Sutton saw the highest increase in birth rates in London between 2008 and 2009, so the council has been able to anticipate a spike in demand, beginning in September 2012. Worcester Park, rather like Carshalton Central,  is one of the most affected areas in the borough, with a huge rise in births between 2001 and 2009.

Another four schools across the borough will expand in time for the start of the school year in September, providing another 120 extra places. Cllr. Kirsty Jerome, Executive Member for Education and Schools at Sutton Council, said: “This is great news for parents of very young children in the Worcester Park area who will already be worrying about finding a school place. This is where we’ve seen the biggest increase in demand, and it’s absolutely crucial that we’re able to provide places for children at local schools.

“In response to the pressures on our primary schools we expanded five on time and on budget, ready for September 2011. We will expand another five, including Cheam Common Infants, in time for next year and continue to lobby the Department for Education for more funding to make sure we can continue to provide permanent school places as pupils move up through the education system.”

Sutton’s primary schools celebrated some of the best SATs results in the country last year, coming number three in the national league tables. The borough also recorded the best GCSE results in the country…

The South London Waste Partnership, of which Sutton Council is part, has announced Viridor as the preferred bidder for its 25-year residual waste treatment contract.  This follows a thorough procurement process to ensure the South London Waste Partnership (comprising the London Boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton) meets its statutory landfill diversion targets and avoids hefty landfill levies and fines.

At present over 200,000 tonnes of waste from households in Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton goes to landfill. Viridor’s proposal is to develop a state-of-the-art Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at its existing landfill and recycling site in Beddington.

In order to develop a planning application for the proposed facility, Viridor will undertake a thorough consultation with stakeholders and the local community during early 2012.  Details on the consultation are being finalised and further information on how to get involved will be made available shortly.  People who wish to register an interest in being kept informed throughout the process can email beddington@viridor.co.uk 

As a Local Planning Authority, Sutton Council has a role to test the proposals when the planning application is received in a way that is absolutely separate from the Waste Partnership’s procurement process.  Once the application is submitted by Viridor to the London Borough of Sutton, the council will undertake its own engagement with the local community and other organisations such as the Environment Agency and the Highways Authority to inform its decision making process.  If you’d like to know more about this process please email Beddington@sutton.gov.uk

Updates will follow on a regular basis and you’re welcome to ask questions by emailing contact@slwp.gov.uk

Alan, Jill and Hamish at Carshalton Library

Library lovers are in for a treat as Sutton Council joins in a nationwide celebration of all things literary.

National Libraries Day on Saturday, 4th February will see every library in Sutton including Carshalton Library, The Square showcase the fun activities, events and services that they offer, from book lending to craft clubs to ancestry research.

Most libraries are running children’s events, including craft clubs and book trails, and Circle, Beddington, Wallington and Life Centre libraries are all holding art and story writing competitions. The Phoenix Library is hosting a Wii marathon and the chance to make a special bookmark, and Sutton library is holding storytime, crafts and games.

There’s a lot going on for adults too, with Carshalton Library running ancestry taster sessions and Sutton opening the Local Studies and Archives centre for puzzles, quizzes and films from the archive.

There are lots of hints and tips on how to get the most of your local library. Worcester Park Library is showing off its new book collections, Cheam Library showing visitors how to manage their accounts online and Sutton Library is holding e-book guides and question and answer sessions with librarians and Cllr. Graham Tope, the council’s Lead Member for libraries.

Cllr. Tope, Executive Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Libraries on Sutton Council, said: “Sutton’s libraries are a well-loved resource, and National Libraries Day is a great chance to find out what they’ve got to offer. Whether you’re a regular visitor or brand new to libraries, there’s so much to do that you’re bound to find something new.”

Libraries across the country are taking part in National Library Day, which was set up to celebrate the work that libraries do to promote learning, literacy and enjoyment of the written word. For more information, visit www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk

Anyone who signs up as a new library member on the day will get a free DVD loan, and anyone borrowing three DVDs before 5 February will receive the cheapest one free.

For more information about Suttons libraries and a full list of National Library Day events, go to www.sutton.gov.uk/libraries.

All Saints' School Carshalton

Cllr. Jill Whitehead who is an All Saints’ School governor, says: “A planning application has been submitted for the school expansion of All Saints’ Primary school, in line with the expansion of four other schools in Sutton for this September 2012.       

As has been reported in the national and local press, Sutton has an acute shortage of primary school places.  Sutton has the biggest shortage of primary school places in England and Wales overall (about 130 places short).

Two of the places experiencing the biggest shortages and biggest school population rises are in this ward, Carshalton Central and in the neighbouring ward of Wallington North.  The proposed one form extension at All Saints, which will expand school numbers from 35 to 60 in each year, will help reduce this pressure. The school is also allocating 20% of new places from Sept 2013 to local children who live close to the school who are not C of E worshippers – this will help alleviate traffic concerns.

As previously reported…We have asked the planning department to ensure residents in Rotherfield Road, Carshalton Place and Talbot road are consulted.   The school plans (application no. C2011/65284/FUL) can be inspected during normal office hours at the council offices at 25 Denmark Rd, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2JG.

Jill, Alan and Hamish have very recently received a proposal to name the new cul-de-sac being built off Rotherfield Road as “Lakin Close“. Three of the houses will front Rotherfield Road, the other six houses will be in a new road created on the site.  Apparently the developers of the site have found the name from examination of old property records of the 19th Century and a Mr. Lakin owned the site…  We did make other suggestions such as “Edwards Close” after the Rev. Leigh Edwards former Rector of Carshalton 1958-2001, who did much to establish the Church of England Primary School next door to the site.  We’ve been told that we can’t use Edwards … at all as there is already an Edwards Close, Worcester Park within the borough and the local fire brigade doesn’t like the Council permitting duplicate street names even with different suffixes such as Grove or Road.  We were told:- “This name was provided by research carried out by the LBS Archives & Local Studies Centre.  Charles Lakin was the occupier of plot 427 (2-4A Rotherfield Road) from the Tithe Map 1848 – it was described as a garden and plantation.”

You learn something new every day…!

Hamish reports: I visited the Pond railings and related road works by TFL on my way home on Tuesday evening (24th Jan.) and took a few amateurish photos in the dark.

Looking towards The Heritage Centre

The first one is looking up towards the Ponds and the Heritage Centre.

Looking towards North Street

The second one is looking towards the Ponds at North Street.

At the junction with The Square, Carshalton

The third one is in the High Street by the junction with The Square.

The Friends of Carshalton Park have recently received a letter of thanks, for their generous donation of £700 towards the Park Gates Project, from the Honorary Secretary of the Carshalton Carnival Committee.  The Hon. Chair of the Friends of Carshalton Park Carolyn Parker tells us: “The new gates will be fitted in approx 6-8 weeks time and then the remaining park railings in The Park and Ashcombe Road can be painted.  Personally, I am very grateful to Phil Blake and his colleagues on the Carnival Committee for their hard work in helping the cash-strapped Council improve the park in recent months, working closely with the Friends. When the planned new park gates in Ruskin Road and repainted railings are finished, all will be neat and tidy for the big summertime events in this lovely park.”  Jill, Alan and Hamish agree!

The Forge on Saturday 14th January

Jill, Hamish and Alan say: “We’ve recently been advised that the Old Forge planning application has been withdrawn. We would like to thank the residents of Carshalton who alerted us to the demolition work being carried out illegally by the owners of The Forge in the High Street, Carshalton. We had immediately informed the Council’s enforcement officers who put a stop to the works, served an enforcement order and threatened prosecution on the developer, if it continued. We had also requested that the now-withdrawn planning application be heard in public at the Council’s Planning Committee so that we have the opportunity to raise concerns.
    This site is in the heart of the Carshalton (Village) Conservation Area which gives it a degree of protection against unsuitable development.  We value our local heritage and believe that a car wash would be wholly unsuitable on this site, as well as causing unacceptable traffic and parking problems. The local police team are now also involved keeping an eye on the site. We are very concerned about recent events and want to maintain the historic nature of the area.”  More in a future posting and/or in our FOCUS!  Update on 30th January 2012: Some local residents in the Village area near the site should receive a FOCUS leaflet on this topic and others shortly, if they haven’t already done so.

We would like to let residents know that this year’s Sutton Council Holocaust Memorial Day is being held at 10.30am-12noon on Friday 27th January 2012 in the Europa Gallery in Sutton Central Library and residents are invited to attend. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ and has the aim of encouraging people to challenge injustice and hatred and help to create a safer, better future. There will be speeches from the Mayor of Sutton, Cllr. Gerry Jerome, Holocaust survivor Marcel Ladenheim, Mr. Meddie Kakyama-Mayanja, who will speak on the African genocides, and Reverend Meir Lev, Minister of Sutton and District Synagogue. There will be reference to local experiences of hate crime in Sutton, along with a stall from the Safer Sutton Partnership on reporting hate crime to bring a local perspective to the theme of ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’. You will also have the opportunity to view an exhibition which will have information and some photographs on this theme.

Hillside, Carshalton Road with new Penthouse Flats

Hamish reports: “On Saturday I noticed how fast the 3 penthouse flats at Hillside, Carshalton Road are progressing and very smart they are becoming. These will have fantastic views over London on clear days and are being built on top of 18 existing flats that were originally built in the 1970s.”