Richmond Council deputy leader ejected from Twickenham Riverside Facebook group

1:00pm Saturday 14th November 2009

By Chris Wickham

The deputy leader of Richmond Council claims he was barred from a Save Twickenham Riverside internet group after posting information about the controversial plans.

Councillor Stephen Knight said he joined the group last week and published information on the council’s plans to redevelop the site – but the messages were deleted and he was thrown out of the group “within minutes”.

The Save Twickenham Riverside Facebook group, which has more than 1,300 members, explains campaigners’ objections to the plans and gives members ideas about how to fight the scheme.

The group was initially set up by a student – although riverside campaigners Scott Naylor and Teresa Read are now listed as administrators.

Coun Knight said: “I was outraged. They were trying to say the council is doing things the council is not.

“The idea of having a councillor in there to dispel the myths did not suit them.”

Mr Naylor, of Friends of Twickenham Riverside, said he was not an administrator of the group when Coun Knight’s posts were removed.

He said he thought the council’s deputy leader was “spamming” the group and said he did not know if Coun Knight was barred from it.

He said the numbers in the group showed “a remarkable response of support from the community opposing the housing-led scheme”, and said Coun Knight was trying to divert attention from the core issues.

“In any meeting there would be a chairman, and if someone comes in and starts protesting they would be asked to sit down after a while.

“That is what we are trying to do in moderating this group – we have taken it on because we don’t want any problems.”

Coun Knight has his own group to discuss the council’s plans: Twickenham Riverside – time to end 30 years of dereliction and decay, which has 87 members.

Last month council leader Coun Serge Lourie announced the controversial redevelopment of the riverside site, with plans to build 32 houses and a river centre, had been halted.

He revealed a contract would not be signed with site developer Countryside Properties until after the council elections in May, and until he was satisfied with the firm’s accounts.