A Smart City for residents

We believe helping local businesses get back on their feet post-pandemic is crucial to Westminster’s digital journey.

We've partnered with The Rebel Business School to provide digital skills training to local market traders. From creating your own website, to setting up a Google Pin, we’re here to help build and boost your business.

We're also rolling out free WiFi connectivity in street markets, in partnership with Ontix, as the first step in improving connectivity across our city.

Focusing on younger people, we have hired nine candidates from diverse backgrounds as part of the Tech Lions Talent Programme.

They'll be given the opportunity to work within the Council in tech roles and spend time at leading tech companies to super-charge their careers.

Additionally, the city’s Smart Schools competition will see project partner, Microsoft, host a day of activities at local schools with inspiring prizes on offer.

These include experience days at Microsoft’s offices, to encourage young people to explore careers in tech and gain confidence in their digital skills.

Crowdfund Westminster is designed to enable Westminster residents and businesses to support creative, diverse projects that will benefit our communities.

One of the funds available is the Smart City fund. We are interested in funding 'smart' projects that align to any of these four themes:

• Clean Tech, which focuses on environment and sustainability and looks at ways technology can provide a greener city;
• Empowering People, which focuses on using technology to ensure residents can live independently for longer and also takes a central role in engaging with our community to ensure the Smart journey is inclusive and enables all;
• Extraordinary Experiences, which focuses on championing our communities and the City’s unique cultural offer, as well as ensuring interactions with our council services enable those we serve and are accessed with ease;
• Innovative Ecosystem, which focuses on how our City, businesses and communities can thrive by championing creativity and innovation in all sectors that share values and objectives, as well as enabled innovation to thrive within the council.

Find out more about Crowdfund Westminster

The Tech Lions Talent Programme has been designed in partnership with Multiverse to super-charge tech careers for talented future leaders.

We've recruited nine candidates from diverse backgrounds to complete a 24-month technology placement within our Council team, with roles including digital marketing, software engineering and data analytics.

Candidates will also have the opportunity to undertake secondments and experience days with leading tech companies

Since the start of the pandemic we've delivered over 4000 laptops to children and families to give them the internet connectivity they need. We've set up the Digital Futures scheme with the Young Westminster Foundation, which brings together an ambitious partnership of local charities, businesses and schools to build on this work.

We've funded the purchase of new devices and supplied reconditioned laptops donated by Vodafone, Westminster Housing and others, to our communities.

City Lions helps Westminster’s young people discover their creative future.

Aimed at those aged 13 to 16 and living in Westminster, the programme sees us partner with leading organisations in the city’s creative industries to offer free workshops, work placements, events and culture – giving our young people the chance to explore exciting career options and build their CV.

Tackling pollution around schools is one of our top priorities. To improve air quality, we’re running a programme of auditing and air quality monitoring at schools across the borough.

Along with the results of these audits, schools receive recommendations, tips and advice on how to improve air quality. We’ve also established a £1 million Schools’ Clean Air Fund to give financial assistance to primary schools in Westminster to help them take action on audit recommendations

The Oxford Street District is home to international businesses, Great Estates, historic neighbourhoods and one of the world’s most celebrated retail streets.
We're delivering a comprehensive programme of changes to improve and enhance the Oxford Street District as a global destination, with thriving residential neighbourhoods, successful businesses and an unrivalled visitor experience. We’re working closely with local stakeholders and partners and we’ve developed plans to ensure the district is fit for the future.