🗂️ Planning Forum: Local Plan, major schemes — and transparency 🔎CJI uncovered evidence the Forum was once publicly listed, with published minutes — at odds with today’s secrecy. Full article 👇 www.cjag.org/2026/02/01/p... @thelondonjournal.bsky.social @putneynews.bsky.social

Putney's garden competition is back with a playful new name. Garden Award Putney wants to reclaim the "gardenless GAPs" — 21 streets where bins replaced flowers. https://putney.news/2026/02/01/putney-society-garden-competition-returns-with-mission-to-transform-gardenless-gaps/

St George's reported zero high-risk IT faults to the CQC in 2025 despite maternity system problems documented as "High Risk". Trust downgraded scores from 12→8 to avoid notification thresholds.

Wandsworth spent £33k on a survey showing satisfaction falling, then buried it. 14 years of accountability - gone when results turned negative. Investigation: https://putney.news/2026/01/29/wandsworth-council-buried-resident-survey-results-showing-11-satisfaction-drop/

Fallen wood on the Common is vital stag beetle habitat – but catastrophic in ponds where it creates silt. Your guide to protecting 20 dragonfly species, firecrests and the UK's largest beetle population https://putney.news/2026/01/29/how-to-protect-wildlife-on-wimbledon-common-a-guide-for-visitors/

Two more Putney train disruption weekends ahead (31 Jan-1 Feb, 8 Feb). No direct link to Waterloo this weekend, line closed 8 Feb. East Putney tube unaffected. https://putney.news/2026/01/27/putney-loses-direct-link-to-waterloo-for-two-more-weekends/

Go-Ahead abandoning route 93 - serving Putney since 1924 - over national insurance costs. The 24-hour service to Wimbledon and Morden now depends on TfL finding another operator willing to run it.

624 objections ignored. Chair's casting vote approved it. Now residents get second chance - gambling licence needed too. Deadline 12 Feb. How to object: https://putney.news/2026/01/21/putney-high-street-gambling-venue-returns-for-second-approval-after-624-objections-ignored/ #Putney #London

Eight Wandsworth pubs among London's 100 most at risk when rates relief ends in April. Putney's Bricklayers Arms, crowdfunded back to life in 2021, faces tax bill nearly tripling. https://putney.news/2026/01/20/eight-wandsworth-pubs-among-londons-most-at-risk-as-tax-bills-set-to-soar/

Driverless cars testing in Putney now. Waymo robotaxis mapping SW15 for spring 2026 launch. 90% fewer crashes than humans in the US - but SF blackout showed limits. Seen one? Tell us: https://putney.news/2026/01/18/spotted-a-driverless-car-in-putney-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

10,000 Wandsworth residents still haven't renewed their postal vote. Deadline 31 January or no ballot papers for May. https://putney.news/2026/01/18/10000-wandsworth-postal-voters-have-two-weeks-left-to-renew-or-lose-their-vote/

Wimbledon court case opened Thursday with theatrical protest outside (giant tennis balls, strawberry costume) and legal clash inside. https://putney.news/2026/01/17/berry-angry-protesters-and-legal-arguments-mark-first-day-of-wimbledon-court-case/

Tequila Mockingbird is using gloomy January to spruce itself up. Ground floor boarded for refurbishment but the basement bar on Putney High Street remains open. https://putney.news/2026/01/15/dont-worry-tequila-mockingbird-hasnt-closed/

Lawyers meet tomorrow ahead of Wimbledon park court battle. AELTC says golf course was private land, not public parkland. Hearing starts Friday. https://putney.news/2026/01/14/lawyers-meet-today-ahead-of-wimbledon-park-court-battle/

Two preventable deaths at St George's Hospital in overcrowded A&E. Coroner warns staff still face "impossible situations" despite changes. Hospital declined to say if report discussed at Board meeting.

Thames Water promised Putney residents the leak would be fixed by Wednesday. It's Monday. No one has come. Four incidents in two weeks. Some went 48hrs without water. https://putney.news/2026/01/12/thames-water-promises-repairs-by-wednesday-its-monday-no-one-has-come/

Council advisors say no to Lennox Estate tower block https://putney.news/2026/01/09/council-advisors-say-no-to-lennox-estate-tower-block/

UPDATE: Burst main site on Roehampton Lane empty at 4pm - no workers despite road closed. Water stopped but crater remains. Thames Water gives no timeline 15 hours on. Bus diversions continue. putney.news/2026/01/07/g...

GRIDLOCK. Burst main + gas works + Give Way junction = nothing moving across Putney. Avoid Roehampton Lane/Dover House Road area. putney.news/2026/01/07/g...

Council collected £5-6m from landlord licensing (passed on to tenants). The portal? So confusing they made a tutorial video. Some of that money went on Tube ads. We asked 4 questions on it. No response.

More Putney train disruption: three January weekends affected (10-11, 24-25, 31 Jan-1 Feb) as SWR continues works. Windsor/Weybridge services bypass station. East Putney tube your friend. https://putney.news/2026/01/06/three-weekends-of-putney-train-works-ahead-after-christmas-disruption/

Wandsworth's landlord licensing portal needs a 5-minute tutorial video because it's so badly designed. Meanwhile council spent on Tube ads for the broken system. £5-6m collected so far. https://putney.news/2026/01/06/how-to-use-wandsworths-landlord-portal-watch-this-five-minute-video-first/

⚠️ High tide alert 3-5pm today. Minor flooding possible Putney Embankment, towpaths. Avoid flood water. Properties not at risk. gov.uk/check-flooding

⚠️ Yellow cold alert for London until Monday noon. ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-heal... Check on vulnerable neighbours. Heat to 18°C. Layers. Get jabbed if eligible. NHS advice: www.nhs.uk/live-well/se...

MasterChef judge Marcus Wareing gets MBE. He lived in Wandsworth for years (child still at Broomwood School) and frequents Chez Bruce. Also honoured: Mental health chief serving Putney residents. https://putney.news/2025/12/31/celebrity-chef-with-wandsworth-roots-receives-mbe-in-new-year-honours/

Free fresh fruit & veg TODAY 12-2pm 📍 149 Nightingale Lane, SW12 8NG 🥕 Bring bags/boxes Felix Project redistribution. First come first served.

Testing revealed Wandsworth AI carer chatbot can produce corrupted responses mixing Chinese with English. Council warned about hallucinations before launch. Wandsworth won't answer questions now. https://putney.news/2025/12/26/council-refuses-to-answer-questions-about-ai-carer-tool-failures/

Festive fixture pile-up: Chelsea and Fulham face three matches in six days. Raúl Jiménez's penalty perfection, Harlequins' academy contracts, full fixtures and tables for the week ahead https://putney.news/2025/12/26/festive-fixture-pile-up-tests-chelsea-and-fulham-squad-depth/

Construction starts Feb on Wandsworth Town station lifts and second entrance - 44 months after first announcement. 18 months of disruption ahead. £20m project funded by developers, completion mid-2027.

Free vintage buses running Route 430 on Christmas Day! 🚌 Every 30 mins between Roehampton & Putney Bridge, 9:30am-4pm. Volunteers keeping the tradition alive. Full timetable: https://putney.news/2025/12/23/vintage-buses-offer-free-rides-on-christmas-day/

John Francis O'Neill's In His Day is set in 1976 Putney - a time-travel novel about working-class displacement. Authentic voice and real emotional weight. If you value heart over polish. Review:

Book review: In His Day wrestles with regret, class and saving your younger self https://putney.news/2025/12/20/book-review-in-his-day-wrestles-with-regret-class-and-saving-your-younger-self/

Putney house built on former garage site shows how creative architecture tackles London's housing shortage. Owner's brief: "imagine it's a boat." 613 sq ft squeezed onto 3.2m-wide plot. £575k. https://putney.news/2025/12/19/innovative-putney-house-built-on-garage-plot-selling-for-575k/

Putney pupil Phoebe's Christmas card design is lighting up Battersea Power Station's chimneys throughout December. Her festive tree was picked from hundreds of Wandsworth schoolchildren's entries. https://putney.news/2025/12/16/year-5-artist-phoebes-christmas-card-lights-up-battersea-chimneys/

So the council announced today it's expanding licensing to three more wards. When we asked for evidence it works? Refused. While collecting £6.3m in fees tenants ultimately pay. https://putney.news/2025/12/16/council-expands-landlord-scheme-it-refuses-to-prove-works/

Year 5 artist from Brandlehow Primary sees her Christmas design light up Battersea Power Station's chimneys. Phoebe's tree with reindeer and holly chosen from 100s of entries. Display through December. https://putney.news/2025/12/16/year-5-artist-phoebes-christmas-card-lights-up-battersea-chimneys/

Council is expanding landlord licensing to three more Wandsworth wards despite refusing FOI for basic data on whether it works. £6.3m collected so far, costs passed to tenants. https://putney.news/2025/12/16/council-expands-landlord-scheme-it-refuses-to-prove-works/

Remember when Bill's closed on Putney High Street? It's been empty since 2023. But they're coming back! Second "return" site after Leicester as part of the chain's turnaround. https://putney.news/2025/12/13/bills-is-back-restaurant-to-return-after-two-years-empty/

Housing inspector's to Wandsworth: your 45% requirement "not in general conformity" with London Plan, reduce it to 35% like everyone else. What this means for young renters, families, first-time buyers: https://putney.news/2025/12/13/wandsworth-loses-battle-to-raise-affordable-housing-requirement/

Bill's is coming back to Putney. The chain just filed a licence application for the same High Street site it closed in 2023. Been sitting empty nearly two years - could reopen first half of next year. https://putney.news/2025/12/13/bills-is-back-restaurant-to-return-after-two-years-empty/

Quite the defeat. Planning inspector just rejected Wandsworth Council's attempt to raise affordable housing from 35% to 45%. Sided with the GLA. Hundreds fewer affordable homes. Analysis: https://putney.news/2025/12/13/wandsworth-loses-battle-to-raise-affordable-housing-requirement/

This is a nice one. A child too nervous to perform in front of her own family ends up on stage at the West End. The Putney teacher who helped make it happen just won a national award. https://putney.news/2025/12/11/from-nervous-child-to-west-end-stage-the-putney-teacher-making-it-happen/

Love this detail: Kalu creates her powerful sculptures and drawings while playing disco music "as loud as possible". The Wandsworth Arts Fringe was the turning point that caught international attention.

A Putney teaching assistant has won a national award for helping children find confidence through performing arts. Alice Sheffield was one of 16 winners from 1,200+ PQA teachers. https://putney.news/2025/12/11/from-nervous-child-to-west-end-stage-the-putney-teacher-making-it-happen/

Nnena Kalu becomes first learning-disabled artist to win the Turner Prize after a 26-year journey rooted in Wandsworth. Her facilitator says the borough's support was essential to even getting nominated.

Hogg in February: We're ending the "closed shop" and "giving residents more say." Hogg in December: blocks 30-year councillor from raising issue about his misleading answer Mayor admits rules are flawed.

Finance director admits she "intentionally" excluded "significant and scary" figures from scrutiny papers. Labour members said nothing, moved on. When partisan loyalty trumps democratic oversight. https://putney.news/2025/12/07/the-press-release-that-came-between-the-lies/

This week at Wandsworth Council: Monday - mock warnings about billions in debt. Tuesday - celebrate lowest debt in London. Wednesday - approve £1.1bn borrowing. Our comment on what just happened: https://putney.news/2025/12/07/the-press-release-that-came-between-the-lies/

More people are in hospital with flu than at any point this early in the season. Children under 4 and the over-85s are seeing the highest admission rates. putney.news/2025/12/06/t...

South Western Railway cut off-peak trains by 20% in 2022. They never restored them. Now Putney station has lost 30% of its passengers — and transport economists warn of a “doom loop.” putney.news/2025/12/06/p...