cllr.sknight@richmond.gov.uk · · · cllr.jmumford@richmond.gov.uk · · · cllr.melengorn@richmond.gov.uk · · · Please scroll down the page for full details of roles, biographies, etc..

• 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.

• 33 places in the HAMPTONS and TEDDINGTON have joined the scheme: Adelaide; Bell Hill Wharf; Bell Inn; Bloated Mallard; Blubeckers; Caffe Mimmo; Cardinal Wolsey; Carlisle Park Bowl Pavilion; Coffee Mill; Greenwood Centre; Hampton Hill Library; Hampton Open Air Pool; Jolly Coopers; King's Field Pavilion; King's Head; L'Amandine; Lion; Nearest Cafe; Old Goat; Railway Hotel; Railway Bell; RedLion; Scarpetta; Swan Hampton Wick; Teddington Arms; Teddington Cemetery; Teddington Library; Teddington Pool and Fitness Centre; Tide End Cottage; White Hart Hotel; White House Community Centre; Wimpy; and the Windmill [Hampton Hill].

• The Borough's 90 Community Toilets

• NEW Mayor reopens Teddington Library: Teddington Library was officially reopened by the new mayor, Cllr Celia Hodges, on 20 May. The library has been refurbished to maintain the character and architectural features of the original 1906 Carnegie library building and introduce new features including more shelving for books, a comfortable seating area, improved disabled access and customer toilet facilities. There is a also a brand new teenage section and young adult book collection.

Head of Culture at Richmond Council Ian Dodds, said: "We are have made a significant investment to improving the library and are delighted with the new facilities. It has more than 4,000 new books, DVDs and audio books, new public computers and an area designed by local teenagers for local teenagers. We understand how important libraries are for local people and hope that the new facilities will help establish Teddington as cultural hub for the local community for years to come."

[From Comments Summer 2008]: ● CONSTRUCTION of new Teddington School to start soon: Work will soon start on the complete re-build of Teddington School in Broom Road, with the new building due to be complete by 2010. The Council has been taking firm action with the contractor to reduce cost overruns on the project, which caused a short delay to the start of construction earlier in the summer. Cllr Stephen Knight said: "One of our top priorities for the borough is the improvement of our secondary schools and so the Council is investing heavily in this scheme, which will deliver a stunning new school for our area. " When finished, the new school will transform the education of local young people for generations to come."

● COLLIS Primary 'Outstanding' says OFSTED: Collis Primary School in Fairfax Road has received top marks from OFSTED in a recent inspection report, which said: "This is an outstanding school where pupils' achievement is excellent." The popular local school recently received millions of pound of Council investment in new buildings to enable it to expanded from 60 to 90 pupils per year. The OFSTED report says, "Pupils, in this highly successful school, thrive both personally and academically. This is because the school plans meticulously, closely follows pupils' individual progress, and promotes carefully all aspects of their personal development. The headteacher has a passion to provide the very best education possible for all pupils so their time in school is an equal mix of challenge, fun and stimulation." Cllr James Mumford, who is a governor of the school, said: "Local children are extremely lucky to have such an outstanding local primary school in our area, with a wonderful teaching staff."

● BROAD Street Post Office closed - despite protest: Post Office Ltd has closed Broad Street Post Office branch, ignoring protests from residents, councillors and local MP Vincent Cable. Vince Cable said: "Post Office Ltd ignored our protests and failed to listen to local people." Lib Dem councillors are now looking at ways the Council can support the remaining branches across the borough, such as our remaining branches in Hampton Wick and Teddington High Streets, to prevent any further closures. From April next year you will be able to pay your council tax and most other council bills at any local post office branch.

● NEW youth café opens at Kingsfield: Cllr Stephen Knight at the formerly derelict pavilion - now transformed into a youth café, thanks to Council investment. Thanks to Council investment, the disused pavilion at the popular Kingsfield skatepark in Hampton Wick has being transformed into a new youth and community café. The café and youth project provides a base for the hundreds of young people who use the skatepark, as well as for anyone using the tennis courts or children's playground. It is being run by Richmond Youth Partnership. Teddington Councillor Stephen Knight, who has long supported the project said: "We have invested in giving young people a high quality safe place to go. "The skatepark has become extremely popular with young people and the café makes it even better."

● CAUSEWAY planters a blaze of colour: After pressure from Cllr Martin Elengorn, the Council's Parks Department has replaced the strange selection of grasses in the planters at the bottom of the Causeway with a selection of Cistus, Santolina, Lavender, Rosemary and other attractive drought- tolerant species and the landscaping scheme is now much admired.

● STATION refurb only part-done: Cllr Martin Elengorn says: "Network Rail has made a good job of repainting Teddington Station but left the increasingly shabby footbridge for later. Your councillors continue to press for its refurbishment, and for the provision of lifts for buggies and wheelchair users."

● ELMFIELD House restoration in progress: The new owner of historic Elmfield House is making great progress in repairing and restoring one of Teddington's finest buildings. He has applied for it to become partly a dentist's surgery and partly residential. The ugly fire escape at the back would be removed.

● FORMER loo converted into architect's studio: The former WCs on the railway bridge end of Broad Street are being converted into an architect's studio. Meanwhile, the Council's Community Toilets scheme - where pubs, cafés, restaurants, etc allow public use of their toilets in return for a small annual payment from the Council - is proving a great success and receiving national acclaim. Teddington has several such community toilets.

Martin David Elengorn Liberal Democrat 2088 Elected

Stephen John Knight Liberal Democrat 2046 Elected

James Philip Jardim Spencer Mumford Liberal Democrat 2036 Elected

Karen Anne Bradley The Conservative Party Candidate 1150

Roger Brian Avins The Conservative Party Candidate 1132

John Christopher Wylie The Conservative Party Candidate 1041

Kevin John Mcmahon Green Party 438

Kevin Anthony Gilligan The Labour Party Candidate 188

Margaret Mary Theresa Mills The Labour Party Candidate 182