Jill, Alan and Hamish have just received a letter from the council’s Highways Department.

Dear Councillor,

In order to facilitate electricity cable maintenance works in Carshalton Road at its junction with Harrow Road, Sutton a Temporary Traffic Management Order will be made.

There will be a public notice and plan in relation to temporary restrictions / prohibitions.

Further information on the temporary restrictions / prohibitions which will come into operation on Monday 19^th November 2012 and with works expected to take 1 night to complete, can be obtained from David Waugh (tel. 020 8770 6431).

Kind regards,

Wendy Groves

Smarter Travel Sutton, London Borough of Sutton

24 Denmark Road, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2JG

 Tel 020 8770 6465; Fax 020 8770 6298

A photo taken from The Grove Park of the multi-million pound building project to completely refurbish the Westcroft Leisure Centre which will house the New Carshalton Library towards the front/south car park. 

A picture is below of the new shop that has opened in Beacon Grove, Carshalton High Street to promote ticket sales at the new Leisure Centre.

Hamish says: “Two of my favourite traditional and wonderful shops in Carshalton Village to browse in, when I have the time, are Collector’s Corner (run by Mr. Tony Wilton) and Carshalton Antique Galleries (by the brothers Gough) “. A picture of each of these lovely shops is below.  Each of the proprietors has plenty to tell me when I call!”

Collector’s Corner in The Square, Carshalton has a huge variety of stuff to look at including traditional ceramics, coins, metal items, old toys.

Carshalton Antique Galleries in the High Street, Carshalton has a huge quantity of collectables plus antique furniture, ceramics, glassware. 

I do hope these shops can survive these hard times of recession.

A message has been recently received from Vince Cable MP for Twickenham  

Friend — Our system of taxation is both unfair and inefficient. People on modest incomes are paying their fair share of tax while the super rich can too easily avoid paying their share.

It is a particular scandal that some of the world’s wealthiest people who own property in the UK worth millions pay virtually the same council tax as owners of a modest family home.

I want to change this – I want a new ‘mansion tax’ on the most valuable properties – we propose 1% of the value of over £2million. This will be paid by the wealthiest 0.16% of property owners.

If you agree, add your name to our campaign now.

Unlike taxes on income, it is impossible to dodge a mansion tax. After all, a mansion can’t be hidden offshore.

There is plenty of opposition from top investment bankers who would have to pay more tax. And the Tories don’t like it either; it will hit some of their friends.

Polls show that this idea is very popular. The public want fairer taxes, as we do.

Add your name to the campaign now to help build support for fairer taxes.

Thank you,

Vince Cable MP

PS. Those who benefit from the current system are not short of help or money. That’s why we need you to back the campaign today. 

 

 

Vince Cable MP

The three Rs for cyclists everywhere.  

Please look after your bike...

By reporting your bike if it is stolen, you are increasing your chances of having it returned to you. These three simple steps greatly increase the likelihood of a stolen bike being returned to its rightful owner:

Record – keep a record of the frame number, make and any other marks that can identify your bike. There are a number of bike-marking events. For more details, visit www.met.police.uk

Register – there are number of websites which allow cyclists to register bike details. ‘BikeRegister’ is the preferred cycle online registration service of the MPS – www.bikeregister.com

Report – reporting a theft of a bike allows the police to check databases and contact the owner once the bike is recovered. For more information on cycling in the Capital, visit www.tfl.gov.uk/cycling

The recent planning application for the partial rebuilding of “Old” Forge, Carshalton High Street (by the public car park) was decided by Sutton Council on Wednesday 17th October 2012. 

Cllr. Hamish Pollock  who attended the meeting reports: “This application was for the partial rebuild and refurbishment of the dilapidated structure for motor repairs and ancillary car sales. At the meeting, I asked for extra safeguards to ensure that the original slate roofing materials were reused in the finished project and that there was a proper fencing around the site.

These extra conditions were agreed by the council’s planning committee. It was felt by the committee that the rebuilding proposal wouldn’t adversely affect the character of the Carshalton Village Conservation Area.”

All the Capital’s over-60s will be able to use Transport for London (TfL) services for free when a new Oyster travel concession launches at the start of next month. The new scheme fulfils the London Mayor’s pledge to bridge the gap for London’s 60-year-olds since the age of eligibility for the London Council’s Freedom Pass was raised from 60 to 61 by the Government in 2010.

More than 100,000 applications are expected before the new 60+ London Oyster photocard goes live, and a further 10,000 Londoners are expected to become eligible for the scheme each month. The Mayor said: ‘Londoners who have grafted all their lives and expected to receive free travel on retirement just as those before them quite rightly felt cheated when the age escalator removed the Freedom Pass from their grasp. ‘I promised to restore this right to travel for free on the Capital’s transport network for every Londoner from their 60th birthday. ‘From November, this will be the case when hundreds of thousands of people will be armed with their 60+ London Oyster card, enjoying all our great city can offer.’

Applications for the 60+ London Oyster photocard will open on October 17 and will require a colour digital photo, email address, proof of identification and a £10 fee. For more information, visit tfl.gov.uk/tickets

 

Sutton’s only Grade I listed building will open its doors to the public later this month for an afternoon guided tour.

Residents are being invited to book a place for the tours of Beddington based Carew Manor’s Great Hall and nearby Dovecote.

Guests will be able to see the Hall’s late-medieval beamed roof and hear about its construction from an expert guide. Explanation will also be given on the 18th century octagonal brick design that makes up Dovecote.

The tour will take place between 2pm and 3:30pm on Sunday 21st October. Tours have previously run in April, May and September this year.

Chair of Environment and Neighbourhood Committee, Cllr. Jill Whitehead said: “This is a great opportunity for local people to catch a glimpse of one of the most historic buildings in the Beddington area. The architecture and detail inside really capture the era it was created. I’d urge people to act quickly to avoid disappointment.”

Advanced booking is essential. Tickets cost £4.50. To book or for more information call 020 8770 4781.

The following was received from Caroline Pidgeon, the GLA Member and Deputy Chair of the Greater London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee about Policing in London

The Mayor of London recently appointed former Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Stephen Greenhalgh, as his Deputy Mayor for Policing.  His appointment is very worrying given the huge budget pressures on the Metropolitan Police, with a budget gap of over £150million in 2013/14 and over £230million in 2014/15.  These budget gaps are in addition to the £390 million of savings the MPS has identified but still needs to deliver as part of its 2012-15 budget plans.

The Committee, where I sit as a Deputy Chair, has been looking at a number of issues over the last few months as well as trying to hold Stephen Greenhalgh to account.  We have held a session looking at plans for the restructure of territorial policing in London.  This is our Borough policing and could affect police stations, front counters and Safer Neighbourhood Teams.  It is something I am very concerned about and will continue to ask challenging questions

We have also started an investigation into the support for victims of crime in the capital.  We have been looking at what the Metropolitan Police is doing to improve care and support for victims, as well as the Deputy Mayor’s responsibilities for victims.  This hearing is being followed up with a number of site visits and meetings with community groups.

A message from Tom Brake MP for Carshalton & Wallington came on Friday 12th October:

Dear Friend

Please put the following date in your diaries.

We have organised a borough volunteer litter-picking event on Saturday 27^th October.  We will meet at 8.30am and continue until 11.30am.  Please join us whenever you can between those times.  It will be in Greenshaw Woods (which is in both parliamentary constituencies).  The meeting point is the pylon very close to the entrance to St Helier Hospital car-park in Wrythe Lane, Carshalton.  You will not be able to miss the pylon!

 This is a great opportunity to take part in a national volunteering event. Please bring your own wellies or boots and thick gloves.

Best wishes

Tom

Tom Brake
Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington
020 8255 8155

PS. Have you signed the petition to Save St Helier Hospital? Thousands of local people have already signed – click here to sign the petition or visit www.saveoursthelier.co.uk for more information  

PPS. Why not follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/brake or Twitter www.twitter.com/thomasbrake to find out more about the work I do on your behalf.