News from Westminster Labour

Westminster Tories make “vast cut” in council estate lift renewal budget

Westminster Conservatives have made a “vast cut” in the lift renewal budget for Council estates which, according to City West Homes, has been “dramatically cut”. Only essential Health & Safety works will now be carried out. It is understood that all lift renewal work on the Churchill Gardens Estate has been cut as a result of the decisions taken by the Conservative-run Council. There are 365 lifts on Westminster’s Council Estates but work will only be carried out on 64 of the lifts – less than 20%.

In a letter to Councillors, City West Homes say:

“Please be advised that due to the vast cut in the lift Capital renewal budget, the lift renewal programme has been dramatically cut, with only £500k for 2009/10, with no confirmation of future budgets.

Part of the lift renewal works, included Statutory Health and Safety works, including access to lift machine rooms, guarding of moving parts on the lift machine and Test control boxes in order for the lift engineers to travel safely up and down the lift shaft whilst on top of the lift, as the existing boxes do not comply. These works are essential in order to minimise the risk of injury to the lift engineers and other trades who need to maintain services that support the lift installation, but not maintained by the Lift contractor, e.g. motor room lighting and ventilation equipment.

Therefore I am proposing to start a programme of works, to carry out the H&S works on 64 of the cities 365 lifts, in order to comply with Health and Safety at work Act and British Standards 7255, Safe working on Lifts”

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“Once again, the Conservatives are cutting essential services, such as lift repairs on Council estates. Residents all over Westminster are continually reporting lift breakdowns and this news that the lift renewal budget has been dramatically cut is very bad news for the elderly, the disabled, people with heavy shopping and parents with young children. This is the sad reality of the way in which the hard-hearted Conservatives now in control at City Hall now run the Council.”