When l finished my day of canvassing the day before the by-election in Stoke-on-Trent, l came across the above graffiti nearby the Bus station in Stoke on some derelict buildings in the middle of Town ” Vote leave, fuck the elite” This summed up very well what l heard on the door steps of Stoke during the day. They voted leave to show their two fingers up to the London elite and thus its not necessarily was anti-immigrate alone. 

So the questions arises, what do we do in response to people outside of the London bubble feeling that the elite was nothing to offer them? Well maybe moving the Palace of Westminster is the solution to it all, as we hear the pragmatic case for moving Britain’s capital to Manchester in the Economist magazine. The whole complex is in a dreadful state and could well require up to £ 5 billion to refurbish both the House of Commons & Lords. 

Just imagine for a moment what up to £ 5 billion spent in a Northern city like Manchester could do not only for shifting the economic centre of the UK but also how it could address many peoples concerns that the elite don’t listen to them that was shown quite clearly in Brexit referendum in the North. 

I trust those who are going to make this decision soon consider it very seriously, if only on value for money basis. With £ 5 billion you could even accommodate every MP and Lord in the Palace of Westminster, in a new premise!   

You will find above the updated tube noise map from TfL. I am certain we still have gaps in the overall complaints being picked up by TtL. For example, the response to my last blog on the issue informed me of complaints of the tube noise from the Central line underground in Shepherds Bush where residents have been complaining for over 10 years to TfL Engineers who suggested that TfL either buy up the properties or build another tunnel within the tunnel to insulate from the tube noise. 

Which makes me think there is still a body of work to do getting us completely up to date with tube noise complaints in London. So please tell us of your complaints and we can begin comparing them against those TfL map above has and get them somehow to register them.  

Another useful comparison to make with tube noise complaints now with an analysis made by London South Bank, University Acoustic Group Noise Tube Map by Dr Stephen Dance in 2012. The analysis is shown graphically above on the London tube map by the thickness of tube lines for stations in Zone 1-3  by averaging the noise levels measured between stations.

The general analysis then was that the noise levels on surface trains is about 65-70 dBA, the sub-surface stations 70-75 dBA, however for the deep lines it ranges from 80-85 dBA. The highest levels were dangerously loud, greater than 85 dBA, these were Northern Line between Hampstead and Golders Green, Bakerloo Line between Baker Street and Marylebone, Central Line between Liverpool Streret to Mile End, and Piccadilly Line between Bounds Green and Wood Green.

I think this general analysis appears to stand up from my observations in Central London though again it will need updating to today’s levels of noise as its 4 years out of date and we have the night tube in operation on five of the those lines and more upgrading work undertaken though we are not sure whether those have contributed or reduced the noise levels. 

This analysis tells one thing at least, it would be useful for an updated  tube noise analysis to be commissioned by TfL to Acoustic experts across the whole of the tube system. 

This is the site of the Willmott Dixon development where Marylebone Boys School will be accomodated.

As parents in the City of Westminster become increasing aware of the budget cuts to the schools of their children both primary and secondary, many may not be aware its been done to essentially make space for select free schools.

Putting it very stakely, the NUT in Westminster reckon the borough is due for just over  £10.1 million of financial cuts which works out at just over £550 a pupil annually or put it another way some 271 teachers being lost by 2020. ( source – www.schoolcuts,org.uk ) 

The principal beneficial of giving a little more money to select schools in today’s budget by the Chancellor is Marylebone “Free” Boys School who are developing a site right now while being temporarily based in Kilburn. Funnily enough it won’t be relocating into Marylebone but a site very near to Paddington station on the site of the old Dudley House being developed right now by WIllmott Dixon, and thus not in Marylebone at all. It will clearly cost 10s of millions of pounds to develop this very difficult and tight site but lets not forget the opportunity cost to are present schools in the borough to give more choice to some.

Its in the centre of the Paddington basin regeneration, creating a 22 storey residential tower and seven-storey secondary school for boys in Westminster City Council. The school’s current intake at its new home will start at 480 pupils, with an eventual population of 840, including a mixed sixth form.

So the price for a little more choice for some will cut into the education of all the others, as austerity is continued by the present government. Clearly the ghost of Marylebone Grammar school still casts a shadow over the education of our young people still in this borough. 

A history lesson is in order on Sarah Sands comment piece of the 24th of Feb ( Will Afghanistan ever escape being a pawn in the Great Game ) as it conveniently does not mention the impact of British imperialism on the country and its legacy till this day.

We had three conflicts ( 1839-42; 1878-80; 1919 ) referred to as the Afghan wars or sometimes the Anglo-Afghan Wars in which Great Britain, from its base in India, sought to extend its control over neighbouring Afghanistan to oppose Russian influence there.

One of its legacies is the border disputes around the Durand line, the 2,430 km international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan established in 1896. It is still disputed by the two countries even after their independence and the source of much of the tension between the two countries, as it simply doesn’t have much legitimacy for those living along the border let alone those in their capitals. As a result it makes for both countries being very suspicion of any movements of peoples over the Durand line like the refugees that Pakistan has just expelled from their country.

So we have to at least take some responsibility for the imperial lines we have drawn across those parts of the world and their contribution to continuing the Great Game.

The toilets in Church Street, Lisson Grove, were shut a year ago by Westminster Council after claims of drug use and prostitution.

SINCE the UK voted to opt out of the European Union, trade relations has come centre stage in our negotiation with our EU exit and future relationship with the free trade area, single market and customs union uppermost on the agenda.

So much so that “it’s trade, stupid!” comes easily to mind, in much the same way as “it’s the economy, stupid!” comes to mind from Clinton days. 

After last week, who would you trust between the two biggest economies in the world to develop new trade deals with the UK after our EU exit? 

US President Donald Trump’s boisterous inauguration speech stated quite clearly that America comes first in trade, as buying and hiring American becomes his primary trade goals, indicating protectionism and isolationism ahead from the US. 

While Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, in Davos defended globalisation, stating there will not be any winners in a trade war. He said: “Pursuing protectionism is like locking yourself up in a dark room. Wind and rain may be kept outside but also the light and air.”  

The contrast cannot be more stark between the two visions for the immediate future.

On top of these differences, we had the first ever direct freight train from China to the UK arriving to a fanfare in Barking, East London last Friday. 

It covered over 7,000 miles to get to London across the whole of Eurasia. That is across several countries and through the Channel Tunnel to reach London. It must be a logistical miracle to get to our shores as differing rail gauges in different countries mean no single train can travel the whole route and the containers have to be reloaded at various stages. 

The freight train, which carried millions of pounds worth of socks, cloth, bags and household goods, set off 18 days earlier from the manu­facturing city of Yiwu. The new weekly service is thought to be quicker than a container ship and half the price of air freight, while London becomes the 15th European city to be served by freight trains from China. If you wanted evidence of China being open for trade with Europe these trains show us this in the UK. 

The 34-carriage train, which reportedly contained £4 million of commodities coming directly from the factory floors of Yiwu, also offers an opportunity  to take goods from London to China. 

So, while President Trump settles into office, what does he offer? 

Well, one of his first executive orders is the US opting out of the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement (TPTA) that Obama had set up. Not surprising China is now offering bilateral trade deals to all the Pacific countries let down by Trump’s protectionist and isolationist instincts, and making up for the gap left in trade in the Pacific by the US. China can only gain by this stance taken by the President. 

So, in the Year of the Rooster, we can expect China to be open for trade while the US will be a lot more closed as Trump puts his priorities in place. 

Happy Chinese New Year everybody!

This blog piece was first published in the West End Extra of the 27th of January 2017.

At one of my local Art galleries, the Lisson Gallery, we have a Moroccan-French artist Bouchra Khalili exhibiting for the first time in London her “The Mapping Journey Project”.

Its well worth a visit to just find out what is involved in migrants getting to Europe as we hear the stories of a number of them retracing their journey to the destination of their dreams. For example we have the story of a Bangladeshi dreaming of going to Rome eventually getting there through the middle of Africa after his first attempt via Eastern Europe failed. Khalili explores through their stories and the mediums of film, video, maps, prints and photography the broad topics of migration and displacement, laying bay the socially constructed nature of borders and challenges our fixed ideas of identity and nationhood give us.

Its well worth a visit. The exhibition continues till the 18th of March 2017 and its at the Lisson Gallery site on 67 Lisson Street NW1, London. 

So, thank you to the Lisson Gallery for hosting her unique exhibition for the first time in London after it appears its have been every where else! I am indeed very fortunate to have one of the most influential and longest running international contemporary art galleries in the world on my doorstep.

Its almost 20 years now since the Samaritan Hospital for Women was closed on the Marylebone Road  and you have to ask what the hell is going on?

In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS, becoming affiliated to St Mary’s Hospital. It was renamed the Samaritan Hospital for Women. In 1982 it had 79 beds and in 1987 the Hospital building was listed by English Heritage as Grade II. The Hospital closed in 1997. 

So how and who manages these surplus NHS assets? The present disposal of NHS assets is undertaken by NHS Property Services – a limited company, set up in April 2013, wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Health to manage, maintain and improve NHS properties and facilities within their portfolio, working in partnership with NHS organisations.

One key part of the company’s role is the efficient management and disposal of properties which are no longer required by the NHS for the delivery of services, ensuring that best value is achieved from any disposal, for reinvestment in the NHS. The decision as to whether properties are surplus to NHS operational requirements resides with commissioners, i.e. NHS England or a clinical commissioning group (CCG). A property will only be released for disposal by NHS Property Services once commissioners have confirmed that it is no longer required for the delivery of NHS services.

NHS Property Services ensures that market value is achieved in the sale of assets through an arm’s length, open market process. Any property to be disposed of is first listed on the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service (ePIMS) website, which allows other public sector bodies to purchase it. Properties are listed on this website for forty working days and if no other public sector organisation expresses an interest then it can be marketed locally NHS Property Services have a vital role as stewards of NHS assets and publish information on disposals as a matter of course.

Whilst at the London Assembly, l did ask NHS England what is happening with the grand building on the Marylebone Road? Please see the response below – quite clearly its owned along with the adjacent Western Eye Hospital by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and earmarked for off-setting redevelopment costs on other major sites. 

But does it really take 20 years to sort it out with these buildings which could have been put to good alternative use in the meantime rather than lying empty for so long. Its been so long that developments in Paddington near to St Mary’s Hospital are now being developed like the Cube on the old post office site which would not have been anticipated to make a substantial contribution to the funds of Imperial for redevelopment. This potential makes available the resources released for this site on the running costs of NHS locally in City of Westminster and West Central during the present winter crisis.

During all those 20 years as well, no proposed scheme has been submitted through planning at City of Westminster. Other publicly owned sites like the Westminster Magistrate Court site in the next block along Marylebone Road have been fully developed as a new home for the Courts in Central London and residential scheme. 

Now thats a thought that could focus the minds of the property managers of the NHS after 20 years of doing nothing much on the site and a winter crisis begging for more resources for our social care. What ever options are pursued eventually, this grand old building is probably worth 10’s of millions, a princely sum no one could have imagined in the middle of the 19th century.