The Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee met on Monday 15 June 2026, appointing Councillor Olly Wehring as Chair and Councillor Blaise Murphet as Vice-Chair. The committee also decided not to establish a Planning Sub-Committee and not to implement a 'guillotine' to limit meeting times. Councillors also agreed to continue with the existing Councillor Ward Funding arrangements for the Municipal Year 2026/27, allowing individual councillors to allocate up to £2,000 of funding within their wards.

Neighbourhood Working Arrangements

The committee resolved not to establish a Planning Sub-Committee, a decision influenced by the decreasing volume of planning applications coming before the committee and anticipated changes to planning legislation. Members also agreed not to implement a 'guillotine' to automatically end meetings at a set time, preferring to rely on the Chair's discretion to manage meeting length. This decision was made despite some councillors expressing concerns about lengthy meetings impacting decision-making quality and councillors with family or work commitments.

Councillor Ward Funding Arrangements

The committee decided to continue with the existing Councillor Ward Funding arrangements for the 2026/27 municipal year. This means each councillor will continue to have an individual allocation of £2,000 to spend within their ward. This decision was favoured by many councillors who highlighted the flexibility and speed with which these funds can be deployed to support local initiatives and voluntary groups. Concerns were raised about the scrutiny process for these funds, with assurances given by officers that an audit trail and clear invoicing process are in place to ensure accountability.

Planning Application: Appletree Court, 9 Gallows Yard

The committee approved the erection of a second-floor extension at Appletree Court, 9 Gallows Yard, to create two additional self-contained dwellings. This decision followed a previous refusal for similar works, with the revised application addressing concerns regarding noise, overheating, daylight and sunlight impacts, and parking. Objectors raised concerns about the accuracy of the daylight and sunlight assessments, potential overlooking, and ongoing parking issues, including the alleged misuse of private land and the continued availability of parking permits despite the development being intended as car-free. The applicant's agent stated that the revised application had overcome previous refusal reasons, including the implementation of a legal agreement to restrict parking permits for the new units. The committee also discussed adding conditions and informatives to address issues such as screening for communal areas, the use of the existing deck access, and the potential for short-term lets and parking permit misuse.

Neighbourhood Manager's Verbal Report

Rachel Coulson, Neighbourhood Manager, provided an update on the activities of the neighbourhood community rangers. She reported that the rangers had completed 231 tasks between January and May 2026, focusing on maintaining public spaces and addressing environmental issues. Coulson also announced the appointment of Danielle O'Shaughnessy as the new neighbourhood ranger for Kingston and North Kingston, highlighting her proactive approach and community engagement. The report noted that graffiti removal constituted a significant portion of town centre interventions. Coulson also confirmed that no community grant applications were being presented for decision at this meeting due to internal deadlines, but that these would be considered at subsequent meetings.

Public Question Time

Sue Haswell raised concerns about the Kingston Gate Road scheme and its impact on traffic congestion, particularly on Liverpool Road. She described the situation as chaotic and questioned when the scheme would be reviewed. The committee was informed that a review would take place after six months of implementation of reduced hours, with data collection ongoing. Ward councillors Mark Manners, Stephen Evans, and Sarah Waite-Sillett were identified as key contacts for further discussion on this matter.

Other Business

The committee formally appointed Councillor Olly Wehring as Chair and Councillor Blaise Murphet as Vice-Chair for the municipal year 2026/27. The minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2026 were confirmed as a correct record, with a minor clerical error in the minutes of the 29 January meeting being noted and corrected. The meeting also included a discussion on the neighbourhood working arrangements for 2026-2030, where the decision was made not to establish a Planning Sub-Committee and not to apply a 'guillotine' to meetings.