cllr.dwilliams@richmond.gov.uk · · · cllr.sjones@richmond.gov.uk · · · cllr.bmiller@richmond.gov.uk · · · · · · Please scroll down the page for full details of roles, biographies, etc..

• From Comments # 205 [February 2008]: 20 MPH zone for Ham: Parts of Broughton Avenue and Ashburnham Road will have 20 mph zones after residents raised concern about high traffic speeds and accident levels. David, Sue and Brian worked with traffic engineers to reduce speeds and the risk of accidents. Brian said, "Any scheme which reduces the risk of accidents is welcomed, particularly if the roads become safer to and from Meadlands, St Richard's and Grey Court schools."

• TERRACE Gardens improvements: Over a million pounds is being spent on long awaited improvements to Terrace Gardens and Buccleuch Gardens. Following the sale of Terrace Gardens Yard, part of the proceeds has been invested in the adjacent formal gardens. Work has started, and a steering group including Brian is monitoring the improvements which include renewing the paths, rebuilding the bandstand, better planting and wheelchair and buggy access for the less mobile.

• MONTHLY Police Surgery: Sue Jones and our local police team have set up a joint monthly surgery at the police office in Ashburnham Road, opposite Ham Library. Our local policing has been transformed by the very visible presence of our six strong police team, and crime locally has reduced considerably. If you have a problem or a concern you would like to discuss in confidence with either the police or a local councillor, or both, please come to the Ashburnham Road office between 3 pm and 6 pm to one of the Saturday surgeries.

• RECORD-breaking investment in local services: The Lib Dem controlled council has announced a record-breaking new investment programme of £165 million for the next five years. The programme includes: Over £107 million for local schools £15 million for new affordable housing £7 million in environmental improvements £1 million in improvements to youth centres Deputy Leader of the Council Stephen Knight said "We are determined to invest in our local public services and facilities while holding down council tax to the minimum possible. "We are not content with simply hoarding bigger and bigger reserves at the town hall." Over the same time the council also expects to spend some £25 million on roads and pavements using money from Transport for London.

• A NEW Grey Court?: Local MP Susan Kramer's campaign for a new Grey Court school is looking promising. Susan has had a positive response from Schools Minister Lord Adonis for a £30 million project to rebuild Grey Court as a joint Richmond and Kingston school. This would be on the site of the existing buildings. Susan Kramer commented "This plan would be the first of its kind, and recognises that Grey Court serves North Kingston as well as Ham, Petersham and Richmond." School would benefit both boroughs The school would benefit from governors as well as active involvement from both Richmond and Kingston Councils. Current and future parents will be consulted on this and other options. One possible option is to link with the Tiffin schools for sixth forms. Susan has worked very hard to get a new school both boroughs can be proud of, and thanks to her campaigning the Government could make this happen.

• DOUBLE yellow lines: In response to residents' concerns, your councillors have been negotiating with Highways officers to install double yellow lines to make certain locations safer. Consultation letters to residents in the affected roads will be sent out in early February. Proposed locations are: Petersham Road beside the Russell School to make access safer by foot to the German School. Langham House Close at the Ham Common junction so drivers can see oncoming cars more easily. Ashburnham Road between Croft Way and Broughton Avenue on the Church side to make it safer for children to cross. Wiggins Lane between Ham Street and Woodville Road (already in place.) Mowbray Road - double yellow lines on one side and pavement parking on the other side to allow ambulances and fire engines easier access. In addition, it is proposed to allow visitor parking at four bays in Nightingale Lane to ease the pressure on spaces. Brian with the first of several yellow lines to stop obstructive parking.

• PETERSHAM Nurseries restaurant access: Despite local opposition, Petersham Nurseries was granted temporary planning consent for mixed use of the restaurant and garden centre. Permission has only been granted for a year, on the promise that the car parking generated by the restaurant will be halved, as well as other conditions. Objections were on three grounds: Parking has reached saturation point in River Lane, Cedar Heights and Meadow Close, with nowhere else to park nearby. There are also difficult traffic problems at the Petersham Road junction, with large delivery lorries with only inches to spare, threatening the old walls of houses and the church. The site of the nurseries is also Metropolitan Open Land, which is supposed to be predominantly open space, and is next to Petersham Meadows, protected by an Act of Parliament as part of the famous view from Richmond Hill. The Council will be monitoring the parking and traffic situation this year to check that the conditions in the temporary planning permission are met.

• January 2008: £2m ENVIRONMENTAL improvements planned for five areas of the borough: Richmond Council's Cabinet is being recommended to approve spending of £2 million on the schemes over the next three years at its meeting on January 14. Shopping parades and other public spaces have been identified as the priorities for the five areas: Castelnau; Mortlake; HAM; the Hampton Nurserylands; and Heathfield. These have been identified in the Community Plan as being the borough's five areas of relative deprivation.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Martin Elengorn, said: "The proposed spending is intended to upgrade the physical environment in these parts of the borough and improve the quality of life of local residents. Tired shopping areas will be revitalised and the general street scene improved. The schemes range from upgrading street furniture and lighting to tree planting and new paving. They will have a significant impact."

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Stephen Knight, commented: "They represent further investment in local shopping parades and provide the opportunity to improve safety and access for disabled people. As with all Council projects of this kind, sustainability is vital. And these schemes will promote greener modes of travel by improving and increasing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. There will be thorough public consultation to ensure that the views of all sections of the community are taken into account."

From COMMENTS # 204 [June 2007]: • Lib Dems invest in local services: After one year the Liberal Democrats are investing millions of pounds in key services for local people. Money from Council Tax reserves is being invested in improving secondary schools, the environment and facilities for young people. Despite already being the lowest spending council in London, the Liberal Democrats have managed to make additional savings of over £4.5m to keep Council Tax down and pay for key service improvements. The increase in Council Tax was only 0.3% above inflation compared to the Tories who in 2003 increased total Council Tax by 15.6% (12.7% above inflation). Here are some of the things which are being invested in:

The introduction of improved recycling services from November 2007 including doorstep cardboard and plastics collections (£750,000). Extra youth services. An extra £250,000 per year. A new sustainability team to reduce the Council's energy use (£100,000). £0.5m on youth club refurbishment. The Lib Dems have also found extra money to meet the growing need for care services for older people and those with learning difficulties (£900,000), the needs of children in care (£400,000) and with special educational needs (£300,000). The surplus reserves built up by the Conservatives will be invested over the next four years.

Here are just some of the things which the Lib Dems will be investing in: £20 million on our secondary school buildings, over and above the £24m already planned for Teddington School. £3.5m on setting up the new recycling service. A new £1 million fund to help tackle climate change A new £1 million fund for new youth facilities. A new £400,000 economic development fund to help local businesses and high streets. In the run up to the local elections last year, the Liberal Democrats promised to invest money in local services. The Liberal Democrats have kept their promises.

• LIB Dems fight for better road safety: In 2001 the Petersham section of the A307 was made 20 mph, with "gateways" at each end, and a raised "table" was built at the pedestrian crossing by the Fox and Duck. In 2002 the crossing near Sandy Lane was also raised and a mini roundabout put in at the Sandy lane junction. After complaints about speeding traffic late last year, the police discovered that there isn't an offence of exceeding a 20 mph speed limit! All 20 mph zones should be self-enforcing. It gets worse. Cllr David Williams discovered that since 31 January 2003 all 20 mph zones must have traffic calming features, such as tables, cushions or road narrowing every 100 metres to be legal!

Why Richmond Council did nothing about this David has been unable to find out, though the previous Conservative administration didn't like traffic calming schemes, even though they reduce accidents and injuries dramatically when installed. Even with the limited traffic calming for the last few years on Petersham Road accidents have significantly reduced. So reverting to 30 mph is not a realistic option to avoid more traffic calming. Leaflets were sent to every house in the 20 mph zone, and all the side roads outlining the proposals, which were also on display at Ham Library. About 80% of those consulted supported the extra tables and cushions. Work should start in July, but may be delayed until the school holidays. We have asked the Council to avoid, if at all possible, any night working and road closures.

• CRIME & Personal Safety - top priority: One of our big successes locally has been our Safer Neighbourhood Team. Since 2005 the local policing has been vastly improved and much more visible. Crime has gone down locally, and we are below the national average here, and well below the London average. Sue, Brian and David would like to thank all the police officers involved, particularly Sgt. Mick Neilson and PC Gareth Pring. Both sadly are moving this summer. They will both be a hard act to follow, but we are sure their replacements will take on the challenges and the problems with the same enthusiasm and success. Mike will be supervising a joint Kingston and Richmond boroughs team, and Gareth is joining the Youth Offending Team. Police Community Safety Officer Gurminder Dhanoa is also leaving, but you may see him as one of the new Transport PCSOs at the local stations and on the buses. Susan Kramer MP added, "We will keep crime and personal safety at the top of the local agenda. I will work hard with the local councillors and safer neighbourhood police team to make sure crime and personal safety are a top priority".

• NEW children's centre planned: The Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce a new Children's Centre is planned as an extension of St. Richard's School, Ham. This is one of three in the borough which will provide early education integrated with day care, child and family health services, family support, and help for children with special needs and their parents. A crèche and a drop in coffee shop are also planned, as well as a full time manager on site. The money for all this is largely coming from the Government. Cllr Sue Jones has been closely involved in the planning of this major local venture on which Meadlands School and St. Richard's have been working together. Subject to planning permission and tenders for the construction, work should start in the summer holidays. Sue is delighted that both Ham primary schools will get their nursery provision completely modernised as part of this project. Please contact Sue if you would like to know more.

• IN May there were three sets of squatters at 132 Richmond Hill, next to the Roebuck Pub. Liberal Democrat Cllr Brian Miller has been working to try and resolve the problems and has had the property made secure. It was bought about four years ago for £1,200,000 by an offshore company, who left it to rot. It is now owned by a bank, following the financial problems of the offshore company. The bank is putting it up for auction this month. Of course hundreds of thousands will be needed to make good all the damage. And it will be next year before this once attractive house is an asset to The Terrace, not an eyesore.

• February 2007: A new plastic bottle bank has been installed in Ashburnham Road car park. ClIr David Williams welcomed the new recycling facility saying "Residents and the environment will benefit from this new facility".

FROM Comments 203 Winter 2006/07: Lib Dems put road safety first Richmond Hill is now safer, thanks to your local councillors. The junction of Richmond Hill and Friars Stile Road had a succession of accidents, with cars going too fast to get round this sharp turn. After black and white chevron boards were put up, to give advance warning of the turning, the accidents stopped. However, in 2005 the then Conservative Council decided to take down "unnecessary" road signs, and the chevrons at this junction were removed. In less than a year there were four accidents, with considerable damage to cars, walls and telephone equipment boxes. Fortunately no one was seriously injured.

BRIAN Miller, having been alerted by anxious residents, quickly persuaded the Council officers to put back the chevrons. As far as we know there have been no more accidents. We think it was seriously irresponsible to remove the chevron safety signs. Brian is pleased to report that since the Liberal Democrats have taken over Richmond Council road safety is given higher priority.

• PARKING by staff and visitors to Petersham Nurseries and its restaurant on part of Petersham Meadows will stop soon. The Council as landowners have terminated the lease of the land, which was only ever for turning vehicles, not parking them. A new lease for a smaller area just to turn vehicles is being negotiated. This land is both Metropolitan Open Land and protected from development by the 1902 Act safeguarding the view from Richmond Hill. · · · A Certificate of Lawfulness was applied for claiming that the restaurant use is ancillary to the nursery use. Since the restaurant has 120 covers and 20 staff, according to an article by the chef in January, this certificate was recommended for refusal by the Council's Planning Committee. A few days before the meeting, the application was withdrawn. We hope the owners will now at last submit a planning application that deals with the access, traffic, parking and the use of the site. Hopefully this is the advice from their planning consultants, too.

• SUE Jones has succeeded in getting money for Christmas lights from the Council, with matched funding being raised for some of this money by the traders on Ham Parade. Sue particularly wants to thank Fiona of Ham Pantry and Alison of Mervyn Smith who put a lot of work into this. "The shops on the Parade have always wanted Christmas lights as long as I can remember," says Sue, who has shopped there all her life. Ham Parade got a boost from the Council with a major improvement project five years ago. This is the refresher treatment for 2006. Please keep supporting our local shops as part of a brighter Christmas.

• RICHMOND Council, as part of the long list of Arcadia projects, are improving many of our local open spaces. Funding is from the Council and the National Heritage Lottery Fund. These include: · · · • Both of the historic avenues to Ham House, from Ham Common and from Petersham; • Melancholy Walk, the avenue between Ham House and the Polo Club; • Ham Street car park by the river, last renovated about 20 years ago; • Ham Gate Avenue; and• Ham Common · · · Phase 1 of this £3.1m project saw major improvements in Richmond to Terrace Field and Terrace Gardens, including the splendid renovated greenhouse. Phase 3 will improve the Richmond riverside pocket parks, never finished in the 1960s! And a separate scheme to improve Buccleuch Gardens on the river, and more work in Terrace Gardens, will start soon. This is all very good news for our historic and riverside open spaces, and must be our first news story covering Ham and Petersham and Richmond Riverside! Major environmental improvements

• HELP protect local youth facilities!: Last year we reported that Kew and Ham Football Club won the largest grant ever to a football club of over half a million to build their new pavilion and changing rooms at their ground in Riverside Drive, Ham. The new buildings will replace the 1950s buildings they inherited when they leased the ground from the Council. The club want to use their new facilities to channel the efforts of young people towards a safe and productive role in the community. · · · However, Sue Jones has discovered that the club does need help. Their existing pavilion has been burned down, glass has been broken on the playing field, goals have been damaged, and new £3,000 dugouts have been destroyed. All these incidents are reported to the police, but show no sign of stopping. Sue is taking this up with the Council and the police to see what can be done.

• AFTER the problems we had with the thoughtless contractors at Cassel Hospital, who threatened the badger sett by putting a portakabin in the wrong place, the problems moved to Craig House next door. The then Conservative controlled Council sold the closed old people's home to Wimpeys for development as flats. Sadly, one of the bidders for the site, who didn't win, was the Star and Garter Home, looking for a local 60 bed site for a small care home. Sue has ensured that their have been no badger problems at Craig House, and to be fair to Wimpeys, they have done everything needed. They have had more problems with squatters, though they have now been evicted.