COVID-19 Update from Westminster City Council Leader Rachael Robathan

Monday, 23 March, 2020

Local News

We are all aware of the difficult period that is being experienced by everyone living across Westminster. I want to assure you that your local council will continue to provide whatever support or advice is needed in the coming weeks. Many of you are contacting us, often with offers of help, for which we are very grateful. There are further details of how to register those offers of help below. If you need our assistance, or have concerns about a vulnerable neighbour or relative, then do get in touch with us, or you can ask for help through the council’s website.

Council Services

The Council is currently providing its normal services with limited disruption. This may change as the situation develops.

Please keep up to date on what Council services are affected by visiting our website. This is being updated on a very regular basis with the latest information. The front page of the Council’s website has had a major makeover to signpost people to everything related to COVID-19.

We are making contact with our vulnerable residents and tenants to support them. That process is working well and is not disrupted at the moment.

City Libraries are currently closed, but the Council is currently working on plans to provide ongoing access, in a safe environment, to online services for those members of the public that need access to the internet and do not otherwise have the ability to get online. Free online resources, including eBooks and eMagazines are available here.

Support for Businesses

This is a time of extreme disruption for many businesses across Westminster. We are doing everything we can to support them.

The Leader of the Council wrote to the Chancellor last week, resulting in the Chancellor’s announcements on 17 March that provided support for many retail and leisure businesses who will now pay no business rates for 12 months. The Leader of the Council has written to the Chancellor again asking for further support for the many non-retail and leisure businesses who will also need help.

So, we are pleased to see the Chancellor’s announcement on 20th March that 80% of worker’s wages will be covered up to £2,500 per month by the Government.

The Council is also convening a meeting with the major land and property owners in the city to develop a co-ordinated response on how we can further support local businesses throughout the city.

How you can help

We have been seeing many offers of help from individual and local groups. We have set up Westminster Connects to co-ordinate people who want to help and to support those in need.

Anyone would like to volunteer to help should register via the online form here.

Anyone who needs help – or is concerned about a vulnerable neighbour or relative - should email the Council or complete the online form here.

We are also asking for those that are already offering services to email us so that we can promote these more widely.

Your councillors are there to support everyone in the community and, by working together, we will get through this. We are all hugely grateful for the incredible work that is being done by the NHS and also all our dedicated council staff who continue to serve our community from collecting rubbish to protecting the vulnerable. They are keeping the city running, which we are determined to do.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us during this period. We will do all that we can to help you and your neighbours.

Keep safe,

Cllr Rachael Robathan

Leader of Westminster City Council

You may also be interested in

Nickie Aiken @TwoCitiesNickie

Former Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster

Nickie Aiken has lived in the Cities of London and Westminster for more than 20 years, first moving to London in 1997. She lived in the Barbican in the heart of the City of London before moving to Pimlico where she has been raising her family since 1999.

Barbara Arzymanow

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Barbara Arzymanow has lived in Westminster for over 35 years and knows how much difference a strong local voice can make. A Ward Councillor since 2014, she has worked with local people and organisations on issues associated with air-quality, public protection, public realm and planning.

Tim Barnes

Councillor for the West End

Having moved to the area around Fitzrovia while a student at UCL, Tim now lives in Soho.

Tony Devenish

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Tony Devenish represents the Knightsbridge & Belgravia ward on Westminster City Council. Between 2016 and 2024, Tony represented West Central on the Greater London Authority which includes Westminster. As a GLA Member, Tony held the Mayor of London to account on policing, transport,

Jim Glen

Councillor for Pimlico North Ward

Jim Glen has lived in Pimlico for over 25 years with his wife Claire and three kids. He is currently a councillor and sits on both licensing and planning committees.

David Harvey

Councillor for Vincent Square Ward

David Harvey has lived locally for 25 years and been a councillor since 2010. He lives in the ward with his wife Angela. His priority is to continue to create opportunity within our local community.

Elizabeth Hitchcock

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Elizabeth has lived in London for over 30 years and in Westminster for the past 15 years. Elizabeth was first elected in May 2018. Elizabeth works closely with both local people living in Knightsbridge & Belgravia and businesses to improve what is a very special part of London.

Louise Hyams

Councillor for St James's Ward

Louise Hyams has had the honour and privilege of representing St. James's Ward since her election to the Council in 1998. She is totally committed to improving the quality of life for all the residents of this diverse ward in the centre of London.

Tim Mitchell

Councillor for St James's Ward

Tim Mitchell has lived and worked in Westminster for over 30 years and is a self-employed computer consultant. He was first elected to Westminster City Council in May 1998 and has represented St.

Rachael Robathan

Councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward

Rachael Robathan has been a ward councillor for Knightsbridge & Belgravia since 2010 and was the Leader of the Council from January 2020 till May 2022.

Ian Rowley

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Ian Rowley has lived in Marylebone for 24 years with his wife. He has been a Councillor since 2007 and has a PhD in economics. In the Conservative administration he chaired the council’s Audit and Performance Committee and sits on a scrutiny committee and various operational boards.

Karen Scarborough

Councillor for Marylebone Ward

Karen has lived with her family on the border of the Marylebone ward for over 24 years and has a legal and business background. Since being elected in 2014, she has striven to maintain clean safe streets in Marylebone, improve greening, air quality, planting more trees, together with dealing

Mark Shearer

Councillor for St James's Ward

Mark Shearer is a Chartered Surveyor by trade. He also co-founded a social enterprise which enables businesses to connect with and fund charities / community projects. Mark was first elected to Westminster Council in May 2018.

Selina Short

Councillor for Vincent Square Ward

Selina has lived in Vincent Square ward for 17 years. She works in Parliament, supporting MPs in dealing with issues raised by their constituents. Selina is keen to make a difference locally by working on solutions to local issues from rough sleeping and housing to traffic management.

James Spencer

Association Treasurer

James was elected Chairman of the Cities of London & Westminster Conservative Association in June 2022. He was elected Treasurer in September 2023. From May 2018 until May 2022, James served as a Westminster City Councillor, representing the former Tachbrook ward which covered part of Pimlico.

Jacqui Wilkinson

Councillor for Pimlico North Ward

Jacqui Wilkinson has lived in Pimlico for 26 years, serving as a local councillor since 2015.

Hyde Park

About our area Hyde Park Ward is bordered by the Bayswater Road, Gloucester Terrace, Marylebone Flyover and Edgware Road. It is home to Paddington Station, the development around Paddington Basin, St.

Knightsbridge & Belgravia

About our area Knightsbridge & Belgravia Ward hosts a number of fundraising events every year. They also hold a number of smaller private events in the homes of key supporters.

Marylebone

About our area Marylebone ward stretches from Marylebone Road to Wigmore Street, north to south, and from Portland Place to Edgware Road, east to west. Sign up for our regular emails, full of interesting local news for people living in and around Marylebone.