(Above: Some of the campaign group for a Queen’s Park Community Council outside Westminster City Hall in Victoria yesterday with the 1600 strong petition before it was handed over.)

Spirits were high among the group of 10 Queen’s Park residents who made the journey to City Hall yesterday to formally present the petition to Westminster Council.  The Leader and the Chief Executive of the Council warmly welcomed the delegation, and on taking receipt of the petition gave some welcome words of encouragement to the group.

Angela Singhate, Chair of the Campaign for a Queen’s Park Community Council,  prasied the level of committment of the many residents in support of their local community.  Ms Singhate highlighted the enthusisam the campaigners were met with on the doorstep, and pointed out that in knocking every door in Queen’s Park the campaign secured double the number of  signatures required by law.

Councillor Colin Barrow, Leader of Westminster Council, replied by welcoming the involvement of Westminster citizens in their community. Recognising that the new economic challenges facing local authorities and communities around the country needed a fresh and positive response he said “We always welcome people wanting to get involved in shaping their communities to make it a better place to live and work. A review will now be carried out to ask the wider community in Queen’s Park about the idea of a parish council. At the end of the review, we will then publish our recommendation setting out if a parish council is appropriate for this area.”

(Below: Leader of Westminster Council, Councillor Colin Barrow receives the 152 page petition from Campaign Chair, Angela Singhate.)

(Left to right Mike More, Chief Executive of Westminster Council, Gill Fitzhugh, Simon Walton, Emma Sweeney vice-chair of the Campaign, Ludo Hunter-Tilney, Angela Singhate, Cllr Colin Barrow)