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.
MEETING: Fix the Kingston Road Cycle Lane
Cllrs James Giles and Yvonne Tracey are urging residents to join them in demanding a meaningful fix to the Kingston Road Cycle Lane. In a report coming to the New Malden Neighbourhood Committee on 26th January 2023 (7.30pm at Richard Challoner School), the Lib Dem-run Council outlined the steps they intend to take to 'fix' the cycle lane, which include: ❌ MORE bollards on the Kingston Road, without any consideration of curb-height segregation ❌ Cars STILL allowed to park in the cycle lane on Kingston Road ❌ NO
Yvonne Tracey elected to Kingston Council!
A former post office worker gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats in a Kingston Council by-election yesterday. Yvonne Tracey, 67, of the Kingston Independent Residents Group, won with 46.3% of the vote and a 209 vote majority. Green Lane and St James ward in Kingston-upon-Thames now has two councillors from the KIRG. Tracey said: “I still can’t quite believe it. I feel very humbled that 855 people voted for me. “I hope that I can pay them back by working as hard as I can for New Malden.” She will be
James Giles elected in New Malden
A candidate not representing the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or Labour holds a seat in the council for the first time ever in Kingston, as the Lib Dems increased their majority in the borough. James Giles, representative of the Kingston Independent Residents Group – Malden Matters, took the seat from Liberal Democrat Simon Edwards in the Green Lane and St James Ward. The news was announced after a recount in the borough revealed that Giles had won by just eight votes. Earlier in the day, Giles commented on
PETITION: Hold Kingston Council to account over Tudor Williams and haphazard planning department
AN URGENT petition has been launched by Independent Residents after Kingston Council failed to make a decision on a 9-storey tower block at the former Tudor Williams site on New Malden High Street. The non-determination of the tower block means the developer has now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol who will get to make the final decision on the application, instead of local elected ward councillors. This has led local residents, supported by the Kingston Independent Residents Group, to crowdfund over £7,000 for a
Residents call on Councillor to come clean after investigation finds evidence of racist abuse against child
The Kingston Independent Residents’ Group have called on a Lib Dem Councillor to come clean about her involvement in a racist incident. The call follows a Local Government Ombudsman report – uncovered by Surbiton Green Councillor, Sharron Sumner (LINK) – which reveals a young child was racially abused by a swimming teacher at a council swimming pool in 2019. Although the swimming teacher is not identified by the Ombudsman, evidence points to Cllr Lesley Heap as the perpetrator. Lesley Heap has been a Lib
PETITION: Scrap plans for Kingston Council to REFUSE cash payment for parking
KINGSTON Council have provisionally passed plans that would mean residents would no longer be able to pay by cash to park in Council-run car parks and pay and display bays. The decision was approved by the Liberal Democrat administration with no impact assessment to assess the impact this would have on those who do not have access to a bank card or mobile app. The RingGo app charges a convenience fee to all who use the service, and cash does of course remain legal tender. Whilst