so hard to produce it,” They were joined at the event, Tickets are available from said Cllr Shireen Ritchie, Cabinet part of the Inspire project, by Monday 29 March from the box Member for Family and Children’s other Councillors and guests office. Call the box office on Services. who were helped along by 0845 230 9769 after 29 March conductor Matthew Willis. or visit www.inspire.opera “Refusing a large government grant holland park.com is a difficult and controversial thing to Guests were also treated to a do, but we believe the specification performance of Parpignol from for this critical recording system La Bohème sung by children was over engineered. It was wrong from W11 Opera and The for the Royal Borough and wrong Cardinal Vaughan School. for our children in need.” The event encouraged local people to experience the magic of opera and classical music Fighting plans to bypass democracy and also featured a film that highlighted the free Opera Attempts by Thames Water Chelsea Council is alarmed at proposal must be challenged, and the Department for plans to bypass the planning because if Londoners are Environment, Food and Rural committees of London councils by expected to pay for the Affairs (DEFRA) to bypass referring it to the IPC. scheme then the planning Fraudsters end up in court elected Councillors in an decisions should be made by attempt to get planning The tunnel was not something the London authorities. Two residents of Kensington and if she breaches the Orders she will permission for a 20-mile ‘super IPC would normally have dealt with Chelsea were found guilty of have to return to court and may sewer’ will be fought, the Royal because it is not covered by the “We fear this heralds the being benefit cheats at West face a custodial sentence. Borough of Kensington and normal thresholds set out in the beginning of “IPC creep” where London Magistrates’ Court at the Chelsea has warned. Planning Act 2008 for wastewater the Government and statutory beginning of December 2009. Another fraudster, Josephine infrastructure, but special powers bodies will seek to dismiss Anyamah, of Nottingwood House, The warning follows an are now being used to bring the inconvenient democratic bodies Angelina Santos, of Elsham Road, Clarendon Road, W11, also announcement by DEFRA that tunnel within its scope. and instead have their proposals W14, fraudulently obtained more pleaded guilty to withholding the Infrastructure Planning dealt with by the IPC.” than £12,000 in Housing and details of her true salary, which Commission (IPC), a body set up Cllr Daniel Moylan, Deputy Leader Council Tax Benefit by failing to meant she was overpaid more to handle nationally-significant and Cabinet Member for Planning, Construction of the tunnel is declare that she was in paid than £4,000 in benefits. infrastructure projects, will said it was “outrageous that DEFRA, provisionally scheduled to start employment. consider the Thames Tunnel Thames Water and the Government in 2012 and finish in 2020. Mrs Anyamah, who has been planning application. are attempting to bypass and After pleading guilty she was given repaying the debt to the Council overrule the planning powers of Residents can protest at the IPC’s a 12-month Community Order and at a rate of £100 a month, The tunnel will capture storm local authorities.” role by writing to the Secretary a 12-month Supervision Order. pleaded guilty and was granted sewage from along the River of State, Hilary Benn, and copying She was also ordered to attend ten a conditional discharge as long Thames, and Kensington and He added: “We believe that this the letter to their MP. days of education, training and as she continues to repay the employment and was warned that money. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 5 News

Thinking about future services The new NHS Kensington and Chelsea Psychological Health Centre provides vital services to residents following its opening by the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Terence Buxton, just before Christmas. New centre opens The Psychological Health Centre in Gertrude Street SW10 is one of two new multi-disciplinary centres funded by NHS Kensington and Chelsea in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. There are superb new facilities for the borough’s children and families at the St Quintin site which opens this month. RESULT The Council has provided two new school holidays. Activities include centres at the site in North swimming, sports, a computer New testing procedures that allow Kensington, with state-of-the-art club, Brazilian martial arts and officers to highlight problem amenities and support for disabled sessions in which parents stay areas have made a difference to children and young people aged while their children play. the amount of cocaine use from 0 to 18 years old. It also detected in licensed premises in houses a children’s centre for St Quintin has three full-time and Kensington and Chelsea. children under the age of five. 21 session workers who have completed an extensive training In early 2009, 137 of the 191 The St Quintin Centre for Disabled programme. Parents can refer their licensed premises tested by Children and Young People is children for most activities but some Council officers were found to purpose-built to cater for all children groups will be reached as part of a have traces of cocaine. Later in the with disabilities and includes a brand care package through the Council’s year tests showed that many of new sensory room. Family and Children’s Services. them had tackled the problem, with 89 of those that had originally Open seven days a week An open day every Monday will been positive now cocaine free. throughout the year (apart from allow families and professionals a Bank holidays), the centre offers a closer look at the centre. Call Tracy Testing involves wiping surfaces wide range of activities during the Beard, Centre Manager, on 020 with moist tissues that detect day, after school and during the 8968 2570 for more information. traces that are not visible to the naked eye.

Check out our new way Better testing means licensing officers We’re top of the class The familiar sound of the items they are looking for can work directly with bar, pub and librarians stamping books as and dealing with general club managers to suggest ways of Students in the Royal Borough’s secondary schools are the best they issue them to visitors will queries. preventing drug use. These include in the country when it comes to getting five or more A* to C soon be a thing of the past in making regular check-up visits to GCSEs, according to figures released by the Department for Kensington and Chelsea. Cllr James Husband, Cabinet the toilets, fixing warning signs to Children Schools and Families (DCSF). Member for Education and the walls and smearing petroleum New self-service machines Libraries said: “I am sure library jelly on flat surfaces. And that’s not all. DCSF figures also put the borough fourth nationally being introduced in February users will find the new system for students getting five or more A* to C GCSEs including English will allow residents to borrow easy to use and it will also free More work is being done with the and maths. Looking at the period from 1998 to 2009, Kensington books, DVDs and CDs using up staff time.” bars, pubs and clubs that tested and Chelsea schools also had the highest rate of improvement in new kiosks. The technology will positive for cocaine on the return the country for the number of students achieving five or more A* to be rolled out at Chelsea library, Both the new self-service visit, with some details being passed C GCSEs including English and maths. The borough was tenth in King’s Road, before making its system and the eBooks to the Metropolitan Police. the country for the same measure between 2008 and 2009. way to all libraries in the service, introduced in borough through the year. December 2009 to allow The Council is also promoting well- Cllr James Husband, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “These members to download run bars, pubs and clubs by figures confirm why we are so proud of our schools in Kensington The aim is to free up staff from electronic books and audio encouraging them to enter the and Chelsea. I am particularly pleased to see our students doing some routine duties so that books, are giving customers Best Bar None awards. so well when it comes to getting five or more GCSEs including they can offer visitors more new choices on accessing English and maths.” assistance, helping them find library resources. The 2009 overall winner was the Drayton Arms. 6 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Leader’s Leader

cannot always be measured by a and a more beautiful public realm fine new building or wonderful to name just three – that is what open space. we have done.

LEADER’S I remember that not long after I The Core Strategy points to even took the helm of the Council this larger, more fundamental borough was on a Home Office list challenges. How will we deliver new as one of the places that suffered transport and housing infrastructure most from the presence of ‘crack to give the people of North LEADER houses’ and the associated Kensington better life opportunities? criminal and antisocial behaviour How will we preserve our distinctive This edition of Royal Borough includes a special insert that came went them. shopping streets against the that gives readers an insight into our Core Strategy, homogenising tendencies of the Although some experts felt this twenty-first century? And how will a very important document that will serve to guide was an intractable problem, we set we uphold the quality of residential our planning decisions over the next 20 years. Please out to do something about this life in the borough? With open space such a precious scourge and our innovative use of be assured that this is not a dry catalogue of planning commodity in this most densely the Local Government Act gave us This Council means to press on bureaucracy but rather a record of our vision and populated of boroughs, I am a ‘fast track’ process, viewed as and rise to these challenges so pleased that that Kensington controversial by some, to evict that Kensington and Chelsea ambition for the next two decades. Memorial Park, a park that has tenants and close down these remains one of the best places to seen much investment in recent operations within just 42 days of a live in Britain. From large-scale projects to families stay in the Royal Borough. years, has received the prestigious complaint. We are no longer on rejuvenate parts of North Green Flag in the past two years, the Home Office list, and this is as Kensington to what we can do to Our plans to redevelop Holland joining Holland Park as a recipient much a life-changing event for ensure that our successful Park School are at a very of this national award. All our parks some as attending a brand new Cllr Merrick Cockell shopping and cultural areas keep advanced stage, and here our are being improved, with better school is for others. Leader of the Council their place at the top table of desire is to prevent outdated play and other facilities. www.rbkc.gov.uk/leader London and often the world’s buildings holding back a school We have never believed in change destinations, it is well worth that is performing excellently. At Our past successes have owed for its own sake. The point is that Cllr Cockell has a blog on which he reading. the other end of the age spectrum much to the Council’s sensible when we set our minds to it and comments regularly on a range we opened Ellesmere House, a stewardship of your money. residents back us, we can make of topical issues. Read his views The insert is called Building on high quality residential centre for Because we take the long view, we things better, and in lots of ways – and add your own comments at Success and reflects the fact that the elderly. have not been caught unawares crack cocaine, more school places www.rbkc.gov.uk/comment in Kensington and Chelsea we by these tough economic times, have had some great successes in I recently saw some pictures of which will quite likely worsen the past decade to build on. Kensington High Street before its before they get better. Because amazing transformation and it we have been careful in the past I am particularly pleased that after looked tatty and cluttered in we will be able to use some of our many years of perseverance we comparison to what shoppers financial reserves to cushion the now have the borough’s first new experience today. We have blows we are bound to face and secondary school for 50 years in already taken the lessons we have can continue to be ambitious when the shape of the Chelsea learned on Kensington High Street setting our plans for the borough. www.wedgecard.co.uk Academy. Our ambition to build to other parts of the borough. this school was all about giving South Kensington has been As Leader of the Council I feel an more parents an opportunity to improved recently and Exhibition element of pride when our give their children a local Road will be transformed over the achievements manifest themselves secondary education and help next few years. in bricks and mortar, but success GET REWARDED FOR

More than 400 people packed Christmas in FOCUS Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square for the Mayor’s Charity Christmas SHOPPING LOCALLYMARCH 2010 Carols, raising over £11,000 for the FOCUS K&C charity in the process. WITH WEDGE CARD Guest celebrities included Patricia Routledge, Andrew Neil, Sue Lawley and Edward Stourton, while those attending also enjoyed performances from the West End Gospel Choir, the COMING SOON – WEDGE CARD – Choir of Thomas’s Preparatory School Card is coming to the Royal Borough of and actors from the Intermission and Chelsea. Watch out for little yellow Theatre at St Saviours Church. Wedge

Royal Borough Mayor Cllr Tim Kensington Coleridge said: “I am delighted the Wedges in your streets and get ready for the big service was such a fantastic success. launch on Marchormation 23rd contact: 2010! [email protected] “Every one of the readers and singers gave their time for free, and For more inf afterwards we enjoyed mince pies / 020 7401 3913 / www.wedgecard.co.uk at St. Thomas More School. It was REWARD CARD a great evening and I’d like to FOR LOCAL SHOPS thank everyone for making it such ABOVE | Andrew Neil, Sue Lawley, Patricia Routledge, Shaun Bailey, a special event and raising so Sarah Martin, Mayor Cllr Timothy Coleridge, Ed Stourton, Rev’d Rob much money for FOCUS K&C.” Expires August 31st 2011 Gillion (current Mayor’s Chaplain and Rector of Holy Trinity) and Mayoress Daria Coleridge. www.focuskc.com ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 7 News

TRUE GRIT PAYS OFF BIG FINE IS “WARNING” Greek restaurant owner A Ebeid, Cllr Julie Mills, Cabinet Member for Mr Ebeid and this should serve as The Royal Borough remained open for business despite the of Kleftiko Restaurant, Holland Public Health and Environmental a warning to others who do not heavy falls of snow and sub-zero temperatures that rapidly Park Avenue, was fined £1,750 Health, said the restaurant was in maintain proper hygiene levels in depleted the Council’s well-stocked salt supplies. and ordered to pay costs of “a disgraceful condition”, adding: their food premises.” £4,172.82 after West London “The Council does not tolerate Council and SITA staff worked tirelessly around the clock to grit Magistrates found him guilty of dirty and unhygienic restaurants or the borough’s roads, paths, parks and other key centres. When seven charges of breaching food food premises. The court has fined salt shortages began to bite the Council followed the national safety regulations. instruction and prioritised the main roads to keep London’s buses, ambulances and home meals delivery service moving. Ebeid had entered a plea of not guilty to the charges, which SITA’s crews collected rubbish whenever possible and residents included failing to clean equipment, generally had at least one, if not two, collections. The Council has failing to control a mouse reminded residents, though, that they are responsible for ensuring infestation, not having a food their steps and paths are free of snow and ice. If they are not clear safety management system, failing it may not be possible for Council staff and contractors to carry to keep the premises clean and out their duties. failing to remove unsafe food from the market. After hearing evidence If residents do clear paths or steps, the Council advises them to from the Council, though, the court salt them, as cleared areas may be more dangerous if the thin layer found the case to be proved. left behind freezes over.

Dozens of dedicated Council staff volunteered to help clear snow and ice from priority areas, and while the situation is now back to Parking fraudsters face heavy fines normal, the Council has said it would greatly appreciate it if residents could clear pavements if snow and ice occurs again this winter. Four drivers pleaded guilty to parking badge to park outside her Cllr Thomas Fairhead, Cabinet using disabled parking badges place of work, a doctor’s surgery in Member for Finance, said: “We Cllr Merrick Cockell, Leader of the Council, said: “During the bad fraudulently in Kensington and Sirdar Road. She received a £50 are determined to catch people weather I am pleased to report that our front line services operated Chelsea when they appeared fine for each of the four offences attempting to abuse the with minimal disruption. at West London Magistrates’ and was ordered to pay costs of disabled parking scheme. Court in December 2009. £100 plus £15 victim’s surcharge. Disabled parking badges “The determination of the Council’s meals on wheels staff to deliver provide an essential aid to hundreds of meals to our vulnerable residents despite the atrocious Fraud investigators from The other three offenders also people who genuinely deserve weather is to be applauded. As the cold spell continues I’d like to Kensington and Chelsea Council pleaded guilty. Jadeine Pollock, of them. For able-bodied drivers urge our residents to think about any elderly relatives, neighbours found a number of suspicious Grane Road, SE25 was fined to take away these spaces is or friends and contact the Council if they have any concerns badges during a clampdown in £350, Valbona Kuqi, of Falford a shocking abuse, and regarding their well-being.” November. House, E14 was fined £100 and Ali fraudsters who do this should Sahid Kadhum, of Elsham Road, be aware that we will take Michelle Gallagher, of Wornington W14 was fined £300. All three action against them.” Road, W10, pleaded guilty to were also ordered to pay £150 in fraudulently using a blue disabled costs plus £15 victim’s surcharge.

NEW ACADEMY IS TAKING SHAPE With work proceeding swiftly on the new Chelsea Academy, there were smiles all round at the ‘topping out’ ceremony for the building.

Pictured are (adults left to right): Inigo Woolf, Director of Finance and Resources, London Diocesan Board for Schools, Cllr Merrick Cockell, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, James Wates, Deputy Chairman of Wates Group, Rev’d Rob Gillion, Rector of Holy Trinity, Sloane Square and Area Dean of Chelsea; (children left to right): Genesis Ferreira Diaz, Farhan Rahman, Ali Aswad (Deputy Head Boy), Adrianna Franklin (Assistant Head Girl), Shaheen Ladjouze, Ruby Hilson, Eve Shandilya (Head Girl), Molly Wells (Deputy Head Girl) and Hezhan Kader. 8 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Tackling crime

Helping everyone sleep easier Rough sleepers in and around Notting Hill Gate and close to the Tube station, were helped by members of the Council’s Social Inclusion Team, who worked with the police as part of Not in my Neighbourhood Week.

Council officers and police offered well-known visitors’ spot that Services available to rough sleepers help with finding accommodation tends to attract people who end include help with accommodation and reconnection to native up living on the streets. and drug, alcohol and mental countries through West London health support, as well as help for Reconnect, as well as targeting Cabinet Member for Community those who have limited or no antisocial behaviour. Safety Cllr Warwick Lightfoot access to public funds. commended the work. Begging is an offence in the Royal “Working with people sleeping Borough and there is strong rough achieves many good results. evidence that money given to It helps people who may have slept beggars is often spent on drug and rough for many years, with all the alcohol addictions. consequences that has for their health, and residents report that The Council, in partnership with Notting Hill Gate is a much more the police and voluntary sector pleasant place to live and work organisations, operates an Young people on the Community since the clean up operation. ‘alternative giving’ initiative that Payback scheme were on hand to encourages members of the public help clean up areas that had been “The success of the Royal Borough to think before they give to affected by people sleeping rough. of Kensington and Chelsea, the police beggars and instead donate and voluntary sector organisations money to charities that help Outreach officers encouraged a working together to reduce street- homeless and vulnerable people number of rough sleepers to based antisocial behaviour has been away from street-based lifestyles. attend day centres and use winter also been adopted in other parts of Cutting burglaries night shelters, with their efforts the borough.” reducing the number of rough For further information Fewer homes in Kensington and The Council’s Community sleepers in the area by two thirds. The Council has a zero tolerance please contact the Social Chelsea were burgled during the Safety Team and the police also approach to antisocial behaviour, Inclusion Team on: Christmas period 2009, with launched a Christmas anti- The outreach and clean up work including begging, street drinking 020 7361 3021 police figures showing a 40 per burglary campaign at the will continue as Notting Hill is a and rough sleeping. cent fall in December compared beginning of December to with the same period in 2008. remind residents and the public about the risk of residential The force was responsible for a burglaries over the Christmas Notting Barns drug den is closed number of crime reduction and New Year period. initiatives, focusing on areas in Residents living on the Notting The criminal activity, antisocial a permanent closure order has the borough where burglary has “Don’t make your home a Barns estate in North Kensington behaviour and crime at the been made and Tracie Scott is no been most prolific in the past. Christmas gift for burglars” are breathing a collective sigh of property was having a detrimental longer living there. was the message that was relief after police and the Council affect on people living on the In South Kensington, schemes widely circulated, along with put a stop to drug dealing at Notting Barnes estate, with many Robert Black, Chief Executive of the such as Operation Taraffails saw leaflets featuring crime 10 Matthews Close and ended residents living in fear of Scott and Tenant Management Organisation, police and Safer Neighbourhood prevention advice that were antisocial behaviour that had her associates. commended the joint partnership Teams out and about on the distributed by the Safer blighted the area. working that led to the closure of 10 streets, targeting areas where Neighbourhood teams to areas In November, District Judge Phillips Matthews Close, saying: “This is an burglary has been an issue in where homes have suffered Tracie Scott, who lived at 10 Matthews granted an interim three-month excellent example of a successful the past. The operation proved badly in the past. Close, was visited throughout the closure order after considering multi-agency approach to solving a a great success, with a 70 per day and night by drug dealers, evidence gathered by the police serious antisocial behaviour problem. cent reduction in burglaries The Metropolitan Police is burglars and prostitutes who were and the Council’s Community compared with figures from last targeting burglars and those using the premises to buy, sell and Antisocial Behaviour Action Team. “I am grateful for the support that December and 11 people who are intent on breaking into use drugs, prompting complaints The order allowed only Tracie Scott local residents gave to our officers arrested for other crimes. people’s homes. from neighbours. to be on the premises. Since then to achieve this positive outcome.” READ ALL ABOUT IT BUS STOPS FOR A CHAT There’s practical advice, news Safe will be published every A ‘fun bus’ made a scheduled The Russell Road Consultation organising focus groups. They and information on crime three months to provide an stop in the Holland ward during involved youngsters gathering will present their findings and prevention in the soon-to-be insight into the work that is January to encourage young information for a community profile recommendations to the safer relaunched Safe newsletter. being done by partners. people to talk to local residents of the area by talking to residents neighbourhood team and and recruit members for a focus about what they felt the area partners in February 2010. Kensington and Chelsea’s To receive a paper or electronic group designed to help reduce needed and what could be done to Community Safety Team will copy of Safe contact commsafe antisocial behaviour in the area. help reduce antisocial behaviour. use the new and improved @rbkc. gov.uk crime prevention newsletter The bus was in the area for two The young people developed a to keep people up to date days as part of an innovative number of skills through training with how the Council and consultation project aimed at sessions, designing and delivering police are tackling crime and young people aged from 11 to questionnaires, communicating antisocial behaviour in the 21 living in Russell Road and with local residents, compiling a Royal Borough. surrounding areas. community profile of the area and ROYAL BOROUGH SUPPLEMENT

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Core Strategy BUILDING ON SUCCESS

INTRODUCTION “This is why the Core certain emphasis on what “If we are to build on our development in the borough, Strategy, through which we can be done in the years historic successes in coupled with the highly “Kensington and Chelsea will shape the evolution of ahead to reduce the Kensington and Chelsea there desirable living environment, is often said, quite rightly the borough in the next 20 disparity of prospects are three things we must do could, without check, lead to in my view, to be one of years, is such an important between those who live in well in the coming years. the slow homogenisation of the most desirable places document. It will act as our the north and south of the the borough. to live in the world. blueprint to guide planning borough. It will therefore “Firstly we have to uphold While this distinction is decisions until 2028, and has come as no surprise that the quality of the borough’s “We must keep in mind that welcome, it brings its real implications for the many, but by no means all, residential life. Secondly we our small shops, restaurants, own challenges. future of the borough. of the larger scale projects have to enhance the galleries and community lie in the north. reputation of the borough’s facilities give vitality to our “People want to live in “There are great contrasts in many national and residential areas; if they are successful areas and this Kensington and Chelsea, “But there are challenges of a international destinations lost to the demands of creates a pressure for particularly between the different type in the more and thirdly we must work to residential development residential redevelopment. north and the rest of the affluent parts of the stimulate the regeneration then we will lose the local We must be sensitive to the borough. Some of these can borough. How do we ensure of North Kensington. ingredients that make the need to preserve those be traced back to the in changing times that borough such a wonderful things that have made the nineteenth century. places like Knightsbridge, “To do this we have to make place to live.” borough attractive in the Portobello, King’s Road and sure that our planning first place while recognising “While our Core Strategy is very many more keep their policies over the next 20 Cllr Daniel Moylan that our borough will very consciously a plan for position as places that years allow us to keep the Deputy Leader of the Royal continue to be sought after the whole of Kensington and people want to visit, shop in right balance. The price of Borough of Kensington and for residential development. Chelsea, it does place a or live in? land for residential Chelsea FOCUS: Our challenges in the next 20 years: Wornington Green > To ensure that the great demand for residential development in the borough does not lead to a The Council has received reduction in shops, offices, community and social a planning application facilities from Kensington Housing > To make it easier to travel about the borough Trust (KHT) for the without the need for a private car and to make it complete redevelopment easier to get to central London from the north of of the Wornington Green the borough estate in North Kensington (for full details see page > To protect the borough’s priceless historic buildings three of this edition of and precious streetscapes and parks, and make sure Royal Borough). new buildings will be valued by future generations

> To provide housing at a range of prices, to buy and The Council accepts that to rent, while accepting that we can never meet all the Wornington Green of the demand for housing in the borough estate needs to be redeveloped if its 538 > To reduce the environmental footprint of the borough homes are to be brought FOCUS: FOCUS: > To reduce the disparity between the north and up to the Government’s New secondary Trellick Tower south of the borough by increasing opportunities in ‘decent homes’ standard. school North Kensington. It wants to see a dramatic Trellick Tower is a Grade II* improvement for residents The Council has decided listed building and is one of of the estate and it wants to build a new secondary the borough’s iconic THE VISION the soon-to-be redeveloped to see the community school, an academy, on landmarks but is in need of FOR NORTH Holland Park School. kept together. the site of the North costly restoration. Kensington Sports Centre. KENSINGTON Significant new housing, To ensure this happens, The school will take 180 shops and more jobs could the Council developed a pupils in each year group. A Crossrail Station would be attracted to North planning brief in transform access from North Kensington. A planning consultation with local When full the school will Kensington to central application has been people which sets out the educate 900 pupils and London, opening up a host received to redevelop essential ingredients that will also have a sixth form of opportunities at present Wornington Green, while KHT’s application must entry of 250. The school denied to residents. This plans for Latimer are at a contain in order to win will be at the heart of its would have a regeneration much earlier stage. planning permission. community and help meet energy that would have demand for good school effects far beyond the The iconic Trellick Tower Further information on places. Although on the immediate area where the will also be restored. the planning brief for site of the North station would be, at Wornington Green can be Kensington Sports Kensal Gasworks. By improving pedestrian found at www.rbkc.gov.uk/ Centre, which will be links between Portobello worningtongreen retained, the school will There will be a new school, Road, Westbourne Grove, have its own sports an academy, on the North All Saints Road and Golborne > Aerial shot of the Kensal facilities and landscaping. Kensington Sports Centre Road, the area as a whole Gasworks site. It is hoped that by 2028 site. The sports centre will will be strengthened while © Copyright Blom Pictometry, 2007 Golborne and Trellick will also be retained, with full the very different qualities have maintained a strong community access at all of these individual areas mixed community and hours. This will be the will be maintained. Trellick Tower will remain second new secondary the iconic sign of the area. school in the borough, adding to the successes of Chelsea Academy and NATIONAL AND The one-way system Wider pavements and station including step-free INTERNATIONAL around South Kensington simplified pedestrian access and improvements DESTINATIONS – Station has been crossings will create a much to the pedestrian tunnel. unravelled, marking the safer and more enjoyable KEEPING ON TOP first step in an ambitious environment for residents, FOCUS: project to transform the workers and visitors alike. Exhibition Road Kensington and Chelsea is Exhibition Road area – the home to internationally- capital’s most important The Council would like to The redesign of Exhibition famous areas. From Notting cultural destination. see South Kensington Road will unite the area’s Hill to Knightsbridge the Tube station modernised world-leading museums, borough is studded with Kerbs and traffic islands that to cope with the high educational institutions and places that people want to were no longer required numbers of visitors who arts venues and will provide live in or visit in order to have been removed and the use it daily. A a safer and pedestrian- shop, eat or take in the new system frees traffic flow sympathetically-designed friendly environment for cultural experience found in to ease congestion and development of the everyone to enjoy. FOCUS: a major world city. provide much better driving station could be Commonwealth conditions for motorists. introduced at and over the Working with the Institute and How can we best ensure museums, local residents Kensington High Street that these places keep their and commercial landowners, place at the top table of the Council is building on Although small, the site of London and the world’s Exhibition Road’s cultural the former Commonwealth residential, retail and heritage. We are actively Institute can play a very large cultural destinations? seeking to retain the area’s part in ensuring the vitality of unique character, which Kensington High Street, which FOCUS: mixes museums and other is facing pressure from the new South Kensington cultural institutions with Westfield shopping centre. independent retailers at the South Kensington will southern end of the road Planning permission has remain the main cultural and wonderful residential been granted (subject to a attraction of the borough. premises throughout. Section 106 agreement) for Our plans to redesign the site to be redeveloped to Exhibition Road, which To find out more about the include a new home for the attracts more than 11 Exhibition Road project Design Museum, which will million visitors a year, are visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/ attract extra visitors to well advanced. > Artist’s impression of Exhibition Road, north of Cromwell Road exhibitionroad Kensington High Street.

New school for opportunity to permanently borough and the Council’s zones (areas that have assessment for all major Warwick Road bridge the divide with aim is that they will be historically been the development in the Hammersmith and Fulham stimulated by the Core location for light industry borough. This will set out The Core Strategy caused by the West London Strategy policy of allowing and office space and where the potential impact of highlights significant Line and provide new high ‘micro’ offices anywhere in the Council restricts the development on local change in and around quality homes and jobs. the borough. residential development air quality. the Earl’s Court area. to allow relatively-cheap Warwick Road will A cultural facility that land to be used for Flooding – the Council undergo a major maintains the reputation of employment purposes) will will require transformation which Earl’s Court as a destination be retained to ensure developments to adapt to has the potential to of national, if not relatively inexpensive floor flooding from the river result in 1,600 new international, reputation space is available to and mitigate the effects homes in the area, will also be required. encourage enterprise. of surface water and together with associated sewer flooding. community facilities Walking your Affordable housing including a new primary neighbourhood Carbon – the Council will school, cafes and The Council wants to bring in much stricter restaurants, a health and The Council wants people encourage more affordable requirements on energy fitness centre, affordable to be able to meet their housing in the borough and efficiency for housing and new public daily needs within their is proposing a relatively low developments in the open space. neighbourhood. The best threshold of 800m2 at which borough. way of achieving this is by The borough has a higher developers will be required providing day-to-day than usual number of jobs in to provide affordable housing facilities like shops, GP very small businesses. Once based on square footage surgeries and primary the need for office space gets rather than the number of schools within walking too big – about 300 square units. This is designed distance of homes. feet – we must consider the to lead to more potential impact on affordable housing Small businesses in residential areas and try to than in the past. the heart of our locate them in our more The redevelopment of the community commercial areas. Respecting our Earl’s Court Exhibition environment Centre itself – due to Small businesses and the The affordability of office close after the Olympics creative industries must be space is also an issue; the Air quality – the Council in 2012 – presents an allowed to flourish in the borough’s employment will require an air quality FOCUS: King’s Road

The King’s Road has its own Breathing new life into Kensal unique place in London’s retail history. The Council The Council is putting A Crossrail station at Kensal The Kensal regeneration Cllr Merrick Cockell, wants to ensure that the its full weight behind would provide the greatest area consists of the Kensal Leader of Kensington and 2028 King’s Road is not proposals for a new regeneration opportunity the Gasworks, a vacant site Chelsea Council, said: merely another ‘successful’ Crossrail station in area has seen for decades, previously connected to “Nothing can drive high street but retains its the north of the and its impact would also be the gasworks, owned by forward the regeneration place as one of London’s borough that could felt in south Brent and north developers the Ballymore of this part of north most iconic and vibrant create thousands of Westminster as well as Group, the Sainsbury’s Kensington better than shopping streets new homes and jobs helping to secure the future store and the former the inclusion of a containing a lively mix of in a deprived area. of Portobello Road. Eurostar depot. Crossrail station. shops, restaurants and cultural attractions. Crossrail will connect “Not only would our central London, Canary proposals bring new One way the Council can Wharf, the West End and homes and generate new make sure this happens is Heathrow Airport to jobs but the station to require both small and areas east and west of itself would bring the ‘affordable’ shop units to the capital. whole of the capital be provided through the within easy reach of our use of Section 106 Crossrail requires a residents, who are planning agreements. ‘turnback’ site in west currently poorly served London to accommodate by bus and train. trains that will make shorter journeys across “We firmly believe that central London, just as the Kensal site is the far west as Paddington. right choice for the The ‘turnback’ facility people of Golborne, for will allow trains to Passengers using the new Under the Council’s Crossrail, and for change tracks and make station in Kensal would regeneration proposals, the London.” the return journey. arrive in the West End in 10 existing Sainsbury’s would minutes and Canary Wharf be replaced by a new state- At 67 acres, the Kensal There are two possible in fewer than 20, unlocking of-the-art store that Green site at is the locations, but only the massive benefits for the customers could access more largest regeneration area 67-acre site in Kensal, area’s residents who are easily and that would also be that could site a Crossrail North Kensington, offers currently poorly served by supported by a range of station. In contrast, the regeneration benefits to public transport. other retail, social and Paddington Basin the surrounding area. community facilities. regeneration area is 40 The alternative site in Trains will run approximately acres and the King’s FOCUS: Paddington would not every five minutes. The potential Crossrail site Cross regeneration area Knightsbridge even provide a new lies in Golborne ward, is 45 acres. station, just a turnback The Kensal site, one of the recognised by the Knightsbridge enjoys an facility; the only people last major regeneration sites Government as amongst international reputation as to get on and off the in central London, is capable the most deprived wards in > Cllr Merrick Cockell, an exclusive shopping area train would be the of accommodating more the country. Kensington Leader of Kensington and and the Council is train crew. than 2,500 new homes, plus and Chelsea Council has Chelsea Council, shows determined to play its part new shops and community already asked Mayor of Mayor of London Boris in maintaining its exclusive facilities, but its wide-scale London Boris Johnson to Johnson how Crossrail status. By 2028 we want regeneration depends on the give the site official would help to regenerate Knightsbridge to continue new transport links offered opportunity area status. a deprived part of the to be the borough’s by Crossrail. Royal Borough. national and international shopping destination and home to some of the most exclusive shopping in London. We also want it to remain an important residential area.

To read the full Core Strategy please go to http://ldf-consult. rbkc.gov.uk/portal Copies are also available for inspection at the planning information desk in the Customer Service Centre in Kensington Town Hall. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 9 Royal Borough people A new direction Royal Borough’s regular look at the So volunteering has given you Councillor Question Time voluntary sector in Kensington and a lot? Chelsea focuses on the Blenheim CDP, Portobello Road Project by Absolutely. There were times when asking Lorraine about the work I wondered where my life was going she does and what becoming a but becoming part of Blenheim volunteer has meant to her. CDP means so much to me. I’m Cllr James Husband now part of a busy team where I Abingdon Ward What is Blenheim CDP? know I’m also making a difference Q&A in other people’s lives. I’m studying Blenheim Community Drugs Project for academic qualifications that I (CDP) provides a range of drug didn’t get when I was at school This edition of Royal Borough puts the Cabinet Member for Education and treatment services around London. and I’m really looking forward to Libraries in the hot seat. I work at their Portobello Road being a part of the new project. Project, a drop-in centre for people When did you first consider head office submitted a licensing like baked alaska without them with drug problems that has been How would you sum that all up? becoming a Councillor? application referring to ‘adult going disastrously wrong but running for about 40 years. Around 2000/2001. entertainment’. It was a mistake I’m no patisserie chef. I know a Working here has given me ambition on their part, but needless to say bit about English furniture and The centre offers advice and support and confidence – I now need to Did you need a lot of the pub’s neighbours noticed and if I go to an antiques fair I can to people struggling with substance get more experience and maybe convincing? weren’t impressed! instantly spot pieces that I can’t misuse. There’s a lot going on here, I can run the courses that I’m Not really; I’d always been afford. What are the main concerns including harm reduction, legal recommending with Start Well. interested in standing and put raised at your surgeries? advice, a needle exchange, alternative myself forward as soon as A favourite book? therapies, onward referrals to detox work allowed. Planning applications raise the Scoop by Evelyn Waugh. Still treatment, day and residential most concerns, particularly large- funny 70 years on. programmes, counselling, our How did you feel when you scale extensions that include Volunteer Programme and the were elected? massive subterranean excavations. A favourite film? Education, Training and Employment Excited and then baffled. Not unreasonably, many long- Kind Hearts and Coronets. It’s Programme for clients who have been standing residents ask why the a wonderful script, including through treatment. It’s basically a non- What is the most rewarding applicants don’t just buy a larger the splendid line “I shot an judgmental place for people who are part of being a Councillor? property. arrow in the air. She fell to earth struggling with substance misuse. I’m a traditionalist in these in Berkeley Square” amongst To find more about Community How many hours a week, on matters; it’s about serving and many others. And what do you do there? Services at the Portobello Road representing your neighbours average, do you spend on Council work? Project contact Brendan McGrath on and fellow residents. A favourite song or piece I’ve been here for about six months [email protected] It varies enormously, ranging from of music? and work in the Volunteer Programme, And the least…? seeming like a full time job to taking Teenage Kicks by the answering the phones, taking For more information on the Some meetings can be a bit long. an hour or so a day. messages and generally helping to Volunteer Programme or the Undertones. A reminder of the make sure that everything runs Education, Training and Employment What are your ambitions in What one thing are you most late 1970s – a great time to be smoothly. I’m about to start working on Programme contact Laraine Start, the political sphere? proud of doing as a Councillor? a teenager. a new project called Start Well. It’s Learning and Development Manager, I’m happy being a Kensington I’ve been involved in the Council’s A recommended place to eat? for people recovering from addiction on 020 8960 5599 or email l.start and Chelsea Councillor. I’ve role as an education authority for who have become isolated and @blenheimcdp.org.uk never tried to become a nearly seven years. It’s a huge Chez Patrick in Stratford Road, vulnerable. The scheme helps them parliamentary candidate. team effort but I’m proud of playing off Marloes Road, always has gain confidence and the new skills a part in our success. I was at the excellent fish on the menu. needed to look for a job. Being an Step up What is the funniest thing ‘topping out’ ceremony for the new addict can affect you in many ways, that has happened to you Chelsea Academy a few weeks If you could take a holiday so people can have different struggles. Residents of St Charles ward as a Councillor? ago which was a great occasion anywhere in the world, I’ll be helping clients to choose what are being asked to join an Sometimes licensing and and the culmination of many, many where would you go? sessions are best for them. event at London Lighthouse, planning applicants don’t years’ work. Anse Intendance Mahe. 111-117 Lancaster Road, appreciate that Royal Borough W11 1QT, on Thursday 25 So how did you become a residents and councillors Do you have any hobbies? February at 6.30pm, where volunteer? actually read their applications. I enjoy cooking and can manage to www.rbkc.gov.uk they will be encouraged to A few years ago a local pub’s make sauces, soufflés and dishes ‘Step up’ and make a real I applied for the position after hearing difference to their about it while being involved in neighbourhood. another drug-related project. I’ve lived in Portobello all my life, so I know It will be a chance to meet the people and I know the area. I organisations working to make STREET TALENT ON SHOW am also a recovering addict, so I can life better for everyone in St relate to what the people we see are Charles ward and find out An exhibition of work by local artists who are, or were, homeless going though. I have been clean for how easy it is to volunteer. graced the walls of the Chelsea Gallery at Chelsea Old Town Hall six years now but have struggled with More details from Cllr Dominic in January. confidence. Becoming a volunteer Johnson on 020 7499 1815. has changed how I see myself. The exhibition by three local artists, who call themselves A Brush from the Streets, included more than 40 paintings of subjects that ranged from landscapes to musical instruments. Find out more about becoming part of your local community by picking up a copy of Cllr James Husband, Cabinet Member for Libraries, said: “I am pleased It Takes All of Us – the guide to getting that these artists, who have experienced homelessness in the borough, involved. Download the booklet have been able to find a home for their work at the Chelsea Gallery.” from www.rbkc.gov.uk/allofus or request a copy by emailing Chelsea Gallery is run by the Chelsea Library and regularly features [email protected] work by professional and amateur artists. 10 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Our environment

Keep labels out of landfill For the record... Donating unwanted clothes to a textiles by using one of the 31 tonnes of clothes and textiles CDs and DVDs are not Post CDs and DVDs (and charity shop gives someone else textile banks in Kensington and through the borough’s on-street accepted for recycling in jewel cases) in an envelope to a chance to get some use out Chelsea, many of them at mini- clothes banks and a further eight orange recycling bags or Polymer Recycling Ltd, of them – and in the current recycling centres. tonnes of shoes via the shoe banks. mixed recycling banks but can Peninsula Business Park, economic climate it could be a be recycled in one of two other Reeds Lane, Moreton, Wirral great help to someone who is Some of the textile banks will also The Recycling Team would like to ways. Residents can either: CH46 1DW. You will need to struggling to pay the bills. accept shoes for recycling, but thank everyone who recycles their pay for the postage. residents should check the unwanted clothes and textiles Take them to the Reuse and Making space in your wardrobe in information on the front of the bank for the positive contribution they Recycling Centre at Smuggler’s To find out more about how CDs this way also keeps your unwanted first. are making to the environment and Way, Wandsworth, SW18 1EG, and DVDs are recycled visit clothes out of landfill and makes the help they give those who where there is a special bank www.polymerrecycling.co.uk better use of the resources and Old clothes and textiles should never use charity shops to ease their for collecting compact discs. energy used to make them in the be placed into orange recycling bags financial burden. first place. or mixed recycling banks as the reprocessing plant cannot accept To find out more about textile Residents who don’t have a charity these materials for recycling. recycling or recycling in general shop near to them can still recycle see www.rbkc.gov.uk or telephone AUTUMN LEAF FALL their old clothes and unwanted In 2008-09, residents donated 126 Streetline on 020 7361 3001. The Sita street cleansing teams were out sweeping leaves from the Royal Borough’s streets and parks this autumn for composting. In only a matter of weeks the team collected Fir exchange 539 tonnes, an increase of 108 tonnes on the 431 tonnes Sixteen drop off locations for post-Christmas trees helped take collected in 2008. Leaves are the Royal Borough’s tree composting total to 58.2 tonnes. The sent to Rainham in Essex, usual collection service also ran as normal, and the combined where they are composted total was praised as a tribute to the environmental credentials and turned into a high-grade of the people of Kensington and Chelsea. organic soil conditioner.

In 2009 the Council collected 53 tonnes of Christmas trees and in 2008 the figure was 52 tonnes.

Christmas tree recycling at St Luke’s: Recycling sites like this one quickly filled up as residents responded to the call to recycle their trees rather than dumping them in landfill. It made Christmas 2009 a record for tree recycling. Health and safetysafeety and ffoodood hyghygieneiene trainingtraining for cocommunitymmunity organisatioorganisations,ns, residentsresidents anandd bubusinessesusinesses ;OL*V\UJPSVMMLYZ]VJH[PVUHSX\HSPÄJH[PVUJV\YZLZ;OL*V\UJPS *V UJPSVM MMMLYZMLYZ]VJ VJJH[PVUHSX \HSPÄJH[PVU JV \YZL LZ ANOTHER BRIGHT IDEA PPUOLHS[OHUKZHML[`HUKPUMVVKZHML[`0[HSZVY\UZUOLHS[OHUKZHML[`HUUKPUMVVKZHML[`0[HSZVY\UZ Here a bright idea – recycle your old light bulbs rather than sending THU`V[THU`V[OLYZOVY[JV\YZLZPUJS\KPUNWLZ[THUHNLTLU[OLYZOVY[JV\YZLZPUJS\KPUNWLZ[THUHNLLTLU[ them to landfill. HH^HYLULZZHUKMVVKZHML[`H[^VYRHUKPU[OLOVTL^HYLULZZHUKMVVKZHML[`H[^VYRHUKPU[OLOVTL The glass and metal in used light bulbs can be extracted and reused, -VYPUKLWLUKLU[VYZ-VYPUKLWLUKLU[VYZTHSSMVVKI\ZPULZZLZPU[OLTHSSMVVKI\ZPULZZLZPU[OL so please either: IIVYV\NO[OLYLPZUV^HMVVKZHML[`JVHJOPUNZLY]PJLVYV\NO[OLYLPZUV^HMVVKZHML[`JVHJOPUNZLY]PJL ZWLJZWLJPÄJHSS`MVYV^ULYZHUKTHUHNLYZ;OPZ[YHPUPUNJHUPÄJHSS`MVYV^ULYZHUKTHUHNLYZ;OPZ[YHPUPUUNJHU • Take them to the Reuse and Recycling Centre in Smuggler’s Way and put them in the special bank OLSW[VYHPZL`V\YI\ZOLSW[VYHPZL`V\YI\ZPULZZ»ZO`NPLULYH[PUNJVTTVUS`PULZZ»ZO`NPLULYH[PUNJVTTVUS` RUV^UHZ¸RUV^UHZ¸:JVYLZVU[OL+VVYZ¹:JVYLZVU[OL+VVYZ¹ • Take lightbulbs to any Ryness store, where they will be accepted for recycling. Find your nearest Ryness store ;;Y;YHPUPUN[HRLZWSHJLPU[OL*V\UJPS»ZWYLTPZLZULHY,HYS»ZYHPUPUN[HRLZ WSHJL PU [OL *V\UJPS»Z WYLTPZLZ ULHY ,HYS»Z at www.ryness.co.uk **V\Y[VYJHUILHYYHUNLKH[J\Z[VTLYZ»WYLTPZLZV\Y[VY JHU IL HYYHUNLK H[ J\Z[VTLYZ» WYLTPZLZ Do not put light bulbs into orange recycling bags or FForor furtherfurther detailsdetails aandnd iinformationnformation mixed recycling banks as the reprocessing plant in Kent oonn aallll ourour courses:cour ses : currently cannot recycle them. ^^^^^^YIRJNV]\RW\ISPJOLHS[O[YHPUPUNYIRJNV]\RW\ISPJOLHS[O[YHPUPUN Light bulbs for recycling should always be intact, not  smashed. Broken light bulbs should be carefully wrapped in W\ISPJOLHS[O[YHPUPUN'YIRJNV]W\ISPJOLHS[O[YHPUPUN''YIRJNV]\\RR newspaper and disposed of in the normal rubbish bin. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 11 Health Manage your diabetes like an Xpert A new service launched by NHS Kensington and Chelsea is helping people with diabetes by making them better informed about their condition and new treatments and encouraging them to share ideas and experiences with others.

Although type 2 diabetes can be X-PERT is led by a diabetes specialist preventable in many cases, it is dietitian or nurse who coordinates estimated that 85 per cent of the learning sessions that provide 2.6 million people in the UK with advice and a relaxed environment diabetes self-management. This diabetes have this form of the for open communication. The can ultimately help protect them disease. course runs for between two and against long-term complications three hours a week for six weeks. such as damage to the eyes, Although there is no cure for type 2 kidneys, nerves, heart and other ABOVE | Angela O’Connor from Portobello Gym encourages carers diabetes, a healthy diet and regular Mataya went on: “During the major arteries. to get involved in some free gym classes. physical activity can improve the weekly meetings I learnt practical wellbeing of those who have it, and ways to improve my health. Diet “When I finished X-PERT I felt X-PERT, provided through Central advice was a major component of empowered,” said Mataya. “I Caring for carers London Community Healthcare, is the course; we even went to a began enjoying life again and a fun and interactive way of learning supermarket one week to learn creating fantastic music. I know I Making sure carers can manage to see events like this around how to manage diabetes better. how to read content and calories feel this way because now I am financially while looking after that offer help and information on food labels. managing my diabetes – it’s no their loved ones was one of to people like me.” Mataya Chewaluza, who has taken longer managing me.” the main aims of December’s part in the X-PERT programme, ‘’I think the most important thing I Carers’ Rights Day. The event at the Portobello said: “When I first heard that I had have learned is that my health is a Gym gave carers an array of diabetes I was scared, because I matter of making the right choices. To become an X-PERT or NHS Kensington and Chelsea information about financial didn’t know anything about it. Today I chose to walk from Ladbroke for more information, flyers and the Royal Borough of benefits such as carers’ Grove to St Charles Hospital. In the or posters contact Sandra Kensington and Chelsea allowance and pension credit. “I had no idea how it would affect past I would have caught the bus, Da Silva on 020 7792 7762 organised activities across the The gym also promoted special my career as a musician, my family, but now I know how important (Mon to Fri, 10 to 12 noon) borough to highlight issues exercise classes that are basically my life as whole. I saw a exercise is to my health.” or email diabetes.service around financial rights and offered to carers free of charge. poster for X-PERT in my GP surgery @kc-pct.nhs.uk financial provision for local and signed up for the programme The X-PERT programme helps carers. Event organiser Angela O’Connor – it was the best thing I could have people with type 2 diabetes by Check out Mataya’s music explained: “Our gym got involved done because it helped simplify increasing their knowledge and at: www.myspace.com/ The theme was chosen with Carers’ Rights Day because the disease and taught me to eat helping them to make informed matayaclifford because of figures that show we value our local carers. We better and exercise more often.” decisions regarding lifestyle and an estimated £740 million of understand that caring for people carers’ benefits go unclaimed can be a full-on job, so we every year and reflected NHS think it is important that carers Kensington and Chelsea weight Kensington and Chelsea’s also care for themselves. That Break Free of the habit management team is running drop- determination to provide is why our gym runs a free in sessions across the borough accessible and straightforward master combo and yoga class If you want to Break Free, then As well as the stop smoking clinics advising people on how they can information for carers. every week.” No Smoking Day, which happens that are held across the borough manage their food and drink intake this year on 10 March, could be throughout the year, promotional in everyday situations. Many carers struggle financially It is estimated that more than the day to start. events based around the mobile because they have to cut down two million people become Stop Smoking Service trailer are Here are the numbers to call: their working hours or simply carers for the first time every Every year more than a million being held at the following locations: give up work all together to year, and many of those new to smokers take advantage of this Stop Smoking Service look after a loved one who can caring don’t know where to go annual opportunity to try to quit the • 6 March (10am to 4pm) 0800 0859 147 no longer care for themselves. to for advice and help. habit, and this year’s Break Free Portobello Road Many carers also have to pay Smoke Free Homes Project campaign will again be offering for medication, multiple services, Visiting the NHS Kensington • 10 March (10am to 4pm) 020 7341 5721 encouragement all the way. World’s End Estate specialist equipment, mobility and Chelsea stand, Alexandra Weight Management Team aids and adaptations to their Burke added: “I have only been In the Royal Borough, the Choosing • 10 March (9am to 5pm) 020 7313 3060 home to provide disability access. caring for just over four weeks Good Health Together programme Chelsea and Westminster and this stall is the first place Hospital reception (indoors) brings together activities organised To make 2010 the year when you Alexandra Burke, who attended that has offered me relevant by the Council and NHS Kensington • 11 March (9.30am to 4pm) take more exercise as well as the Carers’ Rights Day event at and helpful information about and Chelsea to help residents and Royal Avenue, King’s Road stopping smoking then the Council’s Portobello Gym, cares for her my rights as a carer. It is so staff stop smoking and improve Active for Life Programme and the 27 year-old daughter, who suffers nice to talk to people about this their general health and well-being. The Smoke Free Homes Project, Reach Programme run by the from depression, as well as for new and challenging season of which aims to raise awareness of Community Sport and Physical her eight year-old grandson. my life.” The NHS Kensington and Chelsea the dangers of second hand smoke Activity Network can also help: Stop Smoking Service provides in the home, will also be on hand “I have to support her For more information contact the kind of free and effective with advice. Active for Life financially, emotionally and Peter Beard on: 020 8962 support that has been shown to 020 7938 8180 physically, which can be very 4861 or email: peter.beard@ make smokers four times more Because people who quit smoking REACH Programme tough sometimes so it is nice kc-pct.nhs.uk likely to give up. sometimes put on weight, the NHS 020 7938 8181/020 8962 4540 12 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Scrutiny

Dealing with a weighty problem We all need to care Children whose parents are both obese are more likely to be overweight themselves, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is supporting a the Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee has discovered. national campaign designed to encourage people to look out for children who are living with someone who is not a direct relation. A review of childhood obesity children combat childhood obesity • schools should inform parents found that the rate amongst and that the range and quality of about their healthy eating The campaign, Somebody Else’s Child, is being run by the British children with two obese parents support on offer was impressive principles and share the results Association for Adoption & Fostering, and aims to raise awareness was 20 per cent, much higher than and commendable. of pupil weight measurements of private fostering, which happens when a child lives with someone for children where only one parent with their governing bodies. other than a step-parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, was overweight (eight per cent) or Although successful projects such whether full blood, half blood or by marriage. where neither had a weight as healthy lunch box and the • the success of the NHS When someone who does not fall into one of these categories cares problem (seven per cent). innovative cook and taste courses Kensington and Chelsea for another person’s child for 28 days or more, both the parent and were commended in the Council’s programme which involves the the carer must by law tell the Council where the child is going to live The review also found that while One Place assessment by Total whole family in tackling obesity in so that the Council can ensure he or she is properly looked after. NHS Kensington and Chelsea had Place, the review felt there was children should lead to similar started work on developing an a need for clearer strategic programmes being set up for Nobody knows exactly how many children are privately fostered, obesity strategy for the borough, leadership to tackle childhood younger and older age groups. but in 2001 the Department of Health estimated that there could be progress had been slow. obesity at the local level, more joint as many as 10,000 in England and Wales, and there are concerns work by all agencies and better • the Council and NHS that some of these ‘invisible’ children could be at risk. The committee discovered that targeting of resources. Kensington and Chelsea should In the year to March 2009 very few people notified the Council of rates of obesity amongst children develop a joint business case to private fostering arrangements and experts believe there could be in some state primary schools Amongst the things, the scrutiny provide nutrition and physical many more children being looked after in this way. were up to eight times higher than committee recommended that: activity advice to youth services in others, and it was concerned and secondary schools and The Council is asking people who work with children to be that while efforts were being made • a senior officer should be identified develop options for helping particularly aware of private fostering and to get in touch immediately to help primary school children and by NHS Kensington and Chelsea overweight and obese children if they think such an arrangement exists. their parents tackle the issue, there and the Council to raise the profile over 12 to lose weight. was little being done to help of this issue and co-ordinate For more information visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren children in state secondary schools. action across the borough. • the borough’s sports facilities or www.somebodyelseschild.org.uk or contact Jonathan Williams, should be more actively on 020 7361 2861 or by emailing [email protected] A survey of independent schools in • NHS Kensington and Chelsea promoted. the borough revealed that none of should involve GPs in targeting the 17 that responded said childhood families with children at the www.rbkc.gov.uk/leisure obesity was an issue for their school. greatest risk of obesity, such andlibraries/sportsand as where school nurses know leisure.aspx The review found that local of families where both parents agencies were helping parents and are obese. Supporting rape victims

Prosecution Service (CPS) and the • Setting up an annual meeting Women’s Trust and considered a involving all the agencies Home Office research document on involved in prosecuting rape the way rape cases were dealt with. offences and supporting victims to review progress, agree the The evidence showed that the figures and consider what can number of sanctioned detections be done to continue to improve (generally those where someone prosecution rates. A working group set up by the has been charged) had improved in Cabinet and Corporate Services Kensington and Chelsea and was • Exploring the best way of Scrutiny Committee has made a in line with the London average. The publicising information on how to number of recommendations working group also learned that the minimise the risk of becoming a regarding the way rape cases are conviction rate for cases reaching victim of sexual assault and how dealt with in the Royal Borough. court had stayed at around 50 per victims can access support. cent in recent years, making The working group, chaired by Cllr Kensington and Chelsea one of the • Reviewing the funding provided Keith Cunningham, was set up in best borough-based CPS teams. to voluntary agencies to ensure Hornton Street Car Park response to concerns that the that it is enough to enable them concessionary rates for number of rape cases that went to Although the numbers of cases to provide the ongoing support trial in Kensington and Chelsea was reaching court had improved, the to victims that is key to achieving resident permit holders far below the London average. working group wanted to make a successful prosecution. sure that this improvement was If you are going away for more than a couple of days and leave Members of the group, which sustained. Councillors were also • Monitoring the new centralised your vehicle in a bay it is possible that the bay may be suspended. included Cllrs Judith Blakeman, concerned that if discrepancies arrangements for investigating If this happens your vehicle will be liable to a parking ticket and removal to the car pound. Victoria Borwick, Dr Ian Hanham between police and CPS statistics rape cases, in conjunction with and Andrew Lamont, looked at were not tackled it would be the Metropolitan Police Authority To avoid this you can use the award-winning Hornton Street differences in the way reported difficult to monitor any future Link Member, Cllr Borwick, to Car Park where a concessionary Kensington and Chelsea rape offences were prosecuted in improvements. ensure that the expected resident permit rate, for longer-term stays, is available. Kensington and Chelsea compared improvements are realised and The minimum stay is one week and costs £42, with other London boroughs. The group’s recommendations to that victims are not made to plus £6 per day after this. the Cabinet Member for Community travel significant distances to For further information contact the car park The working group heard evidence Safety, Cllr Warwick Lightfoot, liaise with officers investigating directly on 020 7937 7040 from the local police, the Crown included: their cases. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 13 Sports and leisure Put your heart into it Think about your heart in 2010 by making positive changes to the way you live your life and putting exercise at the top of your health agenda. By making simple changes you the body only really needs one Our MOT health assessments are can help yourself to a more healthy gram – equivalent to about one-fifth a great way to see what shape lifestyle and reduce your chance of of a teaspoon. you’re in and help you plan your suffering from heart disease. future goals. Whether you want to h Replacing some saturated lower your cholesterol, lose weight Heart disease is Britain’s biggest fats with polyunsaturated and or get fitter, we will be better able killer but is largely preventable simply monounsaturated fats will help to to help you achieve your goal if we by making changes to your diet improve the ratio of ‘protective’ know enough about you to help and lifestyle that will significantly cholesterol to ‘harmful’ cholesterol you start. reduce the risks. in your blood. The new Health MOT assessments To help get the year off to a healthy Managing weight available at Kensington Leisure start, Nuffield Health Community Centre are designed to give you a Fitness, working with the Royal h Keeping close to a healthier clear view of your health. Whatever Borough of Kensington and weight for your height will keep your fitness levels, whether you Chelsea, is offering readers the your blood pressure down and can run miles or you have just chance to win a three-month reduce the workload on your heart. started out, we can help you Ultimate membership – worth become healthier. To enter the prize draw just £147 – that provides unlimited use h Losing weight slowly and steadily complete the entry form of the gym, pool and fitness (about one or two pounds a week) We have a range of facilities to help below and take it to one of classes. Two runners-up will each is healthier and will make it more you keep fit while having fun. They the centres for your chance receive one-month Ultimate likely that you will be able to keep vary from site to site but include to win a free three-month memberships worth £49 each. the weight off for good. Remember the gym, fitness classes, swimming Ultimate membership or a that if you are very overweight, (with free swimming for the over one month membership if Physical activity every pound you lose will benefit 60s and 16s and under), squash, you are one of our two your health. badminton, basketball, five-a-side runners up. h Regular exercise improves your football (indoor and outdoor), blood cholesterol levels by raising h Eating a balanced diet, drinking health and beauty treatments and HDL cholesterol (the so-called alcohol in moderation and increasing one-to-one Pilates tuition. “good” protective cholesterol). your level of physical activity will help you maintain a healthy body There are also activities for the over h Physical activity can significantly and heart. 50s, such as salsa and line dancing, speak reduce your risk of developing and great activities for children such coronary heart disease. Half an h Keeping your waist measurement as swimming, kids’ jam, junior gym hour a day makes all the difference below 94cm/37 inches for men and the jungle gym. spoke! and can be included in your daily and 80cm/32 inches for women routine. Start off gently and build- reduces your coronary risk. Please call your nearest Nuffield up gradually. Health Community Fitness site to Enjoy life, too check which activities and facilities h Regular, moderate rhythmic are available: Kensington Leisure exercise helps reduce blood At Nuffield Health Community Centre, Walmer road, London W11 pressure in people with high blood Fitness we want to help you 4PQ (020 7727 9747), Kensington. pressure and may also prevent achieve a healthier lifestyle while membership@nuffieldhealth.com high blood pressure developing. still having fun and spending time or Chelsea Sport Centre, Chelsea with your friends and family. Manor Street, London, SW3 5PL h The greatest benefit to health is Establish good habits now and (020 7352 6985), Chelsea.member noticed in inactive people who you’ll continue to reap the benefits. ships@nuffieldhealth.com start to take regular moderate exercise such as brisk walking, cycling, dancing or swimming. Free prize draw to win an unlimited membership to the There is no lower limit to the gym, pool and fitness classes for three months plus amount of activity that produces a one-month memberships for two runners up. Ê positive benefit; a little activity is better than none. Name: ...... Address:...... Nutrition ...... Postcode: ...... /LSWTHRLHKPMMLYLUJLMVYJ`JSPZ[ZHUKSL[\ZRUV^ Telephone: ...... Mobile:...... OV^^LJHUPTWYV]LJ`JSPUNPU[OL9V`HS)VYV\NO h Eating at least five portions of Email:...... >LKULZKH`4HYJOMYVTWT fruit and vegetables a day reduces Offer expires: 28/02/10 4VZHPJ9VVTZ*YVT^LSS9VHK3VUKVU:>:> your risk of coronary heart disease :WLHRLYZ!7OPSSPW+HYU[VU*OHPYTHU*`JSPUN,UNSHUK by helping to prevent fatty deposits Nuffield Health Community Fitness at Kensington Leisure Centre Walmer Road, London W11 4PQ ;VT)VNKHUV^PJa3VUKVU*`JSPUN*HTWHPNU building up in your coronary arteries. Telephone: 020 7727 9747 Email: [email protected] ;YHUZWVY[!JSVZLZ[;\ILPZ,HYS»Z*V\Y[I\ZLZ  Nuffield Health Community Fitness at Chelsea Sports Centre ***`JSLWHYRPUNH]HPSHISL h Eating oily fish twice a week can Chelsea Manor Street, London, SW3 5PL 7SLHZL9:=7H[YVHKZHML[`'YIRJNV]\RVY help reduce the risk of coronary heart Telephone: 020 7352 6985 Email: [email protected] disease and improve your chances JHSS of survival after a heart attack. Terms and Conditions Offer cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions. Participants must abide by terms and conditions of Nuffield Health Community Fitness. Participants must abide by terms and conditions h Reducing the amount of salt of Nuffield Health Wellbeing Ltd and satisfactorily complete all necessary registration forms. An you eat will help keep your blood introduction must be done before using the gym. Offer is non-transferable. No cash alternative. Photocopied tokens not accepted. Offer limited to over 16s. Offer expires 28/02/10. Please note pressure down. The recommended activities and facilities will vary at each site. Offer excludes use of other chargeable facilities. ^^^YIRJNV]\R maximum is six grams a day, but 14 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Events diary

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA Events Diary FROM FEBRUARY 2010

ST GEORGE’S CHURCH Works by 26 established and Britten Theatre. Kensington’s varied pop history, emerging artists, many of whom featuring amongst others Pink Aubrey Walk, Campden Hill have never been shown in the The Britten Theatre hosts some Floyd at All Saints Church Hall, Kensington W8 7JG UK before. of the college’s best performers Mick Jagger in Performance in Telephone: 020 7221 6546 showcasing a selection of Powis Square, the death of Jimi Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Free admission. chamber music. Hendrix in Ladbroke Grove, www.stgeorgescampdenhill.com Hawkwind and the Pink Fairies www.kcmusic.org.uk Chopin, Ballade no 4 in F minor under the Westway, VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM op 52 Quintessence, The Clash, The At the End of the Day, 2007. Natasha Kerr. © V&A Images Schumann, Fantasiestucke op 73 Sex Pistols, Aswad, Band Aid Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL Puccini, ‘O soave fanciulla’ from and ZTT on Basing Street, Virgin, Telephone: 020 7942 2000 QUILTS 1700 TO 2010 La bohème Rough Trade, Big Audio Nearest Tube: South Kensington 20 March to 4 July, 10am to Rossini, ‘Bel raggio lusinghier’ Dynamite, Transvision Vamp, All www.vam.ac.uk 5.45pm daily, 10am to 10pm from Semiramide Saints and Blur. Fridays. Verdi, ‘Ah la paterna mano’ from GARGOYLES AND SHADOWS: Macbeth Tickets free from any Kensington GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE AND The V&A’s first ever exhibition of Gounod, Chamber scene from and Chelsea Library. NAVARRA STRING QUARTET 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY British quilts, with examples Roméo et Juliette 18 February, 7.30pm. Until 16 May, 10am to 5.45pm dating from 1700 to the present daily, 10am to 10pm Fridays. day and providing a unique Tickets £5, £8. HOLLAND PARK ECOLOGY A rare chance to see this Architecture, Room 128a. opportunity to view the museum’s CENTRE acclaimed string quartet unseen quilt collection as well as alongside paintings by Jamie Drawing on the museum’s key national loans. Earliest CHELSEA LIBRARY Ilchester Place, W8 6LU Baird, inspired by Joseph collection of nineteenth century examples include a sumptuous Telephone: 020 7938 8186 Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of photographs, this display silk and velvet bedcover linked to King’s Road, SW3 5EZ Nearest Tube: High St Kensington Our Saviour on the Cross (Die examines the relationship that King Charles II’s visit to an Exeter Telephone: 020 7361 3010 or Holland Park sieben letzten Worte unseres developed between photography manor house in the late 17th Nearest Tube: Sloane Square [email protected] Erloesers am Kreuze). and architectural practice in the century. Recent examples will 19th century and explores how include works by leading artists MEET BOLA AGBAJE A selection of fun events from the Tickets: £15 (friends and photography facilitated the such as Grayson Perry and 10 March, 6pm to 7pm. Council’s February half term concessions £10) are available at rediscovery of an idealised past. Tracey Emin and commissions for holiday activity programme. the door or in advance from the The display also considers the the exhibition by a number of The playwright who won an Events cost £3.50 each and are Kensington and Chelsea Music role played by photography in contemporary artists including Olivier Award for Outstanding for five to ten year-old children. Society. Contact secretary Paula the recording of buildings Sue Stockwell and Caren Garfen. Achievement for her debut play Under-eights must be Chandler at paula.chandler@talk before demolition and its use in Gone Too Far! will speak about accompanied by an adult. 21.com or on 07855 348738. preserving the national Tickets: Adults £10, concessions her writing, including her second Spaces are limited; pre-booking architectural heritage. available, members free. play for the Royal Court, Off the and pre-payment required. Endz, which opens in February. SAATCHI GALLERY Free admission. ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC Tickets free from any Kensington Duke of York’s HQ DROP IN DESIGN: and Chelsea Library. King’s Road, SW3 4SQ BEASTS & FEASTS Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BS Telephone: 020 7823 2363 15 to 19 February, 10am to 5.45pm Telephone: 020 7591 4314 Nearest Tube: Sloane Square daily, 10am to 10pm Fridays. Nearest Tube: South Kensington NORTH KENSINGTON LIBRARY www.saatchigallery.com Family event. www.boxoffice.rcm.ac.uk 108 Ladbroke Grove, W11 1PZ Join a magical medieval FRENCH FRIDAYS Telephone: 020 7361 3010 adventure and hunt among the 19 February, 7.30pm. Nearest Tube: Ladbroke Grove dragons and treasures in the Inner Parry Room. www.rbkc.gov.uk/libraries MINIBEAST SAFARI new Medieval and Renaissance 15 February, 10am to 12 noon. galleries. Design your own Music by César Franck and SHORT STORY WRITING goblet or magnificent jewelled Camille Saint-Saëns alongside WORKSHOP WITH CHRIS Search for the creepy crawlies in sword and bring it along to the new works by Royal College of TUTTON the Wildlife Area of Holland Park. royal banquet. Music composers. 3 March, 6pm to 8pm. PLANT MAGIC Free admission. 19 February programme: Explore the art of storytelling with 16 February, 10am to 12 noon. Richard Wilson 20:50 Saint-Saëns, Bassoon sonata in workshop leader Chris Tutton. Site Specific Oil Installation: 1987 Courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London FRANK STEPHENSON: G major op 168 Participants will be given the Discover the flora of the park, Richard Wilson, 2010 TALKING DESIGN Saint-Saëns, Oboe sonata in D synopsis of a story, a choice of plant flower seeds to take home 19 March, 7pm to 8pm. major op 166 opening lines and key words and and make a daffodil windmill. RICHARD WILSON: 20:50 Lecture Theatre. Saint-Saëns, Septet in E flat one-to-one help and advice to tell New installation, daily 10am to 6pm. major op 65 that perfect tale. SURVIVOR Designer of the world-famous new Solfa Carlile, Whispers 17 February, 10am to 12 noon. A visually stunning art installation Mini and design chief for Ferrari Franck, Piano Quntet in F minor Free admission. Booking required. featuring used sump oil and steel. and Maserati, Stephenson also M 7 Could you survive in the wild? designed vehicles for Fiat and LOCAL POP HISTORY WITH Test your shelter building skills Free admission. Lancia and now works for McLaren. Tickets: £8 TOM VAGUE and make dens out of branches He talks about designing lifestyle 24 March, 7pm to 8.30pm. in Holland Park. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: and automobile icons. CHAMBER MUSIC INDIAN ART TODAY CENTRE STAGE Cultural historian and author Tom SNAKES AND LIZARDS Until 7 May, daily 10am to 6pm. Tickets: £8, concessions £6. 24 February, 7.30pm. Vague talks about North 18 February, 10am to 12 noon. ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 15 Events diary

Have your event featured here by sending the details, marked for the Royal Borough Editor, to [email protected]

Meet Holland Park’s resident edge of scientific knowledge and TRIO FIBONACCI Telephone: 0844 482 7777 soloists. The Masquerade Choirs reptiles and learn all about them find out how much hope they 4 March, 6.30pm Nearest Tube: High St Kensington are currently BBC Children’s through games and craft. hold for endangered species this www.hrp.org.uk Choir of the Year. year, the International Year of Canada’s foremost piano trio WONDERFUL WEAVING Biodiversity 2010. dedicated to new music visits the THE ENCHANTED PALACE Robert Clark, piano 19 February, 2pm to 4pm. foundation. 26 March to June 2012. Barry Clark, conductor Tickets: £6. Booking required, Pamela Wright, conductor Try your hand at weaving using online at www.nhmshop.co.uk Tickets: £12 (concessions Kensington Palace will become Judith Tomlinson, conductor natural objects and recycled /tickets or by calling 020 7942 available). The Enchanted Palace in a Ken Burton, presenter materials. 5555. unique multisensory exhibition combining fashion, performance, Tickets: £10, £12.50 and £15. LOTS OF LIFE IN LONDON CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN and dazzling spectacle to reveal ROYAL BRITISH SOCIETY OF 28 February and 28 March, the magnificent State Apartments SCULPTORS 12.30pm and 2.30pm. Swan Walk, SW3 4JJ in a magical new light. NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM Attenborough Studio. Telephone: 020 7352 5646 108 Old Brompton Road, SW7 3RA Nearest Tube: Sloane Square Admission: Adults £12.50, Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HT Telephone: 020 7373 5554 Celebrate the International Year of www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk Children under 16 £6.25 (under- Telephone: 020 7730 0717 Nearest Tube: South Kensington Biodiversity 2010 by getting to education@chelseaphysicgarden fives free), concessions £11, Nearest Tube: Sloane Square www.rbs.org.uk know some of the plants and .co.uk family £34. www.national-army- animals in your own backyard. See museum.ac.uk MODELS, MAQUETTES if you can identify some common AND MADNESS species and put the museum’s CADOGAN HALL BIG SPRING CLEAN Until 5 March, Wednesday to scientist to the test with your own 13 to 21 February, daily 10am to Friday 11am to 4.30pm. sightings and specimens. Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ 5.30pm. Half term event. Salon Gallery. Telephone: 020 7730 4500 Free admission. Nearest Tube: Sloane Square Captain Clean is back! Join the An exhibition of smaller and www.cadoganhall.com connoisseur of conservation on experimental pieces by Greyworld ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE his mission to quell the Agents of – a group of artists who create 2 March, 2.30pm. SATURDAY SPECTACULAR: Decay. Hunt for clues, solve work for public and urban Attenborough Studio. WHEELS, WINGS AND WAVES puzzles and pick up tips for spaces. A colourful new sculpture SPECIAL WINTER OPENINGS 20 February, 11am. looking after your family’s called Bloom will be on the Did you know that some of your 13 and 14 February, 10am until 4pm. heirlooms. society’s forecourt until 9 April . holiday souvenirs could be A concert with a twist, Wheels, endangering wildlife? The trade in Founded by the Worshipful Wings and Waves will be a fun Go behind the scenes with the Free admission. animals and plants should not Society of Apothecaries in 1673, and informal opportunity for museum’s experts to find out how threaten their survival; combating this garden is closed until April, children and families to enjoy a museum goes about its spring the illegal wildlife trade is a job for which means this one special classical music. clean and find out what we can NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM everyone. Hear how endangered open weekend will give budding do to preserve its treasures. species materials confiscated by botanists a rare chance to enjoy The fun begins at 10.15am with Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD UK Customs are brought to the the many fragrant shrubs and exciting, themed craft activities Free admission. Telephone: 020 7942 5000 museum for identification. bulbs in London’s ‘secret garden’. followed by the chance to meet Nearest Tube: South Kensington the players of the Southbank www.nhm.ac.uk Free admission. Admission: Adults £8, children Sinfonia. (five to 15), students and YESTERDAY’S DNA SAVING SPIRIT COLLECTION TOURS unemployed £5, under-fives free. Richard Sisson presents and SPECIES TODAY? Ongoing, daily – at varying times; Friends of the garden and one Simon Over conducts a 25 February, 7pm. see website for exact times. guest free; maximum of two programme that will include: Attenborough Studio. children admitted per adult. Get a fascinating glimpse behind Klaus Badelt, Pirates of the In Victorian times, a common the scenes of the 27 kilometres of COMPOST CLINIC Caribbean response to the wonder of nature shelves, 22 million specimens 10 March, 11am to 1pm. Prokofiev, Troika was to collect specimens of every and cutting-edge scientific Ron Goodwin, Those Magnificent CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS: new animal and plant. Unaware of research in the Darwin Centre’s Lift the lid on the fascinating Men in their Flying Machines DOUGLAS HURD the existence of DNA, these early zoology spirit building. world of compost and let expert Ron Goodwin, 633 Squadron 9 March, 7pm. collectors could never have gardeners teach you how to Eric Coates, Dam Busters March Celebrity lecture. foreseen how crucial the Natural See hidden treasures such as the make the ultimate ‘black gold’. Arr. Richard Sisson, Hitched History Museum’s specimens giant squid or specimens medley When writing a history of Britain’s would be in the twenty-first century collected by Charles Darwin in the Admission: £25 (£20 for Friends Foreign Secretaries, attempting to as a record of the planet’s genetic Darwin Centre Spirit Collection of the Garden). Includes Tickets: Adults £8, children £6, uncover the personalities and diversity. Using new methods to tour, formerly known as the tea/coffee and admission to the family (four) £22. One Royal circumstances of the great office extract DNA from the skin and hair Explore tour. garden via the west gate on Royal Borough pupil free with every holders, Douglas Hurd has one of long-dead museum specimens, Hospital Road, SW3. adult. great advantage; he’s done the past populations of animals can Free admission. Booking required. job himself. be compared with their living Numbers are limited to 15 people MASQUERADE YOUTH AND counterparts. per session and booking is JUNIOR CHOIRS Tickets: Adults £10, concessions LOUISE BLOUIN FOUNDATION essential. 28 March, 3pm. (SOFNAM/students/seniors/service Museum scientists use genetic personnel) £7.50. Purchasing in technology to explore evolution, 3 Olaf Street, W11 4BE Showcasing a variety of styles advance advisable. disease and inbreeding as well as Telephone: 020 7985 9600 KENSINGTON PALACE and periods, this concert by the the implications for human health. Nearest Tube: Latimer Road Masquerade Choirs will also Meet the experts working on the www.ltbfoundation.org Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX feature a selection of outstanding wwww.rbkc.goc.uk/events 16 ROYAL BOROUGH | February 2010 Paying tribute

Sadly missed Neil Joseph Kearney, international trade union leader, died of a heart attack aged 59 on 19 November 2009. Mr Kearney was elected as a Councillor for the South Stanley Ward in Kensington and Chelsea in May 1978 and became Leader of the Council’s Labour Group in 1981, a post he held until he moved to Brussels OUR TRIBUTE TO DORIS in 1988. In 1988 he was elected General Secretary of the International The former chairman and honorary led the ceremony, describing Mrs more police on the streets and get Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation. He was re- president of Kensington and Besant as “an outstanding ‘crack dens’ closed in North elected in 1992 and again in 1996 and served as vice-chairman of Chelsea’s Tenant Management community leader and someone Kensington. the Global Union Federations’ General Conference from 1995 to Organisation (TMO) Board, Mrs who can inspire all of us”. 1997 and as Chairman from 1997 to 1999. He is survived by his Doris Besant MBE, was honoured The couple were involved in the wife and two daughters. in a ceremony outside Kensington He added: “The work she and her launch of the Royal Borough’s Town Hall. husband, Fred, did over the years Tenants’ Consultative Committee is fantastic and shows that everyone in 1980 and for many years ran Mrs Besant, who died in March can make a real difference in their the tenants’ garden competitions. 2009, chaired the TMO from its community. I am proud to unveil They also helped to run the creation in 1996 through until 2001 this bench today and hope the residents’ association in DON’T MISS THE and was president until her death. memory of Doris will go on inspiring Lowerwood Court, where they At the ceremony in November a people for many years to come.” lived, hosting weekly bingo bench dedicated to her memory sessions for many years. CHANCE TO VOTE was unveiled on the forecourt of Both Mrs Besant and her husband the town hall. Fred, who survives her, worked hard Leader of the Council Cllr Merrick for many years in the community. Cockell and many other senior The Mayor of Kensington and She petitioned Scotland Yard and Councillors joined the Mayor at the With elections due soon in Kensington and Chelsea, residents are Chelsea, Cllr Timothy Coleridge, then the Home Secretary to secure event. being reminded of the importance of registering to vote.

Local elections will be held on 6 May and parliamentary elections must take place on or before 3 June 2010 – but only people whose names are on the official electoral roll will be eligible to place their cross on the ballot papers.

Every household was sent a registration form as part of the annual canvas last year. If you did not complete and return this form your name may not be included on the register – and you must have returned a completed registration form to the Town Hall by 9[djhWbBedZed Tuesday 20 April to vote in local elections.

You can register to vote by šIkf[hX\WY_b_j_[i downloading a form from šH_]^jfh_Y[ www.rbkc.gov.uk/localde mocracy or calling Electoral Services on 020 7361 3444.

scouts.org.uk/conferences DATE FOR YOUR DIARY t: 0207 590 6909 e: [email protected]

The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland). Local elections – 6 May