The South Richmond Lib Dem team (Facebook): John Roberts, Marina Solin, Penny Lee, Jill Grist and David Martin

• YOUR local Lib Dem contacts: (from left to right) John Roberts, Marina Solin, Penny Lee, Jill Grist and David Martin [71a Princes Road, TW10 6DQ 8948 1053 davidrossmartin@blueyonder.co.uk]. Email the team at southrichmondlibdems@gmail.com. May 2010 Election %s: C 54.1; LD 37.5; L 8.5; G 0; I 0. C hold.

2011 News

• From Comments Winter 2011: BAA (British Airports Association) are starting the first three month trial this month (November), to measure the effects of ending runway alternation, landing aircraft at the same time on the two runways and using them more efficiently. The second trial is due during the Olympics in 2012. Local residents are understandably concerned about the loss of quiet mornings or afternoons that runway alternation provides. BAA claim that the trials will not lead to any more flights and should reduce emissions from aircraft stacking; BAA point out that the trial period will discover the impact on local residents. Let us know how it affects you: southrichmondlibdems@gmail.com or for more information go to: www.hacan.org.uk.

• TRAVELODGE Concerns: The proposal to demolish Premier House in Paradise Road and build a Travelodge in its stead has raised concern in neighbouring roads such as Halford Road and the Hermitage about possible traffic, parking and night noise problems. We therefore checked with the Council: the planning application is not yet in. If and when one is received we will consult residents on their views.

• WORKING hard for Queens Road: Residents have complained of a serious traffic block in Queens Road. We checked and found that the double yellow lines below Queens Court had faded so as to be almost invisible. Traffic was parking on both sides of the road, causing serious hold-ups, particularly on the bend at the bottom. At the same time, coincidentally the road has been resurfaced from Richmond Hill to Marchmont Road. When the double yellow line on this stretch are reinstated we have asked the Council to also reinstate the lines from Marchmont Road to the bottom. They have promised to do this right away.

• WINTER Warmth: If you are a house owner or rent a flat privately and also receive a benefit such as housing benefit, you may be eligible for a grant from a six-Council organisation called Coldbusters. With the grant you can install cavity loft and wall insulation, which will considerably cut down your heating bills. If you think you may be eligible, call 0800 358 6668

• RICHMOND Chamber of Commerce occupies lacklustre offices on Richmond Road, Twickenham. Don't be fooled, however. This is totally at odds with their purposeful CEO Anne Newton and colourful array of different networking events on offer to members. The Chambers has been going since 1901 and used to be mainly small businesses but now it includes all businesses including the likes of Ebay, big retailers and local colleges. Anne, the CEO, has a wide range of corporate skills including marketing; she is making sure that the Chambers is looking to growth.

They are proud of their events calendar that boasts networking and learning for large and small, from sessions at local haunts such as the Tea Box to glitzy soirees at the Bingham and Lensbury. They give valuable and confidence building experience to young people too, particularly important at the current time of high youth unemployment. The main issue for businesses at the moment is around access to finance. Richmond Council too are 'business friendly', Anne says, however, businesses have continuing concerns around disruption to trading caused by local road works. Despite the gloom in the global economy, local initiatives led by the Chamber are getting businesses together through social media, online sector Forums and mentors for small businesses - there is help for those going for growth. For more information look on www.richmondchamberofcommerce.co.uk.

• SUPPORT the Environment Trust: The Environment Trust is dedicated to conserving and maintaining those sites in the borough which we value and want to keep. Among these is the Vineyard Passage Burial Ground (VPBG). Trust members have, since the 1990s, cared for the Ground, raised money to repair the tombs and created an attractive garden where you can sit. As Cathy Thomas the group leader puts it "the VPBG is part of the daily lives of many people living in Richmond as they pass through on their way to the station or the shops or sit and rest under the shade of the trees."

If you would like to join Cathy's group or receive information about people buried in the VPBG, contact her on vineyardpassageburialground@gmail.com; if you would like to take part in the work of the trust generally, call 8891 5455 or email office@environmenttrust.co.uk

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• [April] Cuts for the sake of cutting: EVEN with a council tax freeze next year Richmond Council's finances are healthy with reserves of over £50m and a massive surplus last year of £4.5m. The Government's cuts in local government grants reduce Richmond's spending power by only 0.6%, far less than elsewhere. Considerable savings are of course needed, but why such deep cuts in front line services this year?

The Tory Council's programme of cuts is indeed far deeper than necessary and would mean another large surplus again this year. They have built in over £3.5m of one-off projects; welcome enough, but hardly justifiable when there are such sharp cutbacks to front-line children's and youth services, when Heathfield Library, Twickenham Intensive Daycare Centre and Tangley Hall, with its excellent dementia service are to be closed, and the new charges for social care treat people on Disability Living Allowance so unfairly.

Lib Dems on the Council unsuccessfully proposed budget changes, which would save front line services, while still avoiding a rise in this year's council tax. How much more ideological 'shrinking of the state' must we expect? Finding new, less costly, perhaps innovative ways to provide services the community needs is one thing, but do Richmond people really want cuts for the sake of cuts?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• Proud record of school investment: THE Liberal Democrat Council administration invested heavily in new school buildings and these projects are now progressing well. In Phase I the £7m project to expand Holy Trinity primary school is well under way and should be finalised by May. In Phase II Lowther School is being expanded to two forms of entry and this £3.2m project should be finished by September 2012.

Because of limited space, two groups of three schools have agreed to share the expansion process. Seven extra classrooms are needed for each group for a full form of entry and are to be shared between the three schools in the group. The two groups are: 'St. Osmund's, St. Mary Magdalen's and St. Elizabeth's' and 'Marshgate, The Vineyard and Sheen Mount'. Both groups took their first intake last September.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2010 News

• December: FUTURE looks good for Richmond Park Academy: Despite only getting the go-ahead a few weeks before the beginning of term, the new Academy is making great progress. During the last few weeks the local press have reported that the School open days were packed and that the heads of local primary schools were urging parents to make the Academy their first choice.

ClIr Malcolm Eady, the Lib Dem Education Spokesperson, said, "All the hard work is paying off and the early analysis of the admissions applications is showing over a 50% increase from last year by borough parents. I have every confidence that the new Sponsor (AET) and the Academy management team will turn the new Academy into a very successful school for the local community."

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• Homelessness in Richmond: Penny Wade House: Penny Wade founded SPEAR (Single Person's Emergency Accommodation in Richmond) some 20 years ago in response to the growing homelessness problem in Richmond, of which she became aware of during her 19 years running The Vineyard Project. The newly refurbished SPEAR on Richmond Roundabout has now been reopened and renamed Penny Wade House in her memory and honour. The House can accommodate 14 people for up to six months each with a view to helping them move on to permanent accommodation and also offers help with literacy, numeracy, IT, cooking and job-seeking skills.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• Don't Axe Richmond Youth Cafe: GATHERINGS of young people on Richmond Green on Friday and Saturday nights are a familiar Richmond feature. But many do not gather there from choice - they cannot afford to spend the evening in a cafe, still less a restaurant, and had no place to meet friends and where support services could be located.

Consequently, the Liberal Democrat Council were in the final stages of starting a Youth Cafe in the Old Town Hall, at modest cost. The scheme has now been axed, along with services for young people, such as the Positive Action For Young people programme, which has drastically reduced youth crime during holiday periods -- Many Richmond residents, particularly those living on the Green, may wish to register a protest at such short-term thinking. If so, write to Councillor Christine Percival on cllr.cpercival@richmond.gov.uk

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• Richmond Station: TfL HAS given the Council money to enhance the entrance facilities at Richmond Station. The Council has consulted on two options, the first being a large pedestrianised area in front of the station with the taxis being moved over on to the road (which is not popular with taxi drivers) and the buses along the road. The other is a more modest proposal to widen and resurface the pavement immediately outside the station. The proposals can be viewed at: www.richmond.gov.uk/transport_planning_consultations.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• AN expensive Tory present to a better-off public: THE new system of parking charges, on which consultation has now ended, will subsidise gas guzzling vehicles, only one in six of Richmond residents' cars. It will cost £410,000 a year, a charge every Council tax payer will pay whether or not they have, or can afford, a car. And this at a time when deep cuts are being made in vital Council services. What does this say about the Conservative's values and priorities? Can our environmentally conscious local MP, Zac Goldsmith, really be happy, when nationally his party is all for ways of helping people make greener transport choices?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• August: VICTORY at Heathrow! The Government has been persuaded to kill the proposal for a third runway at Heathrow. This is the end of a long campaign spearheaded by the all-party 2M (2 Million) Group of Councils of which former Council Leader, Serge Lourie, was a co-founder and co-chair. The Government decision came after the 2M councils, including Richmond upon Thames, won a high court case in which the judge ruled that the Government had acted improperly in agreeing to the expansion at Heathrow.

The victory was achieved as part of an alliance which included Susan Kramer, the then MP for Richmond Park, and voluntary bodies, including HACAN and the Richmond Heathrow Campaign. However, South Richmond Lib Dems are not going to rest on their laurels. They will continue to campaign to end night flights, as these are a blight on local residents in that 16 flights are allowed daily between 11.30 pm and 6 am. They will also be campaigning with 2M and others to ensure that runway alternation, which provides some respite, does not end.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

• RICHMOND Park Charging: The Royal Parks Minister, John Penrose, has finally made statement that the Government is going to reverse the legislation and direct Royal Parks to stop any further work on charging for parking.

This excellent news vindicates our campaign to oppose charges. But it is concerning that a toll has been suggested as a way to replace the income expected as a way to replace the income expected from parking charges. This would be seriously unacceptable to residents of South Richmond generally and, in particular, to residents of the Queen's Road Estate, where visitors trying to escape the toll will be likely to park.

Councillor David Williams said, 'None of this would have happened if on 10 March the Conservatives in the House of Lords had supported Baroness Jenny Tonge's motion to kill the charges there and then'.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

---

Page 2: Comments and news from 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 & 2006

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2010 results: Frances Bouchier C 3000 elected; Pamela Fleming C 2964 elected; Thomas O'Malley C 2810 elected; David Martin LD 2074; Morag McKinnon LD 2011; Tanya Williams LD 1994; Stephen Bennett L 533; Brian Caton L 435; Sam Houston L 411.

Election May 2006: Electorate 6880 Seats 3 Ballot Papers 3460 % Poll 50.29; Frances Bouchier C 1674 Elected; Pamela Fleming C 1636 Elected; Rodney Bennett C 1588 Elected; Andrew Pilkington LD 1489; Tanya Williams LD 1451; Saiful Islam LD 1382; Owen Roberts G 500; Margaret Robson L 219.

2002: Francis Bouchier C 1,322; Rodney Bennett C 1,305; Carolann Van Dinter C 1,232; Penelope Lee LD 1,121; Josephine Summers LD 1,061; Peter Talbot LD 1,002; Alan Laird Lab 355; Rachel Douglas Grn 326; John Norris Grn 242; Fred Lightfoot Grn 223

__________________________________________________________________________________________

---