Councillor Richard Clifton and Councillor Heather Honour

A panel established under the NHS’s Better Services Better Value review has recommended that St Helier should become the centre for planned surgery in South West London, but losing its Accident & Emergency (A & E) and maternity units.

The review was initiated by the local NHS not by the Department of Health. Decisions about healthcare are taken by the local NHS organisation not Ministers. In the event that the final decision taken was challenged it could be referred to the Secretary of State for Health for a final decision.

As local Councillors who have used the services of St. Helier hospital, we oppose this decision. Heather has already been particularly active in opposing it as a member of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for south west London. On 15 May we joined our MP Paul Burstow in a demonstration against the decision at St. Helier hospital (in the photo above you can see Heather, Paul and Richard in front of the hospital).

Paul Burstow, has raised serious concerns about the way in which the Better Services Better Value review, and the talks about a merger with St Georges, have been handled. Treated as completely separate discussions, in fact they directly impacted on each other.

At this point no final decisions have been taken. Whilst important, the panel’s recommendations are not binding and mark the beginning of a process which will include a public consultation, expected in early autumn.

Local LibDems have previously fought to save St Helier and in 2010 secured £219m to refurbish and rebuild the hospital.

Paul Burstow comments:

“This is a flawed conclusion from a flawed process. There is still a lot of water to flow under the bridge before final decisions are made.

The panel have ignored the pressure on all the A&Es and maternity units in south west London.

A cloud has gathered over St Helier but I believe we can mount a successful challenge to the assumptions that have led the panel to this conclusion.

We have saved St Helier before, and we will fight to do so again.”

Click here to sign our petition organised by local LibDems, on the website of Paul Burstow. [Click on the word "petition"]

Both Heather and Richard have new responsibilities, following the changes to the Council’s committee structure after the annual Council meeting (where a new Mayor is elected) on 21 May.

With the abolition of the old Executive system, a set of subject committees are now the important decision-taking fora.

Heather is a member of the key Strategy and Resources committee, responsible for budgets and strategy. She is also vice-chair of the Adult Social Services and Health Committee.

As if that was not enough, Heather is a member of the South West London Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, in which role she has been heavily involved in the campaign to save services under threat at St. Helier hospital. Heather also sits on the Appeals Committee, and represents the Council on the Royal Marsden Hospital (Foundation Trust status) committee and the Executive Committee of Sutton Arts Council.

Richard is vice-chair of the Housing, Economy and Business (HEB) Committee, enabling him to continue his involvement in economic re-generation and planning issues, which are amongst his major interests. He is thus able to continue to work on the subjects he was involved in as a member of the former Economic Development Advisory Group and the Planning Advisory Group. The work of these groups is now drawn within HEB. He will continue to be involved in day-to-day planning decisions as a member of the Development Control Committee.  

As if that was not enough, Richard will continue to chair the Sutton Joint Health and Safety Committee (“joint” with recognised trade unions). As a former chair of the Board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the principal European Union agency in this field, based in Bilbao in Spain, he could not really escape taking this on. He is a member of the Standards Committee and the Scrutiny Committee. He represents the Council on the Sutton Town Centre Partnership, the Friends of Whitehall (in Cheam), and the Downlands Countryside Management Project Steering Group, which amongst other things arranges for sheep to graze at various locations nearby.

Both will continue to represent residents on the South Sutton, Cheam and Belmont Local Committee.

More than enough to do !

As your local Councillors, we have had some discussions with traffic engineers about whether some simple steps could be taken to improve the safety of pedestrians and cars at the Kings Lane bridge adjacent to Hillcroome Road, at the far north east of Sutton South Ward.

The single lane road with no pavement means pedestrians have to walk in the road. Drivers have poor visibility as to whether a car is coming the other way and are frequently uncertain as to when to advance. The picture above illustrates the problem, as the lady with a buggy and a toddler hurries to get across the bridge while a car waits at the far side for her to get out of the way. 

Some major restructuring such as putting in a separate pedestrian bridge is unaffordable and would be disproportionate. We have considered whether more minor improvements would help, such as mirrors, steps to improve visibility, better or different signage, building out the pavement at the Hillcroome Road end to alter the alignment of vehicles as they approach, etc. The changes we championed to the layout of the road passing under the bridge at Grange Vale (reported in a post elsewhere on this site, “Action to improve safety at the Grange Vale bridge”, see archive for February 2012) have shown that it is possible to make improvements through some simple steps.

We would very interested in the views of local people on what is feasible or useful. Please contact us if you have a view.

We were recently approached by residents in Worcester Road concerning the licence application to re-open the former “Academy” public house in Grove Road as a nightclub. They were concerned at a likely impact on late night noise problems in the area.

Following discussions with residents, Richard submitted representations on the prevention of public nuisance to Sutton’s Licensing Committee, and spoke at the public hearing held on 28 March.

He pointed out that it would be a matter of concern for premises so close to many residential properties to be offering music, dancing, films and sale of alcohol (for consumption on and off the premises) until 4.30am, seven nights a week, and then – after a break of just a few hours – starting again at 9.00am.  The application, if approved, would lead to an unacceptable degree of public nuisance, particularly due to noise from people coming away from the premises into neighbouring streets in the early hours of the morning.

Although the premises are not in Sutton South Ward, some of the people coming away from the club in the early hours would walk through our Ward. Concerns had been raised by the police about disturbance and noise late at night, drunken people walking home, alcohol-related brawls and anti-social behaviour. The application should be refused. 

We are pleased say that the application was refused, the Committee citing in particular problems with noise, community impact and alcohol-related crime.

MANY RESIDENTS OF SUTTON SOUTH WARD COMMUTE INTO CENTRAL LONDON EVERY DAY TO WORK.

SERVICES WILL BE CUT AND JOURNEYS ON OTHER ROUTES MORE CROWDED UNLESS WE CAN STOP THE PROPOSALS TO AXE SERVICES TO FARRINGDON, St PANCRAS AND BEYOND.

The journeys of Sutton commuters are under threat due to a proposal in the South London Route Utilisation Strategy to terminate all Capital Connect trains at Blackfriars. Currently these trains go through to connect Sutton to Farringdon, St. Pancras and stations to the north of London.

A meeting of the Thameslink Loop Line Campaign Group which Councillor Clifton attended on 31 October heard that an update of the London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy published last July continues to be based on the assumption that all trains on the “Wimbledon Loop” line will terminate at Blackfriars rather than continuing, as now, to Farringdon, St. Pancras and beyond.

Councillor Clifton, who is a member of the Thameslink Loop Line Campaign Group, says “In the interests of everyone in Sutton we must knock this idea on the head. I have myself often travelled on these services at peak times. They are packed during the rush hours. If they are axed there will be a massive displacement of commuters onto services to other London destinations. A very large number of the citizens of Sutton travel to work in London every day. With so many Sutton residents relying on the trains to get into central London every morning and to get home every evening, this will be a big blow.”

Click on this link to find out more and to sign our petition.  [Click on the word "petition".]

More detail about the attitude the Council is taking, opposing this threat, is in a further post on this site, below, “Train Links To North London Must Remain.”

Heather and Richard outside Sutton station

Speaking at the Council debate on 5th March on the budget, Heather chose a subject close to her heart, the borough’s libraries.

Heather explained that she is a regular user of Sutton library and indeed  felt she contributed to its income through the fines for late library books that she makes!

The  budget papers indicated that total target savings for Libraries and Heritage amount to £913,000.  And yet, not a single library had been closed in the borough.  In fact, listening to what residents want has meant that Sutton was actually investing in new library services rather than closing them down to great uproar,  as was the case with many other councils.

Heather commented on a visit to the library in the Life Centre, which was exciting, well used and, with moving stacks for the books, very flexible.  The computers there had been fully used and families were gathered  around the computers, using them together ,

The relocation of the Carshalton Library to the soon to be refurbished Westcroft Centre was another imaginative development and residents would be able to choose books and other library services after having a swim or using the gym.

At the main Sutton Library Heather had found that there was an innovative investment in e books, plus advice for beginners as to how to use the,  She had read that there were something like 16,000 books in e form.

Finally she pointed out that in spite of all the scaremongering the mobile library still served those who found it heard to leave their home.  She concluded with,

“ I am pleased that we have been able to use the Smarter Sutton Services Review to look at how we can improve our services whilst still saving money.  I am so glad that we have not had to close any libraries.

The side entrance at Sutton station

As local Councillors, we have been enthusiastically promoting and supporting a campaign to ease the congestion at peak times at Sutton station and create an easier route into and out of the station for Sutton South residents by opening up the side entrance. We will continue to promote this campaign.

Our latest proposal is that we will be preparing a bid under  TfL’s “Major Schemes Funding”, for this scheme. The bids are required to be submitted to TfL in September so we will be starting work on it soon, and will consult with stakeholders as appropriate. The bid will be for a wider scheme to improve the area around the station, as “Major Scheme” bids are typically for at least £1m. Opening up and staffing the station side entrance is a matter for Southern Rail so The Council would need to enter into an agreement with them to open it up. They did agree to it ‘in principle’ during the Outer London Fund bid preparation, described below, when the Council submitted a well-researched bid for funding under the Mayor’s Outer London Fund to facilitate the opening of the side entrance at the station.

Opening the side entrance would be of benefit to the many commuters and other travellers who live in South Sutton Ward, who could enter and leave the station by this entrance, leading directly into The Quadrant. A page on this site (“Ward Map”) leads you to a map of the Ward, which shows the importance of opening this entrance. As rail travellers pass through the side entrance they would cross the boundary into Sutton South Ward.

As Sutton South Ward Councillors we strongly supported this bid, as the outcome would be of benefit to our residents. However, the Mayor turned this aspect of the Council’s bid down.

The Council wants to improve the “Gateway” into Sutton and the experience of those arriving in Sutton. Hence it wishes to improve Sutton station. The station is an important focal point for the town centre and the first impression that many visitors have of Sutton. It has been identified byTransport for London as a station that suffers from congestion problems due to its limited capacity in terms of the front entrance hall and ticket barriers. The Council continues to hope, in partnership with Southern Rail, to open the side entrance to the station for passenger use. In the longer term a more comprehensive re-development of the station is hoped for to expand and modernise passenger facilities and and enhance this important gateway and transport interchange.

The side entrance at Sutton station would cater for the considerable demand for direct access to the station from the Quadrant House office block, which houses Reed Business Information (which has approximately 2 000 employess, many of whom travel to work by train) and a number of other companies. This office block and those who work there are an important contributor to the economic vitality of Sutton. Reed Business Information fully supported the bid. The new side entrance would also serve the station car park, motor cycle and cycle parking areas, which generate considerable demand for access from that side of the station. It would also serve all the residents of Sutton South Ward who approach the station via Wellesley Road from the Langley Park Road direction.

Opening up the side entrance, which physically is already there, requires the installation of automatic ticket barriers with Oyster readers, a new ticket machine,  associated lighting, signing, communication improvements and CCTV improvements. Staffing costs would be met by Southern Rail. It is accepted that the side entrance would probably not be open all day, but using the entrance could ease the congestion at the station if open during peak hours in the morning and evening.

Despite this case, the Mayor refused to support the OLF bid, although accepting other aspects of the Council’s bid for funding under the scheme. We are not giving up and are taking forward this further option. Let us hope for eventual success, as this development would be of value to the residents of Sutton South Ward.

Sutherland House

• That the Council support the Business Improvement District (BID) Steering Group in its application to become a Portas pilot.
• That we build up a package of tailored support for District centres.

• To introduce new powers to enable councils to tackle the clustering of premises such as betting shops, fast food takeaway and late night off-licenses, and limiting the power of the planning inspectorate to overturn local community decisions.
• To improve existing planning powers, including Article 4 and to introduce a new umbrella use class, in to which local authorities can add types of premises they consider to be problematic in their area.

On Thursday 19 April we attended the Sutton South, Cheam and Belmont Local Committee, at Overton Grange school. Amongst other things we:

- sought re-assurance from the police about police resources in Sutton, given the evidence that police resources are stretched that Richard heard at the Licensing Committee hearing he attended on 28 March (see post below “Late Night Noise Danger Averted”)

- obtained agreement to litter bins being provided at locations suggested to us by residents, including Grange Road and Upland Road

- established the way forward on the Eastleigh Close parking scheme, and the Bonchurch Close yellow lining (removal thereof) scheme

- heard a presentation on the new bin collection scheme. We noted that local authorities have suffered 26% cuts in Government funding of running costs, in real terms, and 29% of capital programmes since 2010, and Sutton Council has done well to keep the Council tax frozen for three years while avoiding draconian cuts like closing libraries. The new bin collection scheme will save £500 000. There may be a few rough edges, to be ironed out in the next few weeks, but it is a worthwhile scheme

- noted further proposals for the expansion of primary schools, including The Avenue, which some of our residents send their children to. We noted that the expansion of Devonshire Avenue school had been successfully completed with no adverse consequences, and the school did well in its OFTED inspection. We noted that the percentage of children born in the Borough entering State primary schools had risen from below 84% in 2007/8 to almost 94% in  2010/11, due to the recession coupled with the high quality of Sutton’s State primary schools leading to parents turning their back on private education. This is what has caused the need to expand primary schools.

Sutton Police Station

On 18 April we both attended the consultative panel, at which the representatives of the local community discuss police priorities with our local “Safer Neighbourhoods” police team.

The panel welcomed Sergeant Geraldine Costello, our new sergeant, whom we share with Belmont Ward.

The latest crime statistics show Sutton South remains a low crime area and crime has, overall, fallen further, but with a small increase in residential burglaries, many from garages. There is a welcome reduction in thefts from motor vehicles and criminal damage.

The panel confirmed as police priorities for the next three months:

- theft from motor vehicles, to keep on top of this following the recent reduction

- drugs and anti-social behaviour in the Brighton Road

- garage burglaries

- support for “Operation Ferrous”, which relates to the theft and trading of scrap metal, a particular problem due to the escalation in the price of scrap metal.

The panel discussed “community payback” work by offenders. It also had a discussion of ways of improving how it represents the local community and provides information on its work, to have a better dialogue with the police on behalf of the community.