A Year of Councillors Standing Up for Chiswick

One of the privileges of serving as Leader of the Conservative Group is seeing, week in and week out, the quiet but determined work my fellow councillors do on behalf of Chiswick residents. Over the past year, this website has given us a platform to explain that work directly, openly and honestly.

I want to begin with Cllr Joanna Biddolph, who has worked closely with me this year to organise the petition calling for the reopening and long-term support of Chiswick Post Office. That campaign demonstrated exactly what effective local representation looks like: listening to residents, building support across the community, and pressing both the council and the Post Office to take Chiswick’s concerns seriously. Joanna’s writing throughout the year has consistently shown clarity, persistence and a strong focus on residents’ priorities. Joanna has worked tirelessly with the Chiswick Shops Task Force, campaigning on transport schemes, including Cycleway 9, and on the Gunnersbury Park festivals.

Cllr Gabriella Giles deserves real credit for her sustained work on the River Wall. This is a complex and potentially high-risk issue that could easily have been allowed to drift. Instead, Gabriella has ensured it remained firmly on the agenda, helping residents understand what is at stake and pressing the council to act rather than defer. Her determination has been vital in maintaining momentum on an issue of long-term importance for Chiswick.

I also want to pay special tribute to Cllr John Todd, who, alongside Cllr Jack Emsley, has played a key role in scrutinising the Lampton Group. John has decided to stand down at May’s elections, bringing to a close a long period of dedicated public service. His insistence on transparency, proper governance and accountability has made a lasting contribution not just to Chiswick, but to the wider borough. Jack’s continued detailed scrutiny has built on that foundation, ensuring council-owned companies are not allowed to operate without challenge.

Similarly, Cllr Gerald MacGregor, who will also be standing down in May, deserves sincere thanks for his many years of committed service. Gerald’s detailed and often painstaking work exposing the scale of Hounslow’s financial problems has been invaluable. He has consistently been prepared to dig into the figures, challenge optimistic assumptions and explain clearly what council decisions really mean for residents.

On everyday quality-of-life issues, Cllr Ron Mushiso has led an effective campaign on street lighting. When proposals emerged to dim street lights further, raising understandable concerns about safety and confidence on our streets, Ron took residents’ concerns directly to the council and pressed firmly for a rethink. His persistence helped force a reassessment of decisions that should always prioritise public safety.

We will continue to use this platform to keep residents informed, challenge poor decision-making, and make the case for a better-run borough. Alongside the reselection of sitting councillors, local Conservatives are also proud to be putting forward a strong group of new and returning candidates for the May 2026 local elections, combining experience, local knowledge and fresh energy.

In Chiswick Riverside, Jessika Toto-Moukouo joins Gabriella Giles and me. Jessika brings professional experience in eCommerce and retail, along with deep community involvement through her church and the Foundation Wellbeing Trust, which supports families across Hounslow and Ealing. As a local mum, she brings a practical understanding of the pressures families face and a clear commitment to helping young people, local businesses and genuinely affordable housing.

In Chiswick Gunnersbury, the team of Ron Mushiso, Joanna Biddolph and Vickram Grewal offers both continuity and breadth of experience. Vickram, who resigned from the Labour Party in November, is currently a Councillor in Cranford and brings extensive scrutiny experience from his previous council roles, along with a strong reputation for hard work.

In Chiswick Homefields, Conservatives have selected Jack Emsley, Mike Denniss and Linden Grigg to stand in 2026. Mike Denniss brings experience as a councillor in Chiswick Riverside, professional expertise in the energy sector, and deep local roots. Linden Grigg, a Devonshire Road resident and Senior Parliamentary Assistant, represents the next generation of local leadership.

Ahead of next year’s local elections, we are offering residents candidates who know Chiswick, understand local concerns and are ready to work hard on your behalf from day one.

Panto season at Hounslow House?

I went to see Mother Goose in Hounslow this week and was reminded why British pantomime remains a popular Christmas tradition. Exaggerated characters, sudden exits, unexpected role changes, cries of disbelief from the audience and moments where you wonder whether anyone is actually in charge are all part of the fun.

What struck me was how familiar that felt. Over recent months, Hounslow Council has been dogged by a series of Labour councillor resignations, defections and public rows, creating an atmosphere of constant drama rather than steady leadership. While much of this may feel remote from everyday life in Chiswick, the consequences are not. Decisions about roads, parking, housing, libraries, and local services that matter deeply to Chiswick residents depend on a council that is focused and functioning, not distracted by internal turmoil.

The difference, of course, is that pantomime is supposed to be a farce. It has a script, a clear ending and a sense of accountability by the final curtain. Local government should offer none of the chaos and all of the competence.

As Chiswick looks ahead to the borough-wide local elections in May 2026, residents will have a chance to decide whether they want more political theatre at Hounslow House, or a change that puts Chiswick’s priorities, from safer streets to reliable services, back at the centre of decision-making. Next year, the audience won’t just be watching; they’ll be voting.

Why Labour’s 'Mansion Tax' Should Worry Chiswick

London is the only UK region where the Labour Party still leads in the polls, which makes its latest policy all the more puzzling for places like Chiswick. From 2028, homes valued at over £2 million will face a new annual surcharge of at least £2,500, branded a “mansion tax”. In W4, that label is absurd. £2 million does not buy a mansion here. It buys a perfectly ordinary family house, particularly near the river, Bedford Park or Grove Park, where prices have risen simply because people want to live here.

Many affected households are asset-rich but cash-poor: families who bought decades ago and have seen their homes' values rise while their incomes have not. Landlords with a single large property may pass the cost on to tenants, while those with multiple high-value homes may avoid it. Homeowners will think twice before improving their properties for fear of tipping over the threshold.

For Chiswick, this is not a theoretical debate. It raises a straightforward question for Hounslow Council: will it stand up for ordinary homeowners, or quietly accept being the tax collector for a Labour government determined to make a point? As the 2026 local elections approach, voters in W4 will be watching closely, and Labour may discover that taking Londoners for granted comes at a political cost.

A Rare Bit of Good News for Hounslow

Under the latest council funding plans, Hounslow is one of the boroughs seeing a sizeable boost in funding over the next few years. That puts us in a very different position from nearby Wandsworth and Hammersmith & Fulham, both of which are facing cuts of more than 10%.

Yes - good news. It does happen occasionally. And it makes a refreshing change from the usual bad news financial announcements from central government.

The additional funding is intended to help with everyday pressures, such as adult social care, children’s services, and homelessness —sensible priorities and areas where residents would expect to see improvements.

Of course, there’s a catch. The system still assumes councils will keep putting up council tax, so more money coming in doesn’t automatically mean less money going out of residents’ pockets.

Now the question is whether Labour at Hounslow Town Hall will make it count, or whether residents will be told, yet again, to pay more and hope for the best.

With Thanks to Our Community

As the Christmas season draws to a close and we look ahead to the New Year, I want to thank residents across Chiswick for the many conversations, messages and exchanges over the past year. They continue to shape the issues we focus on and remind us how much local engagement matters.

I wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and a peaceful, healthy New Year. As we move into 2026, we will continue to work constructively on the issues that matter most to Chiswick.

Cllr Peter Thompson

peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk

07977 395810

DEMOCRACY: DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Anyone can attend public meetings of the council. Most meetings take place on the 6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, TW3 3EB. Hounslow House is fully accessible. The nearest tube is Hounslow Central which does not have step-free access. Parking in local roads is limited.

Principal meetings are broadcast live on the Council’s YouTube channel

Council Meetings

Next Borough Council Not Till March!

Tuesday 10 March 2026 7:30 pm Budget Setting Meeting for the Annual Budget 2026/27 (moved from 24 February 2026). Including setting the Council Tax for April 2026 onwards

There is public access for this meeting via a direct lift from the ground floor to the Council Meeting Room, so come and see your elected representatives in action.

Tuesday 3 February 2026 Audit and Governance Committee 7:00 pm

Chiswick Area Forum

Monday 17 March 2026 6.30 for 7.30pm

Normally at Hogarth Hall, Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace, Turnham, W4 4JN, but moveable around Chiswick (please check the website)

Informal Meeting at 6.30pm Formal Meeting commences at 7.30pm

Both meetings are open from 6.30pm allowing residents to meet officers of Hounslow Council in Adult and Child care Social Welfare, Education, Housing and other Services (Residents are encouraged to stay on for the main agenda)

Emergencies

You can report emergencies outside office hours by ringing the council on: 020 8583 2222.

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES

Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the seven Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).

Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery). 

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS

Chiswick Gunnersbury ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017

Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821

Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823

Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810

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