by Paul Scully | Jan 27, 2010 | News |
Sutton is the 4th highest of all of the London Boroughs for the development of brownfield sites which includes back gardens. Brownfield sites are those which have been used for another purpose before rather than, say greenbelt. Back gardens are included in this definition. In 2005, 30% of all brownfield development was in fact, on back gardens. In Sutton, this figure soared to 41%.
The Liberal Democrats talk a good game on garden grabbing but have forced through permission against residents’ wishes to build 21 houses on council-owned back garden land in Harcourt Road, Wallington.
There are several policies within the existing local planning framework known as the Unitary Development Policy and its successor, the no more snappily title Local Development Framework to protect our family homes which are being demolished to make way for flats and other high-density developments. We will use those powers to stop inappropriate back garden developments and to protect the suburban nature of our area.
We will also campaign for further powers through central government, asking them to stop including back gardens in their definition of brownfield sites. We have an ally to help campaign in City Hall, in the shape of Conservative Greater London Assembly Member Steve O’Connell who has said that he would “die in a ditch to protect our green spaces.”
Our Commitment: We will use all policies to stop developers from relentless garden grabbing.
by Paul Scully | Jan 26, 2010 | News |
Total Politics carries an interview with UKIP leader, Lord Pearson of Rannoch this month which I read with interest. He explains away some of his more unguarded moments like accusing “the Muslims of breeding ten times faster than us” in an interview that has been replayed by BNP activists to promote their own extreme racist views.
However one part of the interview of particular local interest was when he explained why his main aim is to stop the Conservative Party winning a working majority. He believes a hung parliament would be a first step in a realignment of British politics. When asked how this would benefit UKIP, he explains “We would then be free to join up with decent real people, Liberal Democrats in the south west.”
We have seen in Sutton how local UKIP activists have already aligned themselves alongside the Liberal Democrat establishment. I wonder if the two LibDem MPs and local councillors are happy bedfellows in this new partnership?
by Paul Scully | Jan 22, 2010 | News |
Regular readers will know that I am not a fan of road humps. It is likely that speed tables (brick raised areas on junctions) will be put on the junctions of Ruskin Road/Rotherfield Road, Ruskin Road/ Seymour Road and Talbot Road/ Rotherfield Road after residents voted in favour, both in the official council consultation and extra door-knocking by me and Eric. Nonetheless, as a whole Conservatives believe that they should not be the lazy default option to show that the local authority is doing something about a problem that is not necessarily there. In the first guest post of my blog, Cllr Graham Whitham, Conservative Spokesman on Environment & Transport shares the thoughts of our group and our pledge to residents for the forthcoming local elections:
“Tackling the impact of traffic and speeding vehicles is one of the most controversial jobs in Sutton Council.
Over the last 24 years, the ruling Liberal Democrats have placed many road humps in our roads. Many of the Borough’s road humps have little proven benefits and do no more than annoy motorists. Crude anti-car policies do not help anyone.
In some areas road cushions are necessary for traffic calming and road safety. A Conservative-run Council will only introduce traffic calming measures if residents want them and proven benefits outweigh negatives.
We will be straight with people, offering choice with the various options available. When a road is resurfaced we will confirm with local residents whether they want to keep road humps or not – existing traffic calming schemes can be removed.
We believe in really listening. It’s as simple as that.”
Our Commitment: We will ballot residents about removing unpopular road humps as roads are resurfaced.
![LibDem Council Chief’s Half-Dozen Grit Bin Stash]()
by Paul Scully | Jan 20, 2010 | News |
Sutton Council’s Leader, Liberal Democrat councillor Sean Brennan, has no chance of being given the slip coming in and out of his office this winter due to an excellent service of no less than six grit bins less than 50 metres of his council office.
Last week’s Sutton Local Committee, scheduled to meet on Thursday in the Civic Offices, was called off by its Liberal Democrat chairman due to ‘weather conditions’ despite rapidly thawing snow and an elite phalanx of grit bins forming a vanguard for ease of access. Only two days before, 80 doughty residents of Carshalton came to the Baptist Church in Banstead Road to air their views and concerns at the Carshalton and Clockhouse Local Committee.
Discovery of the Leader’s grit reserve will rub salt into the wounds of residents who were left stranded in their homes due to ungritted roads. Residents were shocked to discover that the Council provides a mere one grit bin per 1200 residents.
Following news that Sutton has been reliant on borrowed grit due to diminishing stocks, and with snow predicted for later today, I am sure that Councillor Brennan could surrender some of his private grit reserves to needy areas in the Borough, for example council wards like Wandle Valley and Wallington North which have been left to cope each with one grit bin for an average population of 10,000 residents.
Sutton Council’s Liberal Democrat leader is very fortunate to have a crack squad of no less than six grit bins within a few yards of his office. And that’s not counting the two bins across the way outside the Holiday Inn showing that even his reserves have reserves!
Weather reports do not rule out more snowy and icy conditions, if the Council’s political leadership have not learnt their lesson from short-term cuts to the gritting budget, under provision of grit bins and lorries, Councillor Brennan should dip into his own stock to help residents out.
Whilst we cannot guarantee a platinum service matching the Council Leader’s, an incoming Conservative-run Sutton Council will substantially increase the number of grit bins across the Borough to ensure that residents can at least help themselves in treacherous icy conditions.”
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by Paul Scully | Jan 18, 2010 | News |
The budget consultation has become an annual occasion in Sutton Council where the ruling Liberal Democrat group seek to do the bare minimum to get their budget through. Two years ago, their budget affecting 180,000 Sutton residents was passed after they got the views from only 22 residents in a six-week period. The Conservative group found 29 people to comment in ten minutes on Sutton High Street.
Bruised but not beaten, the administration more than tripled their response rate last year, talking to a paltry 72 people. Let’s face it, they could have acheived this by each speaking to a single person sitting next to them on the bus. We spent the six weeks seeking the views of more than 1000 people.
This year they have taken advice from their beefed-up communications department and lead councillors have hit the High Street in high visibility jackets to talk to people. I was ready to think that they have finally started to take communication a little more seriously until I saw the response level in the report going to the Cabinet tonight. 78 people had their answers recorded on questions such as would you speak highly of the council or which issue from a list should form the council’s priorities. Six weeks for eight cabinet members to speak to 78 people is taking the Howard Hughes approach to communication. The results of the consultation were only released on Friday evening. However, we like to do our bit to help the ruling group understand the people that they were elected to serve so we listened to 79 people over the weekend.
The priorities in the two surveys were varied but the one difference in the results that stood out like a sore thumb was the question asking “Which one of the statements come closest to how you feel about Sutton Council as a whole?” The three options were
1. I would speak highly of the council
2. I would be critical of the council
3. I would neither speak highly nor criticise the council
The headline figures from the official survey were that 50% of residents were advocates of the council, 22% critical and 18% neutral, with 10% not offering a comment.
Our figures told a different story. The figures were nearly reversed with only 23% of residents being advocates for the council, 43% being critical and 34% being neutral. All 79 respondents offered an opinion.
Looking at how closely the council’s priorities aligned with those of residents, their own survey showed the top three issues being helping to prevent crime, looking after adults who need extra help and providing things for young people to do. Our survey also had crime at the top with the next two being schools which provide the best possible start in life and keeping Sutton clean. The age profile of our survey was considerably younger than the council’s own consultation and closer to the recent Residents’ Survey which had a much larger sample.
It’s clear that the Liberal Democrat Executive members were only interested in chasing headlines rather than genuine opinions of the residents that put them in charge.
Full comparison of the two consultation results:
by Paul Scully | Jan 18, 2010 | News |
I’m pleased to see that the playground in Warren Park has just about been finished. Parents in Fairview, Hawthorn and other surrounding roads asked me for this four years ago after the last playground was burned down some years before that. We’ve been able to use funding from a pot of money known as ‘Public Realm’ money to pay for it. This budget is divided up into the six local committee areas that make up the borough, for councillors and other representatives of residents to decide on local priorities. There are other strings attached to the budget so we can’t tear up speed bumps etc. but this is very welcome indeed.
I would have preferred the playground to have been sited further forward so as not to take such a chunk out of the park for ball games and dog walking. Nonetheless I hope that children and parents enjoy the new facility.
Sutton is the 4th highest of all of the London Boroughs for the development of brownfield sites which includes back gardens. Brownfield sites are those which have been used for another purpose before rather than, say greenbelt. Back gardens are included in this definition. In 2005, 30% of all brownfield development was in fact, on back gardens. In Sutton, this figure soared to 41%.
