by Paul Scully | Sep 20, 2016 | News |
When I was elected in May 2015, one of my six key pledges was to secure more good school places in the Borough.
Sutton is facing a school place crisis, with 500+ places needed by 2020/21 and the first new school needing to at least partially open next year. However, the Council have not even approved planning permission for one new school, let along got spades in the ground.
This is primarily due to the Council’s politically motivated decision to withdraw their offer of the derelict all-weather pitch in Rosehill park to the Greenshaw Learning Trust as a site for a new school and instead embark on a campaign to build a school on the Sutton Hospital site, which the Council’s own surveyors said was 80% too small. Until recently, the Greenshaw Learning Trust was the only education provider that the Department for Education had approved to build a new free school in Sutton, and they rejected the Sutton Hospital site.
Since then, the Harris Academy Federation has also been approved to provide a new secondary school in the Borough, which the Council wants to see go on the Sutton Hospital site. Whilst I welcome the fact that we are starting to see some action in tackling Sutton’s school place crisis, I still have real reservations about a school going on this site, especially without a more holistic approach being taken to the whole of the former hospital site. The land is too small, Brighton Road is already congested and there is very little transport infrastructure to the area.
Notwithstanding my concerns on the site, Harris has a good record of achievement, especially in London. I have worked with them at primary school level at the Harris Academy Carshalton, and I look forward to supporting their aim to bring more excellent teaching to our children in Sutton.
I will continue to push for a school to go on the derelict all-weather pitch in Rosehill park and to secure the new good school places that Sutton desperately needs. Please keep an eye on my website and social media for further updates.
Orchard Hill, a specialist learning College that already operates in the Borough, has also been given approval to build a specialist school in the Borough, but this is in early stages.
by Paul Scully | Sep 19, 2016 | News |
Recently I attended an event to support The Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland’s ‘Count Them In’ campaign, which calls for questions on the Armed Forces community to be included in the next UK Census.
It is estimated that there are currently between 6.5 million and 6.7 million members of the Armed Forces community living in the UK, representing about a tenth of the population. However, little is currently known about the exact numbers, location and needs of this significant group. Including new questions on the next census would provide public bodies, local authorities, and charities with valuable information to ensure they are able to deliver the best services they can for our Armed Forces community.
I met with representatives of The Royal British Legion and veterans to discuss the campaign in Parliament.
It was a pleasure to meet with members of the Armed Forces community who, along with their families, make huge sacrifices in the service of our country. I also enjoyed meeting with staff from The Royal British Legion and hearing more about their Count Them In campaign.
It cannot be right that our Servicemen and women, veterans and their families are effectively hidden from official statistics, and that’s why I’m backing the call for new questions to be added to the next UK Census. We count on them – let’s count them in.
Charles Byrne, Director-General of The Royal British Legion, said: “As a nation we promise to provide lifelong care and support for those who serve our country. By adding questions to the 2021 UK Census, we can help public bodies and charities deliver the best services they can for our Armed Forces community, when and where it is needed most. We thank Paul for adding his support to our campaign: together I’m confident that we can make the next census count for our Armed Forces community”
Constituents can find out more about the campaign by visiting the campaign website, www.britishlegion.org.uk/census, or by posting their own pledge of support on social media using the #CountThemIn hashtag.
by Paul Scully | Sep 16, 2016 | News |
Recently I attended a reception in Parliament to celebrate parkrun UK‘s 12th anniversary.
Parkrun UK organise free, weekly, 5km timed runs around the world. They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in. These events take place in pleasant parkland surroundings and they encourage people of every ability to take part.
I attended with local resident, Lousie, who organises parkrun events in Nonsuch Park. Full details, including directions, can be found on their website here, and the juniors here.
It was a great opportunity to hear more about the work that parkrun do across the UK in their local communities. I hope to see Nonsuch parkrun continue to go from strength to strength.
by Paul Scully | Sep 15, 2016 | News |
I have just made a speech in Parliament as part of a debate on domestic abuse in the family courts.
Recently I met with Women’s Aid to discuss problems with the family court system, such as domestic abuse victims being cross-examined by their absuers in court. I have supported their campaign to put Children First in family court.
Their report, Nineteen Child Homicides, outlines the very upsetting cases of a parent who was known to the police and/or social services, being giv…en contact to a child by the courts and went on to kill their child.
This is sadly not unheard of here in Sutton. The tragic murder of Sutton girl, Ellie Butler, shocked people here and across the UK. It was especially saddening to hear that the courts put her back in the care of her father, who had a history of violence and abuse, and even prevented social services doing their job.
Today I called for more action to be taken to make family courts safe for domestic abuse victims, and for the primary focus in child contact cases to be the interests and safety of the child, not parental contact at all costs.
You can watch my speech here.
by Paul Scully | Sep 14, 2016 | News |
Aviva have launched their Community Fund and are welcoming applications from community groups in Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park.
The Aviva Community Fund awards funding of up to £25,000 for local community projects across a range of categories such as supporting the elderly, health & wellbeing and community sport. Last year they had over 430 separate winners and this year is bigger and better than ever with over 800 awards up for grabs.
Applications can be made until 11th October via this link and winners will be announced in January.
