Westminster sweeps New Year honours

One of the council’s top officers has been honoured in the New Year’s honours list, along with a former street sweeper who received a gong for more than three decades of keeping the West End clean.

John Barradell, 47, the deputy chief executive of Westminster City Council, was awarded an OBE for his work with the Metropolitan Police’s Special Constabulary.

Mr Barradell said: “I’m deeply honoured to have been awarded in this way, but also very surprised. There are a lot of people who work incredibly hard for their local communities, and I’m proud to be honoured among them.”

The accolade was in recognition of his 27 years service with the Met, and in his final role as Chief Office of the Special Constabulary where he oversaw a huge boost in the recruitment of ethnic minority specials.

Mr Barradell joined the council in 2002, juggling his day job with his police role until giving up his work for the Special Constabulary earlier this year.

Street sweeper Edward Wilson, 65, known by all as Ted, was a familiar sight around Trafalgar Square and the West End for 33 years before retiring in the summer. He was awarded an MBE in the honours’ list.

Dr Leith Penny, Director of Leisure and Environment at Westminster City Council said: "This honour is well deserved and I'm delighted that more than three decades of Ted's hard work keeping the West End clean has been recognised. He always went the extra mile and was incredibly popular with all the local businesses as a result.

He added: "Ted represents the legions of people like him in Westminster and beyond who do the unglamorous work which makes such a big impact on all our lives."