Tag Archives: London Borough of Sutton

Worcester Park 2031 – Your chance to plan our future

Sutton 2031 – Your chance to plan our future

An artist’s impression of the Tramlink extension.
An artist’s impression of the Tramlink extension.

Sutton Council has launched a major consultation into the development and growth of the borough over the next 15 years.

Sutton 2031 asks people to help shape a new Local Plan, the document that provides the planning framework for future development.

Between 18 February and 8 April, local people are encouraged to give their views online or to attend any of the 22 exhibitions and meetings to discuss the Local Plan with our planners. To find out details or take part in the consultation they should visit www.sutton.gov.uk/sutton2031

Why is Sutton 2031 important?

The Greater London Authority predicts Sutton’s population could rise by 31,272 to 228,521 by 2031. To meet that challenge Sutton must provide new housing, and the infrastructure to support it, including additional schools, employment, improved transport and more health facilities.

The Local Plan designates the location and size of these developments, and also the pace of growth. The amount of people working and living in the borough will determine the amount of infrastructure needed to support them.

For example, the Greater London Authority forecasts Sutton will need 7,000 more jobs by 2031. If they were all office jobs, the borough would need to find the space of around nine football pitches to accommodate them.

By being proactive in planning for future growth the Local Plan can help retain the borough’s character and environment by protecting Sutton’s heritage and green spaces, and helping to cut pollution.

The consultation also includes the Town Centre Masterplan and London Cancer Hub Development Framework. Masterplanners are currently working on both of these projects and Sutton 2031 will give people the chance to review and comment on their draft proposals. Their views will be taken into account as part of the design process.

Cllr Jayne McCoy, Chair of the Housing, Economy and Business Committee, said:

“The London housing crisis is already putting Sutton under pressure so now is the right time to decide what the future of our borough should look like. Together, we need to ensure that growth works without losing Sutton’s essential character.

“We understand people love the suburban nature of our borough, the tree-lined streets, quality parks and open spaces. They also value our heritage, our district centres and high streets whilst seeing plenty of room for improvement in Sutton town centre.

“We have arranged our widest ever programme of consultation asking residents to help us determine the right places to concentrate growth, and achieve a quality of place that enhances all that is good about the borough.

“The message to our residents, businesses, developers, landlords and our young people is to get involved, and get everyone you know to get involved. What is in Sutton 2031 will affect you, and it will certainly affect your children. This is your opportunity to shape the future of our borough.”

Town Centre Masterplan

The development will bring retail, residential, and leisure opportunities to the area.
The development will bring retail, residential, and leisure opportunities to the area.

The Town Centre Masterplan is to help improve Sutton Town Centre so that is it fit for the future. As our main commercial district and the fourth largest centre in south London, its future success is critical to the borough. It must provide high quality services in a high quality setting, while also evolving the retail and leisure offer, increasing employment opportunities, providing new homes and generating revenue for local services.

The London Cancer Hub

The London Cancer Hub is a proposal to expand the operations of the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Foundation NHS Trust onto brownfield land in Belmont. It aims to bring together 10,000 scientists, clinical and support staff in a world leading Hub for cancer research, treatment, education and enterprise. Sutton Council has purchased part of the site for a secondary school with a planned specialism in the sciences to help our young people to start careers in this exciting sector.

Worcester Park

A key part of the Local Plan ‘Issues and Preferred Options’ document are the ‘potential site allocations’ that may be needed for development within Sutton up to 2031. The Other District Centre Potential Allocations section lists possible building sites in the borough’s district centres, including:

Worcester Park

  • S37 – MCMILLAN HOUSE 54-56 Cheam Common Road (already being converted from office space to residential use)
  • S44 – LIBRARY CAR PARK Stone Place
  • S45 – 1 LYNWOOD DRIVE Central Road
  • S46 – 165-181 CENTRAL ROAD Central Road
  • S47 – 1-9 WINDSOR ROAD Windsor Road
  • S48 – TELEPHONE EXCHANGE Longfellow Road
  • S49 – STONEPLACE CAR PARK Stone Place
  • S50 – SCOUT HUT Braemar Road

North Cheam

  • S35 – VICTORIA HOUSE London Road (proposed redevelopment under consultation)
  • S36 – CHEAM LEISURE CENTRE 316 Malden Road
  • S38 – CORNER OF 667-681 LONDON RD COVEY ROAD
  • S39 – WILSONS VAN CENTRE London Road
  • S40 – PETROL GARAGE SITE 688 London Road

Have your Say

Sutton Council will be seeking your views on the Local Plan Issues and Preferred Options document from 18th February to 8th April 2016.

To get involved and have your say they are holding a series of events where you can meet with planning officers to ask questions and find out more in person. In the Worcester Park area:

  • Saturday 5 March 2016, Exhibition: 10-12:30, Worcester Park, near HSBC
  • Thursday 17 March 2016, Presentation: 19:00+ (see the agenda for the scheduled timing of this item).  Cheam North and Worcester Park Local Committee, Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park.

You can also contact the Planning Policy Team by email to sutton2031@sutton.gov.uk and on 020 8770 6453.

Presentations to help children and young people stay safe on the internet

Parents in Sutton can book their seat for the borough’s first-ever Community Safety Presentations to help children and young people stay safe on the internet.

Two free hour-long sessions have been arranged at the Sutton Life Centre on Tuesday, 20 October at 12noon and 6pm focusing on ‘sexting’ – the sending and passing on of explicit texts, images and video via mobile phone and the internet.

Parents will hear from two guest speakers who are specialists in protecting children from harm.

The first speaker will be Joanna Sharpen, who is the Children and Young People’s Project Co-ordinator at Against Violence & Abuse (AVA), which is working to end all forms of violence against women and girls. Joanna advises the Government on children’s issues and is working locally on a Big Lottery funded project with Limes College in Sutton to set up a group of students as peer educators.

The second speaker is Detective Constable Karen France from the Met Police Sexual Offences, Exploitation & Child Abuse Command. Det Con France is the Child Sexual Exploitation Special Point of Contact for Sutton Borough and attends the Borough’s monthly, multi-agency child sexual exploitation meetings.

In addition, parents will be able to raise any issues or questions in person with Sutton’s police officers, who work with teachers and pupils at Sutton’s secondary schools, as well as the Council’s e-safety officer, who gives talks about online safety at junior and secondary schools in the borough.

Police schools officers believe that children are unwittingly putting themselves at risk of distress and harm by posting explicit images of themselves with little or no control over those images being seen and captured by internet users around the world who actively seek out such material.

Charities working in this field believe many children have come to accept ‘sexting’ as a normal part of growing up and are often reluctant to talk about it with their parents because they are afraid of being judged or having their phones taken away.

Cllr Wendy Mathys, Chair of the Children, Family and Education Committee at Sutton Council, said: “Increasing numbers of children and young people have ready access to mobile phones and tablets that have cameras built in. We want young people to learn about using such technology in a safe and responsible manner.”

Places are available at both presentations on Tuesday, 20 October from 12-1pm and 6-7pm. To book your place, email ztmedia@met.police.uk and provide your name, how many places you wish to book (one or two) and state which session you would like to attend (either 12noon or 6pm). Or call 020 8649 0681 or 020 8649 0613 weekdays between 8am – 4pm. Please note there is no answerphone on these lines.

KTM motorbike owners – Police warning

Four KTM motorcycles – known for their distinctive orange colour markings – have been stolen in the borough over the last six weeks.

Three of these off-road bikes were stolen from sheds or garages in Wigmore Road, Wrythe Lane and Butter Hill – all Carshalton addresses. The other KTM bike was stolen from a back garden in Grove Lane, Coulsdon. They were all stolen overnight.

Police believe these bikes are the current bike of choice for thieves and owners are being urged to take extra security steps to protect their vehicles.

1. Use a security chain to attach your motorcycle to a fixed point.

2. Use a security device on both wheels if possible. Consider a chain lock for the rear wheel and a disc lock with an audible alarm at the front.

3. Try and use products with the highest security ratings.

4. Forensically mark your motorcycle as it will improve the chances of your motorcycle being found and returned if stolen.

Remember – Lock it, don’t lose it.

Temporary closure of ‘Pig Alley’ footpath

Pig Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Alley, Worcester Park

The section of public footpath running between Boscombe Road and Trafalgar Avenue, known locally as Pig Alley, will be closed from Monday 10 November 2014 for approximately one month. The closure is necessary while a shared use footpath for pedestrians and cyclists is constructed along this section of the footpath.

This will form the first section of a new cycle route which will eventually run from the Garth Road / Green Lane junction in the London Borough of Merton along Green Lane to the stables then via the current footpath to Trafalgar Road and onwards towards Sutton. Subsequent sections of the route will be constructed as funding is identified and allocated. It is hoped the section from Boscombe Road to the stables in Green Lane will be constructed next year.

Cycle route plan – section 1

Cycle route notice – section 1

Nominations open for Sutton Council’s Community Awards 2014

Who is your Worcester Park community hero?

The hunt is on to find the people who make the most difference to their communities in Sutton.

Sutton Council’s 2014 Community Awards are now open and they want to hear your nominations.

The awards, which are run annually, are designed to make sure that local “heroes” get the recognition they deserve for what they do.

Sutton’s Community Awards are a way of recognising and saying thank you to the local heroes, volunteers, carers, charity workers, club and event organisers and good neighbours who have made a difference in Sutton’s community.

Nominations are open to anyone who lives, works, studies or volunteers in the borough.

Ray and Vi Donovan were winners in 2013 for their work visiting prisons/schools and conferences to campaign about restorative justice.

Ray Donovan said:

“The awards are a fantastic event for the community, celebrating positive people that don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

“To win an award last year absolutely blew us away, it was very nice to have people recognise the work we had done. It was also great to meet so many kind people; Councillor Dombey is now an ambassador for our trust after we spoke at last year’s event.

“It really means a lot to be acknowledged and I urge everyone to nominate their community heroes.”

You can make your nomination online by e-mailing communityawards@sutton.gov.uk  or by picking up a freepost nomination form at your local library, Civic Offices, or other council or partner building. You can make as many nominations as you like.

The closing date for nominations is Sunday 11 January 2015.

The categories for nominations are:

  1. Safer Borough Award: Given outstanding service to the borough by keeping Sutton safe
  2. Improving Lives Award: Made a difference to people’s lives by going the extra mile
  3. Community Spirit Award: Brought the community together through community events, clubs or project.
  4. Business in the Community Award: Increased prosperity, employment or access to the borough through business initiatives
  5. Outstanding Achievement Award: Brought credit to the borough through outstanding achievement – e.g. academic, sporting, artistic or cultural

Council Leader Ruth Dombey said:

“Sutton’s Community Awards are our chance to recognise people who make a real difference to our borough. The awards depend on nominations so if you know someone who goes the extra mile for their community, whether they are carers, volunteers, community organisers, charity workers then please nominate.”

The Awards Process

Once the deadline for nominations has passed, a panel made up of representatives including Councillors and the Sutton Guardian will pick a shortlist from nominations.

All those shortlisted will be invited to a celebration event in February 2015, where the winners will be announced.

Winners will receive a commemorative certificate and £100 in high street vouchers

Runners up will receive a commemorative certificate.

Nominations are now open and will close on Sunday 11 January 2015. Please complete the online form, send in a special nomination form or send in full details by email.

If you have any queries on the nomination process please email communityawards@sutton.gov.uk or call 020 8770 5131.

Dealing with anti-social behaviour

We have received a press release which provides an interesting, and comforting, insight into the joint approach adopted by Sutton Police, Sutton Council and other agencies to deal with anti-social behaviour in the borough. Although not specifically relating to Worcester Park it is useful to understand how this problem is being dealt with in the Sutton Council part of our area.

Press release:

This month (August) marks the first anniversary of a police and Sutton Council led group which was set up to deal with Sutton’s most serious and complex cases of anti-social behaviour (ASB).

This high risk, multi-agency ASB group, is run by the Safer Sutton Partnership Service (SSPS) – a joint team of police and Sutton Council staff who manage the borough’s community safety services.

The group brings together Police, Council, Social Landlords, Health and other agencies to look at the most difficult and complex cases. They are supported by the borough’s dedicated Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, run by the Police and Council together with Sutton Housing Partnership.

These steps were put in place to make sure public bodies gave a rounded and joint response to residents’ concerns about ASB in the borough.

Twenty complex cases have come to the group, which meets fortnightly, and uses a mix of supportive and enforcement measures to change perpetrators’ behaviour and reduce the harm and impact they have on the wider community. Solutions are tailor-made to each case but can include supportive measures such as:

– understanding and support for the many issues faced by both victims and perpetrators. These issues include mental health, drug and alcohol use and housing instability

This works alongside…

– enforcement such as Anti-Social Behaviour Contracts and Orders, harassment warnings, arrest, court proceedings and even eviction.

Here are three of the cases dealt with by the group:

Case 1:

A resident in her 50s, who waged a campaign of noise day and night against the male resident in the flat below. This included her banging on the floor with her wardrobe doors, which she had removed from their hinges for this purpose. Her victim, aged in his 30s, was forced to live his life in almost silence afraid to turn up the TV or play music for fear of retaliation. At times, he suffered sleep deprivation, which caused him to be off work. She was issued with a harassment warning and then arrested and charged to court for breach of the order.

The multi-agency group worked with mental health professionals to ensure she understood the court proceedings against her and to ensure her anti-psychosis medication was taken under supervision as well as working with a homeless charity to understand her housing history. Although she moved out of her privately rented flat a month before her appearance in court, she was sentenced to a Restraining Order not to contact the male resident for 12 months. During this unavoidable period of court action, the multi-agency group ensured the victim was supported and provided with regular updates on the legal action.

Case 2:

A 27-year-old man placed a significant burden on emergency service teams by making a huge number of repeat 999 calls to Met Police and London Ambulance Services – effectively restricting legitimate callers access to life-saving services. His calls escalated when he realised he could get more than one vehicle to his address if he claimed he had a particularly serious problem. He avoided attempts to ban his mobile number by buying a new sim card or using the local payphone. The man suffered with a fixation for blue flashing lights which could be attributed to his spectrum of autism.

The multi-agency group, on the advice of mental health professionals, decided to issue an Anti-Social Behaviour Contract, which is a voluntary agreement between all parties involved including the perpetrator. Since then, the Met Police and London Ambulance have not received any calls from him. He had also made nuisance calls to his landlord – Sutton Housing Partnership. But these too have stopped.

Case 3:

A 15-year-old male youth was getting in trouble with police for increasingly serious offences. With his parents often out of the country, the youth was being looked after by relatives or by foster parents after Social Services became involved. He was often reported missing to police and he had a poor attendance at school. He was arrested, charged and brought before the juvenile court for criminal damage at his foster parents’ address, which resulted in an assault on a police officer. At the same time he was convicted of a common assault on a man, aged 50s.

On the back of this conviction, the multi-agency group succeeded in obtaining an Anti-Social Behaviour Order against the youth for two years to stop him from being in a public place with three or more people unless accompanied by a family member aged over 18 – unless he was taking part in a sporting activity arranged and supervised by a person over 18.

In each of the above cases, neighbours or other residents have not had cause to report these individuals to the police again.

Sgt Graham Rice, who runs Sutton’s Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, said: “These cases are examples of our well-rounded approach to understand why people are doing what they are doing, but also to maintain a determination that their anti-social behaviour has to stop.

“In my opinion, the only reason why we have achieved long-lasting outcomes to these cases is that we have involved organisations with a wide range of expertise and used their skills and knowledge in the right way at the right time. The result is that the nuisance has stopped for the benefit not just of their victims but for all residents whose lives have been touched by these individuals.”

Total Policing is the Met’s commitment to be on the streets and in your communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

Proposed cycle route for Worcester Park

Proposed improvements to the footpath between Boscombe Road and Trafalgar Avenue could provide a new off-road cycle route for Worcester Park.

The proposal is to up-grade the existing footpath, by providing a 3m wide tarmac path and allowing pedestrians and cyclists to use it.

The benefit of improving the path is to encourage more journeys by bicycle and on foot. This section of path is part of a longer route that leads to the borough boundary with Merton to the north at Green Lane. Merton Council have recently up-graded their section of Green Lane to provide a good surface for pedestrians and cyclists. It is not intended to provide street lighting along the path as it is to be promoted as a daytime route only.

Residents near the route are being asked  for their comments but if you have any thoughts on this proposal you can e-mail Traffic.Postbook@sutton.gov.uk quoting reference T30086/3 by Friday 25 July 2014.

The results of this consultation will be reported to your ward councillors for consideration.

Worcester Park resident guilty of council tax fraud

Mrs Suna Grainger, of Stoneleigh Avenue, Worcester Park appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on the 24thJune 2014 having been charged with two offences of failing to declare a change in circumstances in order to obtain Council Tax Benefit from the London Borough of Sutton and Income Support from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The court heard that Mrs Grainger claimed to be living alone as a single parent with no income when in fact her partner was living with her and working. This resulted in an overpayment of benefit totalling £9,164.99.

Mrs Grainger pleaded guilty to the two charges levied against her. In passing sentence the Magistrates stated that although her claim was not false from the outset, when her partner returned to her property she failed to notify the relevant authorities and she continued to receive benefits she knew that she wasn’t entitled to receive.

Mrs Grainger has been sentenced to a 60 hour community punishment order to be completed within one year. Costs of one hundred pounds where awarded to the prosecution along with a victim surcharge of sixty pounds.

Speaking after the case, Councillor Nick Emmerson, lead member for Revenues and Benefit at Sutton Council said:

“Mrs Grainger lied to the council in order to falsely claim thousands of pounds in Council Tax Benefit she was not entitled to.

“Council Tax Benefit exists so that people can receive help when they need it. Mrs Grainger abused this scheme and as a result now has a criminal record.”

If you think someone is claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or a Council Tax Reduction they are not entitled to, please call the Council’s Investigation Team, in confidence, on 020 8770 5687 or go to the websitewww.sutton.gov.uk.

Alternatively call the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 328 6340 or Textphone on 0800 328 6341. You can also follow the Investigation Team on Twitter @LBSInvestigates.

Sutton is the greatest borough in London, says new mayor Arthur Hookway

The new mayor has described Sutton as the greatest borough in London and has pledged to celebrate community spirit in his time in office.

Councillor Arthur Hookway, who lives in Worcester Park, is new to Sutton Council after winning a seat in Worcester Park ward in last month’s elections but was made the borough’s first citizen at a meeting on Monday.

More: www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/suttonnews/11268543.Sutton_is_greatest_borough_in_London__says_new_mayor/

Be a good neighbour this summer

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.