Square questions demand fair and square answers

Published: 25th March, 2010

• I AM bemused by Councillor Jonathan Glanz’s letter (Work for Soho Square is ongoing, March 19) where he says “I have, since elected, worked positively to achieve real improvements”.
I cannot see where they are. I have tried to do the same as a member of the Soho Action Plan committee for many years and resigned recently out of frustration. He refers to Soho Square pruning, thinning and mulching, but this occurs every year. He fails to mention the many occasions when parts of the square (one of Soho’s only three, small, open spaces) are let out for commercial events, so denying its use to both workers and residents.
Malcolm Rasala has written justifiable letters to the West End Extra on the question of our sub-standard public realm in the world-famous Soho,  so let’s have answers to the following, for example.
Why was £5million earmarked for street improvements cut from the Soho Action Plan budget?
Why is Westminster City Council lending even more than that to the Grosvenor Estate for works in Mount Street which is, and was, one of the best kept streets in the West End?
Why are major works planned for St James’s Square which is similarly well kept?
The only real improvements planned in Soho are for Berwick Street (£1.3million) left over from the previous abortive plan for that street and the rest is – more or less – the usual maintenance works.
To be fair to our new councillor, it’s a great shame that the area’s major freeholder, Soho Estates, do not appear to have the same enlightened approach to our public realm as Shaftesbury PLC, the Mercers’ Company and others, since these days major improvements do need support from major freeholders.
In my voluntary roles over many years in Seven Dials on both the Camden and Westminster sides I hope I and my colleagues have “achieved real improvements” as can be seen in both Long Acre and  Monmouth Street. But these things take years, great attention to detail and support from the area’s major freeholders.
As this is my first letter as a candidate for the West End ward in our forthcoming local elections might I urge all those who read this to vote. Our democracy depends upon participation and our voting record in this ward is not that brilliant.
Our long-fought-for democracy depends first upon the rule of law and secondly the electorate casting their votes. So please do it!
DAVID BIEDA
Prospective Labour Party Candidate