Cllr Marlene Heron

Report back from Sutton Local Committee 6 Sept 2016

Thanks to the many residents who came to the Local committee meeting on 6 Sept at Sutton Grammar School and participated in the debates.  It was encouraging to see so many of you there.  If you missed it, an audio recording can be found here:

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/downloads/download/505/sutton_local_committee_audio_recordings

There was the usual lively public question time.  Residents can ask questions without giving notice, and we councillors with Council officers do our best to give on the spot answers.  Among the concerns you raised were:

• The scaffolding yard in Rectory Road
• Parking in Benhill Road, especially near the traffic island by the park
• The surface of the High St
• What is happening at Times Square and BHS
• The future of the Prince Regent

Among the many issues on the agenda we discussed were:

• An update on Neighbourhood Watch. This very popular scheme is very supportive to the police and provides important safety information to local residents.  The take up in our area is not as high as in the rest of the Borough.  To join go to:

http://www.suttonneighbourhoodwatch.co.uk/

• The local police reported that they have reorganised their teams and there is now a stronger presence in the High St (and have you seen the Environmental Enforcement Officers on duty to crack down on litter louts?)
• Sutton United told us of their promotion to the National League (only one step down from the Football League).
• The discussion on public realm and neighbourhood grants included an update on the litter bins outside Greenshaw, and the chain linked posts outside All Saints Church. Funding is being sought to bring the toilet block on Sutton Green back into use as a café, and provision was made for match funding for this.
• Council officers reported on the positive feedback on the town centre Masterplan. Issued raised by residents included:
  • Building heights
  • The gyratory system
  • Need to not dilute the retail offer
  • Need to preserve existing heritage
  • Need to provide community facilities – eg schools and GP services etc

The updated masterplan has addressed these issues and is now on the web site:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7dG7dwnTfNkOF9XcHFCQzdHSHM/view

• We also had an update on Market Place Sutton (formerly called the Northern Gateway) which is the project to upgrade the High St between Marshalls Road and Greenford Road. The aim is to reverse the decline of this part of the High St and make it an area people will want to visit.  There are now plans for two street kiosks outside Asda that will provide additional lighting at night, additional trees, and new shopfronts for the shops opposite.  We hope some of you visited the High St on Saturday 10 September and told the team of some of your favourite memories of Sutton.   Also thanks for your help in creating some of the designs for the alleyways using tiles.  These are now in place on a trial basis.  It certainly looks brighter and more inviting.  This event is one of a series during the summer which has included the Big Dance Bus, Youth Games and an Outdoor cinema.
• We had reports on various parking schemes in our area, including Angel Hill, Gloucester Gardens, Northspur Road, Hillview Road/ Benhill Wood Road junction, the Leafield Road area, Chaucer Gardens, and around Greenshaw School.
• We agreed the funds for a footway parking scheme for Ranfurly Road, and asked that residents are now consulted on the detail of the scheme.
• We also discussed the changed parking arrangements in Vale Road that have been agreed, the need to consider a width restriction and to consider changes to the controlled parking times as the first stage of the area parking review.

All in all another busy meeting.  Sutton Local Committee meets four times a year to discuss issues affecting our area.  Meetings are open to residents, who are invited to take part in the discussions, though only councillors can vote.  There is a public question time.  The next meeting is on Tues 13 December at 7pm at the Europa Gallery, Sutton Library.