New website is breath of fresh air for South London

Cleaner air for south-Londoners is being championed though a new website, jointly run by a collective of councils based south of the Thames.

St Helier Hospital as viewed from Relko Gardens, Sutton Grove

St Helier Hospital on a clear day – as viewed from Relko Gardens, Sutton Grove

A team made up of pollution experts from Bromley, Croydon, Merton, Lewisham, Sutton, and Wandsworth councils has developed the site, called ‘Love Clean Air’, which has been launched today. Its address is www.lovecleanair.org<http://www.lovecleanair.org

The website contains extensive information to help people learn more about air quality and features local air quality maps, an interactive diagram of air pollutants and their sources, and videos about the issue and its health implications for the capital.

Although Love Clean Air is aimed at the general public, its educational content and interactivity will mean that schools can use it as a resource for pupils.

Air quality is an incredibly important issue that affects everyone who lives, works or travels in South London.

Sutton Council and others are tackling it in many ways, including the use of things such as this website, which helps inform people about how poor levels of air quality can be damaging to their health, as well as to our environment and the nation’s economy.

The Love Clean Air website will provide residents across South London with access to practical, helpful information about air quality in their neighbourhoods.

It’s particularly important that the site can be used to educate children and young people about the issue, so we are developing it to be a useful resource for teachers.

The six councils involved in the production of the Love Clean Air website work in partnership as ‘Love Clean Air South London’.

For more information about Love Clean Air South London please contact http://lovecleanair.org/contact/ or follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/lovecleanair

Trees

Trees provide a green and calming environment for the residents and visitors to Sutton.

Trees and woodlands are an extremely important and integral part of the urban landscape. They improve the air we breathe, and enhance community well being, while and providing provide a wide range of habitats for wildlife.

  • The London Borough of Sutton has a high density of tree cover per hectare when, compared with other London boroughs..
  • In total there are more than 190,000 trees in our borough. By far the largest proportion, 135,000 or about 70%, are privately owned, mostly growing in residents’ gardens.
  • The London Borough of Sutton owns the rest including approximately, 21,500 street trees and with a further about 33,000 recorded trees in parks and other open spaces, although it does not include areas of woodland. There are also 2,400 trees growing in school grounds.

Benefits of Trees

Tree 9 Urban trees have a considerable beneficial impact on those who live in towns and cities, especially those who do not have immediate access to other, more traditional types of open space.

Tree Inspection and Pruning

Tree 7 When inspecting the borough’s tree stock, a qualified arboriculturalist conducts a detailed inspection of each tree, looking for any indication that the tree, in whole or in part, may be under stress.

Tree team and what they do Introducing the tree team

Tree 6 

Tree Wardens

Tree 5 The Tree Warden Scheme is a national initiative to enable members of the public to take an active role in conserving and enhancing trees in their local area.

Trees in Storms

Tree 4 No tree, of any size, can be totally guaranteed to remain standing with all of its branches throughout its life…

Veteran Trees

Tree 1 Veteran trees often provide a range of rich but scarce habitats supporting many rare and endangered species, and are an irreplaceable part of England’s landscape and biological heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Trees

Tree Preservation Orders

Honeywood: A Short History by John Phillips

The New Honeywood History by local historian John Phillips

The New Honeywood History by local historian John Phillips

Available in the Honeywood Museum Shop:

Honeywood: a short history
John Phillips £3.00 BK13

28pp 148mm x 210mm (5¾ X 8¼ inches)

The long awaited history of Honeywood, telling the story of the house and the land it stands on from the seventeenth century. John’s carefully researched and highly readable text is complimented by many fine illustrations and plans, most of which are in colour.

Hamish says: “I thoroughly recommend this book! “ 

Parks and Open Spaces

Sutton’s parks and open spaces offer some 1,500 acres of picturesque and tranquil oases in this busy London suburb. Find out more about parks, playgrounds & park activities here…

The Parks Service manages and maintains two cemeteries, one burial ground, five closed churchyards and 36 allotments. We also manage 66,000 council owned trees and various woodlands, including 22,000 street trees.

Carshalton Place canal's waterfall

Carshalton Place canal’s waterfall earlier this year!

The Safer Parks Teams, as part of the Safer Sutton Partnership, provide mobile security in the parks. Their aim is to help prevent crime, reduce vandalism and fear of crime, reduce litter, dog fouling and graffiti. Telephone Number 020 8721 2268.

Stay cool and safe this summer

sutton-council-logo-10_jpg_displaySutton Council is calling on residents to check on their vulnerable and elderly neighbours after a Level 2 heat warning was given today.

The warning is triggered as soon as the Met Office confirms there is a 60 per cent chance of heat wave conditions, when temperatures are high enough to have a significant effect on health on at least two consecutive days.

The Council has published details on its website with advice on how people can keep safe in the sun by carrying out the following simple precautions:

  • Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm if you a vulnerable or elderly residents
  • Wear UV sunglasses, preferably wraparound, to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection, wear a hat and light scarf. Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should minimise the risk of sunburn.
  • Drink lots of cool drinks
  • Look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as the older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses
  • Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals
  • Remember that it can get uncomfortably hot indoors too, including at night. Try to keep your bedroom and living space cool, by closing the curtains on windows that receive the sun and opening your windows at cooler times of the day and overnight where safe. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical items as these generate heat.

Top tips for Ramadan fasting:

  • If you start to feel unwell, disoriented or confused, or collapse or faint, advice is to stop fasting and have a drink of water or other fluid. This is especially important for older adults, those with poorly controlled medical conditions such as low/high blood pressure, diabetes and those who are receiving dialysis treatment
  • The Muslim Council of Britain has confirmed that breaking fast in such conditions is allowable under Islamic law. Also make sure to check on others in the community who may be at greater risk and keep an eye on children to ensure they are having a safe and healthy Ramadan

Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council and Chair of Health and Wellbeing said:

“It’s great to see the sun shining, but all of us need to make sure we’re taking steps to prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries.

“The simple ones are wearing high-protection sun cream, staying out of the sun during peak hours and drinking plenty of water. People also need to look out for their family, friends and neighbours during the warm weather and make sure they are keeping cool and have everything they need.

“Many people are enjoying the heat wave but these conditions can put the health of our elderly and vulnerable residents in jeopardy.

“We will use our networks of support to make sure that our front line staff are helping vulnerable people to keep cool and watching out for any signs of danger. This could save lives and, at the very least, make sure our residents are comfortable in the heat.”

Sun safety tips are available from the Sutton Council website via: https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=19413

For more information about the Heat-Health Watch system from the Met Office, visit www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/heathealth/

Sutton to host WWI centenary commemoration at Carshalton Ponds

Poppies floating on the ponds in Carshalton on Sunday 3 August will be the centrepiece of the borough’s commemoration of the start of World War One. 

The two War Memorials

The two Carshalton War Memorials

Along with towns and cities all over the country Sutton will be paying tribute to all those who served in the 1914-1918 conflict. The commemoration ceremony will take place at the war memorial by Carshalton Ponds, beginning at 4pm.

The commemoration ceremony will also unveil the new World War Two memorial stone for Carshalton.

The ceremony will be the beginning of the activities planned in Sutton to mark the centenary of World War One.

The borough’s mayor, representatives from all faiths, Armed Force organisations, the Royal British Legion and of families of those whose names are featured on the WW1 war memorial will be present at the non-denominational ceremony.

All Saints Church Carshalton will mark the event with a symbolic peal of their church bells.

Chair of Sutton Council’s organising committee Lord Graham Tope said:

“We hope that as many people as possible will be able to be present to see the borough undertake this act of remembrance. The full details will be available in the coming days but we wanted to make sure that everyone was aware as soon as possible as to the events which are taking place. These acts of remembrance will be over a period of four years and we will be staging events all over the borough.”

Sutton Council creates own housing company

Picture from BBC News…..

Previous Sutton Council housing project

Council houses are to be built in Sutton for the first time since 1989 after the council agreed a pioneering new strategy.

In a bid to create more affordable housing for families, promote economic growth and investment in the borough, Sutton Council is to set up its own house building company with an aim to build council homes.

The plan was revealed at a meeting of the council’s strategy and resources committee last week.

Councillor Ruth Dombey, leader of Sutton Council, said: “This is one of the most exciting reports to come before this committee in a long time. The last time we built housing was in 1989. We don’t need lots more expensive studio flats – we need family homes. This is a highly exciting opportunity. It gives us the chance to provide the sort of housing our residents need. Housing is key to reducing inequalities and making sure everyone has equal opportunities in life.”

Sutton Council will be one of the first authorities in the country to set up its own housing company when the plans go ahead.

The council is also planning to set up so-called ‘housing zones’ – a project set up by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Housing zones are local authority-run areas designed to accommodate a minimum of 1,000 homes in order to qualify for funding from the GLA.

The council is looking at using sites in Sutton town centre and Hackbridge to constitute a housing zone.

The plans met approval from both Liberal Democrat and Conservative Councillors at the meeting, although councillors did stress the importance of making sure the buildings are of good quality.

Cllr Simon Wales said: “I am sure there will be safeguards as to the quality of these houses, we just need to make sure this happens. It is ironic that some councils are being criticised by government ministers for not spending their right to buy sales income quickly enough, when successive governments have stolen this money from housing by freezing the right to buy sales income!”

Councillors also asked if Sutton Housing Partnership would be managing the homes, as it does with Sutton’s current housing stock and were told that no decision had been made on who will manage the homes.

Sutton is changing, join the conversation

sutton_council_logoThe council has to find up to £40m worth of savings from its annual budget in the next five years.

This is in addition to £32m already saved since 2011.

We have taken a careful and measured approach to the budget in difficult circumstances and squeezed all we can to protect frontline services and vulnerable citizens. But this cannot be sustained given the scale of further funding reductions.

We need your help to shape Sutton’s Future.

Sutton’s Future is an opportunity to have your say on the challenges facing us.

Please visit the Sutton’s Future website and complete our Sutton’s Future Survey to let us know your views about council services and what is important you.

There are also a number of events that you can attend to ask questions and have your say:

Please join the conversation with Cllr Ruth Dombey and other leading Councillors

Wednesday 30 July from 7.30 – 8.30pm
Meeting Room 1
Civic Offices
St Nicholas Way
Sutton
SM1 1EA

RSVP by Wednesday 23 July to suttonsfuture@sutton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8770 5000.
Follow the discussion live on Twitter #suttonsfuture

Sutton Ecology Centre, off Festival walk, Carshalton – 25 year anniversary party on Saturday 12th July

ecoSutton Ecology Centre is an environmental educational facility comprising a 2.2 hectare Nature Reserve, the Old Rectory listed building, a Gatehouse and other various out-buildings.

The Friends’ next big event, in conjunction with Sutton’s Biodiversity Team, will be the Celebration of 25 years since Sutton Ecology Centre was opened.  This will incorporate their usual Summer Fair and will take place on  Saturday 12 July. There will be music, drama, ploughman’s lunches, home made cakes, crafts, books, children’s activities, bat walks and much much more. 
We believe it starts at 11am….!