SECOND SERIOUS FIRE IN THE WARD IN THREE MONTHS

UPDATE – Since the story below was posted there has been a third serious fire, again with extensive damage to property but no injuries, this in Westmoreland Drive.

On 15 January Trish and Richard visited Grosvenor Court in Brighton Road where there had been a serious fire in a second floor flat during the night. Extensive damage had been caused to the flat and the flat downstairs, but mercifully no-one was injured. We spoke to the fire office, the caretaker of the building and the owner of the flat, which had been empty and under renovation at the time.

Last October, Richard and Trish visited Sutton Court, one of the largest estates in our Ward, having learned of a fire in a flat at the block (see photo). We spoke to the next door neighbour, who lives in the flat opposite on the top floor of their block. She had been concerned at the fire but we were all relieved that no-one was hurt and the damage confined to a single flat.

The damage that fires can cause emphasises the need for everyone to fit smoke detectors and carbon monoxide indicators.

TREE PRUNING TIME AGAIN

The trees can look bare and shorn when pruned

Every four years there is a full review of all the street trees in our Ward and a pruning exercise to take down the height of the largest trees. Some trees are found to be diseased and a few have to be felled, but will be replaced.

When the trees are pruned they look bare, but the foliage will re-grow next year.

It is believed that Sutton has more street trees per yard of pavement than any other of the 32 London boroughs, with over 20 000 trees across the borough and over a thousand in our Ward. This leads, every autumn, to a big job collecting up the leaves. There is a schedule for collecting them, but the speed of doing this is directly related to the resources devoted to it. Tory Government cuts to Council funding have not helped.

This looks a bit dangerous – pruning in The Ridgway

 

PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS

 

With winter fast approaching, we are anxious to help the NHS deliver the important messages that will keep our residents safe from influenza over this busy period.

Last winter Sutton saw lower than the national average uptake in free flu vaccinations in 2 and 3 year olds. Small children are some of the worst affected by the virus and, if they get it, they’re likely to infect other members of the family too.

We want to spread the message about the importance of people living in Sutton taking-up the flu vaccine.

You can access Sutton’s winter toolkit by clicking on this link.

http://www.swlondon.nhs.uk/winter

Sutton’s winter toolkit contains information to help protect Sutton’s residents from flu including Local statistics on those most at risk from flu in the area, and Information on how you can receive your flu jab.

TRISH SPEAKS OUT ON PLASTIC WASTE AND RICHARD PRAISES OUR AREA

A green, pleasant, suburban environment – this is Sutton South

The first full Council meeting of the new administration, following the local elections, was held on 10 September. It was held at Overton Grange school, in Sutton South Ward, the first time the Council has met in our Ward, This follows a decision by Council to get out and about round the Borough, to see the Borough and be seen, rather than sit in the Council offices.

The main debate was on the subject of single use plastics, on which Trish made an impassioned speech drawing attention to the plight of the oceans anc calling for greater responsibility worldwide. Richard took the opportunity of a debate on the Council’s plan to welcome Councillors to Sutton South. He said:

“We are now doing something we perhaps should have done before and getting out round the Borough, to see different parts of the Borough and be seen there. And tonight we are starting that process by meeting in Sutton South Ward. So I think it appropriate for me as a Councillor for Sutton South to welcome you all to Sutton South. I know my fellow Sutton South Councillor Councillor Fivey wants to join me in extending this welcome, to Sutton South which is famous for:

A low level of crime, one of the lowest for any Ward in the 32 London Boroughs

Excellent schools, our local schools are brilliant

A unique environmental facility in the Devonshire Avenue Nature Area

A green, pleasant, suburban environment

And a relatively high level of employment, contributed to by our success in persuading a major transnational company in the oil exploration business  – Subsea 7 – to locate their global, international headquarters in the Ward, bringing 900 jobs, some – not just in more routine occupations – now being occupied by local people, with 900 staff spending money in local shops and restaurants, and boosting the local economy.

I relate this to the important entry in the plan on page 17 reading

“Implementation of the Local Plan to deliver retail, office and industrial development and employment opportunities”

We have done that in Sutton South – we will continue to do it.”

NEW LICENCE APPLICATION IN SUTTON SOUTH WARD

At Regents Parade

The Licensing Committee has received an application to open new premises at 11 Regent Parade, Brighton Road. This is for a salon, with the name Bamboo, providing reflexology and massage by certified Chinese practitioners. Regent Parade is the parade of shops just south of Sutton station, on the western side of Brighton Road, just north of the petrol station.

This is known as a “Special Treatments Licence.” Under the London Authorities Act 1991 premises offering special treatments involving a degree of physical contact (such as massage, acupuncture, manicure, piercing and tattooing) must have a “Special Treatments Licence” to undertake such activities.
There is a 28 days consultation period during which representations can be submitted to the Council’s Licensing Section. The full details of the application can be found on this link

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200549/licensing/1325/current_applications

www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200549/licensing/1325/current_applications

If you wish to submit a representation it must be received by 11th November 2017. The link also provides details on how to make a representation. Do let us know if you make a representation.

DOCTORS’ SURGERIES

Cradle to grave care – what we expect from the NHS

Many local residents use the medical centre in Grove Road in Sutton. Several years ago Richard was involved, with former Councillor Heather Honour, in a campaign to prevent this practice closing and moving to the Henderson hospital site in Belmont, as there were few transport links to the site and it would not have been easily accessible to those without a car.

We are pleased that this proposal is not being proceeded with. NHS Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) now propose to move the surgery to a health centre in Robin Hood Lane in central Sutton, closer to the current practice. This is a proposal currently being worked up. It is also proposed to move the Mulgrave Road surgery, which many local residents use, to this site. The full list of surgeries that might move to the site is:

  • Grove Road practice
  • Mulgrave road surgery
  • Benhill surgery (part of Benhill and Belmont GP centre)

In addition, Dr Grice and partners branch surgery is already at the site (though not their main surgery at the Old Court House) and Dr Seyan and partners are already at the site. If you are registered with any of these practices you should have received a letter from the CCG inviting views on the proposal.

The Grove Road practice does need to move. It is currently in a converted house so some surgery rooms are upstairs, with no lift, and it is not possible to have a private conversation with reception staff as the reception is in the hallway of the house. It does not meet modern standards and NHS England will require it to move. But there are few sites available in Sutton. There are some similar problems with the Mulgrave Road surgery.

You can comment on this proposal, which is at an early stage of development, at

sutccg.feedback@nhs.net

For our part, we will be seeking to ensure that transport and accessibility issues are fully taken into consideration when working up the proposal.

REDUCING VEHICLE CO2 EMISSIONS IN SUTTON SOUTH

A significant part of the northernmost section of Sutton South Ward is in the central Sutton Controlled Parking Zone. Sutton Council is consulting on a scheme to alter charges for parking permits in the Controlled Parking Zone so that charges relate to the CO2 emissions of vehicles. It is also introducing special provisions to help carers and those undertaking childcare who are regular visitors.

The general nature of the Order is, to support the Council’s Parking Strategy and policy to cut carbon emissions in the Borough, to link the charges for parking permits in the controlled parking zones to the CO2 emissions of the vehicle for which the permit is issued; and also to introduce the facility to purchase carer and childcare permits for use in the zones. The impact will be to reduce charges for the least polluting vehicles and increase them for some others, and facilitate carers and those with regular childcare responsibilities to park in the zone.

You can find the proposals at

www.sutton.gov.uk/trafficpublicnotices

clicking on “view our Permanent Traffic Order Consultations” and “Notices of Proposals”

Reference PP1035 – CPZ permit charge changes linked to CO2 emissions and carer permits

Comments are invited by 31 August.

Richard has commented on the proposals that he would like to see a differential scheme imposed for diesel vehicles as they do not emit excessive CO2 compared to other vehicles but do emit other harmful particulates.

 

TACKLING SPEEDING ON THE ROADS OF SUTTON SOUTH

20mph on lampost sign
Since we were elected as Councillors for Sutton South Ward we have been concerned about speeding in the Ward. Following the speeding survey we promoted in 2011 new traffic islands in Cavendish Road have had an impact on the speed of vehicles using the road. The new zebra crossing with the re-distribution of parking bays along the road – so there is more parking along the road, which generally does slow the speed of traffic – in Cedar Road (between Brighton Road and Langley Park Road) has had some impact on speeds there.
We have also sought to deal with the specific problem of the speed of vehicles approaching the right turn from The Ridgway into Chalgrove Road with better signage on the road and on lamp-posts as your approach the bend.
A proposal now under consideration and discussed by the local committee on May 25 concerns the area of the Ward west of Brighton Road. If fully implemented this would introduce a 20 mile per hour limit in the area east of Overton Road (including Overton Road) as far as the Sutton to Belmont railway line, so including these parts of Worcester Road, Grange Road, Camborne Road and Stanley Road. There would be signage to indicate the speed limit and some raised junctions, and road humps, where roads crossed. This follows a speeding survey indicating some vehicles travel too fast along these roads. There will, of course, be extensive consultation with residents before such a proposal is implemented and, given current funding restrictions and other priorities, action on this proposal – which is a proposal for Transport for London funding – cannot be guaranteed even if supported in consultation.
We would welcome any reactions, particularly from residents who live in the area.
We have also previously floated, in the list of bids to Transport for London, consultation of residents on the inclusion of Christchurch Park in the Sutton South 20mph speed limit area.

WEEKLY COLLECTION OF FOOD WASTE PROPOSED

bulbs oct 15

Proposals for a new waste collection service include a weekly collection of food waste.

There will continue to be fortnightly collection of re-cycling waste. The waste that currently goes in the brown bin will be divided, with the food waste collected weekly and other waste collected fortnightly. At present around 40 per cent of brown-bin waste is food waste, so this will mean residents will be able to reduce significantly the amount of waste in their brown bins. These changes will mean less waste goes to landfill, which is good for the environment.

Garden waste collections for paying residents will be extended from nine months a year to all year round. This will be collected in the same green and brown wheelie bin.

Street cleaning operations will be extended to 10pm from the current 6.30am start.

The new contracts will enable Sutton Council to save £10.3m over the first eight years. It is estimated that Sutton’s recycling rate will increase from 37 per cent (2014/15) to 42 per cent by the end of the first year of the contract.

Sutton Council has agreed to the shared service approach with its neighbours due to the unprecedented Government cuts to the Council’s budget, along with the opportunities to increase recycling rates. Currently Sutton has to save £31m from its annual budget due to Government cuts. The Council’s annual budget is £148.4m.

quadrant bins

ACTION ON PORNOGRAPHY

TESCO BOTH 2

Trish is continuing her campaign to seek action on the allegations that pornographic films have been shot at locations in the Borough. She has recently been interviewed by both BBC radio and BBC television about these allegations, that pornographic films have been shot at public locations in the Borough, including one close to her home. Trish rightly said she was outraged by this, as it was an act of indecency in public, and children or other members of the public might observe it. The police should take action if they encounter such behaviour and seek additional powers if more powers are needed.

There is, of course, no evidence that this type of filming of obscene acts is any more prevalent in Sutton than elsewhere, as no-one is collecting data, but one has to have a concern about the people taking part in such filming (are these trafficked women?) and the possibility that such public acts of indecency might be observed by people, who will of course be horrified. And we all deplore pornography.

Trish being filmed by the BBC cameraman

Trish being filmed by the BBC cameraman