Richmond Park News: 6 June 2025

TEDDINGTON DIRECT RIVER ABSTRACTION CONSULTATION

From Tuesday 17th June 2025 through to Tuesday 26th August 2025, Thames Water will be conducting their statutory public consultation for the Teddington Direct River Abstraction project, which I encourage all constituents to contribute to. You can find details of the consultation here, including local events.

You can also find out more about my personal objection to the TDRA here.

CABINET OFFICE QUESTIONS:

On Thursday I questioned ministers during Cabinet Office Questions, in my role as Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office. I asked the minister to set out a timeline for when we could expect to see a programme introduced to allow young people to work, travel and study abroad. 

I also used this opportunity to ask about political financing. In particular, I highlighted the fact that the Reform UK Party has begun accepting donations in the form of cryptocurrency and I asked the minister to commit to establishing a process which would protect our democracy from foreign interference through having greater transparency regarding political donations and party funding. 

You can find a clip of my questions here and here.

PRODUCT REGULATION AND METROLOGY BILL REMAINING STAGES:

On Wednesday, I spoke in the remaining stages of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, in my capacity as Business Spokesperson. This legislation seeks to balance consumer safety, economic growth, and regulatory flexibility, ensuring UK laws can keep pace with technological advancements.

During my remarks I highlighted 3 of the Amendments which the Liberal Democrats laid, supporting British businesses. The first specifically related to highlighting to consumers when a change in size of a product had occurred, affecting the unit price (shrinkflation).

The second and third both relate to labelling, where one focused on sourcing of meat products in restaurants and the other being about highlighting when products are made or manufactured in Britain, to improve transparency for consumers. 

You can find a clip of my speech here.

HIGH STREET BANKING CLOSURES AND BANKING HUBS:

On Thursday of this week, I spoke in a debate on the concerning issue of high street banking closures and banking hubs.

High Streets are the heart of our communities and are places for residents to do their shopping, to access essential services and that shape the identity of our towns. That is why recent reports of high street banking closures and the decrease in free-to-use ATMs has been deeply concerning.

The risk of digital exclusion as a result of these closures remains incredibly high with many individuals, with millions of people at risk of not having proper access to their finances. That is why I raised these issues and suggested a number of solutions the Government should explore, including reversing its cuts to the interchange fee to better support ATM providers, address digital exclusion and pass a Fair Banking Act.

You can find a clip of my speech here.

POLICE WALKABOUT IN NORTH KINGSTON:

After receiving several reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity in North Kingston, I attended a walkabout with a number of officers who oversee the area. 

One area that has been a key area of concern is a path named Orchard Walk, as there have been a number of reports of anti-social behaviour and drug-dealing taking place down the alley. 

I discussed this matter with the Local Ward Councillors who joined me on my walkabout, as well as with the local Inspector and the Superintendent for Kingston Borough, and we agreed that the placement of a CCTV camera in the area would be an effective means of deterring criminal activity. I am continuing discussions with key stakeholders to ensure that the area gets the CCTV and wider security measures that it deserves.

An additional issue on Orchard Walk is the presence of littering over the fences onto the side of the train tracks. This fence is old and rusty, but most importantly, it is not high enough to prevent people from carelessly littering. I know that this is a matter that our Local Ward Councillors have been repeatedly raising to Network Rail, and I have penned my own letter to the company in support of a new fence being erected. 

I would like to thank the officers for joining me on the walkabout and for the Local Ward Councillors for raising matters of concern in the area.

RADIO JACKIE INTERVIEW:

Over recess, I appeared on Radio Jackie to discuss a range of topical matters. 

The Prime Minister recently announced that the government was reconsidering reversing some of the cuts to Winter Fuel Allowance, and I was asked if I supported this U-turn. I stated that the cuts were a disaster from the outset, and I am pleased that the government has recognised this. However, there has not been any substance regarding what the reversal in policy will look like, as the Prime Minister stated that this will be announced in the Autumn Budget.

The questioning then moved on to the recent announcement that the UK will be negotiating a Youth Mobility Scheme with the European Union. While the scheme has been termed a ‘Youth Experience Scheme’ by the Prime Minister, the Labour benches have used the phrasings interchangeably, suggesting that the program will be a Youth Mobility Scheme in all but name. I mentioned that such a scheme would be beneficial to both the European Union and to the UK, and it is certainly a step in the right direction towards closer ties with our European partners. 

The later stages of the interview discussed my successful campaign for free sentencing remarks to be available to victims of rape and sexual assault, the extortionate bonuses that Thames Water executives were planning to collect and my appointment as Business Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats. You can watch the full interview by clicking here.

TOWPATH IN KEW:

As some local residents will know, work on repairing the breached towpath next to Old Deer Park and Kew Gardens has been ongoing since April.  I was pleased to be joined by local councillors, the General Manager of Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club and members from the Kew Society to view the progress of the repairs.

The river has been reprofiled with the sediment removed, and the path will be reinstated and culverts for drainage from Old Deer Park will be cleared so that flood water can flow freely.  Other parts of the path will also be strengthened to protect them against blowouts. 

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the summer, at which point the path will be reopened to the public, at which point it can be used for cycle rides and walks once again.

UPDATE REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF PIPE IN KINGSTON VALE:

In recent years, local residents and commuters have experienced regular disruptions due to repeated bursts of a Thames Water pipe which leads onto Derwent Avenue on Kingston Vale.

I have repeatedly made representations to Thames Water regarding this matter to urge that the company stops undertaking patchwork fixes and replaces the old pipe with a new one, and at the start of the year, I met on-site with Thames Water to reiterate the need for this. Following this meeting, the company committed to replacing their infrastructure with a new, more resilient pipe, and these works will begin on 9 June. 

Thames Water have informed my office that to carry out the work safely and efficiently, they will have to conduct a full road closure along Derwent Avenue while a lane closure will be in place on Kingston Vale near the Derwent Avenue junction with a two-way traffic light set up for the duration of our works. 

I am pleased that Thames Water will be working additional hours to ensure that the work will be completed as soon as possible, with their working hours continuing between 7am until 7pm on weekdays, and 8am until 2pm on Saturdays. The replacement of the pipe requires extensive work to be undertaken, and the expected completion date is September of this year.

VISIT TO NATIONWIDE:

For its 110th Anniversary, I was pleased to visit Nationwide’s Richmond branch a few weeks ago, celebrating its contributions to our high street.

Nationwide has continued to be a strong advocate for face-to-face services and supporting customers, and I was pleased to hear more about the work of Nationwide and its staff, as well as the feedback given by customers about Nationwide’s work in the community. I thank all the branch staff for their hard work, and congratulate Nationwide on 110 years of continued activity

SHEEN OPEN GARDENS VISIT:

At the weekend, I was delighted to join FiSH Neighbourhood Care for their Sheen Open Gardens event, alongside local councillors Julia Cambridge and Margaret Dane.

For many decades, FiSH has continued to deliver voluntary help and support for residents of Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen, combating loneliness and providing practical support. With over 500 clients, their work impacts so many across Richmond Park, building and supporting elderly people in our communities.

At the event, I was pleased to see the community come together to support FiSH, including Christchurch and All Saints Church helping with organising the event, with the Barnes Concert Band entertaining attendees throughout the event.

With local people generously contributing to FiSH’s work, including £150 from a roadside plant sale, I would like to thank all those who helped ensure the success of the Sheen Open Gardens event, and of course, to thank the staff and 300 volunteers at FiSH who do such vital work for residents and the community.

COMMUNITY NEWS

KINGSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:

Kingston International Film Festival brings independent filmmakers, industry professionals and the local community together for three glittering days of screenings, workshops, and events, culminating with the Sunday evening Awards Presentation.

In the words of the Founder and Festival Director, David Cunningham, the event will “showcase the work of the world’s leading independent filmmakers” you can find out more about the festival here.

REAFFIRMATION WEEKEND:

Over the weekend, Richmond Borough will be celebrating the reaffirmation of its twinning agreements with Konstanz, Germany and Fontaineblau, France. Whilst events will take place throughout 2025, you can find details of major events happening this weekend, here.

The twinning between our Councils continues to be a key opportunity to promote sporting, cultural and educational ties with our European friends and neighbours, with 2025 being the 65th anniversary of our twinning.