The Kensington and Chelsea Full Council met to discuss a range of issues, including community safety, the impact of national insurance contributions, and step-free access at South Kensington station. The council agreed to note reports on urgent decisions and community safety, and also agreed to request that the Lead Member for Finance investigate the implications of changes to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and make a written submission to the government.

Here's a breakdown of the key topics discussed:

Public Speaking

Several members of the public addressed the council to raise concerns:

• Cordelia Chembrovich, a resident of North Kensington and Kensal House, spoke on behalf of herself and the Kensal House Residents Association about the redevelopment of contaminated land. She highlighted the environmental injustice faced by the North Kensington community, citing poor air quality and lower life expectancy. Chembrovich asked what policies and safeguards were in place to protect residents during developments on contaminated land, specifically mentioning the Kensal Canal side site. Councillor Kamali responded, assuring her that the site would be held to the same standards as anywhere else in the borough, and that the council has strong land contamination protocols. Councillor Lahrie focused on Canal Side House, saying that there had been secretive discussions about selling the building to a private developer, and that the council had imposed a managed decline on the building.

• Jessica Jones spoke about Athlone Gardens in Goldbourne Ward, saying that the park's redevelopment, promised in 2009, remained unfulfilled. She said that the current park was less than half its original size, and that there was no master plan for the park. Jones asked the lead member for parks to reinstate a resident-led steering group, ensure residents help shape the design brief, and establish a firm delivery date for the completed park. Councillor Will responded, saying that it was the council's intention to consult fully with as many people as possible, but that the steering group had been abandoned due to insufficient interest. Councillor Lari said that the council had decided to disband the community co-design process, which it promised to residents a year and a half ago.

• Mr Maxwell-Woodger, a resident of North Kensington, asked about the construction of an underpass at the bottom of Latimer Road, connecting the area to Oxford Gardens and the Imperial University campus. He asked about the start and finish times, the positive effects, and how to mitigate the negative effects, such as antisocial behaviour. Councillor Kamali responded, saying that the council was working to make this happen, but was waiting for Hammersmith and Fulham to sign off their side of the tracks. Councillor Thaxter said that Imperial's commitments to build the underpass dated back to a 2012 agreement, and gave a timeline for the project, with a targeted opening date of 2026.

• Carolyn Haynes, a resident of Earls Court Ward, spoke about the closure of St Cuthbert and St Matthias School, asking why two schools had been built relatively recently to cover her community, yet a 150-year-old school was now having to close down. Councillor Faulks responded, saying that the proposed closure was part of a broader trend across the country, due to the decrease in pupil numbers and the increasing financial challenges that come with that. Councillor Verboeven said that the closure of the school after 150 years was a tragedy, and that there had been a sense of predictability in its managed decline for 10 years.

National Insurance Contributions

The council debated a motion regarding the impact of higher employers' National Insurance contributions (NICs). The motion requested that the Lead Member for Finance, Customer Services and Net Zero investigate the implications of the NICs changes and make a written submission to the government on impacts.

• Councillor Hudd, who moved the motion, said that the changes to NICs would have a damaging impact, and that Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP was right when she previously referred to any increase to NICs as a 'jobs tax' and 'a tax purely on working people.'
• Councillor Hammond, who seconded the motion, shared personal and professional experiences of how the jobs tax had affected his family and a small business he was familiar with. He also presented national statistics showing an increase in unemployment and a fall in payrolled employees since the jobs tax was announced.
• Councillor Rendell said that the government had not applied any exemption or any extra funding to GP services, which puts a real strain on them.
• Councillor Simmons said that the council had become so concerned about lower wages and higher prices, and about the effects of the actions of central government, and that these things are multifactorial.
• Councillor Evans said that the Labour government's budget has had a devastating effect on the hospitality industry and especially on the nighttime economy.
• Councillor Jedet said that the Labour government fails to tax the rich and goes after the poor, and that the council should do some kind of self-evaluation and see how it functions.
• Councillor Schmetling said that charities have been affected, and that the NCVO estimates that the annual costs for the charity sector will increase by £1.4 billion.
• Councillor Ali said that the Conservative Party should apologise for what they have done to the country for the last 14 years, and that this government is pushing not only to deal with the chronic housing crisis, but to make sure that Britain will become a shining country.
• Councillor North said that this government's choice to take the winter fuel allowance from their pensioners and this jobs tax affects their care assistance.
• Councillor Lindsay said that Gordon Brown sold tons and tons of Britain's gold at a low price, and had that money been kept, this country would not be in quite the same precarious predicament that it's in.
• Councillor McVeigh said that this government cannot keep hammering businesses, and that they need to be providing businesses so people can get their jobs.
• Councillor Kamali said that it is absolutely the wrong approach, and that we cannot continue to watch them hammer our residents, hammer our businesses, and hammer the people that actually create wealth in this country.

The council voted in favour of the motion.

Step-Free Access at South Kensington Station

The council debated a motion regarding step-free access at South Kensington station. The motion called on the Leader and Councillor Thalassites to keep up pressure on other stakeholders, particularly the Mayor of London and Westminster City Council, to do their bit to deliver full step-free access.

• Councillor Weill, who moved the motion, said that the case for step-free access for both lines at South Kensington station is clear and obvious, and that it was estimated that as many as half a million journeys a year are thwarted because the station is not accessible.
• Councillor Idris, who seconded the motion, said that South Kensington station is a gateway to London's museum quarter, and that 500,000 people are shut out totally because this station is not accessible.
• Councillor Rendell said that South Kensington is the closest station to the Royal Marsden Hospital, the Royal Brompton Hospital, and the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and that it cannot be right that patients are forced to rely on expensive taxis or the kindness of friends and family to make appointments.
• Councillor Simmons said that the arguments put forward also apply to other stations in our borough, including Ladbroke Grove, and that in 2022, the department for levelling up refused an application by RBKC officers to the levelling up fund for step-free access at Ladbroke Grove Station.
• Councillor McVeigh said that TFL has a 200 million pound budget for station improvements, but has not chosen Ladbroke Grove or South Kensington.
• Councillor Isse said that step-free access will contribute to the growth of the economy and will create local jobs.
• Councillor Raleigh said that Joe Powell was the only person as a member of parliament for Kensington and Bayswater to put together all the stakeholders for this issue under one roof to make sure that decisions are made.
• Councillor Hammond said that he appeared before the planning committee in 2019 to speak against the around station development that had been proposed for South Kensington, and that one of the elements of the scheme was a proposal for partial step-free access to the district and circle line only, but not the Piccadilly line.
• Councillor Jedet said that she was very grateful for this motion because it exposes hypocrisy, and that she cannot support the council if it takes care of residents in South Kensington, but does not commit 7.5 million towards Ladbroke Grove as well.
• Councillor Lane said that there are really green reasons for having step-free, in terms of taking cars off the road.
• Councillor Pascal said that South Kensington has roughly five times the traffic per annum than the average tube station in London, and that it is embarrassing that South Kensington does not have step-free access.
• Councillor North said that Sir Sadiq could easily sell the police station that he closed a number of years ago and use that money towards this.
• Councillor Benton said that she did really entreat our colleagues who want to put up and strip to the studs this motion says call on the leader and keep up the pressure on stakeholders.
• Councillor Taylor-Smith said that the Mayor of London was taking a very easy road, prioritising the low hanging fruit rather than the stations that would really make a difference.

The council voted in favour of the motion.

Other Matters

• The council noted a report from the Leadership Team on decisions taken under urgency provisions since 2 January 2025.
• The council noted a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the committee's statutory annual community safety scrutiny.
• The council approved appointments to committees and outside organisations.

Matters of Local Concern

Several councillors raised matters of local concern:

• Councillor Above said that after Burger King's application for a 5am license was granted, five life-changing applications had come forward, and that these applications will undermine any proposed improvements to the area undertaken by the council.
• Councillor Knight raised the matter of the Olympia development in Hammersmith and Fulham, saying that the influx of visitors is likely to put additional pressure on residential parking bays in Holland Ward.
• Councillor Ahern spoke about the creation of a new public open space behind Lots Road pumping station, saying that the borough needs more open and green spaces.
• Councillor Address spoke about the new plaza in Draker Avenue, saying that Tribeca turned a small corner into a beautiful place where you can sit outside, have a sandwich, have you know, meet friends and have a coffee.

Dalgarno Ward Funding

Councillor Jedet questioned Councillor Addenbrooke, Lead Member for Communities & Community Safety, about City Living Local funds being systematically blocked in Dalgarno Ward. Councillor Jedet claimed that £18,000 out of £21,000 of Dalgarno Ward's City Living Local Life budget went back to the council due to countless applications being rejected. Councillor Addenbrooke responded that the communities team did do a light touch review, but were unable to overcome the issue in Dalgarno ward, and that it is unfair to say that one councillor is blocking the applications.

Support for Older Residents

Councillor Thaxter asked Councillor Campbell what current steps RBKC council is taking to support older residents struggling with housing costs, energy bills, and digital exclusion. Councillor Campbell responded that the council is absolutely committed to making this borough fairer, and outlined the cost of living payment scheme, council tax reduction scheme, winter fuel payment, free school meals, and digital inclusion sessions in libraries.

Greening and Bee Superhighways

A motion to enhance greening and bee superhighways in RBKC was proposed, calling on the Lead Member for Property, Parks & Leisure Services and the Lead Member for the Environment & Planning to discuss with planning officers how s106 agreements¹ and 'works in kind' agreements can be used to encourage applicants to put up green walls and promote greening in the future.