Richmond and Twickenham Friends of the Earth

17/05/2026

This week - the latest Climate Chat focuses on gardening and green spaces- Wednesday 20th May 7.30pm. St James Church, Hampton Hill, TW12 IDG.

04/05/2026

The seventh and last question that we asked candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

7. W**d control by local authorities often involves spraying glyphosate on areas heavily used by people including streets and pavements. Glyphosate is harmful to soil biology and is considered carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation. Do you support the Richmond Council's efforts to minimise pesticide use and trial methods of w**d control other than glyphosate, moving towards becoming a pesticide free borough?

All the candidates expressed support for the reduction of pesticide use. The main use of pesticides now appears to be for controlling w**ds on streets not in parks or tree pits.

The Liberal Democrats said that they are trialling further new methods of w**d control to reduce the use of glyphosate further and mentioned the need for a culture change in relation to w**d control, presumably that residents need to stop complaining about w**ds and learn to appreciate them as a natural feature which has biodiversity value.

The Green Party candidates said that the use of glyphosate should be stopped immediately. One candidate mentioned that it is linked to various cancers and Parkinsons and another that it is harmful to soil biology, bees and pets.

The Conservative candidates supported a phase out.

Twickenham Labour said that the Council’s continued use of harmful pesticides was hypocritical.

The full report can be read on our website:

RTFoE Local Election Report 2026 Introduction The Richmond & Twickenham Friends of the Earth local election campaign 2026 involved our supporters writing to 224 candidates for election to Richmond Council across the 18 wards of London Borough of Richmond. We introduced our group as one of over 200 l...

04/05/2026

The sixth question that we asked the candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

6. Despite widespread public opposition and its many policies which claim to protect green spaces, Richmond Council is in the process of closing the only allotment site in Teddington where Teddington residents have been growing their own food for at least 120 years. The current administration claims that this is essential as it has run out of burial space. Please can you tell us whether you would support a full review of Richmond Council’s Burial Policy before the allotment site is closed and destroyed in September 2026, looking at surplus space in Teddington cemetery, reuse of old graves and other new approaches used elsewhere in London?

This question was the only one where we saw a complete divergence of views between the Liberal Democrats and the Green, Labour and Conservative parties whose candidates expressed total opposition to closing the Shacklegate Lane allotment site.

The majority of the Liberal Democrat candidates who replied, mostly repeating verbatim a party position: that the Council is obliged to close the allotments to provide additional burial space in Teddington Cemetery, that the 120 + years of use as allotments has always been temporary, that reusing graves is too difficult and that biodiversity will be improved by planting more hedges. One councillor appeared to believe that the Council was legally obliged to provide burial land, something which is incorrect, and possibly other Lib Dem councillors are under the same misapprehension.

The exception to the party line came only from two Lib Dem candidates in the ward where the allotments are situated (Fulwell & Hampton Hill). A current councillor said that he has been “fighting a rearguard action” and had not giving up hope yet of saving half of the allotment site. Another candidate said that he had signed the petition against closure of the allotments and supported a review of the Council’s burial policy.

The Green Party stated that its councillor in the ward has continually supported the campaign to keep the Teddington allotments, that if in power the party would immediately stop the imminent destruction of the allotments (scheduled for September 2026) and conduct an urgent review of burial policy. One candidate wrote “The Lib Dems have deliberately chosen to ignore this issue, and ignore the wishes of its residents. We need to protect allotments; indeed we need more not fewer allotments. Nationally the country needs greater food resilience, and allotments can play a small part in this. Not only are they beneficial for an individual's mental & physical health, they are beneficial for the health of the local community providing a space for people to meet. Allotments help enhance social cohesion. I would definitely support a full review.” Another candidate wrote “This is also a much bigger conversation that councils across the country are going to have to have. The pressure on burial space is not unique to Richmond — it's a challenge being faced across Europe, and many countries have developed mature, respectful reuse strategies that we could learn from directly. It's not a radical idea; it's standard practice in much of the continent. What I'd like to see is a genuine reset in how we think about graves and burial land. A grave is a deeply respectful way of marking someone's life in a physical location — but it was never intended to be an infinite lease on that land. The idea that an untended plot that has lain undisturbed for two hundred years takes precedence over a living community of people actively growing food, building connections and using that land every week is, frankly, hard to defend. We should be looking at reuse of old graves as a serious policy option before a single allotment is touched.” Another pointed out that graves are already being reused in LB Wandsworth with whom Richmond shares officers.

One of the Conservative Party candidates expressed his opposition very strongly “This is a disgrace on the part of the Council, and a last-minute panic reaction to a situation which we Conservatives were already working to resolve when in control before 2018; it was subsequently neglected by the LibDem Council until it has now become a crisis. We fully support not only the Shacklegate Lane allotment holders, but all others across the borough, and would certainly look for alternatives to avoid such ecological vandalism.”

The Twickenham Labour Party wrote that “We fully oppose plans to appropriate allotment land for use as a burial site. Burial is not a sustainable policy for the disposal human remains”.

The full report can be read on our website: https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/

03/05/2026

The fifth question that we asked the candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

5. Thames Water’s own data shows that the Mogden Sewage Treatment Works has the worst record for sewage discharges into the Thames of any of its treatment works with more than 17 billion litres discharged over the last 2 years. The Teddington Direct River Abstraction Scheme (TDRA) will release partially treated sewage from Mogden into the Thames at Teddington very close to a site that is in the process of being designated as a bathing water site suitable for swimming. Please can you confirm that you will support Richmond Council in continuing to oppose the building of the TDRA and do everything you can to campaign on this issue?

The Liberal Democrats said that they would continue to oppose the Teddington DRA scheme, including challenging the Development Consent order and would continue to urge Thames Water to fix leaks and reduce sewage discharges. One candidate expressed the view that the scheme was only chosen as it was the cheapest option for a financially troubled company. Another expressed the view that the water supply should be state owned. Support for local campaign group Save Our Lands and River (SOLAR) was expressed.

The Green Party said that it has consistently supported SOLAR including delivering leaflets and helping to organise events and that its Deputy Leader sits on the SOLAR steering group. It had brought a motion to Council on water renationalisation which the Lib Dems had opposed. One said the river was a “wonderful asset” which should be “cherished and nurtured” and pay a bigger role in the life of residents. Other candidates mentioned that Thames Water was completely untrustworthy and a failing company.

The Conservative candidates said that they oppose the Teddington DRA scheme but with one adding the caveat that the local Council may not have any power so efforts needed to be directed at the local MP.

Twickenham Labour said that it had lobbied the government repeatedly against the Teddington DRA scheme.

Read the full report here https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/

03/05/2026

The fourth question that we asked the candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

4. If a third runway is built at Heathrow there will be up to 700 additional flights per day with a further increase in noise, health impacts, air pollution and carbon emissions across LB Richmond. The current programme of Airspace Modernisation could result in concentrated flightpaths over parts of LB Richmond with similar effects even before Heathrow builds a third runway. Will you support Richmond Council’s longstanding opposition to any increase in flight numbers at Heathrow?

The Liberal Democrat candidates confirmed that the Council and Lib Dem MPs will continue to oppose through all avenues Heathrow expansion, additional flights and night flights, working with community campaigners. A councillor who sits on the Standing Committee on Heathrow said that he believes Heathrow expansion will not deliver sustained economic growth, will be incompatible with carbon budgets and that sustainable aviation fuel is a myth.

The Green Party candidates made clear that they totally oppose the third runway, additional flights, night flights and all aviation expansion. A councillor who sits on the Standing Committee on Heathrow said that Heathrow Ltd’s arguments for expansion were totally flawed and incompatible with the need to reduce carbon emissions to safe levels. The Green Party also support the work of local campaigning groups. One candidate pointed out that there was also a social justice issue as many Heathrow flights are taken by travellers going on holiday, travelling to second homes or in transit through Heathrow but the burden of noise and air pollution inflicted on all local residents.

The Conservative candidates confirmed opposition to expansion. One said that he believed that expansion was unnecessary as there are many empty seats on existing flights which should be operated more efficiently. He also said that the local authority has no real role in deciding on expansion and that lobbying efforts should be directed via MPs.

Twickenham Labour said that it did not support a third runway or increase in flights although it recognised that Heathrow is a significant local employer. It mentioned that Ruth Cadbury MP now represents some parts of Whitton and has made her opposition to Heathrow expansion clear.

Read the full report here https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/

02/05/2026

The third question that we asked the candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

3. The UK Environmental Audit Committee’s report on the 7th Carbon Budget says that behavioural change in everyday life is now needed to reach the UK’s Net Zero target. How would you promote behavioural change by local residents and businesses (e.g. by encouraging them to change their transport habits or to take action on food waste)?

The Liberal Democrats said that they will continue to encourage waste reduction, recycling and home composting, will ensure that the food waste collection which they have extended to almost all homes is used and operated efficiently, including the introduction of fox proof containers, and will continue supporting food redistribution projects. They will support furniture recycling and other circular economy projects such as the new Fixery in Richmond that they set up recently. They also mentioned improving active travel options including creating safer routes for travel to schools, new cycle lanes such as Teddington to Twickenham, installing bike hangars, EV charging points and electric bike parking facilities. One candidate mentioned that major changes were needed in Richmond town centre to improve bike lanes and manage traffic.

The Green candidates mentioned the need for better communication with residents, lobbying Transport for London for better bus services in some parts of the Borough, encouraging cycling and public transport use, fortnightly residual waste collection to encourage waste minimisation and recycling, reminding businesses to reduce waste and packaging, higher parking permit charges for large SUVs, cheaper rent for bike hangars bringing the price of parking a family’s bikes in line with a family car’s parking permit, policies to encourage traffic reduction, more EV charging points in some parts of the Borough, segregated bike lanes on main roads, action against cycling on pavements, stricter enforcement against littering and dumping of waste, encouraging residents to think about the environmental costs of online shopping, consolidating “last mile” deliveries to reduce traffic and reintroducing door-knocking by council staff to explain the importance of food waste segregation and other measures.

The Conservative candidates mentioned the need for reviewing existing initiatives to ensure efficiency, the need for continuity between ebike services particularly with LBs Hammersmith and Hounslow rather than just having one provider in the Borough and supporting projects that redistribute food in schools.

The Twickenham Labour response just said that it supported all efforts to bring about behaviour change to get to Net Zero as soon as possible.

Read the full report here https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/

02/05/2026

The second question that we asked candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

2. Nearly half of LB Richmond’s carbon dioxide emissions are from housing. What will you be doing in your own ward to promote and support retrofit of housing of all types, particularly the uptake of low carbon heating such as air source heat pumps?

The Liberal Democrats said that they were going to be engaging with residents whenever possible to help them to improve their homes and give clear advice, especially via the new Smart Hub Have Your Say Today - Richmond Smarter Homes Hub - Commonplace and Smarter Homes Handbook the smarter homes handbook The importance of planning was mentioned with new homes built to a very high standard and pre-application advice given for free. A councillor with a high proportion of rented property in his ward mentioned the importance of reaching out to help landlords improve their properties. Another mentioned the importance of improving social housing.

The Green Party said that it had consistently pushed for more action to help residents retrofit. In addition to the new Smarter Homes project which has now been launched, it would like to see the Council investigate providing low cost loans to residents for retrofitting their homes and funding an energy advice service. Other suggestions included a “widespread and immediate” insulation programme, a Council backed door to door consultancy providing tailored suggestions for upgrading properties rather than waiting for busy residents to get round to it, more retrofitting of social housing and networks of people in each ward who have undertaken retrofit already and can support others.

The two Conservative candidates also said that they supported retrofit. One said that he was concerned to review what was happening currently and make sure that the Council is taking effective action and not spending time on matters that are the remit of central government.

The Twickenham Labour response said that it fully supported the reduction of CO2 emissions from households by retrofitting including by fitting air source heat pumps which several of its members were in the process of doing.

Full report at https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/

02/05/2026

The first question that we asked the candidates for election to LB Richmond Council was:

1. Do you support Richmond Council’s aim for LB Richmond to become a Net Zero borough by 2043 as set out in its Climate and Nature Strategy?

This is a Liberal Democrat policy and their candidates all confirmed that they support it. They drew attention to the fact that it was an ambitious target and that regular updates are made available to the public on progress (the next being due in June 2026). A couple of candidates mentioned that relying on fossil fuels is clearly a false economy in view of current global circumstances. New initiatives are planned including a Richmond Community Energy Co-operative and a Community Energy Accelerator Fund for public buildings.

The Green candidates expressed support for the target, but several said that it wasn’t ambitious enough. They expressed the view that the current Strategy and action plan were too weak and needed strengthening if the 2043 target was to be met, something which Green councillors had raised at a Council meeting and elsewhere. They pointed out that the Community Energy Fund was something that they had proposed and mentioned other budget amendments and suggestions such as the need to improve communications with residents on why Net Zero was so important.

One of the Conservative candidates said that she agreed with the target and the other said he agreed in principle but would like a total review of current measures and effectiveness. He raised a concern that the current occupancy rate of 28% for Council administrative offices was leading to wasted lighting and heating.

The Twickenham Labour response supported the target, although it felt the target date should be earlier, and it expressed doubt about whether the Liberal Democrat Council actually “supports these stated goals”.

Full report at https://rtfoe.org.uk/campaigns/local-elections-2026/