The New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee met on Wednesday 13 March 2024, resolving to refuse funding for the Jubilee Square Pavilion Project and to continue with existing Councillor Ward Funding arrangements for the 2024/25 municipal year. The committee also discussed the proposed Kingston to New Malden cycle route development.

Jubilee Square Pavilion Project Refused Funding

The committee resolved to refuse an application for £23,000 in Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding for the Jubilee Square Pavilion Project. The application, submitted by the New Malden Town Centre Partnership, sought funds to construct a pavilion in Jubilee Square to provide shelter, a seating area, and a focal point for entertainment and cultural projects.

During the discussion, concerns were raised by officers regarding the potential for the pavilion to attract anti-social behaviour or vandalism, and the associated costs of its maintenance. A majority of committee members felt there was insufficient clarity on who would be responsible for the pavilion's upkeep, leading to concerns about unbudgeted costs. Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim declared an Other Registrable Interest in this item due to his co-directorship of the Korea Town Foundation with Simon Edwards, the applicant's project manager, and therefore withdrew from the debate and voting. The application was ultimately refused by a vote of seven to one, with two abstentions.

Councillor Ward Funding Arrangements Confirmed

The committee agreed to continue with the existing Councillor Ward Funding (CWF) arrangements for the 2024/25 municipal year. This means each councillor will continue to be allocated £2,000 individually to support local initiatives within their ward. CWF was introduced in 2016/17 to provide councillors with a flexible and timely way to award small amounts of funding for local projects. The decision was unanimous.

Kingston to New Malden Cycle Route Development

Members received an update on the proposed design for the un-built section of the Kingston Road/Cambridge Road cycle route, specifically the stretch between California Road and Georgia Road within New and Old Malden. The committee's comments on these proposals will be forwarded to the Place Committee for a decision on whether to proceed to the detailed design and implementation stage.

A representative from the Kingston Cycling Campaign spoke in favour of the project, advocating for cycle segregation. Officers indicated that a compromise with Transport for London (TfL) would be necessary to finalise the design. Councillors also raised the importance of engaging with groups such as the Kingston Association for Blind and elderly residents to ensure their views were considered. Officers confirmed that engagement would continue and that designs would incorporate features like tactile surfacing where possible. Concerns about cyclists speeding and running red lights were also discussed, with officers noting that enforcement of such matters falls under the remit of the police.

Public Highway Concerns Raised

During the public question time, a resident raised concerns about the removal of decking and structures from the public highway at the front of properties on Burlington Road. An officer explained that the council was in the process of confirming land ownership and the status of the adopted highways to establish the legal position. The officer apologised for the delay, citing resource constraints, but assured the resident that work would be undertaken. Once legal matters were resolved, businesses would be informed of the process and criteria for obtaining a licence to display tables and chairs on the public highway. A timeline would be provided, and enforcement action would commence if businesses failed to comply.

Neighbourhood Ranger Activity

The committee received an update on the work of the New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Ranger. Between 2 January and 23 February 2024, the ranger undertook 205 tasks. The most frequent activities included attending to notice boards (18.81%), tasks requiring the use of a ranger van such as transporting equipment (14.85%), and litter picking (10.89%).