Further to recent local discussion about the shops in Carshalton High Street, Jill, Alan and Hamish have been asked for their opinions as the local councillors on a possible Carshalton Market in The Grove Park by the East Pond walkway.  We would be interested to hear of residents’ views on this matter.

For a map click on: proposed site plan

This idea is being promoted by Eco-Local, a local charity.  Having visited several sites, Eco-Local  concluded that the ‘driveway’ (now only used as a footpath) along the side of the East Pond would be the best location.    Stalls could be located on the grass allowing the majority of the tarmac path width (approx 4m) available for pedestrians, and suitable for emergency access.     

The site is bounded by a thick yew hedge providing a natural pedestrian safety barrier along the pond.  The site does not impinge on park areas where children play.  The market would be visible to drivers and bus passengers approaching Carshalton along Pound Street and North Street. The site is easily accessible from the High Street, and offers the opportunity to ‘extend’ the high street. Vehicle access is possible from the car park for stall holders to set up and take down.

Vehicle movement in the park would be carefully managed.  Eco-Local say that they have several years experience of managing vehicle movement in the pedestrianised Sutton High Street for the Sutton Produce and Craft Market.  The site easily accommodates 10 stalls and is level  As the site is well off the public highway, the market would be able to operate without a trading licence, saving the market significant costs in the long term. Eco-Local advise us that they now have 5 stalls confirmed they would like to attend and several others interested.

Local councillors Jill, Hamish and Alan wrote to the Sutton Guardian newspaper recently and our letter has been published in the 21st March 2013 edition, concerning the shops in Carshalton High Street:-  

Dear Editor,

 

Bob Steel may be interested to learn (Character of High Street 7th March) that Councils have the ability to improve High Streets through bids to Transport for London’s (TFL) Outer London Fund (OLF) scheme. Until recently these funds were limited to larger and more disadvantaged district centres (we currently have OLFs in Hackbridge and Worcester Park/North Cheam). However, at a recent meeting with TFL, the Council was advised that the rules have been changed and that councils can now bid for OLF funds to improve smaller district centres which have historical and environmental character. As Carshalton Central Ward councillors we will be investigating the possibility of the Council bidding for funds for our area.

 

We understand that the empty shops in Carshalton High Street are likely to be replaced by a restaurant and new greengrocer. For nearly three decades local Liberal Democrat councillors have worked tirelessly to improve the High Street including the new conservation lighting and better pavements, planting, signage etc. after decades of neglect under the previous Tory regime which did very little and invested little in Carshalton!  We have worked with the traders, for instance, on the Christmas lights which were installed for the first time in 2012.  

 

The Council has made other major investments in local buildings including the newly refurbished Honeywood Museum, Westcroft Centre and new Carshalton Library which have helped the local economy through an increased number of new visitors to the area.
And events such as the Swan on the Pond event for London 2012 last July and the Frost Fair last December, have also helped draw in people to the area, not to mention the ever popular fireworks event and Environmental Fair in Carshalton Park. 

Yours Sincerely,

Hamish Pollock, Jill Whitehead, and Alan Salter,Ward Councillors for Carshalton Central

Letter in Sutton Guardian

Here’s a picture taken on Friday 22nd March 2013, of the old library in The Square.  This fine old building (albeit needing some care and attention externally) was sold under auction recently.  The building was built nearly a century ago as the offices of the then Carshalton Urban District Council when Carshalton was completely independent of Sutton, with then a far smaller population of course.

We understand that a likely use is as a new children’s nursery. 

The new Carshalton Library is located at the newly-opened Westcroft Leisure Centre at the othe end of Carshalton High Street.

Old Carshalton Library (and former Town Hall)

Local councillors Jill, Alan and Hamish received this message from Rt. Hon. Tom Brake MP for Carshalton & Wallington about the recent budget.

Dear Friend,

I know times are tough. Families are struggling with bills and worrying about mortgage payments. For me, Wednesday’s budget was about doing all Government can to ease that burden.

So, from next year the taxman will take less from the hard earned pay packet of 87,000 local people here in Sutton. This is on top of the tax cut announced last year and means that those on low and middle incomes will pay £700 less in income tax. For me, this is a victory and something I have campaigned on hard for years.

I also welcome the decision to scrap the planned rise in fuel duty, cancel the automatic increase in beer tax imposed by the last Labour Government and provide new financial support for childcare costs. This means motorists will now pay 13p less per litre for fuel than they would have under the previous Government’s plans.

At the same time the Government is investing in new housing, boosting infrastructure investment and introducing a new employment allowance to help small and micro businesses expand their workforce – all steps that will help to get our economy moving again.

The financial crisis of 2008 delivered an unprecedented blow to our economy. Restoring our country’s finances will take time but the deficit has been cut by a third, over 1.25m private sector jobs have been created and interest rates are near record lows, benefiting businesses and families.

I know that many people are struggling and the road to economic recovery is longer than we hoped, but I believe these changes are another step towards creating a stronger economy and a fairer society – so that every person in Britain is able to get on in life. 

Let me know what you think about the budget by replying to this email. 
 
Best Wishes,
 
Tom
 
Tom Brake MP
Liberal Democrat for Carshalton and Wallington

PS. Why not join the thousands of local residents following the work I do on a daily basis via Twitter and Facebook.

Cllrs. Alan Salter, Jill Whitehead and Hamish Pollock have followed up the recent proposals for the pedestrian crossing facility at the busy Ruskin Road/Park Lane junction.

We’ve been told that funding for work this will be released after 1st April 2013. The next phase will be the detailed design of the signals by Transport for London (TfL) and their consultants.  Depending on their programme and activities, which includes the wider London, normally about June/July the Council receives their detailed design drawings and the specification. Based on these items of information the Council will need to finalise the drawings for the road works before starting on site. At the moment, the Council officers have programmed the work to commence in August 2013 with the intention to complete by September. As residents mayappreciate, the timing is very much depends on TfL’s design work and their signalling contractor to install them.

Ruskin Road/Park Lane junction

An Older House in Carshalton – The Old Rectory in times past

The London Assembly recently supported a call by Lib Dem member Caroline Pidgeon that the Mayor should now ensure proper research is undertaken into the impact that rapidly growing overseas investment is having on London’s housing market.  Her motion calling for the Mayor to ensure detailed research is undertaken received unanimous support.
 
Overseas investment in London housing doubled between 2009 and 2011 and in central London 60% of new homes are being purchased by overseas investors.  Concerns about its impact on house prices, rent levels and access to housing for London residents has become of increasing concern to an incredibly wide range of London politicians and commentators. 
 
Highlighting the need for such research Caroline said:
 
“There is a real risk that overseas investment is creating an artificial housing bubble, inflating prices beyond the means of most. It’s vital more Londoners aren’t locked out of the capital, their chances of being able purchase their own homes decreasing year on year as prices are pushed sky high.  We need to understand the effect overseas investment is having on the housing market, especially in terms of price, affordable housing and supply of homes for Londoners.”
 
This week also saw Lib Dem Stephen Knight set out how the Mayor could deliver a substantial investment programme in housing, delivering 55,000 extra affordable homes over the next three years.  His article, written exclusively for Lib Dem Voice website, can be seen here.

Despite opposition from the London Assembly as well as the elected London Fire Authority, including Lib Dem members Stephen Knight and Councillor Terry Stacy, the Mayor of London is keen to push forward the rapid closure of 12 fire stations in London.  Boris’s misguided proposals are now out for consultation and a series of public meetings are taking place in every borough.  Details of the first meetings can be seen here.

Jill, Alan and Hamish are pleased to report that following our requests, these repair works were completed by Transport for London (who own and maintain them, not Sutton Council) on Thursday 7th March 2013.

Here is a view of the Grove Park in Carshalton that is not often seen by residents, taken from the Beacon Grove flats off the High Street, Carshalton.  You can see the refurbished Westcroft Centre in the background and the play cage and crazy golf in the foreground. 

The Grove as viewed from Beacon Grove Flats

Sutton householders can rely on having weekly bin collections for the next five years after Sutton Council promised the Government it would continue to maintain the service on this basis. The Leader of the Council has written to the Department for Communities and Local Government pledging the authority to carry on collecting residual waste on a weekly basis weekly through  to 2016/17. The move follows a successful bid for £2.8million of funding from the Waste Collection Support Scheme.

Carshalton Central’s Councillors Alan, Jill and Hamish have been concerned to ensure a weekly pattern of collection is maintained and are delighted that this commitment has been given.

Weekly bin collections are very important to residents and we have worked very hard to ensure that we continue providing that service.

In spring last year we made radical changes to our collection system in order to make the service more adaptable and cost-efficient and we will continue focusing on providing a high-quality, value-for-money service.

In addition to weekly collections, the authority is also committed to continuing crucial work on promoting more recycling and cutting the volume of waste sent to landfill.

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