Kingston residents object to Canbury Place Car Park development at council meeting
#25: Kingston among best for ‘healthy life’ expectancy, Mayor of London wants to raise council tax to fund police, Royal Parks police funding, Kingston residents object to Canbury Place Car Park development, KCF to launch What Kingston Thinks report, Kingston Hospital board meeting, Kingston Borough Business Awards, more teens using ChatGPT for schoolwork, Jenny Eclair Live at the Rose Theatre, Angela Barnes in Kingston, London Art Fair, Kumbh Mela 2025 – largest gathering of humanity, and more.
Hello and thank you for being part of Love Kingston community. Please help me improve in 2025 by taking a short readers' survey – it’s entirely anonymous and will take no more than three minutes to complete. Thank you! AH
START WITH A SMILE: Stuff to cheer us up
🍃 US offshore drilling ban ‘epic ocean victory’: As the tragic fires in Los Angeles over the last week brought climate crisis into sharp focus, environmentalists have welcomed a new ban on offshore drilling along much of the US coastline. In one of his administration’s last acts, President Biden signed into law a ban on drilling that covers the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico, Pacific coast off California, Oregon and Washington, and a section of the Bering Sea of Alaska.
LOCAL STORIES: Stuff you need to know
🏗️ Kingston residents object to Canbury Place Car Park development at council meeting: At the Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee meeting held at Kingston Council offices on 12 January, the developer for the proposed Canbury Place Car Park development presented its latest plans. However, there were strong objections from residents and local groups. These included health and safety concerns resulting from re-routed traffic, possibility of increased risk of flooding, potential traffic congestion due to closure of Kingsgate Road, lack of affordable housing, the potential blocking of light to the adjacent Queenshurst development and the general look and height of the development. The full recording of the meeting is available here and residents can view the details of the proposed development and have their say here. Decision on the planning application is still pending.
⏳ Kingston among best for ‘healthy life’ expectancy: Analysis of Office for National Statistics by MyLondon shows that across England, healthy life expectancy for newborn girls has fallen from 63.9 to 61.9 years while overall life expectancy has remained relatively stable. In other words, the proportion of a person's life expected to be spent in poor health has likely grown. For London, data shows a girl born between 2021 and 2023 is expected to enjoy 64 healthy years, a small increase from 63.8 years for those born between 2011 and 2013. Kingston is second to Richmond where baby girls can expect to enjoy 69.4 and 70.2 healthy years respectively.
💷 Mayor of London wants to raise council tax to fund police: In his draft 2025 budget, the mayor is proposing a rise in his share of council tax to help pay for London's police and fire services that could see bills go up by almost £19 a year, according to BBC. Sir Sadiq said: "The last thing I want to do is increase council tax at a time when many household budgets are stretched. But keeping Londoners safe is my top priority as mayor and I'll always do everything I can to ensure the Met Police and the London Fire Brigade have the funding they need."
🏥 Opportunity for residents to attend Kingston Hospital board meeting: With much publicised pressures facing Kingston Hospital (and other NHS trusts across the country) this winter, the forthcoming board meeting is a perfect opportunity for residents to hear from the hospital’s management team and share their own views. Taking place on Thursday 30 January, 9.30am to 12.30pm, residents can attend in person or online. More details are available here.
👮 Royal Parks police funding: Local MP Sarah Olney has been raising awareness of potential cuts to funding for the Royal Parks police by the Metropolitan Police as they face shortfall in their budget. As well as meeting visitors to Richmond Park in person, the MP for Richmond Park has also carried out a survey that shows overwhelming objection to potential cuts. Residents can still share their views on Royal Parks police funding here to help keep the parks safe for all visitors.
👷 National Apprenticeship Week Job Fair at Kingston College: As part of the National Apprenticeship Week, Kingston College is holding a job fair on Thursday 13 February, 10am-12pm. Employers seeking to recruit apprentices and people looking for apprenticeship opportunities can contact the college here for more details.
🏆 Kingston Borough Business Awards entries closing soon: There are fewer than four weeks left to enter your business for Kingston Borough Business Awards. Whether you are a sole trader or a large corporate, commercial venture or not-for-profit organisation, there are 16 categories to choose from. You’ll need to hurry - entries close on 13 February.
LOCAL DEMOCRACY: Stuff that affects your neighbourhood
🗳️ London Assembly – calendar of public meetings: When it comes to Kingston (and other London boroughs) Mayor of London holds responsibility for a number of key areas including policing, transport and environment. A chunk of council tax collected by Kingston Council flows into City Hall’s budget. In his draft budget for the next financial year, the mayor is asking for a raise in council tax. Therefore, it’s vital that Kingston residents have the opportunity to hold the mayor to account. Consequently, Love Kingston will regularly publish a schedule of London Assembly meetings where residents can attend in person or online. Here is calendar of meetings scheduled for coming weeks. Some of the highlights include:
Draft Budget, London Assembly (Plenary) – 23 January
Planning and Regeneration Committee – 28 January
Police and Crime Committee – 29 January
COMMUNITY, CULTURE & EVENTS: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy
💁 Kingston Charitable Foundation to launch What Kingston Thinks report at the Rose Theatre: Kingston Charitable Foundation (KCF) is launching What Kingston Thinks, a crucial report exploring the needs, challenges and opportunities in the borough at the Rose Theatre on Tuesday 4 March. KCF, an organisation that supports local charities and volunteer organisations to help inequalities across Kingston, will present key findings from its research gathered from over 200 residents and discuss plans to address inequality, foster collaboration and support Kingston’s vibrant community. This is a free-to-attend event for both residents and organisations and can be booked here.
📰 New digital daily newspaper for London: Just a few months after the closure of the Evening Standard’s daily print edition, a new daily newspaper is set to serve Londoners. Starting February, London Daily Digital will also publish a monthly print edition priced at £5. Local newspaper supporting local journalism is something Love Kingston wholeheartedly supports. All the best London Daily!
🤖 More teens using ChatGPT for schoolwork: According to research reported in TechCrunch, more Gen Zers are embracing OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT, for schoolwork. Whether it’s the possibility of producing identical schoolwork, potential lack of acquiring real understanding of a subject or the shortfall in ChatGPT’s knowledge (based on training on not up-to-date information) there are plenty of pitfalls to consider. On the plus side, parents struggling to help with that difficult maths question can now delegate it to ChatGPT!
🧵 London Repair Week is back: Whether it’s for climate concerns or simply the cost-of-living crises, more people are turning to repair to save money and do their bit for the environment. So it’s great to see the return of London Repair Week, 3-9 March. With events around London, the week brings together a wide range of businesses, not-for-profits and individuals who have expertise, skills and services to share. Attend an event to grow your skills as well as get your once-loved items repaired. For more information and to keep up to date with upcoming events, visit London Recycles website.
😂 Jenny Eclair Live at the Rose Theatre: In celebration of the release of her hilarious memoir, comedian, novelist and ‘national treasure’ Jenny Eclair is appearing at the Rose Theatre on 30 January with a brand-new autobiographical show. Tickets are available here.
😂 Comedy star who can’t be named is back in New Malden: While we can’t reveal his name, what we can say is he has filled Wembley arena on a previous tour. Been on Taskmaster and Live at the Apollo. Has a huge Social Media following and is performing at the O2 on his forthcoming tour. Yes, he’s a big star. And he’s at the Royal Oak in New Malden on Sunday 19 January.
😂 Comedian Angela Barnes in Kingston: Kingston’s Fighting Cocks has another star studded line up on Monday 20 January. Headlined by Angela Barnes, one of the most in-demand and prolific comedians working. As seen on Have I Got News For You, Live at the Apollo and QI.
SPORTS DAY: Stuff about enjoying your local teams
⚽ Chelsea Women: The Blues marked their return to action following the winter break with a comfortable 4-0 win against Charlton Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Kingsmeadow. It was a repeat of the score line when the two teams last met in 2020. This Sunday 19 January, the focus is back on the league when the Blues visit West Ham United Women, currently sitting three points above the relegation zone.
⚽ Kingstonian FC: The Ks returned to action last weekend for the first time in 2025 with a 2-1 victory against Rayners Lane. With the league leaders Farnham Town not playing last week, Kingstonian’s victory closes the gap at the top to seven points with a game in hand. This Saturday 18 January, the Ks host mid-table Leatherhead.
LONDON CALLING: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy in the big smoke
🖼️ London Art Fair: One of the longest established Modern and Contemporary Art events, London Art Fair returns to Business Design Centre, Islington, on 22 to 26 January. Showcasing the works of over 1,000 artists from over 120 global galleries, it’s a great opportunity to discover and, perhaps, buy great modern art.
WHAT ELSE? Stuff we couldn’t quite fit anywhere else but still like
🕉️ Kumbh Mela 2025 – largest gathering of humanity: The Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela is a monumental gathering of spirituality, faith and cultural unity. It offers devotees an opportunity to cleanse their sins by taking a ritual dip at the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. It's the largest religious gathering in the world, with more than 400 million people expected to take part. Festivities began on 14 January and will run until 26 February.
