Kensington and Chelsea might be the wealthiest borough in London, but residents are still worried about issues like knife crime and housing. People living in the royal borough told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they will be thinking about these difficult issues when they head to the polls and choose their local councillors on May 7.
Wealth Disparity in the Royal Borough
The Conservative Party has controlled Kensington and Chelsea council since its creation in 1965. While it is commonly known as London's richest borough, there is great wealth disparity across the area. Residents' concerns reflect this, covering everything from planning to knife crime and poverty. The LDRS asked people across the borough, from Earl's Court to World's End, what issues are most on their minds ahead of the upcoming local elections.
Knife Crime and Youth Services
Iseult Teran Saint Aubi, 53, runs a youth charity called Peace and Love on the World's End Estate. She said that knife crime and underfunded youth centres are creating serious problems in the borough. Ms Aubi noted that too many people rely on food banks and struggle to pay their bills in Kensington and Chelsea. "The richer are getting richer, the poorer are getting poorer. The divide is getting bigger," she told the LDRS.
Healthcare Concerns for the Elderly
Marby Venebas, 65, who lives on the same estate, said she worries about the state of the UK's healthcare. Both she and her 85-year-old husband, Ricardo Forbinoe, rely on the NHS due to health problems. "We are looking for a person who fights for older people and the NHS because we have many problems - someone who cares about this," she said.
Housing Issues
Valerie Dalery, 64, is concerned about her housing situation. The Ladbroke Grove resident said she is trying to move from her housing association property due to health issues with her legs. "It's just the housing situation. We're trying to get somewhere else," she said, adding that she is waiting longer than she should and must now apply to the council for help.
Candidate-Focused Voting
David Bowen, 70, who lives near Earl's Court, said he will decide who to vote for based on individual candidates. He described the local councillor as very conscious and a bit of a local legend. "It isn't a question of party, it's a question of who fights for residents," he told the LDRS.
Planning Backlog
Barry Cordell, in his 80s, said that the large planning backlog is one of his local gripes. The Kensington resident said that while this is unlikely to influence his vote, he thinks it will affect how some in the area decide to pick their candidates. "Planning is a big issue with this council," he said, adding that people are unable to get anything done. Kensington and Chelsea Council was hit by a serious cyber attack in November 2025. The planning system came back online in March this year, but the council is still working through the large backlog of cases. Brenda Crosby, in her 70s, added: "It's taken so long to get back to normal and to process planning applications."
The council is deploying and hiring additional staff to help address the backlog of planning applications. It is also holding longer daytime planning committees and bringing some consultation periods down to the statutory 21 days to review applications more quickly. Local elections in Kensington and Chelsea will take place on May 7, alongside the rest of London and large parts of the country.
