Katherine Gray

A Nursing and Midwifery Council tribunal suspended Maureen Jindu Ugbah from nursing for 12 months after finding that she lacked the knowledge and English-language skills required to practise safely. While working at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, she nearly administered simple linctus instead of lactulose and reportedly used confusing terms when communicating with patients and colleagues. Ugbah said some concerns were motivated by racism, but the tribunal found no evidence supporting that claim. Seven of 36 allegations were not proven, while the remaining findings included misconduct and inadequate professional competence.

A Westminster City Council contractual error allowed 16 affordable flats at Gem House in Marylebone to be sold for private rental after housing provider Kinsman went bankrupt. The new owner raised rents from about £795 to £6,850 per month, prompting evictions and appeals. Annas Jawamir and other residents say the process was chaotic and left families facing unsuitable temporary accommodation, including during his mother's imminent hip operation. The council’s legal challenge was rejected by the Court of Appeal, while a Labour councillor demanded accountability and prompt rehousing; the council said it would continue offering advice and housing support but did not promise direct permanent offers.

Sixteen social housing flats at Gem House in Marylebone were sold after the collapse of housing provider Kinsman and a legal loophole allowed the properties’ affordable-housing restrictions to be abandoned. The new landlord is seeking market rents of up to £6,850 a month, compared with one family’s current social rent of £793, putting families and disabled residents at risk of eviction. Westminster City Council has lost its Court of Appeal challenge and is requiring residents to submit new homelessness applications, while tenants and Labour councillor Concia Albert are demanding direct offers of secure accommodation within the borough. The council says it is providing advice and support but has not committed to rehousing residents directly.

Preparations for Notting Hill Carnival’s 60th anniversary are underway, with 40 sound systems, around 1,000 performers, more than 250 food and drink stalls, and extensive toilet, staffing and waste-management provisions planned. Kensington and Chelsea Council will deploy 130 officers, provide 1,000 waterless toilets and coordinate a post-event clean-up involving 200 staff and 30 refuse vehicles to remove about 300 tonnes of waste. Twenty older residents living along the parade route will spend the weekend on the South Coast through a council and Age UK Kensington scheme. Several nearby Tube stations will have closures or restricted access during the August bank holiday celebrations.

Westminster City Council is seeking approval to spend up to £4.47 million repairing Beachcroft House Care Home in Maida Vale, which was completed in 2020 but has developed leaks and other defects affecting dozens of bathrooms and communal areas. The council attributes the problems to the original contractor, Durkan, which maintains that the work complied with its contract. The funding also covers damage from a historic flood, with the defects currently costing about £800,000 a year because residents require more expensive alternative arrangements. Logan Construction is proposed to carry out the work, with lower-floor repairs expected to finish in early 2027 and upper-floor repairs in early 2028. Residents are expected to move temporarily to refurbished lower-ground-floor rooms before returning to their original rooms.

Westminster City Council temporarily suspended the Mistress of Mayfair’s licence after Rhys Copas suffered severe throat and facial injuries in an alleged attempted murder at the Mayfair venue. Lucci Guthrie has been charged with attempted murder and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on September 9. Police cited serious crime, failures to scan customers’ identification, inadequate management during and after the incident, and security staff’s failure to detain the suspect. A full licensing hearing is expected in 28 days.

Westminster City Council is considering replacing or restructuring the 70-year-old Pimlico District Heat Undertaking, which supplies heating and hot water to more than 3,000 homes and commercial properties but suffers frequent leaks and expensive repairs. Council leader Paul Swaddle said a combination of air-source heat pumps and individual boilers is the likely solution, while calling for additional central government funding. Residents have opposed proposed district-wide options because of potential costs, including estimated bills exceeding £66,000 for some leaseholders, and are urging the council to provide individual systems, fair usage-based billing and cooling options.

Residents and park groups have raised concerns about a proposed 30-day Glow at Christmas outdoor light exhibition in Holland Park, citing possible disruption during the Christmas period, bridge safety, alcohol consumption and damage to the sports field. The applicant says timed tickets, security staff, CCTV, searches and a resident contact line will control the event, which could include music, films, performances and alcohol sales until 10:45 p.m. A decision on the licensing application is expected within five working days.

Yusuf, a long-term tenant in a Soho apartment block, says noise from a short-term let above his flat has made his home feel like a hostel and forced him to leave at night. He reports hearing suitcases, footsteps, music and parties, while the frequent turnover of guests prevents residents from building an effective dialogue. Westminster City Council is investigating the property, although no enforcement notice or finding of fault has been issued. The landlords say the building’s old structure allows sound to travel, that they have offered reasonable mitigation, and that the dispute also reflects a difficult relationship with the downstairs neighbour. Westminster permits homes to be short-let for up to 90 nights per year without planning permission, provided they meet standards and do not cause excessive disruption.

Kensington and Chelsea councillors approved plans to demolish Ferrari's former South Kensington showroom and replace it with a new 734-square-metre showroom topped by five floors of offices and a sixth-floor plant room. More than 30 residents objected to the building's height, bulk and potential impact on access to Eagle Place, while the applicant argued that the scheme improves on an abandoned development, preserves surrounding conservation areas and delivers economic and environmental benefits. The identity of the future showroom operator remains unclear after Ferrari left the site in 2024.

Residents and local groups have raised concerns about a proposed Glow at Christmas light art exhibition in Holland Park, particularly potential light pollution, impacts on nearby homes, noise, disorder and protection of the park’s Kyoto garden. The applicant says the family-focused, ticketed event would operate for up to 30 days in its first year, with timed entry, security, stewarding and operational controls. Friends of Holland Park may withhold a formal objection if safeguards are implemented, while a council planning enforcement officer has raised no objections. Kensington and Chelsea Council is due to decide the application at a licensing hearing.