New year, new Tory tower

Conservative councillors voted unanimously last week to approve the 21 storey tower on the Osiers Gate site in the Riverside Quarter.

The two Labour councillors on the committee both spoke out against the plans - which breach all sorts of planning rules and are a gross overdevelopment of the area - and also voted against, too.

But the Tories have a big majority on the committee and couldn't even be bothered to respond seriously to the criticisms I in my formal objection, and my Labour colleagues on the night (and even one of the Tory ward councillors) expressed.

This isn't just bad planning and a terrible insight into what the Conservatives want for Putney - it's abject contempt of democracy.

Find out why here. And see how the Conservatives are turning our riverside into something out of Miami Vice here.

Dover House fields: privatised for just 57p

Wandsworth Conservatives have leased Roehampton playing fields at the top of Dover House Road to Roehampton University for 99 years, for just a 57p saving on council tax.

The decision, buried at item 16 in a report that was rushed through committee in the first week of January admits serious flaws in the tender process; offers no guarantees that the community will have access at useful times, and is another example of the Tories selling off Putney's family silver without any consultation with the community, in whose name they're supposed to act.Read more.

Roehampton Alcohol Exclusion Zone: residents say "yes", Conservatives say "no".

The Conservative council has responded to the petition of over 600 Roehampton and Putney residents I collected in just three weeks calling for an Alcohol Exclusion Zone for Roehampton.

They say that "no alcohol exclusion zones are known to have been established in the UK." Well, they may not know it, but had they done a quick google search they could have educated themselves quite easily. How about Rotherham, Winchester, Pontefract, East Lothian, North Tyneside - the list goes on.

Their next excuse is:"The practicality of this approach in such a small area where displacement is likely [is] merely likely to displace the problem to the immediate vicinity around the zone".

Well, that depends what the immediate vicinity is, doesn't it? If it's just the shopping parade at Danebury Avenue then of course there could be displacement: to Portswood Place or Petersfield Rise or the village. And no one's arguing for that: I'm certainly not.

Read the rest of their excuses and my observations on them, here.

Plan to redevelop Post Office
Dilapidated Upper Richmond Road site needs work but where will Putney's main post office go?
Click here

All year round campaigning
Stuart and his team have been out every day this week in the freezing weather: but got a warm reception! Click here

Ashburton 'playpond' no more
Stuart's intervention should mean children can use their play area for play, not swimming, come Spring Click here

Brokenhagen
Stuart says why the climate conference failed and sets out a 5-point plan to get back on track Click here

Dover House survey results
Find out what local residents told Stuart when he surveyed them last Autumn Click here

King's Head Hotel plan
"A plan to support" says Stuart Click here

Save the 28 Bus
Local route to Wandsworth threatened by Boris Johnson's £1.7billion transport black hole Click here

"Biggest fare rises in Transport for London History"
So said the Financial Times about the Tory fare hikes: some fares up a third in just 18 months. Click here

Putney Pensioner out now
The fifth edition of Stuart's newsletter for senior citizens in Putney, Roehampton and Southfields hits the streets Click here

Cold weather payments
Find out who can claim and how to claim Click here

Does this reassure you on the flood risk?
Council answer raises more questions than answers about the risk of Wandle floods Click here

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Published and promoted by Adam Gray on behalf of Stuart King, both of 35 Felsham Road, Putney, London SW15 1AY