See what your local Conservative Councillors have been up to in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames......

July 2010 Save Kingston Magistrates' Court!

Cllr's Karen George, Howard Jones, & David Cunningham at the 'Save the Magistrates' Court' rally.

Zac Goldsmith also lends his support to the campaign, whilst Opposition Leader Cllr Jones signs the petition to keep the court open.

July 2010 Electric Vehicle Launch

Leader of the Opposition Cllr Howard Jones was joined by the Shadow Executive Member for Safeguarding & Children First Cllr Robert John Tasker as they perused the array of electric vehicles on show in Kingston's Market Square.

June 2010 Armed Forces Day

Conservative Councillors attend the annual Armed Forces Day.

Prayers are said outside the Guildhall. Conservative Cllrs appear on left, robed. Cllr Howard Jones talks to a guest serviceman.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Cllr David Cunningham talks to Richmond Park & North Kingston MP Zac Goldsmith.

May 2010 Cllr Ken Smith Appointed Deputy Mayor

Councillor Ken Smith JP, who has represented St James Ward since 2006, was on Wednesday night, 19th May 2010, elected as Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. He will be joined on his duties by his consort: his wife, the Deputy Mayoress Madeleine Smith.

Speaking after Wednesday night’s Annual Council meeting, in which the Mayor-making ceremony takes place, Deputy Mayor Smith pledged his support to the Mayor’s charities, Cairns House, (part of the Kaleidoscope Project) and Fircroft, supported by Mind. He vowed to represent the people of the Royal Borough with pride and dignity, adding ‘I feel honoured to find myself in this privileged position and look forward to representing the residents of the Royal Borough. I’m also eager, along with members of the Conservative Group, to support the Mayor’s charities, all of which do excellent work in our community.’

Cllr Smith is no stranger to public service, being a former magistrate and JP. He also has a proud background in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, having been a regular soldier in the Airborne Regiment, and subsequently Chairman of the Parachute Regiment Association of Croydon, SW London, Kent, and Surrey. He is also a member of the New Malden Royal British Legion and a member of the Surbiton PROBUS Club. A local activist for twenty years, he finally decided to enter elected politics four years ago.

March 2009

The Kingston 328 Air Training Squadron HQ, currently off the Cambridge Road, has been under threat of a merger and transfer to RaynesPark. Counillor Frank Thompson (ex ATC/RAF) has enrolled the help of the Mayor to persuade the RAF how important it is to keep this youth organisation in the centre of the borough. As yet, no decision has been taken by the RAF. Cllr Thompson and his colleagues on the Kingston Town Neighbourhood Committee recently awarded a grant to the squadron for the purchase of a new laptop computer.

Remembrance Day, 2008

Conservative Councillors joined the procession from the Guildhall to attend the Memorial service in Kingston Town Centre before proceeding to the service in All Saints Church. After this, the procession returned to the Guildhall for a march past.