‘For a quarter of a decade, RBKC’s Planning and Place division pursued enforcement action against me over a timber screen on my property. Their own files – and later the Planning Inspectorate – confirmed it was approved. Not once. Three times. In 2019, 2022, and 2023, they signed off. Then, in January 2024, they ordered me to tear it down. You do not need a planning degree to read your own files. You just need to read them.

The Inspector said the notice should never have been issued. The Council says they now “accept the decision” of the Inspector and will now close the file. But they do not apologise. They do not admit they were wrong. The Inspector found the breach never existed. You cannot have a different interpretation of something that was never there.

Even a week before the Inspector ruled, a senior planning officer sent an email – accidentally copied to me – insisting his concerns over the screen had been “proved correct.” The email was addressed to the Director of Planning and Place. She said nothing. That email is a window into how the Council thinks: certain they are right, even when they are wrong.

The Council’s mistake cost me nearly £10,000. Do you know what I could have bought with that money? A wheelchair for my father. He has dementia. He cannot walk. That money could have given him dignity, mobility, a bit of freedom. Instead, it went to lawyers, architects and planning consultants – defending my home against a notice the Council should never have issued. The Council sees a file to close. I see my father’s mobility taken away from him.

When I asked for disclosure under FOI, they refused. The ICO forced them. They sent me my own emails. No internal records. No notes. Just my words, returned. I am starting to think there were no files. Just “vibes”.

The Council signs off every email with “Our Values – Putting Communities First, Respect, Integrity, Working Together.” Let me translate. Putting Communities First? They chased me for years over a screen they had already approved. Respect? They refused to apologise. Integrity? They sent me my own emails as “disclosure.” Working Together? They refused every meeting. Those four values are not a promise. They are a punchline.

If the Council can spend so long chasing a screen that their own files showed was approved three times, what else are they getting wrong? A screen is simple. Planning is hard. But if you cannot get the simple things right, you should not get to be trusted with the hard things.

The Council has a choice. Admit they were wrong. Reimburse my costs. Or keep stonewalling. One choice shows accountability. The other shows they have learned nothing. I am ready to talk. The only question is whether they are ready to listen – to be honest with themselves, and with the residents of Kensington and Chelsea.’

© Dr Michael Young

A spokesperson for Kensington and Chelsea Council said: “We investigated reports of an unauthorised timber screen and served an enforcement notice after determining the structure breached Local Plan policy. Following an appeal, the Planning Inspectorate reached a different conclusion. The Council accepts the decision and the enforcement case will now be closed.”

Madam Mayor,

Can I just say… welcome to your new role.

It is fantastic to see such an esteemed and popular colleague in the chair, and you look resplendent in your…

…to borrow an American term…

…new threads…

And to fellow councillors across the chamber.

Welcome.

To those that are new…

Don’t worry.

I know how it feels.

…it’s like starting at a new school

…you might be worried about the teacher asking you to speak in front of the class.

…you might be worried about the homework you will be set.

But, on your first day…

… if you can figure out where to sit

…make some friends

…know your enemies…

You should just about get through…

Madam Mayor

It is the start of a new term.

Let me start by saying how wonderful it is to be stood here again.

Third time. But not by luck.

To be returned as leader of this council is not something I take lightly.

It is not a title.

It is not a prize.

It is a responsibility

And one that I accept with humility, with energy, and with a very clear understanding of what the people of Kensington and Chelsea are asking of us.

So let me start where I always believe we should start. With a thank you.

To every resident who cast their vote in this election – whether you voted Conservative, whether you voted for another party, or whether you came to the polls uncertain and hoping to be convinced – thank you.

You engaged.

You participated.

And in doing so, you reminded us that local democracy matters, that what happens in this chamber matters.

To those who did vote Conservative — thank you for your confidence.

We know it must be earned, every single day, through the decisions we make and the service we deliver.

So what did residents tell us at this election?

They told us something important.

Something that, if we are honest, politics sometimes forgets.

They did not come to the doorstep asking for grand visions or headline-grabbing announcements.

They came with the things that matter in daily life.

They came asking: is my street clean?

Are the parks looked after?

Is my bin collected?

Is the council there when I need it — and does it actually sort things out?
Madam Mayor

They want the basics done brilliantly.

And that is exactly what we will do.

Our manifesto made clear promises rooted in that exact same principles.

Cleaner streets.

Better maintained public spaces.

Faster, more responsive services.

A council that spends public money carefully and wisely.

A housing service that treats people with dignity and gets repairs done properly, first time.

These are not small things.

Done well, day after day, they are the entire foundation of what a good local authority looks like.

We will not be distracted by noise.

We will not be drawn into the kind of politics that prioritises announcement over delivery.

Kensington and Chelsea does not need to reinvent itself.

It needs to be excellent at what it does – and under my leadership, it will be.

I am proud of the team around me.

I am proud of the officers of this council, who serve residents with professionalism and dedication regardless of who sits in the leader’s chair.

And I am proud of every Conservative councillor who knocked on doors, listened to residents, and stood on a platform of practical, caring, competent local government.

But I want to take a moment now, and I hope you will forgive me if this becomes a little personal, to speak about someone who will not be sitting beside me in this new administration.

After nearly a decade as Deputy Leader of this council, Councillor Kim Taylor-Smith has decided to step back.

And I want this chamber, and everyone watching, to understand what that means.

Not procedurally.

Not structurally.

But what it means.

Kim took on the housing brief in 2017.

He did so in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire…

…the most devastating and heartbreaking event in this borough’s history.

There is no way to describe adequately what it asked of him.

To sit with families who had lost everything.

To navigate the grief, the anger, the trauma – not at arm’s length, not through briefing notes, but face to face, week after week, year after year.

To make decisions about housing and community in the shadow of such tragedy, knowing that every decision carried a weight that most of us in public life will never fully understand.

He did it because he cared.

Not because he was asked to build a career from it.

Not because it suited a particular ambition or profile.

But because there were people who needed someone to show up – and he showed up.

He didn’t get it right every time, and he would never suggest he did.

But he did give the role everything he had.

Every single time.

Kim is not a politician.

And I mean that as the highest compliment I know how to give.

He never sought the limelight.

He was never interested in how something would play, how it would be covered, or what it would do for his standing.

He just asked: what is the right thing to do, and how do we do it?

And then he got on with it.

Quietly, consistently, without fanfare.

In an age when politics too often attracts people who are focused on their own progression…

…Kim is proof that the most important work is usually done by the people who never once thought about themselves while they were doing it.

He achieved so much precisely because he was simply himself.

A decent, warm, principled human being who cared about people.

And now I want to say something that goes beyond the professional.

Kim has been my deputy.

But more than that, he has been my friend.

My anchor, in moments when I have needed one.

He has a quality that I think is rarer than any political skill…

…he always knew.

He always knew when something was weighing on me, when the pressure was building, when I needed someone to say the right thing at exactly the right moment.

And he always found a way to do it.

Not with grand gestures.

Not with long conversations (most of the time…)

Just with his presence, his positivity, and the particular kindness that is entirely and unmistakably his own.

I will miss his guidance more than I can say.

I will miss his instinct, his humour, and his steadiness.

The chair beside mine will feel different.

This council will feel different.

And I want him to know — truly know — how grateful I am.

Not just on behalf of this chamber, not just on behalf of the residents he served so faithfully, but personally.

As his friend.

Kim, thank you.

For your work on Grenfell.

For your work on housing.

For nine years of doing this the right way…

…and for every quiet moment when you knew exactly what I needed.

Madame Mayor

Kensington and Chelsea is a remarkable place.

It is diverse, creative, challenging, and proud.

Its residents deserve a council that matches their ambitions — not with rhetoric, but with results.

We got the basics right before.

We will get them right again.

I am honoured to lead this team and this council.

And we intend to make it count.

Thank you.

All photos ©Rob McGibbon |The Chelsea Citizen

Thank you Madam Mayor and congratulations on your election. And congratulations to Cllr Nur on his election as Deputy Mayor. Just one of the many talented and dedicated individuals that come out of the North Kensington community. We hope you both have a very enjoyable and successful year and look forward to welcoming you frequently in North Kensington.

And thank you Cllr Campbell for your welcome …

You note that your vote share rose and we in the Labour party are happy to take some credit in saving you all in the south gym membership and getting you out on the doorstep far more than in previous elections as you faced opposition from 2 parties in the south and we recognise your

hard work in trying to take St Helen’s. Our commiserations. But the Tory party has never had a mandate in North Kensington and once again the Labour Party and 13 Labour councillors represent all 5 wards in the Republic of North Kensington.

Cllr Monica Press

And I want to note and congratulate the Lib Dems in now having all three seats in the Estate of Earl’s Court a mark of the three candidates hard work, the awful neglect of so many residents in Earls Court by this council and the many years of hard work and casework by Cllr Wade. 

Congratulations Cllrs. So we now have 16 alternative voices in this Chamber.

But jesting apart. It is a time for reflection for both we main parties as voters have made it clear they want more choice and the days of two party politics are numbered. A 37% turn out although a little better than usual is nothing to be proud of and within that % we must recognise that a number of voters who did turn out voted for other parties. Reform 10% and Green 8%.

National and International issues may have influenced our voters here in Kensington & Chelsea but this opposition party will be focusing on local borough level issues and the key issues impacting the just under 150,000 in our wards, and also the many hard working but struggling residents across this borough, such as the many forgotten and marginalised residents in council and Housing Association housing and over-priced private rentals in the south of the borough.

It is time for all of us in the chamber to recognise the importance of this Council’s Charter for Public Participation and how it is understood and implemented by all of us and officers, not just the final 6 week on-line consultation process but the key stages and the very first pledge this council makes as regards it’s values and behaviour that states this Council “accepts the principle that those impacted upon by major proposals or actions should be given an opportunity to be involved in advance” in advance.

The first pledge this Labour Group makes in its 2026 Manifesto is “to ensure that local voices are heard by decision makers” and that we will “Keep our residents fully informed and consulted on all changes in the ward that affect them and their neighbourhood”. This is a key priority for us in opposition as we pledge to work for all our residents regardless of who they voted for.

The majority party may be looking to celebrate as they enter the 61st year of controlling this Council but it is shocking and shameful that as RBKC remains one of the richest boroughs in the UK it remains the most unequal borough in Britain and this divide is deepening with stark contrasts in wealth, health and life expectancy between the North and South. 

We are here to work for a fairer Kensington and Chelsea. In the North we on average die 17 years younger than residents in the South and we have much higher rates of diabetes, hypertension and mental health issues. Low Pay, Unemployment and Child Poverty rates are significantly higher in North Ken than London averages. 

The borough has historically high rates of school exclusions mainly in the North. This divide was highlighted by the Grenfell Tower Fire a totally avoidable disaster. And we will continue to fight for truth and justice for the victims, survivors and bereaved this year as does our Labour MP Joe Powell.

Justice cannot be delayed or denied any longer. Individuals and companies need to be charged and brought to court this year. It may have been almost 9 years ago but we won’t forget and cannot understand the Leaderships’ decision to withdraw the Chairing of the Housing Scrutiny Committee from the Labour Group. This decision is yet another broken commitment made after the Grenfell Tower fire.

Nine years since the Grenfell Disaster, but only nine months since the UK Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) published an inspection judgement in August, 2025, which graded RBKC Housing a “C3” for “serious failings”. Noting major shortcomings, including:

• The high percentage of homes failing to meet the decent homes

standard.

• Backlogs in repairs and incomplete fire risk assessments.

What message does taking a North Kensington Labour Chair from the Housing Scrutiny committee send Grenfell survivors and bereaved and all of us in North Kensington and living in RBKC Managed homes. A council whose Housing Department is in “special measures” should be scrutinised by an opposition party chaired scrutiny committee. It’s unjust, illogical and plain unfair and could take us back nine years re relations with the North Kensington community.

International and National events and policies will continue to impact on us here in RBKC and we recognise the challenges to this council by the cost of living crisis and fair funding calculations for borough level funding and we are here to assist and help with the many difficult choices that this Council will have to take over the next four years. Although far less difficult than many poorer London boroughs.

We’re here to help…we’re here to work for a fairer Kensington and Chelsea…when tackling a reduced annual budget and funding, this Council’s instinct was to immediately focus on, briefly consult on and then reduce the Council Tax reductions offered to the poorest families in this borough. Saving a mere £440,000 at the expense of the very poorest 5,000 residents. 

And only later be reluctantly dragged into raising the Council Tax on second homes of some of the richest residents in the borough by 5% – a solution to the underfunding suggested by the Govt – and resulting in extra income calculated at £12million p.a. We’re here to ensure you take the fairer choice first time.

So we’re very pleased to be back in numbers. We’re skilled, organised, informed and united, and we will be a serious, responsible and active opposition. Committed to ensuring services, opportunities and funding are more fairly shared across this borough. 

And hopefully save this council enough money that by 2030 it can afford a few more chairs for candidates at the election night count!

Every main national newspaper covered it in depth and hundreds of news websites followed those stories.  Here is a small selection from the cuttings file.

The BBC’s news item by local democracy reporter Charlotte Lillywhite

A correction in The Guardian

How AI reacted …in typically puerile fashion!

The Planning Inspector dismissed the appeal to the proposed Glassmill development, bringing an end to one of the most controversial planning battles in recent local memory.

In her ruling, Inspector Joanna Gilbert concluded that while the scheme would deliver some minor public benefits, these were far outweighed by the adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area, alongside harm to surrounding heritage assets.

For residents, the result represents a remarkable community victory. Here, we publish reaction from all sides.

Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said:

“We raised objections to this development as it would have had a huge detrimental effect on our views and on our conservation areas. I am delighted that the planning inspectorate accepted our concerns.

“I especially want to pay tribute to The Chelsea Citizen and to the residents who campaigned with such determination on an issue they care deeply about. This shows the best of local democracy – people making their voices heard, standing up for their community and helping to shape their area.”

Rob McGibbon – who led the campaign, first as a resident and then as Editor of The Chelsea Citizen – said: 

“I am relieved and delighted Rockwell’s plans have finally been thrown out. This is a decision for common sense and I applaud the Inspector’s decision. This development was totally wrong for the area in every conceivable way.  It was plain to see that the design and scale of it had more flaws than floors!

‘Rockwell and its directors showed complete disdain for residents and the democratic planning process throughout this lengthy – and expensive – application. Their attitude was unnecessary and regrettable.

’This has been a difficult and exhausting campaign, but at last we have the right outcome. People power has won through and it is proof that it is possible for communities to fight off rapacious property developers when they stand together.

“It takes one person to start a campaign. It takes a community to win it.”

A spokesperson for Rockwell Property – which is believed to have spent £10m and five years developing the scheme – said:

“We are obviously disappointed with the decision as we firmly believe in this regeneration project. We wanted to see it delivered and made a number of changes to the scheme following feedback from the public. We significantly reduced the height of the building while remaining committed to offering 50% affordable social rented homes – which is rare for any private development in London.

“We did not compromise on quality, using the world-renowned architects, Farrells, so it is disappointing the inspector did not share our view that this would be great addition to London’s skyline. We were going to deliver real community benefits including a free-to-access community hub run by local charities, and significant public realm improvements next to the River Thames. 

“An unprecedented 1,900 people signed up to a letter in support of the project, and we thank them for their support throughout this five-year process.

“There is a dire need for more housing in London; in Wandsworth alone, there are over 7,000 homeless people. The number of private housing starts in London has dived by 84% from 33,782 in 2015 to only 5,547 in 2025, so it is extremely disappointing to see a scheme that would deliver much-needed affordable housing turned down. We will carefully review the inspector’s decision before deciding what to do next. As such, it is premature to speculate about future plans.”

David Waddell – on behalf of The Chelsea Society and the Cheyne Walk Trust – said:

“The Chelsea Society and Cheyne Walk Trust warmly welcome the dismissal of the Appeal against overdevelopment of the Glassmill site. Particularly, we thank amenity societies and residents on the south of the Thames for their hard work and dedication in opposing the Appeal. We note specifically the Inspector’s concerns to protect the integrity of the open river vistas and the conservation areas with their many listed buildings on the Chelsea bank.”

A spokesman for Friends of Battersea Riverside said: 

“We warmly welcome the Inspector’s decision to dismiss this appeal and uphold Wandsworth Council’s unanimous refusal.

“This was never a close call. A 29-storey tower on a site where local policy sets a maximum of six storeys is not a marginal breach — it is a wholesale disregard for the planning framework that this community helped shape. The Inspector has confirmed what residents, local societies, and councillors of all parties said from the outset: this scheme was simply too tall, too massive, and too damaging to the riverside character of Battersea Bridge to be acceptable.

Over 2,000 local people objected. The London Mayor declined to intervene. Wandsworth’s own planning officers found the scheme would cause significant harm. The Inspector has now reached the same conclusion.

We hope this decision sends a clear message: the Local Plan exists to be followed, not circumvented. The Glassmill site has real potential for a development that works with its surroundings. We look forward to engaging constructively on proposals that genuinely reflect the scale and character of this exceptional riverside location.”

Ben Coleman MP said:

Screenshot

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Documents submitted to Companies House show that a £150m “holdback” was built into the takeover agreement when the Clearlake Capital–Todd Boehly consortium purchased the club – according to an exclusive report in The Guardian newspaper.

The sum is being retained for five years to cover the cost of any potential penalties arising from investigations into whether Chelsea breached football’s financial rules before the change of ownership.

The clause, included by BlueCo 22 — the vehicle used by the new owners — means part of the purchase price can be used to meet the cost of “any proceeding in relation to events which took place before the acquisition date”. The £150m figure is higher than the £100m buffer previously reported.

While there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the current ownership group, the provision reflects the possibility that football authorities could still pursue sanctions related to the club’s finances during Abramovich’s tenure.

©Rob McGibbon for The Chelsea Citizen

At the same time, separate disclosures indicate that the £2.4bn proceeds from the 2022 sale of Chelsea — currently frozen in a Barclays bank account — may also be affected by a criminal investigation being conducted by authorities in Jersey.

Fordstam Ltd, the company through which Abramovich owned Chelsea, confirmed in its latest accounts that Jersey’s attorney general is investigating whether certain assets linked to the oligarch, potentially including the sale proceeds, could amount to the proceeds of crime. Abramovich has previously denied any wrongdoing.

The funds have been frozen since sanctions were imposed on Abramovich by the UK and European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian billionaire has argued that the money should be distributed according to his wishes, while the UK government insists it must be directed towards humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

The situation is further complicated by loans Abramovich provided to Chelsea during his ownership. Among them was £1.4bn in interest-free financing from Camberley International Investments Ltd, a Jersey-based company linked to the former owner.

If repayment of that loan were ever sought, it could significantly reduce the net proceeds of the sale — and any such payment would require approval from the Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation.

Abramovich funded Chelsea for nearly two decades through a network of offshore companies, using wealth built from Russia’s oil industry in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Fordstam’s latest filings note that the company does not currently expect the frozen funds to be returned.

Police were called to the historic graveyard on Fulham Road at 8.45am on Friday, 27 February, following reports of a man discovered unresponsive among the tombs.

Officers and paramedics attended, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

The Metropolitan Police have told The Citizen the man has not been named and: “the death is not being treated as suspicious. A file is now being prepared for the coroner.”

“Mr. Mayor – Thank you…

I stand today to present one of the most difficult but most important budgets this council will ever debate. A budget set against the context of a Labour government’s vindicative and shambolic “Fair Funding Review” – a review which leaves RBKC and its residents £108m worse off, through no fault of their own.

We had our house in order, Mr. Mayor. We set balanced budgets and maintained taxes in the bottom 10% of the country. Our services are some of the very best in the country, leading the way in children’s services, adults’ services, parks, public realm – to name just a few. 

We were an example of what Local Government could achieve – fantastic services, locally focused, all whilst keeping taxes low. 

Mr Mayor, you’d think that Labour might want to learn from us; copy us; help other communities deliver services better. But no…

They followed the first rule of socialism – punish success, reward failure. So, the weak-willed, innumerate Ministers in Number 10 decided the only way to bribe their colleagues around the country was by picking the pocket of inner London. 

London – the very heart of the British economy, the city of growth and new development, the city of tourism, investment and opportunity. This was the place they went to asset strip when their socialist ideals failed to generate any new revenue.

We often joke in this chamber that the Labour group ought to get on the bus with us. But, Mr. Mayor, this Labour Government has thrown us, Westminster, LBHF, Wandsworth and The City under that very bus.

We are not alone in this struggle, but we are, Mr. Mayor, the only Council willing to stand up to this bully of a government and shine a light on their underhanded manoeuvring. Let no one leave this chamber tonight not be crystal clear that this was a deliberate attempt by their party to bankrupt this authority.

Mr Mayor  – it pains them no end that they are unable to win this chamber through democracy – instead they wish to eradicate it through centralisation and collectivism.

 It pains them that their ideas about how to govern – higher taxes, more welfare, larger state – have failed so completely. It humiliates them that here in Kensington and Cheslea, we have shown that by keeping money in people’s pocket, delivering outstanding services, and helping residents help themselves, we can succeed. 

The council chamber during the full meeting on 25th February

Mr Mayor  – The successes of K&C highlights the failures of Labour and the Government just cannot let that stand. 

Fortunately, it seems some members sitting opposite have grown wise to the Labour party and have rightly jumped ship. Albeit they’ve seemingly jumped from the Titanic to the Costa Concordia.

Mr. Mayor, whilst the context of tonight’s budget is a difficult one, we Conservatives, do what we always must, and that is to clear up Labour’s mess, and not just because we fully fund twice-weekly bin collections, but because we know that sound money and efficient systems are the best way to deliver outstanding services to our residents at the lowest price. 

Our record is clear: The most Efficient council. This is not us saying it – this is others looking in and recognising that this borough is well run.

But meet this new challenge we must – so here tonight we are putting a raft of savings forward which help us meet this budgetary environment. We are raising taxes by only what is necessary and, unlike Wandsworth and Westminster we are being honest with our residents and not raiding the reserves for a fleeting moment’s PR. We know our reserves are there to provide dividends for our residents – they are not politicians’ playthings.

We are also deleting posts and roles as we seek to build a leaner and more efficient council. And whilst debilitating for a time, the recent criminal cyber-attack on West London councils has shown the potential for rapid transformative change in digital services. We will embrace this digital future and will look to leapfrog other authorities as we move to a digital first approach – whilst maintaining actual human contact for those that require it.

It is not all doom and gloom though, Mr. Mayor – we are opening a new park in Chelsea Riverside ward, we are investing in additional street cleansing and maintenance, and we are investing further in our housing stock and safe TA provision. Whilst also putting money aside to support our older residents.

Mr. Mayor – it is at this point in the night that a Finance lead member would ordinarily pull a rabbit out from their hat – and believe me I looked.

But Mr. Mayor, I have no hat, I have no rabbit. I just have the truth – and I can honestly say that tonight is the first budget in a journey that will see RBKC become finally free of government grants.

A truly sovereign borough – and what could be more fitting for a Royal Borough than actually being Sovereign.

Mr. Mayor – I put this budget forward to this chamber tonight.”