Councillor Matt Hartley

Leader of the Opposition, Greenwich Council
Councillor for Mottingham, Coldharbour & New Eltham (RBG)

Matt is one of our two Conservative councillors for Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham ward, and was first elected to Greenwich Council in 2014.  He spent five years as Leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2020, and stood as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich & Woolwich in 2015 and Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Eltham in 2017.  He stepped back into the role of Leader of the Conservative Group after the 2022 local elections.

Away from politics, Matt works for a national advice charity. He has served as a local school governor and volunteered for 10 years on the Board of Greenwich and Bexley Credit Union.

News

Rethinking Services programme "severely behind schedule"

Greenwich Council's 'Rethinking Services' transformation programme is "severely behind schedule", prompting the Labour administration to set up a Rethinking Services Financial Management Board after months of calls for this from Opposition Conservative councillors. News of the establishment of the

Alternative Budget 'full of good ideas for Greenwich'

Greenwich’s Opposition Conservative councillors have published a full Alternative Budget, which will be the subject of several votes at Woolwich Town Hall on Thursday evening (23rd February).  Their proposals include a new Empty Shops Action Fund to help fill vacant premises in shopping parade

Town Centre jet-washing to return, following Conservative proposal

Greenwich Council has been forced to resume jet-washing in the borough's Town Centres, 12 months after Labour councillors voted down an Opposition Conservative proposal to re-introduce the service. The Council administration's Budget proposals for 2023/24 includes "the reintroduction of pavement wa

Petition to Save The Loop trains between Sidcup and Woolwich Lines

Conservative councillors have launched a petition to 'Save The Loop' train service that connects New Eltham, Mottingham and other Sidcup Line stations with the Woolwich Line.  The petition was started by Councillor Matt Hartley, Leader of the Conservative Opposition at the Town Hall, following

Councillors unanimously condemn Southeastern's December timetable

The Royal Borough's three Conservative councillors joined with Labour councillors to unanimously condemn Southeastern's December timetable changes on the Sidcup, Bexleyheath and Woolwich Lines this week.   In a debate on a motion drafted on a cross-party basis, Leader of the Conservative

Councillors challenge Southeastern boss at Town Hall

Southeastern's Managing Director Steve White faced a Town Hall grilling from councillors on the Transport Scrutiny Committee this week, where he was challenged on widely-opposed changes to the December timetables on the Sidcup, Bexleyheath and Woolwich Lines. Conservative Opposition Leader Councill

Council's own developer 'should respect' Planning Board decision

Greenwich Council's own developer Meridian Home Start should "respect" the decision of the Council's own Planning Board not to support its application for a nine-storey tower block on the site of Shepherds Leas, according to Conservative councillors. It emerged this week that Meridian Home Start is

Tributes to Her Late Majesty at Special Council Meeting

Conservative councillors joined tributes to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a Special Council Meeting at Woolwich Town Hall.  Read Opposition Leader Councillor Matt Hartley's speech below (watch online here). "Thank you Mr Mayor. I rise to second this Motion of Commemoration.

Only a few days left to stop Sadiq Khan's ULEZ expansion

There is just over a week left to stop Sadiq Khan's ULEZ expansion, which would see even more Greenwich residents and business owners with older vehicles charged £12.50 a day, despite the rising cost of living. The Labour Mayor of London has proposed expanding the ULEZ charging zone to cover the wh