Residents across Kingston borough will see their council tax bill increase by 2.99% in the next financial year as the council seeks additional funding to mitigate "the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis".

Alongside this is a 2% increase in the adult social care precept.

These are among many changes announced for Kingston Council's 2024-25 budget, which is set to manage the borough's affordable housing shortages and increased social care spending for over 4,000 vulnerable adults and children.

With close to 1,000 households in temporary accommodation, the clock is ticking for the council to provide long-term solutions for residents. 

One such example is the regeneration of Cambridge Road Estate, which the council reports as the first new, sustainable council homes in 40 years.

The regeneration of the housing estate is set to take 12 to 15 years (Photo: Oliver Monk)

The project is partially-funded by Greater London Authority, and is estimated to take 12 to 15 years to complete.

However there are conflicting figures regarding how many of the 2,170 new homes will be council-owned.

The council announced in 24 January that the new development will include 871 council homes, while the development's website also run by the council states the "ambitious project" will see the previous figure of 767 council-rented flats: a difference of 104 units.

The former figure would see 43-percent of the former council estate's new housing stock be made affordable, although this includes those owned and rented by the council.

While a step in the right direction, the project's estimated completion date between 2034 to 2037 means further measures will be required if families currently in temporary accommodation are to be rehomed permanently.

More recent successes like newly-completed Arun House in Kingston and York Way in Chessington have seen only 37 families move in.

(Photo: Oliver Monk/Trust for London)

Leader of Kingston Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Cllr Andreas Kirsch, said: "With costs rising, demand for services increasing and very little funding from central government, the challenges we are now facing are more significant than ever."

"We have had to take difficult decisions about how to allocate the finite resources available".

The controversial plans for the Kingfisher Leisure Centre's replacement has not been mentioned in the council's budget announcement.

Initially set to be completed by the end of October 2024, construction has yet to start on the centre's replacement, raising questions surrounding £44 million reportedly ringfenced for the project.

The Kingfisher closed in December 2019 after structure damamge to the centre's roof was discovered. The repairs were estimated to cost £5 million (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Speaking in 2022, Cllr Kevin Davis stated: "If we have to wait till 2025 without a swimming pool, that will be catastrophic for the health of both young and old residents".

Despite setbacks from the previous over-budget plan, the council is still looking to improve upon the original Kingfisher centre.

The proposed 2024 scheme promises to double the size of the previous gym, expand both the main and learner pools, and introduce a new sports hall among other additions.

With a committee decision on a new design for the centre expected later this month, it remains to be seen if this ambitious project can get off the ground given the council's strained budget.