The Sutton Local Committee met on 15 February 2024 to discuss community safety on Sutton High Street, receive updates on local funding and planning notifications, and address resident concerns. Key discussions included policing strategies, the impact of reduced officer numbers, and initiatives to enhance safety for women and girls. The committee also reviewed the progress of the Dibdin Road petition and heard updates on various local projects.

Police Update: Sutton High Street

The committee held an extensive discussion on policing and community safety on Sutton High Street, focusing on three main themes: response to serious violence, creating a safer environment for women and girls, and collaborative efforts to reduce crime. Sergeant Pete Nicholson provided an update on ward priorities, while Superintendent Lewis Collins addressed challenges in crime investigation, including witness willingness, evidence gathering, and judicial processes. He explained that the prosecution rate for traffic offences is higher due to the rigid nature of traffic legislation.

Concerns were raised about a decrease in the number of police officers available on Sutton's streets due to abstractions, which redirect officers to areas with higher demand. The committee also discussed police vacancies in Sutton, the duration of police apprenticeship courses, and the response times of officers from Croydon and Bromley to emergencies in Sutton. Sergeant Nicholson confirmed the presence of HD CCTV cameras throughout the town, with footage retrievable within 60 days. A notable issue raised was that some residents had been informed by emergency service call handlers that they were not within the Metropolitan Police area, which Superintendent Collins pledged to investigate with the call centre.

Regarding safety for women and girls, Superintendent Collins highlighted the work of a dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) officer and ongoing training for local police officers. The Community Safety Manager introduced the Women's Night Safety Charter, an initiative involving over 2,000 London businesses, and mentioned that the Sutton Women's Centre previously offered Active Bystander training, with free online training available through the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

Discussions on crime reduction included efforts to prevent shoplifting, with Sergeant Nicholson stating that police attend all emergency shoplifting calls, though retrospective reports via 101 are typically handled by phone. The committee also discussed bike theft and how police collaborate with the British Transport Police. A suggestion was made to use community notice boards for policing matters, including warning signs against theft, which Superintendent Collins indicated would be explored. Residents were urged to report any information on drug dealing, anonymously if preferred, to Crimestoppers.

Public Questions

During the public questions session, a supplementary question was raised regarding litter enforcement in areas not owned by the council. Officers stated a response would be provided after the meeting. Residents also requested that pavements outside Sainsbury's and fast-food restaurants on the High Street be washed due to grease build-up, an issue that was agreed to be followed up.

A significant concern was raised about a six-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) on Dibdin Road. Councillors explained that under current central government legislation, the change of use from a C3 dwelling house to a C4 HMO for up to six people is a permitted development, not requiring planning permission. They noted that the council had agreed in November 2023 to proceed with a borough-wide non-immediate Article 4 Direction for small HMOs, which requires 12 months' notice to implement. The committee agreed to discuss this matter further with the resident privately.

Information on reporting abandoned or inconveniently parked e-bikes was directed to the council's website. A question about fly-tipping in the Dr George Rice Community Garden was also to be followed up. The council confirmed that non-offensive graffiti on council-owned property would be removed within 10 working days, and offensive graffiti within one working day. Graffiti on private property remains the landowner's responsibility, though the council can issue clean-up notices for offensive graffiti visible from the public highway.

Dibdin Road Petition Update

An update was provided on the petition requesting 20mph speed restrictions and a new road surface on Dibdin Road. Highways Officers are investigating issues of skidding and rocking of concrete road slabs reported by residents. Options to resolve these issues will be considered upon completion of the investigations, with a further update promised at the next Local Committee meeting. A full written update was available on the council's website.

Other Local Updates

Updates on local funding for community events, public realm projects, and neighbourhood fund projects were published on the council's website. The window for local funding applications for 2024/25 was announced to open on 2 April 2024 and close on 10 May 2024.

Furthermore, it was announced that from 1 March 2024, planning notifications will no longer be sent by post. Information on how to register to receive updates on planning applications was available on the council's website.