Save the Springfield Disabled Resource Centre (HFT) in New Malden!
As local councillors for the ward where the Springfield Centre is based, we are deeply concerned about the planned closure of this vital facility in October. The centre has long been a place of care, learning and belonging for over 100 adults with learning disabilities in Kingston. Its closure would represent a devastating loss to our community. The Springfield Centre, also known as the Hft Resource Centre, offers much more than day activities. It is a space where people build relationships, gain skills, and find
Reset Industrial Relations Now – Stop Kingston Sleepwalking Into Crisis
Kingston Council is facing a growing industrial relations disaster – and residents will pay the price if nothing is done. It started with the ongoing dispute involving APCOA parking wardens, who are striking for fair pay and union recognition. Kingston’s parking wardens earn £13.85 an hour, far less than colleagues in Camden and Westminster (£16.50). They’re asking for £15, still below parity for doing the same job in the same city. Instead of working to resolve the dispute, the Council is accused of presiding over something
PETITION: Stop the TDRA Scheme – Protect Our Thames
The Thames is one of Kingston’s greatest assets – a source of natural beauty, recreation, and wellbeing for our community. But a proposal from Thames Water now threatens to change it forever. What is the TDRA scheme? Thames Water wants to build the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) scheme right on our doorstep. This would involve: Extracting huge volumes of water from the Thames at Teddington. Replacing it with treated effluent pumped back into the river further downstream. Major tunnelling works and a construction shaft near Tudor Drive in
Petition: Save New Malden’s Fitness4Less swimming pool!
New Malden's Fitness4Less on Blagdon Road is being acquired by PureGym, who currently operate gyms in Kingston and Sutton - as well as elsewhere in London. Fitness4Less is currently home to one of the very few swimming pools in the borough - and has become a haven for gym users who look for a quieter space to swim following the demolition of the Kingfisher Leisure Centre by the Council. However PureGym plan on closing off the pool within the New Malden gym, claiming that this means
Parking Permit Area in California Road
The Lib-Dem run Council is planning to charge residents and businesses in and around California Road (and the roads off it), Georgia Road and Springfield Place up to £400 to park in those streets – despite the fact that some are private roads and despite the fact that there was little public support for the proposals. Despite Yvonne Tracey and I speaking out against this – as your Independent councillors – the Lib Dems who run the Council have decided to push ahead regardless. We
REVEALED: Secret plans revived to remove Fountain Roundabout
Your local Independent councillors have revealed Lib Dem plans to remove the Fountain Roundabout, replacing it with a crossroads. Being briefed on the plans, Independents were told that they “must not tell” residents about these plans - which have a price-tag to the taxpayer of £5m - so naturally, they are breaking the silence. In 2016, the then-Conservative Council introduced an identical proposal to remove the Fountain Roundabout and replace it with a crossroads. Your Independent Councillors led the campaign against the removal, supported by Kingston
PETITION: Open an M&S in New Malden!
Councillor Yvonne Tracey has launched a petition to Marks and Spencer urging them to make one of their 20 new food stores in the UK in New Malden. This follows the sad closure of Wilko on the High Street this week (w/c 11/09/2023). James Giles wrote to Marks and Spencer plc in August, following news of Wilko going into administration, to express the strength of feeling locally about having a strong retail offer in New Malden, and now Yvonne wants to demonstrate the strength of
PETITION: Reopen Blagdon Park walkway
LATEST UPDATE: Thank you to local residents who took the time to meet with me, other councillors and the lead officer for the Burlington School project to discuss the closure of the Blagdon Park pathway. The officer has been instructed to push back on the contractors who have cited ’health and safety’ for the closure and lack of consultation. The good news is that we have already won a concession: the path will reopen evenings and weekends. This seems to be a knee jerk reaction to the
PETITION: Reverse 213 bus cuts!
Kingston's Independent Councillors are calling on TfL to reverse their cuts to the popular 213 bus route, which would see buses cut to just five per hour in the day, and four per hour in the evenings.