PARKING CHARGES IN RICHMOND PARK – THE TRUTH
This is from Zac Goldsmith, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in Richmond Park. Many residents visit Richmond Park, so I thought you might be interested.
I would like to put the record straight regarding Susan Kramer’s allegations. Needless to say, they are entirely misleading. The Conservatives are resolutely opposed to the introduction of car parking charges in Richmond Park. Visiting Richmond Park should never become a budget decision.
So, how can we stop the Government’s proposals to do just that? First, I want to reiterate that Justine Greening and I have persuaded the Conservative Party to scrap the plans if we win the election. However, if the different political Parties put politics aside, we have an opportunity to stop the charges sooner.
Yesterday, Susan Kramer sent out an email claiming that the Conservatives “are refusing to back a vote in Parliament that would stop the car parking charges”. This is deliberate nonsense, but it has caused unnecessary alarm among some residents. I want to clarify our position.
Nationally, as I have said, we will scrap the charges if we form the next Government. In the meantime, we have tabled an amendment in the Lords that calls on the Government to withdraw its Order and resubmit the Royal Parks proposals without the plans to charge for parking.
This is an alternative to the Lib Dem ‘fatal amendment’. There have only been three ‘fatal amendments’ in history. It hardly ever happens because the unelected House of Lords does not reject outright legislation presented by a government. The peers will not agree to cause constitutional havoc for the sake of Richmond Park, and the Lib Dems are well aware of that. Besides, even if the Lords did vote down a Government Order, the Government could simply present the same thing the next day.
Susan Kramer’s idea is guaranteed to fail, and many people believe it is actually designed to do so, in order to allow the Lib Dems to score political points. In the run up to the election, some politicians will try anything to attract votes.
If Susan Kramer is genuinely determined to stop these plans, she must support our alternative. If she continues with her kindergarten politics, she will have allowed these charges in. It is as simple as that. The ball is in Susan’s court.
Countless people have been badly misinformed by our MP, and I strongly urge you to forward this post to as many people as possible to put their minds at rest, and to minimise the chance that political smears play a role in the forthcoming election.
I am happy to answer any questions at all regarding this or other issues.
Very best wishes,
Zac Goldsmith
PPC Richmond Park and North Kingston
Find out Where Zac stands on issues that matter to you: www.zacgoldsmith.com
If you want to ask Zac about this or any other issues, email him: zac@richmondconservatives.co.uk
New Met Police Monthly page
The Metropolitan Police Authority has started publishing a monthly newsletter to councillors. We have decided to share it with you on a new page on this site. There are technical difficulties with the typesetting and photographs and graphics but we will work to overcome these.
Biggest Council Tax again!
The Liberal Democrat Administration last Thursday boasted about ‘the lowest Council Tax rise this century’ in Kingston. At a time when other Councils are freezing their Council Tax (or cutting it!), dear old RBK is raising it by a further 1.9%. Lib Dems seemed very pleased at Budget Council when they triumphed over a Conservative amendment to more than halve the increase.
They even had the gall to try to blame Boris Johnson for the rise, when he has frozen the GLA precept two years running, axing much of the waste created by Red Ken. Without Boris’s zero rise, the 1.9% the Lib Dems were boasting about would be much higher, as I pointed out at the time.
Ewell Road: another accident
Report received from CCTV at the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames this morning:
Ewell Road (A240, Surbiton) at the junction with Derby Road, Traffic accident two vehicles involved. The Ewell Road has been reduced to a single alternative traffic flow with tail backs going back towards Ewell.
NOTE
This accident took place at about 7.45am and should be cleared within the hour. Recovery vehicles are on scene.
We have referred to this part of Ewell Road as dangerous before. I notice that readers still view our earlier entries on it. The A240 is TfL’s road but I think it’s time we had another attempt at raising their consciousness on the issue.
Kilby wants to raise status of Kingston Youth Council
Conservative Shadow Member for Youth Participation, Cllr Nick Kilby,today called for the official meetings of the Kingston Youth Council (KYC) to be added to RBK’s official timetable of Council meetings for 2010/11.
He said “We should give the Kingston Youth Council the same status that all official committees of the Council are afforded. If we are asking the younger members of our community to take politics seriously then we need to show them that we take them seriously”.
One of the principal aims of the KYC is to enable young people, living in RBK, and aged between 13–19 to discuss current themes and issues that relevant to them.
Cllr Kilby was joined by Leader of the Conservative Group Cllr Howard Jones when they took part in the recent Youth Council Shadowing programme, which they hoped had been as beneficial to the ‘shadows’ as it had been to the Councillors.
link: http://www.younglivin.org.uk/index/kyc.htm
Transition Information Fayre
From RBK Press Release
Kingston Council is hosting a Transition Information Fayre aimed at all young people with disabilities.
The event which is being held at the Holiday Inn, Portsmouth Road, Surbiton on 10 March will provide a “one stop shop” offering guidance on a variety of services to help with the transition from childhood to adult life.
Starting at 11.30am young people with disabilities and their families will get the chance to speak to representatives from Council services and other organisations.
Whether families have questions on housing issues, benefits, career advice or further education a range of experts will be able to give guidance. The fayre will include stalls from children and adults social care teams, Mencap, supported living organisations, Local colleges, Connexions and many others.
Wendy Jenkins, Transition Service Manager, said: “Deciding what you are you going to do when you reach your later teenage years is a difficult time for every child. However for a young person with special needs and their family this time poses so many other questions such as ‘what support will they get, will they be able to live independently, what about further education, training, employment?’
“This fayre will give families the opportunity to answer these and any other questions and discover the large range of services and support that are available to them. The fayre is aimed at those aged 14-25 but it is never too early to start planning.”
For more information call Reshma Bessesar on 020 8457 6227 or Wendy Jenkins on
0208 547 6566.
Surbiton Forum 