Good morning
A quiet three days by our standards, so today's briefing runs short: an update on the council's fight over its funding, and a practical look at whether Wetland Centre membership is worth it for locals.
What's on
Is Wetland Centre membership worth it?
A day ticket at the gate is £19 for an adult, £17.10 if you book ahead — and four visits a year already costs more than the £63 annual membership. For anyone in SW13 who might drop in more than a few times a year, joining rather than paying per visit is the better deal. It's open 10am–4.30pm daily except Christmas Day, with last admission at 3.30pm. READ →
Follow-ups
Council asks residents to back its funding complaint to government
Richmond Council has opened a consultation, running until 14 October, asking residents whether it should submit a formal Sustainable Communities Act proposal to central government and what it should prioritise. The council says government funding for its services will be cut by almost 60% by 2028/29 — a reduction it puts at £29 million a year — phased in over three years. The Act only lets a council make this kind of submission if it can show residents were consulted and are supportive, so this survey is less a soft-touch consultation than a precondition for the council's next move. READ →