Sutton took its first steps towards creating a regional centre for Green business when it played host to a conference to encourage economic growth and job creation in the sector in November.
The event – creating a Green Economy – featured presentations from Sue Riddlestone, CEO and co-founder of the world famous organisation BioRegional, and Steve Turner, Head of Carbon Economy at the Commission of the New Economy in Manchester.
The day was opened by Cllr. Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, who told an audience of business leaders, education providers and politicians: “We are ready to capitalise on our strategic position in London, our first class schools and our enviable infrastructure. We are open for business and ready to build on our existing sustainability credentials to become a magnet for Green enterprise.”
“The Green economy is the fastest growing sector in the world and we aim to be a Green business hub. This aspiration complements our long-held values and will benefit the entire region.
“We are an ambitious authority who understand the potential for councils to help create new jobs. We are working with our partners to help create better conditions for growth especially for those who produce Green goods, deliver Green services and invest in sustainable business practices.”
Sutton has a long-standing commitment to Green issues. It embraced the principles of One Planet Living – a drive to reduce our ecological footprint to a sustainable level – and, in 2009, formed a partnership with BioRegional to create One Planet Sutton, to seek solutions to environmental concerns.
BioRegional helped to initiate the BedZED environmentally-friendly housing development in Hackbridge. Finished in 2002, it was designed to support a sustainable lifestyle and a recent survey of the occupiers of the 82 homes found they used considerably less electricity and mains water than UK averages.
Since then projects undertaken for One Planet Sutton have included the Greening Business in Hackbridge network and the ongoing development of the Felnex site to provide housing on the BedZED model.
Sue Riddlestone then told the audience: “The Green economy presents unrivalled business opportunities.”
Steve Turner talked about Manchester’s experience of forging a Green identity and stressed that it was vital for a region to “build on its assets and infrastructure”.
Expanding his ideas, Steve said: “We worked very closely with colleges and businesses to understand firstly what skills were needed and then how to provide the right training.”
He went on to say: “The UK is very poor at enabling business to work with the research sector so for us it was key to bring our two major universities and small and medium-sized businesses together.”
Mandy Cherrington, Head of Economic Renewal and the Business Environment, described the borough’s “vision for sustainable growth”.
Cllr Jayne McCoy, Chair of Sutton’s Housing, Economy and Business Committee, said: “We will work with business and government, we know we cannot do it alone. We especially want to work with the Mayor of London to make sure the tram extension can be brought to Sutton where the potential for job creation is richest.
“Trams are a highly sustainable means of transport, so bringing the Croydon Tramlink extension to Sutton will not only boost the local economy but will also fit in with our One Planet Living strategy.”
The event built on the successful Opportunity Sutton investment conference event in June this year which brought together entrepreneurs and business leaders who heard Business Secretary Vince Cable enthusiastically back plans to make Sutton a ‘Green hub’ for business. 
Your councillors have underlined their promise to commit their funds to Christmas lights in Carshalton for at least the next two years. 
