What each Richmond party is promising in local election manifestos

From housing and finance to transport and the environment, major parties have outlined how they would run Richmond over the next four years

With the local elections around the corner, major parties in Richmond have published manifestos on how they promise to transform the borough over the next four years. Voters will head to the polls on May 7 to choose who they want to represent them in the South West London borough until 2030.

All 54 seats of Richmond Council will be up for election across the 18 wards in the borough. The Lib Dems, Labour, Conservatives and The Green Party are each standing 54 candidates in Richmond, while Reform UK has put forward 45 candidates. A total of three Independent candidates are also standing in the election.

The council has been run by the Lib Dems since 2018, when the group took over from the Conservatives for the first time since 2010. The authority currently has 49 Lib Dem councillors and five Green councillors, who form the opposition.

From housing and finance to transport and the environment, here are the major pledges parties are making to Richmond residents in the election. You can read our full guide to London’s elections, for more details of what’s happening in your area.

Liberal Democrats

Below are some of the key policies the Lib Dems have pledged in Richmond. You can read their full manifesto on their website.

Housing and cost of living

Launch anti-poverty strategy
Increase pipeline of more than 1,000 social and affordable homes by unlocking small and overlooked sites
Continue buying back former council homes sold under Right to Buy
Working with landlords to raise standards and crack down on rogue landlords
Invest in early homelessness prevention
Work to end rough sleeping with targeted support via new rough sleeper hub

Environment and transport

Launch the Richmond Community Energy Co-Operative for residents to invest in clean local power
Oppose Thames Water’s Teddington wastewater recycling scheme
Continue to resist Heathrow expansion
Make roads safer by tackling illegal e-bikes, dangerous speeding, unsafe parking and reckless driving
Fight cancellations and lobby TfL and operators to improve bus and train services, particularly in areas with limited options
Expand mega skips service to two annual events per ward
Fast track retrofit schemes to help lower bills

Communities

Campaign for stronger local policing and oppose any cuts to face-to-face police presence
Invest in community centres, family hubs and leisure facilities
Tackle anti-social behaviour and crime hotspots
Invest in early help for children and adults

Economy and finance

Improve Richmond town centre with new public spaces, activities and events, including exploring pedestrianisation options
Work to bring empty shops back into use
Lobby the Government for fairer business rates and greater local retention and investment
Support strong evening and night-time economy to boost footfall and support workers
Work with partners to deliver local festivals, performances, markets and cultural events
Fight government cuts
Transform how the council works to save around £30million a year by 2029

Green Party

Below are some of the key policies the Green Party has pledged in Richmond. You can read their full manifesto on their website.

Housing and cost of living

Build new stock for social rent with direct investment
Streamline planning to help unlock and retrofit empty homes
Create borough-wide service for every home to finance more insulation and renewable energy
Support zero-carbon construction for new domestic renovations and extensions

Environment and transport

Ban use of bee-killing pesticides
Support public ownership of water firms
Stop Teddington direct river abstraction scheme
Reduce air and noise pollution everywhere
Oppose Heathrow expansion
Restore river, wetlands, parks, biodiversity corridors and other spaces for nature
Keep the Travel Pass
Fund free travel for under-22s
Fix roads and pavements to improve accessibility
Increase protected cycle lanes, safer junctions, crossings and child-friendly neighbourhoods
Encourage smaller, cleaner modes of transport and end dominance of larger vehicles

Communities

Invest in youth centres and mental health support for children and young people
Set up citizens’ assemblies to influence policy at every level
Add better lighting, publlic toilets and facilities for disabled people and families
Turn empty or underused buildings into community assets for creative connection
Enable everyone to benefit from a sustainable digital economy
Evaluate council’s use of resources, including its staff-sharing agreement with Wandsworth

Economy and finance

Offer tax reliefs
Provide stronger advice networks and a fairer safety net for low-income households
Adopt a prevention-first approach to reduce demand for costly acute care

Conservatives

The Conservatives have not published a manifesto for Richmond, but the national party has set out key priorities for the local elections across the country. We have summarised these below, which you can read in full on their website.

Housing and cost of living

Launch Cheap Power Plan to cut energy bills for families and businesses
Scrap stamp duty on family homes

Environment and transport

Mandate police to stop e-bikes being ridden on pavements
Fix potholes

Communities

Hire 10,000 new police officers
Triple stop and search on people to take knives and drugs out of neighbourhoods
Tell police they must stop drugs being smoked in public spaces
Launch Immediate Justice sentences for offenders to repair damage
Deliver better public services
Run better schools

Economy and finance

Abolish business rates
Back businesses and high streets
Cut Britain’s welfare bill

Labour

Labour has not published a manifesto for Richmond, but we have summarised the pledges candidates standing for election have made.

Housing and cost of living

Campaign for more affordable housing

Environment and transport

Support improvements in the environment and sustainability of the borough

Communities

Tackle and reduce anti-social behaviour by investing in youth provision
Work to improve young people’s mental and physical health
Expand positive activities and safe spaces
Hold the administration to account by putting the needs and interests of local people first

Economy and finance

Provide practical support for local businesses to succeed
Campaign for cleaner, safer and better-connected town centres
Deliver thriving local high streets
Push for fairer parking
Improve partnerships between the council and local traders
Boost footfall through community events, clearer signs and better business skills