Category Archives: Council

Be a good neighbour this summer

Community, Council, ,

Perfect timing for this information from Sutton Council as summer seems to have arrived today…

As the warmer weather starts Sutton’s residents will be making the most of the summer – but are asked to spare a thought for their neighbours.

Complaints to Sutton Council’s Environmental Health team traditionally rise during the summer months as people hold barbeques and outdoor parties.

Now the team has called on residents to enjoy the sunny weather but be considerate of their neighbours.

The team is asking residents to follow its simple guide:

If you have a party, warn your neighbours in advance and consider inviting them. Keep windows and doors shut and if someone complains, turn it down. If you are using the garden for your party, then make sure the music is in the house with the volume turned down, and not in the garden.

Do you really need to shout to be heard? Consider the volume of your voice. In properties with poor sound insulation and outdoors – everyone can hear you! In the garden at night, your voice will carry even further than during the day and you may disturb an entire neighbourhood.

Many of us enjoy using our barbeques; but the cooking odours can be unpleasant for our neighbours. Try to site your barbecue as far away as possible from neighbours to avoid smoke and fumes drifting into their homes.

Councillor Jill Whitehead, Chair for Environment and Neighbourhood Committee said:

“Excessive noise can really ruin people’s quality of life – whether it’s a dog barking, banging from DIY, loud music or burglar alarms going off. We are not asking for people to cancel their summer bbq’s but do ask that they be considerate and think about the impact that their excessive noise could be having on others.”

Persistent problems of noise can be investigated by the Environmental Health Team.

For further advice or information on noise ring 020 8770 5000.

Council to block new bars in ‘saturated’ areas of Sutton

Council, Crime, , , , ,

Opening new pubs and bars in ‘saturated’ areas of the borough is to become more difficult as the council cracks down on problem drinking.

Sutton Council has declared several areas of the borough ‘saturation zones’ meaning anyone wanting to obtain a licence to sell alcohol in those areas must prove they meet stringent criteria and that they will not contribute toward alcohol related crime.

The council has identified seven zones, including Sutton High Street, Wallington town centre and Central Road in Worcester Park, because they have been particularly troubled by alcohol-related issues like violence and anti-social behaviour.

More: www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/suttonnews/11259960.Council_to_block_new_bars_in__saturated__areas_of_Sutton/

Sutton volunteer stars in recycling campaign

Council, Recycling, ,

The face of a Sutton volunteer will be on posters, trams, phone boxes and refuse vehicles as part of a campaign to encourage more people to recycle.

The ‘Ker-ching! – that’s the sound of you saving your community money by recycling’ campaign will run over June and July. It is being led by the South London Waste Partnership which is a joint initiative between four boroughs – Sutton, Merton, Kingston and Croydon, who are working together to provide improved and more cost-effective waste management services to their residents.

Last year £5m was saved in landfill tax thanks to the 69,621 tonnes of waste recycled by the public in the four boroughs including 6,411 tonnes of mixed plastics. The councils want to increase the amount of recycling and save the community even more money in the process. With council budgets being squeezed, these savings can help support essential services in the four boroughs.

In Sutton, the advertising campaign is being fronted by local volunteer Eve McElhinney. Eve was an Olympic Games-maker and has subsequently become one of Sutton’s Community-makers.

Eve McElhinney said:

“I am passionate about recycling and was very happy to be part of this campaign. It is something I believe in and I think that recycling on an individual basis does make a difference.

“We can all make a difference. When I see how much I recycle every week, I am amazed and I think if one person can make such a difference, then how much of a difference we all could make together.”

“Sutton is a lovely area, full of green spaces and great for shopping and social events. I want it to be a clean place, safe for children to play in without having to worry about dog poo not being picked up or lighted cigarette butts being discarded thoughtlessly.”

Colin Hall, Chairman of the South London Waste Partnership Joint Committee, said:

“We saved our communities £5m last year through recycling. With landfill tax continuing to rise, the money saved by recycling will be even greater.

“Whether it’s plastic, bottles, paper or glass, recycling will help to save your community money that can be spent on other services.”

Last year, Sutton recycled and composted 37 per cent of all domestic waste collected.

Click here to see Eve’s advertisement.

New Sutton Councillors sign on

Council, News, Politics, Uncategorized, , ,

The six new Councillors elected in the Sutton Council wards of Worcester Park and Nonsuch signed on the dotted line last night and are now officially representing residents on Sutton Council.
Their details can be found on the Government page of this site and full details will also appear on the Council site soon.

Free childcare for Sutton’s two year olds

Children, Council,

Sutton Council is appealing for parents of two year olds to come forward to find out if they can benefit from free childcare as part of a scheme to support low income families.

The scheme provides eligible children with 570 hours of free education a year (normally taken as 15 hours a week of free early learning for up to 38 weeks a year).

The scheme is available to residents who earn less than £16,190, receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income Support, or other benefits, from the term after a child’s second birthday, thanks to funding from the government.

The free childcare can be provided by nurseries, childminders, pre-schools or playgroups.

There are currently around 250 two year olds in Sutton benefiting from the scheme, but this is a fraction of the number who may be eligible. The council wants to ensure that everyone who is entitled to this support receives it.

Councillor David Callaghan, Chair of Sutton Council’s Children, Family and Education Committee, said:

“Free childcare will give a real boost to low income families in Sutton and ensure that children get the best possible start in life. However we know that not everyone who is entitled to this free childcare is getting it so it’s important that families get in touch with the council to find out if their children are eligible.

“Support is there for parents who wish to return to work or adult education, and we don’t want anyone to miss out.”

For more information visit www.sutton.gov.uk/familyinfo.

People can also contact Sutton Family Information Service at Sutton Council: call 020 8770 6000 or familyinfo@sutton.gov.uk.

Sutton burial records go online

Council, News, , ,

Genealogists across the borough will be aided in their research as Sutton Council has announced that its burial records for Sutton Cemetery and Cuddington Cemetery, which date back to 1889, will now be accessible online.

The council has recently finished scanning and transcribing the records from Sutton Cemetery. This work forms part of a project involving the provision of a new computerised burials administration system for the Cemetery Service. The burial records for Bandon Hill Cemetery, which is jointly managed by the London boroughs of Sutton and Croydon, are also due to go online in April 2014.

Currently, residents have had to contact the cemetery office with their genealogical enquiries with the staff having to refer to the burial registers which are old, fragile books, some dating back over one hundred years. Local residents will now be able to search and download the records via the Deceased Online website www.deceasedonline.com.

Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of Sutton Council’s Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee, said:

“This modernisation is much needed; the previous registers were old and could not have lasted a great deal longer. The records being placed online will allow a much greater access to our citizens and will facilitate quick efficient research. Given that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI we expect many people to use this service to further research their ancestors who fought in the Great War”

Sutton Council live web-chat service launched

Council, News, ,

A new live web-chat service has been launched by Sutton Council as part of an ongoing drive to provide better customer services.

The opportunity to chat in real-time will enable residents to gain greater clarity about specific problems and queries they may have. Customers will be able to click on the live chat option on the website; which will connect them with a customer services advisor who will best assist with their enquiry.

More: www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=550

Sutton Council responds to Environment Agency flood alert

Council, News, ,

– Council continues to work with partners to reduce flood risk
– Long term flood prevention work is paying off in Beverly Brook and Wallington Bridge

Sutton Council has extended its sympathies to families affected by flooding across the country as more wet weather is forecasted for this weekend.

The council is continuing to work with partner organisations to manage local flood risk after the Environment Agency issued a low risk flood alert for the River Wandle this morning.

Flooding of low lying land and roads is possible, although Sutton remains largely unaffected despite the water table continuing to increase.

Recent days have seen an escalation of the sustained work between Sutton Council and partners Thames Water and the Environment Agency to identify and tackle potential flood risks.

This work has included reducing the risk of flooding occurring again in Carshalton High Street. This week, Sutton Council blocked an outlet that allows spring water to drain from a pond in Carshalton Park and go underneath the High Street. By blocking the outlet, the water is now channelled to Carshalton Ponds instead, and so far the High Street has not flooded again.

The council is also monitoring water levels around two Carshalton schools. This week it arranged for water to be drawn from Wrythe Lane in Carshalton after the rain caused surface water to collect in the road and outside Carshalton High School for Girls. The council is also working with All Saints Carshalton CE Primary School to monitor the level of the adjacent Grotto Canal.

Longer term prevention work undertaken by Sutton Council and partners in areas including Beverly Brook and Wallington Bridge is also paying off.

Both areas had flooded in the past and, as a result, Sutton Council lobbied the Environment Agency for and part funded a £1.7m flood alleviation scheme for Beverly Brook which was completed 18 months ago.

The A237 under Wallington Bridge has also stayed dry after Sutton Council introduced soak away chambers in neighbouring Woodcote Road and Manor Road to remove surface water. Previously the water collected under the bridge to a depth of over a metre.

Although risk of flooding to properties is currently low, residents and businesses are asked to be vigilant and to prepare a flood plan in order to protect themselves, family, pets and property. People are also asked to look out for neighbours who are vulnerable and who may need additional support.

Niall Bolger, Chief Executive of Sutton Council, said:
“Everyone would have seen the news about the devastating effect of flooding and our sympathy goes out to all those affected.
“We all need to be vigilant and do our part in informing the Environment Agency of any flooding problems and of course to be prepared ourselves.
“All of the agencies are working hard to reduce the flood risk in Sutton as much as we can and so far we have been largely unaffected. That situation can change very quickly so it is important residents monitor the Environment Agency website updates.”

People should keep a regular eye on local water levels and weather conditions, and monitor the local news for updates and alerts.

Anyone who is worried about flooding should contact the Environment Agency via:
• Floodline: 0845 988 1188
• Twitter: @EnvAgency
• Website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Homes or businesses experiencing loss of power should contact:
• UK Power Networks (emergencies and power cuts) on 0800 028 0247 or via Twitter @UKPowerNetworks
• National Grid (Gas emergency) on 0800 111 999 or via Twitter @nationalgriduk

Street flooding caused by overflowing drains should be reported to the council using the ‘report it’ feature on their website www.sutton.gov.uk or by calling 020 8770 5000.

Advice on flooding and contacts for the Environment Agency and other services are also available on the council’s website www.sutton.gov.uk

Entrepreneurs invited to Start Up Sutton

Business, Council, News, , ,

A new scheme to support entrepreneurs looking to start a business is being launched with the backing of Sutton Council.

The Start Up Sutton scheme aims to provide entrepreneurs with the support they need in developing their ideas through a series of workshops, one to one clinics and ongoing support from specialist advisors.

A launch event is taking place on Tuesday, January 21, at Uno Tapas in Sutton high street.

More: www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/suttonnews/10929990.Entrepreneurs_invited_to_Start_Up_Sutton/