Borough of Westminster & Westminster City Council

The basic street-level policing of London is carried out by 33 Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs), which operate to the same boundaries as the 32 London Borough Councils, apart from one BOCU which is dedicated to Heathrow Airport.

The map below shows London's Metropolitan Police Service BOCUs. Paddington Division, the home of the Hyde Park Ward Sector Working Group (SWG) is based within the City of Westminster.

Map of London, with Westminster Highlighted

Westminster has a resident population of approximately 225,000 people, comprising 54 different nationalities and speaking 120 different languages. Added to this, some 2 million people visit the city each day.

The many and varied sights of Westminster are a popular attraction for tourists as well as being a major centre for business, retail and public entertainment. Paddington, and the Ward the Sector Working Group (SWG) represents, is a microcosm of Westminster. Its area also includes a well-established, vibrant Arabic population, mainly based minutes away from Marble Arch and Hyde Park. The SWG has a close working relationship with Westminster City Council, its officers, its crime reduction unit and Ward Councillors.

The fight against priority crime and anti-social behaviour, the constant demand of public order policing as well as the fight against terrorism make the City of Westminster a unique policing environment. The Metropolitan Police Westminster Borough Commander Chris Allison says "Our policing style is fair but firm and assertive, and together with Westminster City Council, we are ensuring that the City of Westminster not only is safe, but feels safe for those who live in, work in and visit the area."

To know more about policing Westminster Borough visit http://www.met.police.uk/westminster/index.html

Ibrahim El-Nour with Councillor Simon Milton

Ibrahim El-Nour is a leader for London's Paddington Arabic community. He works alongside The MET police, its partners and with SWG Chair as a 'portfolio' holder for crime, anti-social behaviour & disorder issues across this multi-cultural part of Westminster. Ibrahim is pictured with Councillor Simon Milton, the Leader of Westminster City Council. Their input to the SWG joint police/community partnership is essential to its success in reducing crime and anti social behaviour in the heart of London.

At a recent meeting Ibrahim reminded the Council (WCC), Councillors and the MET police that his Arabic community represented on the SWG were as "vulnerable to terrorism and crime as any other businesses and residents of Westminster. Partnership and community relations, such as we now share on our successful SWG, are essential to a confident, coming together, crime-free community - especially in these tense times."

Westminster City 'Council of the year' 2004

2004 saw Westminster City Council named Council of the Year in the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards. Chair of The Paddington Police/Community Sector Working Group Lynda King Taylor praised the Award saying "This is well deserved Award - especially given their example shown on how the WCC, Councillors, officers, their Community Protection, Crime & Reduction Unit and other departments can work so closely with our police/partnership across Paddington to reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. WCC can not do it alone however, and Government must be challenged to empower councils such as WCC to work closer with the police and partnerships such as the SWG to tackle disorder in our cities, along the lines that the local communities have been expressing ".

Cllr Simon Milton, Leader of Westminster Council, said:

"This award is a massive tribute to the efforts of everyone at Westminster, both officers and members. It recognises the first-rate services that they deliver to Westminster’s residents, businesses and the millions of visitors who throng the heart of London every day. Above all, Westminster has shown how a local authority can work with the Police to tackle disorder on our streets.

Our city centres are under pressure. Drink-fuelled violence and the demands of our 24-hour culture mean that Police resources are over-stretched. We want Ministers to extend us three key freedoms to develop our anti-crime partnership with the Police:

First, give us the resources to fund our anti-crime initiatives properly. The Government must return a greater share of the business rate to local control, allowing us to improve our CCTV and increase the numbers of our City Guardians on the streets.

Second, trust our knowledge of our cities. We know when our entertainment centres are saturated with bars and at risk of erupting into violence on a Saturday night. Allow us the freedom to control licensing, not just rubber-stamp the burgeoning bar culture.

Third, allow us a greater democratic control of our local police forces. We cannot control operations, but we can help set targets and priorities that meet the needs of local people in partnership with Police chiefs.

Westminster has worked with the Police to drive down crime and the fear of crime in the West End of London. We believe that a refusal to accept the ‘lesser’ crimes of aggressive begging, flyposting and vandalism cuts away at the roots of serious crime and reduces the fear of crime. Our award is testament to our work and we want to be the model for a new type of partnership between Police and local authorities - a partnership that will reclaim our city streets."

For further information on above Award:

The Local Government Chronicle

Public enquiries at WCC : 020 7641 6000
Press enquiries only : 020 7641 2259
Email: press@westminster.gov.uk
Website: http://www.westminster.gov.uk

For more information on being part of the commitment to local policing that makes a tangible difference to people's lives, please contact Paddington Police Division Sector Working Group. We are happy to welcome on board the SWG community members from all groups and nationalities. Our Constitution (See MET Police SWG Principles) encourages membership from all ethnic backgrounds.

If you need an interpreter please speak directly with Ibrahim El Nour at Deltatranslations@btinternet.com

To discuss your representation please speak with Sector Inspector Richard Dolman or Sergeant Kenneth Taylor on the Paddington Green Division
Community Safety Team Sector Office
Tel: +44 (0)20 7321 8365

Or email SWG Chair Lynda King Taylor
e-mail: lktlondon@aol.com


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Westminster City Council, SWG and Business Partnership
In 2004 Westminster City Council (WCC) set up an Edgware Road Dialogue Group. One of the Group members is the Edgware Road Association (ERA) formed to serve one of the major business arteries in Paddington. The aim of the ERA is to bring together all interested parties to seek improvements in the area which will benefit businesses, residents and visitors. The partnership includes local Councillors, WCC officers, major landowners including Portman Estates and The Church Commissioners, alongwith the police and resident representation. Paddington Hyde Park SWG consider it vital commercial organisations play their role with the local police/community partnership. The involvement of business representatives is a bright bonus, as businesses invariably have members of the local multi-culture community as customers, staff and stakeholders. Their membership on the SWG has developed diversity debates and decisions, in working with police and 'hard to reach' communities to reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour issues. As such the Edgware Road Association and some of its business colleagues sit on the SWG specifically with a remit in the above areas. The ERA wants to ensure that business speaks with a strong, constructive and united voice and that their interests and concerns are taken into account. If you want to join ERA to assist with the development of a truly representative business association, to take forward discussions on the improvements all wish to see for the Edgware Road area, and how these could be implemented then please contact Ibrahim El-Nour on 020 7723 880. To know more about business and the SWG visit our Contacting and Joining the SWG page

Paddington Waterside Partnership
Paddington Waterside Partnership (PWP) was launched as Paddington Regeneration Partnership in 1998 to drive the creation of London’s newest commercial, retail, residential, leisure and health quarter. The Partnership has grown from 8 founding members to 17 and comprises the major developers, landowners, commercial occupiers and transport operators in the area. PWP’s aim is to coordinate development activity and to facilitate sustainable economic vitality for the area, ensuring that the products of regeneration benefit the surrounding communities. Core activities involve promotion and integration of the area, creating a sense of place through guided walks, social/sports events, festivals, exhibitions and music. The Partnership is the promoter of the Paddington BID, which seeks to improve the area from Praed Street to Sussex Gardens. Working to a vote in February 2005, if successful the Paddington BID will be one of the first in the UK. Other initiatives include Time for Paddington, a local volunteering programme and Paddington First the Partnership’s local recruitment agency, providing a bespoke service for local employers and jobseekers alike. For more information about Paddington Waterside Partnership’s activities please visit www.paddingtonwaterside.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7313 1011.

Paddington Business Improvement District
The Paddington BID is a pilot Business Improvement District promoted and delivered by Paddington Waterside Partnership working with local businesses in association with Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police. Over the past fours years numerous projects have been tested under the Paddington Circle banner to create a more attractive, safer, cleaner and better promoted Paddington. The Circle initiative projects and services have been supported by Single Regeneration Budget funding from the London Development Agency. Projects to date include; tackling environmental problems – treating buildings with anti graffiti paint; installing hanging baskets, deep cleansing and chewing gum removal; delivering shop front improvements to a number of businesses; funding dedicated Police and Police Community Support Offices for the area and events such as What’s Your Flavour? in summer 2004. The Paddington BID proposal, launched in November 2004 has been put together after detailed consultation with the local businesses over the past four years. In February 2005 local businesses will have the chance to build on this success and decide whether to continue the work started by Paddington Circle, by voting YES to setting up the Paddington BID. If successful it will be one of the first BIDs in the UK. For more information about the Paddington BID please visit www.paddingtonbid.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 7313 1011.