Wetherell Mayfairs Fitnes Properties

Westminster Council spent £400,000 preparing to charge drivers for weekend parking before consultations were complete, BBC London has learned.

The authority has faced protests over plans to charge for West End parking during weekends and evenings.

It has now emerged the six-figure sum was spent on signage despite residents' opinions still being sought.

Labour said residents had been treated with "contempt", but the Conservatives said the costs would be recouped.

Critics say the outlay on signage shows the consultation was meaningless in the first place and the council had already made up its mind to bring in the new charges.
'Total contempt'

It comes after a High Court judge allowed a Judicial Review into the scheme, saying it was possible the council's consultation period had been too limited.

The leader of Labour in Westminster, Paul Dimoldenberg, said: "Westminster's consultation has been shambolic and no wonder the High Court was so scathing of the council's efforts.

"The council has treated residents and businesses with total contempt with £300,000 having being spent on new parking signs even before the consultation period was over."
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Ordering the signs before the consultation had ended shows blatant contempt for the process”

Paul Pearson Parking campaigner

In his ruling, Mr Justice Collins wrote: "The consultation [carried out by Westminster Council] was arguably far too limited.

"There is a real risk of substantial damage to businesses and churches if it goes ahead."

The council first consulted the public and businesses last winter, and then in again early summer.

The BBC has obtained a series of emails showing that, following those two consultations, it placed an order for nearly £300,000-worth of signage and legal documents to enforce the new policy.

Another £100,000 was spent on other associated start-up costs.

But other consultations with residents were still continuing.

A letter sent to interested parties on 14 November reads: "The purpose of this letter is to provide you with information about a number of traffic regulation orders which the council intends to make to provide you with an opportunity to give us your comments, and to explain what further consultation will take place."

The letter concludes that the council would be "happy to receive any representation in writing by 2 December".

By this time the new signs had already been ordered.
'Other people's money'

Paul Pearson, who has been campaigning against the fees, pointed out that if the council loses its High Court case the money will have been wasted.

He said: "They should have waited - they risked other people's money when all they had to do was wait a while longer.

"Ordering the signs before the consultation had ended shows blatant contempt for the consultation process - they clearly had no intention of listening to what people had to say and this is wrong."
Pay and display machine The charges would operate until midnight Monday to Saturday, and 13:00 to 18:00 on Sundays

The leader of Westminster Council, Councillor Colin Barrow, said: "The judge rejected 10 of the 12 grounds for Judicial Review submitted by the applicants, but it does also require us to postpone implementation of the scheme, pending the full hearing.

"We are confident that we will be successful at such a hearing on the strengths of our arguments, the comprehensive consultation and the need to make central London less congested."

He continued: "Westminster Council has spent a total of around £400,000 on the changes to hours of parking controls in the West End.

"Should the scheme be implemented later in 2012, we anticipate recovering all but £25,000 of these costs."

The levy, from £2.20 to £4.40 an hour, would operate until midnight Monday to Saturday, and from 13:00 to 18:00 on Sundays.

Following the High Court ruling the scheme has been delayed from its intended start date of 9 January until after the Olympics.

By Ed Davey
BBC News, London - 15th December 2011
Click to see orignial article & video

Mayfair - It’s No.1 – It’s Top of the Pops!

Two events happened last month that stuck in my mind; the first was the death at 84 of Sir Jimmy Savile, who hosted the original chart show Top of the Pops on the BBC. The second event was one of our leading property analysts reported that Mayfair was now No.1 – top of the pops - having the highest growth ranking over the last 6 years for average pounds per foot growth on residential property.

The later did not surprise me as just over 12 months ago Wetherell predicted a step change in Mayfair residential values. A substantial 20% rise has been proven over the last year with entry level prices in Mount Street / Davies Street going from £2,500 per square foot (p.s.f.) to over £3,000 p.s.f.

Wetherell have maintained for many years that Mayfair was undervalued compared to Knightsbridge and Belgravia and it is an endorsement when other commentators back up our opinion.

Our current prediction is that there is still further growth to come as our “Mayfair Aficionados” pay a well deserved premium above those prices obtained in surrounding areas.  Mayfair has benefited from enormous capital investment and improved amenities over the last decade and overseas buyers will push prices higher over the next 10 years overtaking the other prime residential areas.

Briefly coming back to Sir Jimmy – he hosted the first show on New Year’s Day 1964 and also the closing programme 42 years later on 30th July 2006. Although the original programmes were in black and white he died his hair a different colour every week!

Values might be booming in Mayfair but transactional volumes this year will be 50% off the average volume turnover between 2005 and 2007. Any developer selling into this “void” with new stock will benefit from the supply and demand imbalance.

Don’t kill the Golden Goose

• The tax office, HMRC, revealed recently that the top 1% of tax payers contribute an astonishing 28% of the total income tax this year.
• 33 of Britain’s 73 billionaires coming from abroad.
• UK lost 16,000 non-doms due to Labour’s £30K levy (an estimated £800M in taxes).
• Greater London is the 7th largest economy in Europe
• The West End under threat as Westminster Council levies “Nightlife Tax”

Mayfair Fights Car Parking Ban
With all this positive press for Mayfair it is a shame that Westminster Council proposes to take away 1,700 car parking spaces out of the West End by banning parking on yellow lines until midnight.

The good news last week was that London’s Mayor Boris Johnson came out against the council’s plans calling it “a tax on nightlife”.  The bad news was that Colin Barrow; the council’s leader will not listen and says there will be no U turn even though he admitted "the majority" who responded to the consultation about the proposals were opposed to it!

We now have to await the response from the council on the High Court action for a Judicial Review.

See our blog post for Boris Johnson remarks:
http://www.wetherell.co.uk/wetherell-blog/drop-your-parking-changes-before-its-too-late-boris-tells-westminster/

MAYFAIR MARKET STOP PRESS

• Park Street – Former Icelandic Embassy backing onto Secret Gardens. Freehold @  £14.95M
• Park Lane (off) – Interior designed 4 bedroom apartment of 2,847 sq.ft. @ £7.95M
• Green Street – 3 bedroom maisonette onto gardens @ £3.65M
• Hill Street – A selection od 1 & 2 bedrooms apartments to let.

Mount Street Christmas Lights
Lastly on a festive note – After missing out last year due public realm works we turn on our Christmas lights on Thursday 24th November.