cllr.jdodds@richmond.gov.uk · · · · cllr.chodges@richmond.gov.uk · · · Please scroll down the page for full details of roles, biographies, etc.. • YOUR local Lib Dem team have welcomed a new member, JAMES BERTIN [6 Salisbury Rd, Richmond TW9 2JB 0775 917 0160 jamesbertin1@yahoo.co.uk]. He will be working with your local councillors to help local people.

• COMMUNITY toilet scheme: One of the popular initiatives started by the Liberal Democrats on Richmond Council has been the Community Toilet Scheme. 90 toilets in pubs, cafés, and offices around the borough are now open to the public. The Council pays the venue £600 a year to allow unrestricted access to the toilets. This is very much cheaper, and offers many more toilets, than the traditional public toilets, which are very expensive to maintain. Just look for the Community Toilet sign outside.

• 14 places in RICHMOND have joined the scheme: Angel; Buccleuch Gardens; Hollyhock Cafe; House of Fraser; O'Neill's; Old Town Hall; Pizza al Rollo; Pizza Express; Red Cow; Richmond Arms; Roebuck; Slug and Lettuce; Tea Box; and Tide Tables. In KEW, Kew Gardens Hotel, Marks & Spencers, St Luke's in the Avenue, The Coach and Horses and The Railway have joined the scheme. In HAM the New Inn, the Hand and Flower, and Ham Clinic have joined the scheme.

• The Borough's 90 Community Toilets

• POOL NEWS: Significant improvements have taken place at Pools on the Park in North Richmond. The indoor pool has been re-tiled and the new café - Austin's - continues to serve excellent food and drinks to the centre's users. Additionally, the 490 bus goes to the pool, and, at the other end, to Heathrow Terminal 5. This provides an efficient public transport services for staff, residents and users of the pool. Local campaigner James Bertin said "Pools on the Park is a wonderful resource for the whole of the Borough and is based in North Richmond. "Residents are able to use the pools, café, gym and other facilities, as well as the 490 bus.

• BUS news: North Richmond Lib Dems are calling on London Mayor Boris Johnson to stop the endless delays and get work started to moving the 371 bus stop to Sainsburys. The Lib Dem team have received repeated assurances that the work would be completed. But nothing has happened! Lib Dem GLA Member Caroline Pidgeon raised the issue directly with the London Mayor, only to be told that residents would be waiting until April 2010 for the work to be completed. As Comments went to print there was still no clear date for work to begin. Cllr Celia Hodges said, "We have had promises made and broken time and time again on this issue. "We fully share the frustration of residents around Dee Road who are still suffering noisy buses day and night and have been waiting far too long for work to start."

• CAR Club Success: The Council's innovative Car Club scheme is going from strength to strength with over 2000 people signing up as members. In North Richmond, the car club bays in Selwyn Avenue, Old Deer Park and Manor Park have been very successful. An additional bay is proposed for Tangier Road. Cllr Jane Dodds said, "The Car Club success has shown that residents, particularly those in North Richmond, are committed to looking at ways of reducing their carbon emissions as well as saving money during the recession."

• ROAD news: improvement works update Improvement works at Richmond Circus, Kew Road, Lower Mortlake Road and Clifford Avenue are progressing well. The improvement works at Richmond Circus to date have provided excellent facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as much improved traffic signage around the roundabout. Cllr Jane Dodds said, "It is anticipated that the works will be totally complete by the end of December."

• BRIDGE news: North Sheen footbridge Network Rail are working on potential designs for the new footbridge at North Sheen station. Network Rail agreed to build a new footbridge after a long campaign by the Liberal Democrat team in response to residents' concerns about safety. We will keep you updated on developments.

• Richmond Town Centre: Improvements between The Quadrant and Church Road (including the railway station) [8th Nov]

• From Comments Summer 2009: RICHMOND Circus Roadworks: Local residents will be aware that extensive roadworks are now ongoing on Richmond Circus at the end of Kew Road, Twickenham Road and Lower Richmond Road. Works on the roundabout and the Kew-bound pavement will result in a much improved traffic- flow and safer routes for cyclists. Every effort is being made to keep disruption to a minimum, but please do contact your local councillors or Susan Kramer MP should there be any problems you would like them to take up. The Lib Dem team want to make sure disruption is kept to a minimum during the Richmond Circus roadworks. You can express your views by writing to Transport and Works Act Orders Unit, Zone 9/09, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DT or emailing transportandworksact@dft.gov.uk

• SHENE School: The Council is re- opening its search for a new sponsor for the academy at Shene School. The Government has made it clear that unless the decision on the new sponsor is made quickly, the money for Shene will not be safeguarded. Local MP Susan Kramer wants to make sure that the community is fully engaged in the way forward for Shene. "The new sponsor needs to earn the trust of the community and parents," said the MP "I will be stressing to the new sponsor, that they must reach out to parents, governors and the wider community to listen to their views." The Lib Dem team will keep you posted on the latest news and progress on the academies plan. • Airtrack plans latest BAA has announced that it intends to push ahead with plans for a high speed link between Heathrow and Waterloo. The plans mean that level crossings in our area will be down for up to 45 minutes in an hour. Cllr Celia Hodges said, "This will have a terrible effect on already congested traffic in our area." It is vital that people object to the plans during the consultation period.

• CAR Clubs come to Richmond: The Lib Dem team are pleased at the success of the car club scheme in the borough. Car clubs were introduced in the spring and allow people to book a car to use when they need it. Local campaigner Martin Pierce said "Bookings can be for an hour, for 2 to 3 days or longer and is cheaper than conventional car hire." You can book online or by phone, and payment is by the hour and/or miles travelled. Further Car Clubs spaces in the ward are at Manor Park, Selwyn Avenue, The Avenue (near Thornycroft Court) and Old Deer Park Gardens and further information on Car Clubs can be found by e-mailing: highwaysandtransport@richmon d.gov.uk

• AFTER a long campaign by the Lib Dem team, there is now a bus route that goes to Pools on the Park. Cllr Jane Dodds said, "It is excellent that people will now be able to use the bus to get to the pool quickly and easily." On June 16th, the No. 490 bus, which goes all the way to Heathrow Terminal 5, started operating from the new bus stand in Pools on the Park. Bus to Pools on the Park at last! Cllr Jane Dodds, Martin Pierce and Celia Hodges with one of the buses that now stops at Pools on the Park.

• CLIFFORD Avenue Roadworks Work to replace Victorian water mains on Clifford Avenue is due to start on 27th July. The roadworks are due to last four weeks. During this time Clifford Avenue will be one-way traffic (East Sheen to Kew), with traffic from the Kew direction diverted across Chiswick Bridge. Lorries will be diverted from Chalkers Corner via Chiswick, Fulham, and Putney. Please do contact the Lib Dem team if you have any problems during this time.

• NORTH Sheen footbridge update Network Rail has secured funding for the footbridge, and is now working on plans for the footbridge and its location. It is anticipated that the bridge will be sited at the Manor Road side of the station. The Lib Dem team will keep you updated as we find out more detail about the plans.

• POOLS on the Park: Work to resurface the Pools on the Park car park has now been completed. The project also created a much a much needed bus service directly to Richmond's swimming pool. A bus will be going straight into the car park, making it much easier for local residents to access this valued leisure facility. The next stage of the work will start very soon to create a safe junction with the A316 to the swimming pool.

• CAFE Matthiae: Your local Liberal Democrat Councillors and activists are keeping an eye on the progress with the development of this iconic listed building in North Richmond. Café Matthiae has lain derelict and abandoned for over 8 years. Last year planning permission was granted to develop it into residential and café/restaurant use. We are making sure that Art Deco features are maintained and that its development will not increase car parking pressure in the area.

• [Comments July 2008] RICHMOND Police station is set to close and despite a guarantee that a town centre replacement will be found, we still don't know when the existing site will close or where the replacement will be. Susan Kramer MP said, "We are concerned that the police station is set to close, and a replacement has not yet been identified. The site must be in the town centre with good access for members of the public". Top priority for local council The local Council has been working with the police to make Richmond upon Thames the safest borough in London. Tackling crime and the fear of crime is a top priority for the Lib Dem run council. Cllr Celia Hodges said, "A police station in the centre of Richmond is vital. There should be public access to the police where people can report a crime or receive support and assistance should they require it". A modern and publicly accessible police station in the centre of Richmond is just one of the things which will help to keep Richmond safe and reduce the fear of crime. Cllr Jane Dodds added, "Policing priorities for our area are set by local people. If more local people participate in this process the policing priorities will reflect local concerns and help to better tackle local crime issues and hotspots". Local people will get the chance to do this at the next Safer Neighbourhood Police Team meeting which is taking place on July 1st.

• NOT so 'private' disappointment Liberal Democrat Councillors Jane Dodds and Celia Hodges have vowed to continue their fight against the sex shop on Kew Road despite the renewal of the licence. Cllr Jane Dodds said, "Once again the licence has been renewed for a further 12 months for Private Lines in Kew Road. Unfortunately the legislation as it currently stands does not permit anything else. We are very disappointed but we will continue to fight on behalf of local residents". Lib Dem Councillors Celia Hodges and Jane Dodds will be looking at ways of continuing to campaign against the Sex Shop, particularly as a new school opens near it in September.

• LIBERAL Democrat-run Richmond Council has taken Heathrow's owners, BAA, to court in a battle over night- flights. The council fought for an end to night- flights before 6 am. Councillor Celia Hodges said, "Residents across the borough are fed up with suffering the noise and disruption to their sleep from night- flights." The Government is ignoring its own policy directive which requires it to bear down on noise. "The current night- flight programme is means hours of noise through the night, and I am delighted to be fighting for local people against night-flights." While the High Court rejected the bid, local Liberal Democrats will continue to fight plans for Heathrow expansion.

• RECYCLING: The Lib Dems have invested millions of pounds into our recycling and waste service. Recycling is now at a record 43%! One of the positive outcomes of the recycling service has been the welcome doorstep collection of cardboard and plastic bottles so that the bring site at Sainsbury's, Manor Road, is no longer the eyesore that it was a year ago! In the meantime, the service is under review so that further improvements can be made. If you experience problems with your rubbish collection then please let us know.

• SUSAN Kramer MP has written to Boris Johnson demanding that he intervene to stop the plans to move the Pagoda Avenue bus stop. "These plans would mean the loss of a loading bay that is vital to local traders, and are really unpopular with local people," she said "Without the loading bay, local shops will really struggle, and local people who presently walk to the shopping parade will have to drive to the nearest supermarket." Local traders have already collected thousands of signatures against the plans. Susan Kramer MP will continue to fight until these plans are scrapped once and for all.

• THAMES Water Road Closures: The huge programme of pipe renewal has led to persistent problems for residents, with road closures and ensuing traffic and parking problems, It is hoped that the improvements will indeed prove beneficial to all when things finally return to normal. The Council has been closely involved in trying to alleviate residents' concerns where possible.

• NORTH Sheen Footbridge: If you would like to complete the survey we sent with the last edition of Comments then please contact Susan's office. We need to press Network Rail to reinstate the missing footbridge and the statistics about station use that we can provide are vital to achieve this.

Celia Joan Hodges Liberal Democrat 1649 Elected

Jane Dodds Liberal Democrat 1605 Elected

Marc Leslie Cranfield-Adams Liberal Democrat 1579 Elected

Philip John Ingram Conservative Party Candidate 1534

Mark St.John William Roscoe Conservative Party Candidate 1509

Phillip Brian Taylor Conservative Party Candidate 1494