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A councillor for Hampton Wick , Tony Arbour was Leader of the Council from 2002 to 2006. Since 2000 Tony has been a hard-working member of the London Assembly, standing up for the people of Hounslow, Kingston and Richmond upon Thames.
Tony has:
Tony is married to Caroline. They have three sons, one daughter, a granddaughter and a goldfish. Tony has lived in the constituency all his life and in Hampton Wick since 1970. He went to school in Surbiton and was first elected as a Councillor in Richmond upon Thames in 1968.
He is a member of the Hounslow Community Safety Partnership and has been Chairman of Hampton Wick United Charities since 1972. He is a Magistrate and a former Senior Lecturer at Kingston University business School. Tony is London Assembly Member for the South West Constituency. He was first elected to the Assembly on May 4th 2000 and was re-elected on 10th June 2004 and 1st May 2008.
Committee Appointments: Council
Contact Information: Home Phone: 020 8977 4457 Contact details at the GLA;
Tony Arbour AM
City Hall The Queen's Walk London SE1 2AA Advice Surgeries
Tony Arbour holds regular advice surgeries for constituents - no appointment necessary:
First Saturday of the month, 3-4 pm at Feltham Library, High Street, Feltham and 4.30-5.30pm at Heston Community Sports Hall, Heston Road. Borough Councillor Mark Bowen is also available to assist residents.
Second Saturday of the month, 10-11am, Kingston upon Thames. Venue alternates. Tel. 020 7983 4116 for details.
Third Saturday of the month, 10.30-11.30am, first floor, Chiswick Library, accompanied by a Chiswick & Riverside Ward Councillor.
More PCs, Less PC
Our local police officers have one arm tied behind their backs by politically-correct red tape. They spend more than half their working day dealing with form-filling and bureaucracy.
Tony Arbour, a long time member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, has been consistently opposed by Liberal and Labour members when he has tried to change this. Tony says: "A Conservative controlled GLA with Boris Johnson as Mayor, will free up the police to concentrate on deterring crime, catching criminals and seeing that they are punished. Our police should be nicking, not box ticking."
Tony led the way in establishing Safer Neighbourhood Police Teams in the boroughs. He continues to encourage the use of CCTV on our streets, in our shopping centres and on public transport so that people can feel safe when out and about in their local community.
He says: "I am confident that Boris as Mayor and a Conservative Police Authority will make our homes, streets, busses and trains safer for the residents of Hounslow, Kingston and Richmond."
Protecting our Green Spaces
From Chessington to Chiswick, Barnes to Brentford, Ham to Heston, residents are concerned by threats to their environment from Labour and Liberal Democrats who are committed to cramming in high-rise, high-density housing wherever possible.
New powers for the Mayor were being used by Mr Livingstone to dictate how we should plan our neighborhoods. Tony says: "Boris Johnson and a Conservative GLA will oppose inappropriate high-rise, garden grabbing, polluting over-development. We will give local residents and local boroughs a say in how, or whether, they want their area to change. We live in distinct communities where local people know what is best."
No Third Runway
Tony has successfully led the London Assembly to oppose the building of a third runway at Heathrow. The London Assembly also backed Tony's call for a ban on night flights following recent revelations that these flights have far exceeded their Government quota.
Tony says: "A Conservative Mayor and Assembly will robustly oppose the Government's plans for a third runway which will inevitably increase noise and pollution."
Your Views Count
Tony also successfully fought to stop Mayor Livingstone from narrowing the view of St Paul's from King Henry's Mound in Richmond Park. He says: "It was disappointing that the Labour Government was supporting Mr Livingstone, paving the way for high rise buildings to block this historic view. Now that he has gone I am delighted that Mayor Boris Johnson is taking a more robust stance.
The Cost of Ken
Livingstone's taxes almost trebled in eight years. Ken Livingstone increased his share of the Council tax by a massive 153% since he first became Mayor. In 2000 the cost of Ken was £123 to Band 'D' council tax payers. It is reached £311 in 2008, an increase of almost £190.
Tony Arbour says: "Labour and the Liberal Democrats consistently voted against Conservative proposals to cut Ken's taxes. Richmond and Kingston need a Conservative Mayor and Assembly to keep taxes down".
No More Congestion Zones
Not only did Livingstone increase the cost of the congestion charge but the central London congestion zone crept ever further outward. This put increased pressure on roads immediately outside the zone and damaging London's business community within the zone. In addition, figures showed that there was no reduction in traffic congestion. Tony says: " There must be no further extension of the congestion zone, including around Heathrow airport."
Resist Olympic Tax Increases
London Olympics are set to cost the city an extra £300m and borough residents will feel the squeeze. Tony says: "I and my Conservative colleagues will resist this further imposition."
Better Public Transport
Fares are too high and bus and train journeys are often overcrowded and unpleasant. Tony and Boris want dedicated school buses to relieve overcrowding and control anti-social behaviour. They want to stop the abuse of young peoples' passes, which Ken Livingstone and the Liberal Democrats refuse to do anything about. They say: "Young people should be encouraged to use public transport - but it shouldn't be an uruly free for all".
Tony and Boris also worked hard to remove restrictions on the Freedom Pass for the elderly to allow them to be used all day.
A New Route to London
Tony continues to campaign to extend the North London Line from Richmond to Kingston. The last Mayor poured thousands of pounds of Londoners' money into improving East London transport but there was nothing for improvements to public transport in South West London. Extending the North London Line would give the residents of Richmond and Kingstone access to a new route to Chiswick and London.
About the London Assembly
The London Assembly champions the interests of London and its communities. It holds the Mayor of London to account and investigates issues that matter to Londoners. There are 25 Members who are elected by Londoners every four years, at the same time as the Mayor.
The Assembly meets in public so that Londoners can see how they are being represented. Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings.
The Assembly publishes all its reports, agendas and minutes on its website www.london.gov.uk/assembly where there is also information about current and forthcoming reviews and investigations. Webcasts of most of its meetings are on the website.
City Hall, the GLA Headquarters, is open to the public on set weekends throughout the year. Visitors have the opportunity to see and walk round some areas that are not normally open to the public during the week. These include the Chamber, a purpose built space for meetings and debates, London’s Living Room on the top floor, with spectacular views of the Thames and Tower Bridge, and the spiral ramp, which winds its way through the building.
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