Sutton South Councillors were concerned to learn about changes proposed to the organisation of the Police Cadets, who meet at a school in our ward. Currently there are over 120 cadets. However, the decision has been made to close junior cadets and cut the remaining senior cadets to just 46. Their future programme is also being severely curtailed. This will have a major impact on the youth of this borough who will no longer have the opportunity to participate in activities such as camps, parades and Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Councillor Louise Phelan, whose son has been a Cadet, commented “I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of being part of police cadets. They learn valuable life skills, and gain self confidence. They also support the local community and get to take part in things they wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to do. For many this is a stepping stone into a career within the police force, for others the Cadets help to keep them on the right path and make better life decisions. I am incredibly concerned others will now not get these opportunities.”
The police met residents of Sutton South Ward again on the evening of 25 September 2024, at Devonshire Avenue school. There are open, public meetings held quarterly at which the police discuss the policing of the Ward with local residents. We were addressed by our Ward Constable, Constable Robyn Skivens, who went through the crime statistics for the Ward. Sutton has a lower crime rate than most outer London boroughs and our Ward has one of the lowest crime rates in Sutton. However, crime always has a significant impact on the victim and public concern remains high. The draft minutes of the meeting are as below.
SUTTON SOUTH WARD COMMUNITY/POLICE MEETING – WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2024
Held at Devonshire Avenue primary school
Constable Skivens gave an update on crime in the Ward since the last meeting, which was on 26 June 2024.
Burglaries: There had been 8 burglaries. Several were burglaries of garages but there had been some of houses and of commercial premises. There was a gang of four people who were now well known in the borough who had been behind a number of burglaries.
Motor Vehicle Crime: 11 crimes were reported – 3 of theft of cars (in Ambleside Gardens, Albion Road, Farm Close). The other offences were thefts from, damage to or interference with cars. There were again no catalytic converter thefts.
Drug offences: 5 crimes were reported, one of possession of cannabis and one of possession with intent to supply. The other offences were importation of drugs intercepted by Border Force where a local address was given for the consignment. Ward police would then have to visit the address but usually this was a fictitious or convenience address.
Violence against women and girls: 4 cases. These included a man exposing himself on a bus and cases of women being followed.
Major crimes: This is a broad category. There were 4 cases – two robberies, one attempted robbery, one case of a threat to kill.
Other crimes: There were 11 in this miscellaneous category, including:
2 of shoplifting from the BP service station
2 pedal cycles stolen
A woman who had an epileptic fit outside Sutton station had her bag stolen
A “street drinker” at the station had vapes stolen from him
A handbag was left on a bus and stolen, and efforts were made to use the bank cards
The theft of a wedding ring through distraction techniques (engaging in conversation to distract),
Staffing: Although Sutton South has a cadre of 3 officers – Constable Skivens, a second Constable and a PCSO – Constable Skivens was currently on her own. The other Constable is on restricted duties due to a hamstring injury and the PCSO has an injured knee. Constable Skivens spends about half her time on “extractions”, usually to the Response Team, to undertake other duties outside the Ward. The meeting expressed concern at the staffing level.
The meeting discussed a variety of issues raised by residents:
The success of Operation Nightingale in reducing crime in Sutton by monitoring and patrolling selected crime hotspots
The reduction of crime at Sutton station by closing the side entrance at certain times
The knife amnesty, and its success
Drug dealing, including at Sutton Court and Beauclere House
Concerns about “street drinkers” at Sutton station
Fire safety, including the threat posed by batteries on scooters and electric bikes
The importance of reporting crime (it was pointed out that reports via Crimestoppers are anonymous)
Keyless cars: the need to keep keys in a tin
The police speed traps in Chalgrove Road, including on 5 June
The cuts to the police cadets, which meet at Overton Grange school, and the reasons for this action. Councillor Clifton mentioned that the Councillors with the local MP were planning to take this up with the Metropolitan police at a more senior level.
The date of the next meeting was set as Wednesday 15 January, at Devonshire Avenue primary school. There was a discussion of what could be done to better publicise the meeting and get a better attendance.
The meeting thanked Constable Skivens for her work and for coming in on her day off to present her report to us, and Devonshire Avenue school for hosting the meeting.
Constable Skivens, Louise, Trish and Richard with other Ward police officers at the Sutton South Hello Christmas party
This picture shows Louise and Trish cleaning off the graffiti we found in the area outside Northumberland House in Brighton Road. We want residents to report to us instances of graffiti, which is one of the scourges of our times, worldwide. In general, the Council has a good record in cleaning off graffiti quickly. A difficulty is when the graffiti is on private property and the owners of the property have responsibility.
Here is an example of graffiti we got cleaned off, on the bridge at Kings Lane.
The “No Drinking Zone” was extended south from Sutton town centre
When Richard was first elected in 2010 one of the first projects he initiated was to get the “No Drinking Zone” in the centre of Sutton extended to our Ward. There were a group of what the police termed “all day drinkers” who used to congregate on Cedar Road outside Forest Dene Court.
The zone was extended to cover the area of our Ward south of the station as far as Cavendish Road, and running west to east from Brighton Road to Langley Park Road. In this area it is unlawful to continue to drink alcohol if asked by the police to stop, and there are provisions that would enable the police to confiscate alcohol. You will find reminders of the provisions attached to lampposts in the area, for example in Cedar Road.
The Council has, by law, to re-consider and consult afresh on these provisions from time to time. It is doing so at present. You can comment or make representations on the proposal to maintain these provisions. Representations must be made in writing and addressed to Safer Sutton Partnership Service, Environment, Housing and Regeneration Directorate, Sutton Police Station, 6 Carshalton Road, Sutton, SM1 4RF, before 21st September 2020. You need to state the grounds on which your representation or objection is made.
If you have any questions about this consultation, you can contact the Safer Sutton Partnership Team via email at safersutton@sutton.gov.uk.
The owner of the Noor Jahan Tandori Bar in Brighton Road has submitted an appeal against the decision of Sutton Council to remove his licence to sell alcoholic drinks.
Sutton Council completed its review of the licence of the Noor Jahan Tandoori Bar, at 10 Station Parade, Sutton, just south of Sutton station on the Brighton Road, earlier this year. The bar is the only bar in Sutton South Ward.
At a hearing of the Licensing Committee on Monday 17 February in the Civic Offices in Sutton, the decision was taken to revoke the bar’s licence. Trish and Richard attended the hearing. Richard told the committee that he did not want to see the bar closed but it needed to be much better managed, as it had been in the past, to ensure there was no nuisance to local residents.
The bar had a Premises Licence to sell food and drink till late at night.
Discussion at the committee related to the four licensing objectives of:
Prevention of crime and disorder
2. Protection of children from harm
3. Public safety
4. Prevention of public nuisance.
The committee was shown video evidence indicating breaches of the licence conditions, with trading outside the permitted hours, smoking in the bar, and noise problems.
The decision of the owner to appeal means that, in normal circumstances, the bar could continue to operate until the appeal is determined. However, the current coronavirus restrictions mean that the bar, along with other pubs, restaurants and bars, is closed. The current restrictions mean it may be a while before the appeal is determined.
The premises are up for sale and it is believed that there is a buyer keen to take over the bar. The buyer would, unless the appeal succeeds, have to apply for a new licence and convince the Licensing Committee that the premises will be better managed in future.
It is understood that the Spagetti Tree restaurant, near the bar, is taking over the vacant unit next to it (also an Italian restaurant until it closed recently). And that the vacant Rift and Co. premises opposite Sutton station will become a Sainsbury’s local.
On 8 March we attended a meeting of the Police Consultative panel for the Ward. We continue to have no dedicated Ward office above the level of PCSO. Two police attended – our loyal PCSO Laura Jogoe and PC Adam Nawol, from Cheam Ward, also came.
As usual, the police SNTs are seriously undermanned. Over the 4 wards, ie Sutton South, Cheam, Belmont and Sutton West, there are 1 sergeant, 5 PCs, of whom only 3 are “operational” and 3 PCSOs. There are supposed to be 8 PCs, 2 per ward. We were told that there is a PCSO recruitment campaign. Great concern was expressed by all at the meeting and we agreed to write to MPs and the Mayor of London.The police reported that in the period December to March, there were 16 burglaries and 21 vehicle crimes in Sutton South Ward. Common methods of entry included getting over a back gate and entering from the rear of the premises by breaking a door or window. We were advised to link a burglar alarm to a call centre, rather than rely on a neighbour. Car thefts were mainly opportunist, some people forgetting to lock their cars. Drugs were not viewed as a big problem, incidents being very sporadic and tackled quickly, after which the drug sellers would move on to somewhere else.
An effort is being made, on 8 March, to re-launch the Community-Police Consultative Panel for our Ward.
This will be a meeting to which the public are invited, at 6pm, at Christchurch in Christchurch Park.
We were concerned after the last meeting of the panel, on 29 November, that numbers attending and the importance the police placed on the work of the panel were slipping. It was the first meeting for a long time as the summer meeting was cancelled at a late point due to it being on the evening of one of the football matches England were involved in in the World Cup. It was a meeting that left us feeling worried. An increase in crime, in burglaries and thefts from motor vehicles, was reported for the first time for some time. This may not be unrelated to problems of police numbers following the merger with Croydon and Bromley. There were a significant number of unfilled posts, vacancies, that the police were struggling to fill, particularly PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers). These officers are important for work on community relations. One member of staff was about to be moved to work in Croydon and we have again lost our Dedicated Ward Officer, Kellie Heath. Kellie has also moved to Croydon.
We hope for a better attendance on 8 March and welcome a new Chair, Aime.
On 29 November we attended he first meeting for a long time of the Sutton South Ward Police Community Panel, held in the Parish Office at Christchurch in Christchurch Park. The summer meeting was cancelled at a late point due to it being on the evening of one of the football matches England were involved in in the World Cup. This was a meeting that left us feeling worried. An increase in crime, in burglaries and thefts from motor vehicles, was reported for the first time for some time. This may not be unrelated to problems of police numbers following the merger with Croydon and Bromley. There are a significant number of unfilled posts, vacancies, that the police are struggling to fill, particularly PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers). These officers are important for work on community relations. One member of staff is about to be moved to work in Croydon, though she did not request this move, and we are again losing our Dedicated Ward Officer, Kellie Heath. Kellie is also being moved to Croydon.
After a long consultation, to which the Council contributed, the Mayor of London has announced the closure of counter services at a swathe of police stations across London. We campaigned to save the service at Sutton station, and we have been successful.
Sadly, the counter service at Worcester Park station is to close. Shame on you, Sadiq Khan!
Although Sutton borough has one of the lowest crime rates in London – and Sutton South Ward is among the Wards with the lowest crime rates in the borough – we must never be complacent.
We take part in regular consultation meetings with the police to discuss crime trends and priorities for police action in our Ward, and on Tuesday 31 October we met the police at Christchurch hall in Christchurch Park.
Our new Dedicated Ward Officer, PC Kellie Heath, is fitting in to her role and has been very active in meeting local community groups. Although the revised policing model promised by Borough Commander Mark Lawrence promises two Dedicated Ward Officers, supported by a PCSO, by the end of 2017, Kellie is at the moment something of a one woman band.
We were delighted that Frank Berry, who lives in Christchurch Park and was formerly chair of the Sutton Federation of Residents and Tenants’ Associations has agreed to chair future meetings.
The meeting ran through the crime statistics for the last three months. A theme in the four burglaries from houses was windows left open, and in motor vehicle crime carelessness about locking vehicles and leaving SatNavs on display inside the car. Other themes discussed at the meeting were incidents of rough sleeping in stairwells of blocks of flats. The meeting agreed that police priorities should continue to be burglary, anti-social behaviour and speeding.
This consultation meeting was much better attended than recent meetings in this series so our efforts at publicity are bearing fruit.
