There was an inspiring address from former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown at the Sutton party’s annual general meeting, held at the Salvation Army centre on 24 November. There was a good turnout of Sutton South Ward members for what was a packed meeting.

Paddy accepted that we live in difficult times but stressed that we must hold on to our liberal values. In a wide ranging discussion following his address members stressed that given the result of the 2010 election, with a hung Parliament, it was the responsible thing for the Liberal Democrats to enter a coalition. We had taken the edge off what would otherwise have been more extreme Tory policies, and there were benefits. Members stressed the need to maintain our concern, as Liberal Democrats, for equality, diversity, internationalism, multi-culturalism and helping the less fortunate. We must lead the struggle against the messages of UKIP, which were of separatism and isolation, and a desire to return to a model of England in the 1950’s.

We have two excellent local Members of Parliament in Tom Brake and Paul Burstow, and need to do all that is required to get them re-elected in May.

Ruth Dombey reminded the meeting of how successful we had been last May, winning 45 of the 54 seats on Sutton Council, holding all our seats and winning two more from the Tories – in Worcester Park and Nonsuch Wards. This on a day that had not been propitious for the Liberal Democrats elsewhere. We need to keep up that momentum to win the Parliamentary seats next May.

Perhaps it was appropriate that on Armistice Day, 11 November, Trish and Richard, with our MP Paul Burstow, after attending the short Armistice Day service in Sutton town centre, went to Overton Park where, with the help of local people and some Liberal Democrats from Paul’s office, planted 500 daffodil bulbs. It will make a great display next Spring.

In the picture you can see, from the left, Councillor Samantha Bourne (Worcester Park Ward Councillor who is also Richard’s vice-chair on the Planning Committee), Trish, Richard, our MP Paul Burstow and other local helpers. Richard’s wife Gloria is fourth from the right.

One of our other benches, in Cedar Road

At lunchtime on 9 October Trish and Richard went to see residents at Thomas House in Grange Road. At the Council meeting on 21 July we presented the petition from residents of Thomas House seeking a bench on the pavement outside Thomas House, which is sheltered accommodation for the elderly. We have obtained funding for the bench. We met residents and the Council officer in charge of sorting out the bench. We agreed where the bench should go. It will take a few weeks to install it. Residents will then be able to sit down while waiting for the bus. We had previously got a bench installed on the pavement opposite.

At the Local Committee on 11 September Richard, speaking on proposals for a zebra crossing in Cedar Road, sketched out the dramatic changes there will be to the part of our Ward just south of Sutton station, pictured above, over the next two years.

In the week when the side entrance to the station has opened he drew attention to:

– in the near future the Sutton Gateway project will lead to a re-alignment of the Cedar Road / Brighton Road junction to improve visibility for motorists

– there will be a zebra crossing to cross Cedar Road close to Forest Dene Court

– two years from now the Subsea7 office complex will be built with 850 staff, looking for opportunities to shop and eat locally

– a new planning application for Sutherland House will involve re-cladding the building and its conversion to 128 flats. These will be popular with young, professional people working in London as they are so close to the station. These new residents will also be spending money in local shops and restaurants

– this increased demand is bound to lead to an upward movement in the quality of local shops and restaurants

– there will also be improvements to the design and “street furniture” in the area associated with the Sutton Gateway project.

The area could change dramatically.

 Richard and Trish were able to secure a number of improvements for the Ward at the most recent meeting of the Local Committee.

The main decision was to sign off the proposals for traffic calming in Cavendish Road and agree, with some amendment, the proposals for traffic calming in Cedar Road. For Cedar Road, we agreed to drop the width restriction close to Langley Park Road (residents were concerned at the loss of parking bays) and move the proposed zebra crossing close to Forest Dene Court so it will be closer to the junction with Brighton Road.

We also agreed to look into traffic congestion at the bottom of Downside Road, prepare the ground for a study of parking issues in the Highfields Residents’ Association area, and convert some of the pay and display parking bays in Langley Park Road to dual use, so they can also be used during the day by residents who hold parking permits.

Following on from the petition from Thomas House residents calling for a bench outside Thomas House in Grange Road, which we presented to Sutton Council on July 21, funding was agreed for this bench.

Following the improvements to the play area in Overton Park, funded by Sutton Council, a path is to be constructed across the park linking the two main gates. We believe this will be a significant improvement to the park.

Last year we strongly opposed a scheme to demolish numbers 54 to 58 Overton Road and build an ugly block with inadequate parking. We were pleased when representations we submitted were supported by the Planning Inspectorate after the developer appealed against the decision of Sutton Council to refuse the application.

Recently the Council’s Planning Committee, which Richard, chairs, considered two applications for this site. The site is now not to be developed as a single block but number 54 will be retained, rather than being demolished, and renovated with parking at the front. Numbers 56 and 58 will be replaced by a small estate of houses, but the design of the houses facing the road will be sympathetic to the street scene and each property will have a garage and parking space. Taking into account the comments of the Planning Inspector on the earlier proposal, the Committee felt this proposal acceptable. This is a satisfactory conclusion to a difficult issue.