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 strategies to improve safety, particularly for women and girls, and updates on the Dibdin Road petition.

Police Update: Sutton High Street Safety

The committee held an extensive discussion on policing and community safety on Sutton High Street. Sergeant Pete Nicholson provided an update on ward priorities, while Superintendent Lewis Collins addressed challenges in crime clear-up rates, attributing them to issues such as witness willingness, lack of evidence, and judicial processes. He noted that traffic offences have higher prosecution rates due to the rigidity of traffic legislation.

Concerns were raised about the decrease in police officers available on Sutton's streets due to abstractions – officers being moved to other areas to meet demand. The committee also discussed police vacancies, the duration of police apprenticeship courses, and the response times of teams from Croydon and Bromley. Sergeant Nicholson confirmed the presence of HD CCTV cameras throughout the town, with footage retrievable within 60 days. A significant issue raised by residents was being told they were not within the Metropolitan Police area by emergency call handlers, which Superintendent Collins pledged to follow up with the call centre.

In addressing 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. 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 offers Active Bystander training, with further online resources available through the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

Discussions also covered crime reduction strategies, including efforts to prevent shoplifting through police engagement with businesses and encouraging prompt reporting of incidents. The committee addressed bike theft, with Sergeant Nicholson explaining collaboration with British Transport Police. A suggestion to use community notice boards for policing matters and warning signs against theft was considered. Residents were urged to use the online StreetSafe tool to report unsafe areas.

Public Questions and Local Updates

During the public questions session, a resident raised concerns about a six-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) on Dibdin Road. Councillors explained that under current legislation, changing a property from a C3 dwelling house to a C4 HMO for up to six people is a permitted development and does not require planning permission. They noted that the council is proceeding 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.

Other public questions included concerns about litter enforcement, the need for pavements outside Sainsbury's and fast-food restaurants on the High Street to be washed due to grease build-up, reporting abandoned e-bikes, fly-tipping in the Dr George Rice Community Garden, and the replacement of a fallen tree by Lidl. Officers committed to following up on these issues outside of the meeting. Information on graffiti removal timelines and reporting procedures was also provided.

Updates were given on the Dibdin Road petition, with Highways Officers investigating issues of skidding and rocking concrete road slabs. A further update will be provided at the next meeting.

The committee was informed about local funding opportunities, with the window for 2024/25 opening on 2 April 2024. Additionally, it was announced that from 1 March 2024, planning notifications will no longer be sent by post, and residents will need to register online to receive updates via email, site notices, social media, or the Sutton Guardian. Information on how to register was provided.