The Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee of Richmond upon Thames Council met on Tuesday 13 January 2026 to adopt an updated events policy for the borough's parks and open spaces, and to review the mid-year performance of the Richmond Corporate Plan. The committee also discussed updates to its work programme.

Adoption of the Events Policy

The committee approved the adoption of a new events policy for the borough's parks, commons, open spaces, and towpaths, replacing the previous policy from 2012. The new policy aims to ensure events contribute to making Richmond green, safe, and fair, while balancing community benefits with environmental protection. Key changes include clearer parameters for event size, frequency, timings, and noise, alongside stronger environmental safeguards. The policy also introduces enhanced community access with discounted tickets for eligible residents at commercial events, and caps on event days and curfews to minimise disruption.

During the discussion, Pamela Fleming, a former councillor and chair of the Richmond Mayfair, raised concerns about the proposed requirement for organisers to produce control measures to ensure events do not exceed maximum approved sizes. She highlighted the difficulty in accurately counting attendees at free community events like the Mayfair, where people come and go. Torsten Dreher, Head of Arts, Parks and Events, clarified that the tiers for event size have not changed and that the requirement for control measures is not about physically fencing off areas but about event organisers considering their programming and crowd management. Councillor Fiona Sacks inquired about potential additional barriers for events like the Barnes Fair and Children's Literature Fair, to which Mr. Dreher responded that the process is designed to be supportive, with event organisers working with the council's contractor, Event Umbrella, to manage applications. Councillor Chas Warlow also raised questions about how sustainability checklists are used in the application process, and Mr. Dreher explained that the approach varies depending on the event's scale, with greater emphasis placed on larger events. The committee agreed to the recommendations, approving the revised policy.

Richmond Corporate Plan Mid-Year Performance Report

The committee received a mid-year performance report on the Richmond Corporate Plan (RCP) for 2025/26. Councillor Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of the committee, noted positive progress in areas such as the popularity of megaskips and improved response times for planning requests. Councillor Zoe McLeod asked for insights into the increase in library attendance, and Tom Alexander, Assistant Director of Culture and Leisure, attributed this to events, study use, and people seeking warm spaces.

Councillor Elizabeth Gant specifically asked for an update on domestic retrofit targets and the Smarter Homes Hub. Mr. Alexander confirmed the Smarter Homes Hub is in its final stages of development and will be soft-launched for feedback before a wider launch in March. Councillor Sam Dalton raised concerns about an increase in missed bin collections in his ward. Natasha Ectin, Director of Waste and Street Cleansing, explained that challenges with staff shortages and supervisory issues had impacted performance, but that morale had improved following a pay settlement and that quarter three was showing month-on-month improvement. Councillor Chas Warlow praised the increased monitoring of waste collection services and the rise in food waste recycling rates, asking for more information on the Recycle for Richmond communications campaign.

Councillor Zoe McLeod also inquired about plans to boost membership for Friends of Street Trees, with Torsten Dreher explaining that a series of hyper-local meetings and a tree giveaway event are planned, alongside work with Trees for Cities on tree sponsorship. The committee noted the progress on RCP actions and performance against key indicators.

Committee Work Programme

The committee discussed proposed changes to its work programme. Councillor Chas Warlow raised the issue of funerary approaches, suggesting it be brought forward due to the controversy surrounding the Tellington Cemetery. It was noted that a paper on funerary approaches would be brought to the committee in June, following the Law Commission's review on the matter. Other items discussed for inclusion in the work programme included the management of conservation sites, the low waste working group, litter enforcement, and community toilets. The committee agreed to the updated work programme.