Sutton Council held its annual event for Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 27th January 2012 in the Europa Gallery in Sutton Central Library. We both attended. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ and had the aim of encouraging people to challenge injustice and hatred, thus creating a safer, better future. There were speeches from the Mayor of Sutton, Councillor Gerry Jerome, Holocaust survivor Marcel Ladenheim, Mr. Meddie Kakyama-Mayanja, who spoke on the African genocides, and Reverend Meir Lev, Minister of Sutton and District Synagogue. There were references to local experiences of hate crime in Sutton, along with a stall from the Safer Sutton Partnership on reporting hate crime, to bring a local perspective to the theme of ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’. There was also an exhibition with information and photographs on the theme.
PARKING IN WESTMORELAND DRIVE AND BLACKBUSH CLOSE
Richard organised a meeting with residents in Blackbush Close on 25 January, attended by Councillors and Council officials. Residents want to increase parking in Blackbush Close, as there is a shortage of parking spaces for those living in the blocks in Bonchurch Close and Blackbush Close. It was agreed that proposals to remove yellow lines on one side of the road over a part of Blackbush Close will be actively examined. An alternative would be to extend the parking controls in the adjacent Controlled Parking Zone to the road. Richard will get back to residents as this proposal progresses.
We are grateful to residents of Westmoreland Drive who contacted us following our letter to residents on the subject of proposals for yellow lines controlling parking in the road. Last September The Council consulted residents on proposals for yellow lines in Westmoreland Drive, responding to concerns about access for emergency vehicles following a fire in which a resident died. The clear majority view of residents was that the initial proposals were not acceptable due to the reduction in parking spaces.
As local Councillors, we discussed with Council officers how to meet the wishes of residents. A reduced proposal is to free up one side of the road by removing all the proposed yellow lines on the left hand side as you walk from Ventnor Road down Westmoreland Drive but retaining those on the right. This should maintain access but meet concerns about the number of parking spaces available to residents, by reducing the restrictions on parking.
The Fire Service have been consulted, to be sure they will be able to gain access in an emergency when the reduced scheme is implemented. This scheme appears acceptable to a majority of residents and if it meets the concerns for emergency access it will in due course be implemented.
Blackbush Close: where residents would like more parking to be available. The proposal is to remove the yellow line on the left but make the yellow line on the right a double yellow line for part of the road, a little beyond where this photo was taken. Alternatively, bring the road within the Controlled Parking Zone.
LOCAL PEOPLE THINK SUTTON IS A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE
Every two years Sutton Council has commissioned the polling organisation MORI to undertake an independent in-depth research survey into the attitudes of people who live in Sutton, to help us understand what people like and dislike, and thus improve services.
The full results will appear soon on the Council’s website (www.sutton.gov.uk) but we have seen a digest of the results and would welcome any feedback from local residents on your reactions.
The results that particularly struck us are:
* Sutton residents have a high level of satisfaction with Sutton as a place to live, 91% being satisfied (11 points higher than the national average), with the proportion “very satisfied” increasing from 25% to 36% since the last survey in 2009. This is in line with recent surveys that concluded that Sutton is the best place in London to bring up children, taking account of factors such as our good schools, good transport links and low crime rate
* the issues that most concern residents in Sutton are parking, dog fouling and speeding traffic, these scoring above issues such as litter, vandalism and graffiti. There is sharply increasing concern about dog fouling, which reflects our experience in terms of issues residents raise with us as Councillors. Parking is also an issue of concern though these concerns take different forms – in roads like Eastleigh Close and Bonchurch Close it concerns difficulty in finding a parking space nearby for one’s own car, in some other roads it is a concern about commuter parking in the road. In Sutton South Ward, there is definately a concern about litter, but vandalism and graffiti are less of a problem locally
* almost three in four (73%) are satisfied with the services of Sutton Council, higher than the national figure. There appears to be a strongly positive attitude to services such as parks and open spaces, street lighting, street cleaning, refuse collection and playgrounds, less strongly positive (though still positive) attitudes to pavement and road maintenance, and to parking services
* a concern emerges from the survey about how well Sutton Council keeps people informed
* although Sutton is a low crime area compared to other parts of London and 96% of residents feel safe walking outside in their neighbourhood alone during the day, this proportion drops to 62% after dark, and residents are increasingly concerned about anti-social behaviour and burglary or theft
* a quarter of Sutton’s residents volunteer regularly and 81% think Sutton is an area where people from different backgrounds get on well together.
It should be noted is that, overall, people feel less well-off than when the survey was last undertaken two years ago, with 45% saying their personal financial circumstances have got worse in the last year, as the recession has bitten.
We are interested in the views of local people on these issues and would welcome it if readers of this article want to give us their opinion.
Matters that clearly require attention include:
– there is a finding that people are less satisfied than one might expect with the information received from the Council. How can we improve on this ?
– dog fouling has got worse. The problem is a small minority of dog owners. Most are very responsible. Is there any solution ?
A further study of our local area (covering three Wards – Sutton South, Belmont and Cheam) will be available shortly. The sample size is too small to give results just for Sutton South Ward.
SUTTON SOUTH TREES GET A HAIRCUT
Sutton is famous for its avenues of street trees, and our Ward has many fine examples.
There are over 21 00 street trees in Sutton and their maintenance is sometimes a headache. While we all love the trees, they drop leaves and sap, block light and disturb pavements and front gardens with their roots. A balance has to be struck in keeping their height down, since heavy pollarding of lime trees (for example) leads to them developing many more branches that grow back quickly with larger leaves. Tree pruning policy is governed by a British Standard, and needs to take account of the shaping of the tree. Changes to the Standard in the 1980’s led to some changes in tree pruning policy involving less severe pruning.
In 2011 an exercise was carried out to deal with basal growth and low level branches. A more severe pruning programme occurs on a four yearly basis. Richard and Heather were able to get the programme changed so that the pruning programme began in the Ward in November 2011. It is due to conclude by February 2012. It has involved identifying any trees that are diseased and 16 have been taken out. The locations are noted and replacement trees will be provided in due course, but there is a waiting list. The rest are subject to the pruning programme.
Before the programme began Richard met Ben Morris, the Council’s Chief arborculturalist, in Sutton South Ward, to discuss the programme. They called on a number of residents who have particular issues with street trees.
Richard comments “We all love the trees and Sutton is rightly regarded as a green and pleasant Borough. I was pleased we were able to get the pruning programme brought forward. Inevitably the decisions taken by the arborculturalists leave some people complaining that trees near them should be pruned harder or less hard, and in a few locations trees that twere declining or diseased have been lost. But overall this is a programme to maintain the trees that are such an attractive aspect of South Sutton Ward.”
We appreciate the trees in The Ridgway, which have been severely lopped.
POTHOLE ALERT!
Keeping Sutton moving is one of our top priorities, so we’ve been working with the Department for Transport to make sure that we’re ready for the cold weather that this winter will bring.
Prevention is better than patching things up, and we’d rather stop potholes from appearing in the first place, reducing accidents, keeping traffic flowing and avoiding costly repairs.
We’re asking for residents’ help. There are over 200 miles of road in the borough and although we inspect roads regularly, we can’t be everywhere at once. We need your help to spot holes as soon as they start to form so that we can repair them before serious damage is done.
Residents can report a pothole online at www.sutton.gov.uk/potholes or ringing 020 8770 5070, or let Heather and Richard know.
SUTTON CUSTOMER SERVICES ARE THE TOPS
Sutton crowned council of the year for customer services
Sutton has been named council of the year after 99% of residents said they were happy with the customer service they received when they telephoned the council.
The award is based on feedback from residents who have spoken to the council via the telephone, internet, mobile phone and face-to-face at council offices.
This year alone, more than 87,000 people left feedback after contacting Sutton Council. Of this figure 92 per cent said they were satisfied with how their query was dealt with face-to-face.
The data is collected and analysed by a company called GovMetric, which is used by 75 local authorities across the country.
The council is keen to replicate this success on its website, to save council tax payers money. Each face-to-face transaction costs the council £5.87 to process. Over the telephone the cost is £2.24, but internet transactions cost just 28p.
From January to November this year, residents contacted the council by telephone 314,425 times, face-to-face 31,539 times and 625,958 times via the internet.
Deputy Leader of Sutton Council, Councillor Ruth Dombey, said: “Now more than ever it is important that we are able to deal with residents’ enquiries as efficiently and helpfully as possible, to ensure we get the best possible value for money for our council tax payers and the best possible results.
“I’m delighted residents are happy with the level of service they receive from their council. Our customer services team are doing a great job and it’s fantastic to have that recognised.
“The feedback we receive allows us to listen to residents and, if anything goes wrong, rectify it quickly. For example, when the 24-hour touchtone payment system was replaced with voice recognition software, customers told us they did not like it. The council reverted back to touchtone within a couple of days.”
WITH THE ARMY
Heather meeting Corporal Paul Bicker from The London Regiment
I had the privilege of attending, with my husband, the presentation given by the Army this evening at the Territorial Army facilities on Stonecot Hill.
Led by Brigadier Mathew Lowe MBE, army officers and staff talked about their work and their links with the community. We saw film of the army in action in many locations, not least Afghanistan. And we heard at first hand about the service which these brave people give our country. As one officer said to Peter and me, ” we have to work hard at the training, so that if your mate loses his leg beside you, you know what to do.” Words that bring home the sacrifices that these men and women make for our safety.
The purpose of the evening was to emphasise that members of the army come from the community, and are part of the community. They want the community to understand what they do, and to support them. The army also wants to recruit more people from ethnic minorities and also to increase the numbers joining the Territorial army which is set to increase significantly over the next 5 years.
SERVING OUR RESIDENTS
At the New Year some residents complained to me of flooding under the Grange Vale bridge. Cycling across to the bridge, I found the heavy and quick leaf fall this autumn had led to a mulch of leaves blocking the drains. While there are over 20 000 street trees in Sutton, so the annual leaf fall stretches the cleaning teams, Grange Vale is also affected by fall from trees owned by Network Rail, on the railway line. I dealt with the problem by myself clearing away the leaf debris. I have asked the response team to give priority to Grange Vale during the leaf fall next year.
Also, just after Christmas, residents in Cavendish Road reported the dumping of rubbish all round the bin adjacent to Fiske Court. I cycled over to look at the problem. I cleared the rubbish back into the bin but more was dumped the following day. I have got tyhe response team to slightly move the bin and, for the time being, check it daily.
A resident of Leslie Gardens, a cul-de-sac off Worcester Road, approached me concerning the problems experienced during the snow last winter, as there is no grit bin near the road and a slight incline at the entrance turns it into an ice rink. After discussion with Council officials, I obtained a new grit bin which has been placed in the road. This adds to the large number of grit bins placed at locations throughout the Ward by the Council over the last two years. Other bins, such as the ones in Hillcroome Road and in Downside Road, were placed at our specific request after discussion with residents.
These are not isolated successes. We have achieved many. For example, see below the litter bin obtained, following an approach from a resident, which we got placed at a strategic point in Cedar Road (said by a resident to be at about the point someone walking back from the station with a takeway snack would finish it and drop litter). Also the tree we got planted in Copse Hill (which replaced a tree demolished by a car in a road traffic accident).
The rubbish bin in Cedar Road
The tree in Copse Hill
Let us know of other strategic locations in the Ward where something is needed.
OFSTED “GOOD” FOR LOCAL SCHOOL
Devonshire Primary School on the up
Children at Devonshire Primary School are getting a “good” education, according to a report just released by Ofsted.
The education watchdog said pupils “flourish socially and academically” at the school, and their attainment has been rising since the school was last inspected in 2008, when it was judged to be “satisfactory”.
The recent inspection, carried out before the half term break in October, said children are well behaved, enjoy lessons and are given opportunities to enjoy lots of activities outside of lessons.
The report states: “Pupils become good young citizens and make a good contribution to the community, participating enthusiastically in local events and willingly taking on responsibility outside lessons.
“The curriculum provides a breadth of exciting learning opportunities that enables pupils to enjoy school.”
The report also praised staff, saying they are enthusiastic and plan lessons that challenge pupils.
Headteacher Martin Kearsey said: “I am absolutely delighted that this report acknowledges the sustained teamwork of everybody at Devonshire. The staff, parents, governors and of course, our wonderfully talented children, fully deserve this recognition.”
Cllr Kirsty Jerome, Executive Member for Education and Schools at Sutton Council, said: “This is a great result for the pupils, staff and parents at Devonshire Primary School who have worked so hard over the last three years. They should be very proud of themselves and this report, which highlights the excellent learning and social opportunities available at the school.”
The result follows the expansion of Devonshire Primary, which saw three new classrooms open in September 2011.
It was one of four to expand as the number of places needed in Sutton continues to rise. Beddington Park, Dorchester and Muschamp primaries also expanded this year, and another five – All Saints Benhilton Church of England Primary, All Saints Carshalton Church of England Primary, Brookfield Primary, The Federation of St Elphege’s Catholic Infants and Junior and Cheam Common Infants – will be enlarged in time for the next school year.
Sutton’s primary school pupils achieved the third best SATs results in the country this year, and at GCSE level Sutton came top.
NEW POLLING ARRANGEMENTS WILL HELP LOCAL SCHOOLS
We have supported, and been instrumental in extending, proposals that will reduce disruption at local schools every time there is an election.
Sutton Council recently completed a review of polling areas and polling stations, something it is required by law to conduct at set intervals.
We have long been aware of a concern on the part of parents of children at Devonshire Avenue primary school, the school that most primary-age school children in our Ward attend, of the disruptive effect of closing the school for a day to use it as a polling station. It disrupts the education of the children and creates a child-care issue for many parents, particularly those who work and may need to take a day off work as the school is closed. Consequently we have supported the proposal to consider, as an alternative, the use of the hall of Christchurch church in Christchurch Park. We are pleased that this proposal is now likely to be agreed.
During this consultation exercise Richard was approached by parents who live in Sutton South Ward but who send their children to Barrow Hedges school, which is just outside the Ward, making the point that similar considerations (the disruptive effect to the education of the children and the impact on parents) apply in respect of Barrow Hedges school. This led Richard to promote considering the use of the Baptist church hall in Banstead Road as an alternative. At the meeting of Sutton Council on 5 December the proposal will be put to it that in future neither Devonshire Avenue school nor Barrow Hedges school be used as polling stations. We support these proposals as they will avoid the disruption to the life of these schools that is involved in closing them for a day every time there is an election.