​Last week residents of Sutton came together to celebrate recognition for community
champions and unsung heroes, who go above and beyond to make a real difference in
their neighbourhoods.
The Sutton’s Stars Awards, was the first of its kind held by Sutton Housing Partnership
(SHP). Over the last few weeks SHP has been looking for local heroes, often working
quietly and tirelessly for the good of the community and often without recognition.
The event, held at the Salvation Army was also dedicated to celebrate SHP’s 10 year
anniversary, with significance on improved housing services in the borough during this
time. This has been evidently aided by residents’ commitments to improving their
neighbourhoods through various groups and forums, community events and Residents’
Associations.

Sutton Conservatives are holding a public meeting to find new faces to join its Council team.

Chairman of Sutton Conservatives Matthew Maxwell Scott said: "Since the EU referendum and change of Prime Minister, we have had a huge number of new members join our party in Sutton. We are now looking ahead to the next set of council elections in 2018.

"Sutton is a great place to live and work, but with the right people on the council it could be so much better. We want to meet more people who want to improve our area by getting stuck in and becoming council candidates. That's why we're inviting local people who want to help us improve Sutton to a public meeting to find out more about what being a local councillor entails."

The meeting is being held on Saturday 15 October. For more information, get in touch on office@suttonconservatives.org.uk.

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Police have released images of jewellery stolen in a burglary at a house in Grange Road, Sutton, on Wednesday, 21 September between 10:00-14:30hrs.

Entry was gained by forcing a rear window on the ground floor.

If you are offered any of these items or see them for sale, please contact Sutton CID on 101 quoting ref no: 4010172/16. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

More than 240 police officers in Sutton have been trained to help encourage people with learning and hidden disabilities to report abuse.

The tailor-made training package for police was prepared and presented by Sutton Mencap, Orchard Hill College, Victim Support and SCILL (Sutton Centre for Independent Living & Learning).

The training to 999 response officers, Safer Neighbourhoods officers and CID took place at Sutton Police station over 13 training sessions from 4 July – 28 September.

Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector Ian Hicks said the training was all about enabling police officers to give the best possible service to people with disabilities to encourage them to report hate crime, which is widely under reported around the country.
“A key part of this is having crimes and incidents reported to us so we build up a picture of what’s happening so we can put a stop to it,” he explained.

Olivia Griffin, who was the main trainer throughout the sessions, said: “It was an amazing experience to work with the Met Police in Sutton. The officers got involved in all our activities and we received some really positive feedback from them.”

The completion of the training coincides with the launch of Hate Crime Week (8-15 October).

Caption: Police officers with three of our trainers in the front row from left: Anton Morgan-Thorne, Enhanced Service Delivery Manager, Victim Support; PC Nicky Peace, of Sutton Police station’s Vulnerable Persons Unit; and Olivia Griffin, of Malookoo Dance Fitness and consultant working on behalf of Sutton Mencap.

​Wallington and Carshalton MP Tom Brake joined the Association of British Commuters action group and hundreds more at a protest at Victoria Station in London.

The Association of British Commuters has established a fighting fund with the intention to take the Government to court, specifically for the failure to make transparent and accountable the contract held by Govia Thameslink Railway, who run Southern Rail. 

Tom Brake MP said: 

''London commuters have long suffered Southern Rail's incompetence and thoroughly dreadful service. We're paying huge sums of money every year for delayed and overcrowded trains – and that's only if they even turn up. 

It's time for the Conservative Government to stand up to GTR, strip Southern of their franchise immediately and hand it over to Transport for London (TfL). The service is terrible and it needs to be fixed immediately. 

Apologies and empty promises are not enough; it's long past time for the Government to sack Southern. Commuters' patience has finally run out and Southern Rail have reached their final destination.''