The Sutton Council meeting on 14 July 2025 included discussion of a number of motions, including the protection of Greenbelt land, helping residents through hard times, addressing the deterioration of Mill Green Mitcham Common, and Parkinson's awareness. Councillors also addressed questions about Sutton Housing Partnership repairs, Transport for London (TfL) works, the future of Healthwatch, the Victoria House site, carbon emissions, support for the charity sector, resident participation in planning, welfare reforms, and the committee system in local councils.

Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land

The council debated a motion regarding the protection of Greenbelt and metropolitan open land in the borough. Councillor Neil Garrett proposed the original motion, which stated that the council would ensure that Sutton's local plan does not include, allow or require any use of the local Greenbelt. Councillor Tom Drummond seconded the motion.

Councillor Jake Short moved an amendment to the motion, which he said would clarify the role that the council plays. Councillor Lisa Webster seconded the amendment. The amendment was carried.

Councillor Garrett said that if the Liberal Democrats agreed with the original motion, then they should vote for it and not water it down with an amendment.

Councillor Catherine Gray said that the Liberal Democrats talk the talk on green spaces, but their record tells a different story. She added that under Lib Dem leadership, Sutton's planning decisions have too often favoured volume over vision.

Councillor Tony Shields said that the Lib Dem amendment proves that the Greenbelt and the borough's parks are not safe with the Lib Dems.

Councillor Lisa Webster said that she knows and values green spaces and the benefits that they bring to residents. She added that Sutton is not the city, and she found herself in a community that felt like a village.

Councillor Tim Crowley said that there is hypocrisy surrounding this debate, and that it was this very council just eight years ago that attempted to de-designate the green belt adjacent to Wellfield Gardens.

Councillor Sheldon Vestey said that he would be speaking against both the original motion and the amendment. He said that we have a housing crisis, we have social housing waiting lists that are now approaching a decade, we have limited land that we can build on, and we have skyrocketing housing prices.

Councillor Nick Mattey said that there seems to be selective memory loss, and that it was the Liberal Democrats who decided to grab a piece of land in Hackbridge to build the Hackbridge school, and said it was a brownfield site, and then they remembered it actually wasn't, but it was actually metropolitan open land, and then they built a school there.

The amended motion was carried.

Helping Residents Through Hard Times

Councillor Jayne McCoy moved a motion about helping residents through hard times, and said that she wanted to get across two messages through this motion: that the council knows that many residents are struggling, but help is available, and that the government should stop dithering and deliver the reforms to social care, welfare and housing that are all known to be necessary in the longer term. Councillor Sam Martin seconded the motion.

Councillor Neil Garrett moved an amendment to the motion, reminding the council that not everything is possible, and that the books ultimately have to be balanced. Councillor Tom Drummond seconded the amendment. The amendment was accepted.

Councillor Jemma Munday spoke about the corporate parent forum, and the Ofsted report for Willow Rise residential services. She said that inspectors praised the high quality individualized care offered at the homes, and their stable and dedicated staff team who they said created a family atmosphere.

Councillor Nick Mattey said that the Liberal Democrat group have actually run this borough for 39 years, and have miserably failed to help residents struggling with the cost of living.

Councillor Sam Martin said that so many of our residents are feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis, and it's right that we stand up and speak out about it.

Councillor Tom Drummond said that this motion isn't a plan, it isn't a strategy, it's a gesture. He added that the motion reads like a long list of complaints with no practical steps.

Councillor Ed Parsley said that the amendment is sort of like saying in order to bake a cake you have to turn the oven on, and that is so sort of blindingly obvious to certainly this side of the chamber that I think we're likely to accept it.

Councillor Andrew Jenner said that governments have more levers, so it's about choices.

Councillor Dave Tchil said that a good motion and a actually reasonable point to amend it with, it should be prudent, it should be sensible and cautious.

The amended motion was carried.

Mill Green Mitcham Common

Councillor Dave Tchil moved a motion to address the deterioration of Mill Green Mitcham Common, and said that common space is beneficial to residents, but the deterioration of green spaces is because there is significant underfunding. Councillor Sheldon Vestey seconded the motion.

Councillor Richard Clifton said that the motion concerns the responsibilities of the Mitchum Common conservators, who are the sole body responsible for their upkeep, and that Councillor Tchil had never raised the issues he raises in this motion at a meeting of the board of conservators.

Councillor Sunita Gordon said that Mill Green isn't being neglected by Sutton, as this motion suggests, and that Sutton only owns two small sections of it, with the vast majority of Mill Green is actually owned and managed by the Mitchum Common Conservators.

Councillor Sheldon Vestey responded directly to Councillor Clifton, and said that it was quite an illuminating speech that he gave there, and that it was nice to know that he also sits on the panel and he's aware of the issues.

The motion was lost.

Parkinson's Awareness Day

Councillor Tom Drummond moved a motion to partner with Parkinson's UK to mark World Parkinson's Day on 11 April, and host a Parkinson's Awareness Day event at the Civic Offices. Councillor Barry Lewis seconded the motion.

Councillor Lewis said that Parkinson's is a pernicious illness that's affecting an increasing number of people in our borough. He noted that Councillor Arthur Hookway, former mayor, suffers from Parkinson's, and is a great stalwart, a great stand-up for Parkinson's.

The motion was carried.

Questions from Councillors

Councillors asked questions of the relevant committee chairs or lead members, who responded.

• Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP) repairs service: Councillor Tim Crowley asked about the state of SHP's repairs service. Councillor Jake Short responded that SHP performs very strongly compared to its peers, with 99.9% of emergency repairs responded to within target over the past year, appointment reliability at 98.8%, and an average turnaround time of empty properties of 27 days. Councillor Short added that there is a dedicated fund within the management of SHP's finances to look at damp and mould.
• TfL works in Beddington: Councillor Tim Foster asked about disruption for local businesses caused by TfL works in the Beddington area. Councillor Isabella Azzurio responded that these works are being undertaken as part of TfL's electric charge point programme to install rapid charge points on the parts of Transport for London Road network.
• Healthwatch: Councillor Colin Steers asked about the government's decision to get rid of the committee system in local councils. Councillor Barry Lewis responded that Healthwatch has done some really important work on understanding patients' needs, advocating for improved services, and have been an important part of our local community and have played a key role at the Health and Wellbeing Board, which he chairs.
• Victoria House site: Councillor James McDermott-Hill asked if the Council are in discussions with Homegroup about purchasing the Victoria House site. Councillor Ed Parsley responded that the current owners have made attempts to bring forward a workable scheme on the site, and the Council remains in communication with them about the best way to do this.
• Carbon emissions: Councillor Nick Matty asked about the impact in carbon emissions as a result of the Council's total failure to do anything with recycling. Councillor Christopher Woolmer responded that the Council produces an annual report on greenhouse gas emissions, which is published on the Council's website, and that the Council has continued to reduce the greenhouse gases it produces.
• Support for the charity community and faith sector: Councillor Lisa Webster asked about how the Council supports the charity community and faith sector in challenging times. Councillor Marion James responded that the Council commissions a range of enabling services to support the sector and the different groups to help them to grow and to recruit volunteers and secure funding.
• Resident participation in the planning process: Councillor Tony Shields asked about resident participation in the planning process through comments on planning applications. Councillor Jake Short responded that since January 2024, the Council's had an updated notification procedure for planning applications that was approved by head committee, which moves to a more digital approach.
• Welfare reforms: Councillor Chris Mensah asked about welfare reforms and the government's seemingly partial U-turn a few weeks ago. Councillor Jake Short responded that the government has now kindly committed to not remove or change the entitlement to personal independence payments for those that are currently receiving that entitlement.
• Committee system in local councils: Councillor Ruth Dombey asked about the government proposing to legislate to get rid of the committee system in local councils. Councillor Barry Lewis responded that the committee system works well in Sutton, and that their recent LGA corporate peer challenge praised Sutton as a well performing council with a good record of delivery.

Other Matters

• The council approved the minutes of the annual council meeting held on 19 May 2025.
• The Mayor, Councillor Louise Phelan, announced that Lynn Gleeson had passed away recently. She also announced that the mayor's two chosen charities for 2025 to 2026 are the Sutton Women's Centre and Sutton Kingston Epsom Parkinson's UK.
• The council noted the Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2024/25.
• The council noted the Finance and Performance Quarter 4 Outturn 2024/25.
• The council noted the Outcome of by-election held on 22 May 2025 in Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward, where Councillor Lisa Webster was elected.