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• From COMMENTS July 2007: Lib Dems invest in local services : After one year the Liberal Democrats are investing millions of pounds in key services for local people. Money from Council Tax reserves is being invested in improving secondary schools, the environment and facilities for young people. Despite already being the lowest spending council in London, the Liberal Democrats have managed to make additional savings of over £4.5m to keep Council Tax down and pay for key service improvements. The increase in Council Tax was only 0.3% above inflation compared to the Tories who in 2003 increased total Council Tax by 15.6% (12.7% above inflation).

Here are some of the things which are being invested in: The introduction of improved recycling services from November 2007 including doorstep cardboard and plastics collections (£750,000). Extra youth services. An extra £250,000 per year. A new sustainability team to reduce the Council's energy use (£100,000). £0.5m on youth club refurbishment. The Lib Dems have also found extra money to meet the growing need for care services for older people and those with learning difficulties (£900,000), the needs of children in care (£400,000) and with special educational needs (£300,000).

The surplus reserves built up by the Conservatives will be invested over the next four years on: £20 million on our secondary school buildings, over and above the £24m already planned for Teddington School. £3.5m on setting up the new recycling service. A new £1 million fund to help tackle climate change A new £1 million fund for new youth facilities. A new £400,000 economic development fund to help local businesses and high streets. In the run up to the local elections last year, the Liberal Democrats promised to invest money in local services. The Liberal Democrats have kept their promises.

• MP demands council tax fair deal: Ministers have sparked anger amongst local residents by cutting Richmond and Kingston's grant from central government, forcing up council tax and threatening local services. Richmond Park MP has hit back with a new campaign for a fair Council Tax deal for Richmond Park constituency, launching it with a debate in the House of Commons in February. Speaking in Parliament Square to a rally of local residents who travelled to Westminster to back the campaign, Susan Kramer said "Richmond is already the worst funded borough in London. This latest cut is an insult to tax payers. Richmond is one of the best value for money boroughs in the country but because of government cuts it has been forced to increase Council Tax." For 2007/2008 Richmond received £126.08 funding per head of the population compared to £499.75 for the average London borough. While Richmond received just £24 m neighbouring Hounslow and Fulham received £110.06 m and Wandsworth a staggering £136.9 m. Councillor Anna Davies said "Please sign our petition against this unfair tax at www.susankramer.org.uk". Council tax was introduced by the Conservatives and has been supported by Labour. The Lib Dems believe it is an unfair tax and should be scrapped.

• TORIES slammed over night flight claims: The Conservatives have found themselves in hot water with anti- Heathrow campaigners after making false accusations against local MP Susan Kramer in their literature. They falsely claimed that Susan voted against lifting a night flight ban in the House of Commons. This was completely untrue. Chair of independent anti-aviation group HACAN, John Stewart, set the record straight in a letter to the local papers (See right). The consultation on Heathrow expansion has been delayed yet again until September. To receive updates and to say "No 2More planes" register at www.susankramer.org.uk

'Both the Richmond MP Susan Kramer, and Vincent Cable, the Twickenham MP, have been accused of voting against a cap on night flights. Not only is this accusation false, but both MPs have been staunch and consistent campaigners against further expansion of Heathrow for many years. HACAN, a non-p arty political organisation, does not get involved in party politics, but is saddened that these accusations have been made. One of the features of the last few years has been the unity that has developed amongst all the political parties in West London, all supporting a ban on night flights, the retention of runway alternation and opposing proposals for a third runway. We need to retain that unity if we are to succeed. Accusations like these do nothing to help our cause. John Stewart Chair HACAN'

• Richmond tops 'value for money' lists: Lib Dem Richmond Council is among the best in the country for providing value for money services for local residents says the latest Audit Commission Report. The January 2007 findings also state that overall satisfaction with the Council is improving under the Lib Dems.

• Recycling improvements: Doorstep plastic bottle and cardboard recycling is being introduced in November. The Lib Dems are also currently trialing recycling for small businesses and shops. More than 100 businesses have already signed up to weekly collections of cardboard, paper and mixed glass. Approximately 12% of waste produced nationally comes from commerce compared to 9% for domestic households.

• FEBRUARY 2007: Councillors George Beevor, Serge Lourie and Shas Sheehan have raised concerns over the essential flood defence repair work. Susan Kramer will be raising the issue in Parliament in the coming months.

FROM COMMENTS Winter 2007: Council launch 2M Group: Richmond Council Leader and Kew councillor Serge Lourie, is a founding member of a powerful new lobby group comprising Councils battling airport growth. The new alliance will represent the 2 million people affected by Heathrow expansion and has drawn its name from this fact: 2M. Councils represented at the inaugural meeting included Richmond, Wandsworth, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea. · · · Cllr Lourie said "Local Councils have a duty to speak up for residents and defend their quality of life, and we will leave the Government in no doubt about our opposition to expansion plans."

• HEATHROW update: What the Government says and what the Government does are two different things when it comes to climate change. The Government wants to cut CO2 emissions 60% by 2050 but in welcoming the Eddington Report ( by former Chief Executive of British Airways Sir Rod Eddington) which supported airport expansion, the government is giving the green light to aviation's role as the fastest growing contributor to CO2 emissions. That means: · · · • an end to runway alternation (which just about makes the noise bearable); • a 3rd runway; • a terminal 6; and:• a threat of increased night flights from 2012. · · · All leading to a substantial increase in the total number of planes. The long awaited consultation on runway alternation (aka mixed-mode) is likely to take place this year, although we have no idea when. We believe the delay is due to the fact that further expansion of Heathrow would contravene the limits of NOX pollution levels set by the EU; the Government and BAA are frantically trying to find alternative methods to measure these emissions to show them in amore favourable light. · · · Your Kew councillors are ready and waiting for the date to be announced so they can spring into action by organising events and petitions to show the level of concern by Kew residents should any of these measures be accepted.

• WE need a better tube service!: Kew Liberal Democrats are campaigning to encourage improvements to the service on the Richmond branch of the District Line. Councillor George Beevor, who like many Kew Residents commutes to and from the City of London five days a week, said "Since the change of administration in May, relations between the London Borough of Richmond and Transport for London have improved significantly, and real progress has been made, however the District Line service to Richmond has experienced rather too many delays and cancellations in recent months, making life difficult, not just for Kew's commuters but for all people who choose to use the line as an alternative to getting in the car." It is hoped that working with London Underground and all the other interested companies to highlight the needs of Kew and Richmond as well as the concerns of the users of the line, will help identify areas where improvements can be made.