Sutton Independent Residents

On April 2nd this year, the Planning Committee voted to reject the planning application for French waste conglomerate, SUEZ, to build an anaerobic digester to take 100,000 tonnes of food waste from all over London and turn it into methane gas. That rejection was in spite of the support of three Liberal Democrat members of the committee including the Chair and Deputy Chair and the endorsement of the plan by the Council’s Planning Department.

SUEZ have appealed against the decision and the matter is going before the Planning Inspectorate so let’s compare SUEZ’s consultative position with reality.

1. Tokenistic Consultation

• SUEZ report that they leafleted 1,583 properties and hosted two drop-in sessions, but only 25 people attended and just six responses were received in total.
• In contrast, there are around 12,000 homes within a two-mile radius of the proposed plant. The consultation “zone” deliberately excluded the majority of residents likely to be affected.
• This selective targeting ensured the response rate appeared minimal, allowing SUEZ to claim a lack of opposition. In reality, it was a deliberately shrunken consultation catchment.

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2. Real Community Engagement Told a Different Story

• When  Independent councillors  themselves circulated 4,000 leaflets spelling out the dangers of the digester, there were 360 objections lodged, including six from local doctors concerned about health impacts.
• That is a 60-fold increase in objections compared with SUEZ’s entire consultation process, demonstrating that when the public were given factual information, they reacted strongly against the plan.
• This shows SUEZ’s consultation was not about informing the public, but withholding critical facts to dampen opposition.

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3. Minimisation of Concerns

• Residents who did engage raised consistent issues: odour, traffic, air pollution, site safety, and the fairness of Beddington being used for other areas’ waste.
• SUEZ dismissed the risk of explosion even with a similar plant near Oxford being hit by lightning in 2023 in rural isolation, when this plant would be located close to houses and two schools
• SUEZ dismissed or downplayed each concern with generic technical assurances (e.g., odour will “disperse quickly”; traffic will only increase by “less than 3%”).
• This kind of response treats objections as a problem to be managed, not evidence to guide decision-making.

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4. Financial Incentives Driving the Process

• The plant would generate an estimated £1 million a year in business rates for Sutton Council.
• SUEZ made early, detailed presentations to council officers before residents were approached, suggesting the priority was winning council support rather than genuine community dialogue.
• For a council under acute financial pressure, the rates income looms far larger than residents’ health or environmental concerns.

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5. Consultation as Public Relations

• SUEZ arranged media placements in  Local Guardian and trade journals, reinforcing that this was primarily a PR exercise to build a positive narrative, not a neutral consultation.
• Their “Statement of Community Involvement” repeatedly describes engagement as “meaningful,” yet the facts — a tiny official response rate versus hundreds of objections when residents organised independently — expose it as window-dressing for the planning application.

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Conclusion

The SUEZ consultation process was a sham exercise designed to appear compliant with planning requirements, while in practice excluding the majority of affected households and downplaying the risks.

The real test of opinion came only when residents distributed their own information: 4,000 leaflets produced 360 objections (including medical professionals), compared to SUEZ’s six responses.

Taken together, this shows:

• Residents are ignored and under-informed.
• The Council is financially motivated by the £1m annual business rates and a flawed South London Waste Plan
• The whole SUEZ consultation process was crafted to manage perception, not to listen yet was enthusiastically endorsed by the Liberal Democrats.

In spite of initially endorsing the project, the Council’s Planning Department will defend the decision – it will be interesting to see how democratic the Liberal Democrat Councillors and MP’s prove to be in their choice between public health and corporate greed.

Beddington’s Independent Councillors will keep you informed and where you can voice your opinions to the Planning Inspectorate.

It was nearly a month ago that politicians and the media were filling us with details of VE Day, asking what it meant to people and interviewing old men and women who had served in a variety of ways and of course those who had stayed back and kept the home fires burning.

Anybody thought of all that since – truly?

I have to say on a personal level I have. For two reasons, my Dad, who served in World War II. and a Grandad who was part of what the Kaiser referred to as the “Contemptible Little Army”, the British Expeditionary Force of 1914 having been a boy soldier since the age of 16.

I am surrounded by their images not as the Grandads they became but rather the young men they were – my Grandfather in the Royal Horse Artillery photographed at Olympia with the Life Guards in 1906 and with his battery in Bangalore in 1907 all proud in dress uniform, then a rather more dour picture from France in September 1915.

I was prompted by the two local by-elections that took place in the Borough around the time of VE Day – it is not the results that appal me, it is the turnout of the electorate.  Even at the last local election the turnout for the London Borough of Sutton was 40% – and I’m afraid modern politicians play on that – small margins make a difference on low turnout so overt support to a special interest groups will pay dividends.

As those By-elections advanced, I saw lots of people calling “Vote Reform” – anyone who does not realise that our political system and, by natural progression, society needs change, is living in a fool’s paradise.  But change doesn’t come from soundbite politics, it comes from a solid, sustainable and moral template with terms of reference that you can set policy by.

Every one of our main political party websites (including Reform) don’t lead with ideals – the dominant feature on all their websites is called the DONATE button – we have seen the insidious influence of very rich donors on the American political system and we don’t need it here.

If you want to know how low it has got – the name calling and shouting on Question Time is mirrored in local politics at Council in Sutton’s Civic Centre – real change will come when the next generation of heroes step up, just like my Dad and Grandad did, and make the change that needs to happen.

Mainline politicians think they know better – they don’t, they follow trends rather lead and without clear  moral compasses  their opinions are as changeable as the weather.

The only person who can change the future for you and your family, is you!

Next month it will be seven years since I was first elected as an Independent Councillor in spite of the then Leader of the Council, Ruth Dombey, saying “Independents don’t win in Sutton”. Tim Foster, Nick Mattey and I put that myth to bed and there may only be three of us but we have fought for the residents of Beddington as hard as we can for fairness, justice and transparency.

Most recently, Cllr Nick Mattey led the residents to protest the planned 100,000 tonne anaerobic digester by waste giant SUEZ. Online news media, Inside Sutton, headlined it as “Beddington survives its own Suez crisis at ‘explosive’ meeting” and included this photo:

The three of us agree It has been a privilege to represent the residents of the ward and we have tried our best to solve the many problems that have appeared in our inboxes but, sadly, there are always some that prove difficult to resolve.

The reason I am writing is to remind residents in Sutton Central ward is a by-election being held on this Thursday 10 April. This has come about because one of the Liberal Democrat Councillors failed to attend any meetings for six months. Under the rules of the Constitution it means they are dismissed from their post

Would you vote for a party where one of their Councillors couldn’t be bothered to represent you? I know I wouldn’t.

Pamela Marsh will be standing as the Independent candidate and for those of you who follow Council and Local Committee meetings will know that Pam asks questions, challenges the answers and works extremely hard for local communities. As Independent Councillors we have one thing going for us that other parties do not have and that is we do not have to “play politics”.

I have repeatedly asked at Council meetings why we cannot have cross party working to fully represent the residents of Sutton, especially when it comes to setting the budget and Council Tax each year. With more Independent Councillors this could become a reality and would be a huge benefit to all residents of Sutton but especially those in Sutton Central who are about to have over a thousand new flats thrust upon them with no parking or increase in services like doctors, dentists and schools.

Our mantra as Sutton Independent Residents is “residents first, always” and this we have done to the best of our ability. Pamela Marsh is the ideal candidate to do this, she is reliable, hard working and really cares about residents which is all one can ask of an elected representative.

VOTE PAMELA MARSH ON THURSDAY 10 APRIL

Last weekend, I was delivering leaflets in Sutton on behalf of Independent candidate, Pamela Marsh.

What shocked me was the presence of some of those orange signs proclaiming “Liberal Democrats Winning Here”.

Why is there a by-election costing the Council Tax Payer £20,000? It is because an elected Liberal Democrat Councillor failed to represent their residents for 6 months and was dismissed by law.

So why would voters follow that to elect the Liberal Democrat?

Support leaseholders?

When leaseholders in Thicket Crescent (that is in Sutton Central) were faced with unsolicited and substantial costs for improvements where in normal Sutton Council fashion, the costs had risen from £3.364m to £4.887m, it was Conservative and Independent Councillors who stood up for the leaseholders – who had been sold down the river by the Liberal Democrat led Housing Economy and Business Committee – chaired by your “missing” Lib Dem Councillor.

And when you look at HMO’s – the recent adoption of an Article 4 Direction which will begin to properly manage HMO’s was derived from a Beddington petition supported by an Independent Councillor.

Just this week, waste giant SUEZ, sought Planning permission for another polluting and dangerous plant on Beddington Lane.

Recommended by Sutton Council and endorsed by the Liberal Democrats, the people of Sutton were facing the prospect of 100,000 tonnes of rotting food being transported into the Borough. 240 objections had been received including from 6 doctors and local Independent Councillor Nick Mattey campaigned vigorously and, largely through his efforts, the plan was voted down by Opposition members of the Planning Committee.

Our logo says it all – Residents First, Always. While others want to play politics and for you to see no change. stay at home or vote for a banner or slogan from one of the main parties.

If you want a Councillor who will fight your corner and make a genuine difference – give your vote to Pam Marsh – she will put you first!

Beddington is on the very edge of the London Borough of Sutton and with half of us having Croydon postcodes, many feel that there is an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude by the London Borough of Sutton. But geographically, and economically, we are one of the largest wards in Sutton Borough:

It is a huge area with contrasts – Beddington Park and the adjoining Farmlands overlooked by a polluting incinerator. Industrial areas sitting alongside traditional suburban semis, the historic Carew Manor with a backdrop of the shiny modern Prologis Park.

With such diverse geography and some very strong local communities within the ward, maintaining a singular oversight on changes and threats to our area has been quite a task for local Councillors.

But a constant support in voicing resident concerns has been the Beddington Neighbourhood Forum – previously known as the Beddington North Neighbourhood Forum. Under its colourful and familiar logo:

The Forum has campaigned for residents on many fronts including:

• Viridor’s polluting incinerator
• The destruction of old people’s bungalows on Richmond Green
• Disruption and changes to Beddington Lane
• Attempts to alter road layouts at Queenswood/Collyer
• The Council’s failure to implement an HGV ban through Beddington Village
• The destruction of green space on the Highview Estate to build a new school
• The proposals to change the Lodge at Bandon Hill Cemetery into an HMO
• Contributing to the Beddington Farmlands Conservation and Access Management Committee

But the inception of the Forum was actually to provide a platform for community involvement in shaping its own future and the development of a Neighbourhood Plan. The full explanation of that project and the successes of other areas can be seen on the Council website:

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/w/neighbourhoodplanning

Why is this important now?

Well at the next AGM for the Forum, the Chair is to retire, the Secretary has just moved out of the area and truthfully we need some new blood from some of those local community groups.

Because the threats do not stop – the imposition of an anaerobic digester bringing 100,000 tonnes of food wast into Beddington is recommended by Sutton’s Planners and the Lib Dem run Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee. HGV’s, food waste and the production of tanks of explosive methane gas is not what residents want.

If you want to know more about the Forum – get in touch – it is not political, it is community based and is important to everyone in the ward.

• Nick Mattey – 07860 673458
• Jillian Green – 07703164851
• Tim Foster – 07771 847290

This headline caught the eye on the Surrey Live website – sorry to disappoint Sutton voters but this refers to Cllr Julie Morris on the Epsom & Ewell Borough Council.

Its caught the eye because, after 15 years representing the Liberal Democrats, she is continuing to represent her ward as an Independent!

So Independent is a very real alternative to the ugly and predictable to and fro of party politics and why we think that Sutton Central residents should elect Pam Marsh as their ward Councillor on 10th April.

To put this into context – Epsom & Ewell is made up of only three Lib Dem councillors, along with 25 Residents Association members, three Labour, two Conservative and now two Independent.

Their Borough is not weighed down by political decisions or allegiances and it is why Sutton Independent Residents are only focussed on a fair deal for our voters.

So when you get to the ballot box on 10th April (don’t forget your photo ID) look across at Epsom with its vibrant High Street and put your X next to Pam Marsh’s name, you know she’ll work for you, putting your needs first rather than any party allegiance.

We three Councillors in Beddington have our email inboxes filling up with comments from worried residents about the planned SUEZ Anaerobic Digester that is being presented at the Planning Committee on 2nd April – worried because the Council’s Planning Department are recommending its approval.

Designed to process 100,000 tonnes of food waste from all over London people are concerned on many levels – that is a load more lorries on Beddington Lane and the HGV ban promised in 2019 is like so many promises from this Council it remains a pipe dream. And unless they keep the place spotless, the vermin will be back and of course, the smell!!

But with people of Beddington and Hackbridge already with health risks under the Lib Dem imposed incinerator with its high sulphur fuel and regular breakdowns, many are worried about what they see as a clear and present danger.

This is an image from October 2023 when lightning hit a methane tank at the Severn Trent Green Power Plant at Cassington in Oxfordshire. The sky was lit by the explosion and six fire engines and 40 firefighters were required to bring it under control.

When you look at the location of the explosion, it is in a rural area with few houses. What is worrying Beddington and Hackbridge residents is that the SUEZ proposal is not rural – there are houses in both wards and neighbouring Croydon as well as two local primary schools.

If you look at the image on the map, the same gas tanks can be seen as are on the image of the proposed SUEZ plant. Lightning is a natural phenomenon and it could happen here and that worries people – a lot!

The Planning Committee will be on Wednesday 2nd April at 7.00pm in the Civic Centre in Sutton and we would encourage people to attend to add their voices to other people in Beddington and Hackbridge who are telling their Councillors – enough is enough!

With all the political parties cranking their election machinery into motion, it is interesting to look at the subtleties in the various campaigns and then consider what following a particular political flag will give you the voter in Sutton Central.

The Conservatives were quick off the mark on Social Media with the inevitable photo of their canvassers out and about:

And it was interesting to see in the comments about the photo, people saying “Vote Reform” – I think everyone is aware that there are two Members of Parliament making the wrong headlines at present – one from Reform and one from Labour. It is a useful reminder that it is not the party but the person who represents the voter – so important locally.

But you need to watch out for the use of PR to disguise the lack of policy – go back to Facebook and you will have seen your Liberal Democrat MP (and still local Councillor) Bobby Dean promoting a survey:

He’ll get a lot of good advice from the two fellow Councillors he is surveying in the photo! It is party PR pure and simple.

If you want a person who will actually fight for the residents and not follow party diktats, just vote for Pam Marsh – positive independent and caring:

And if you wanted to know why that is important – we mentioned the “Croydonisation” of Sutton in our last post – 1,000 + flats on the B&Q site – well just over the railway line at Quadrant House they are planning partial demolition and erection of an additional two and three stories to existing building, a part 14, part 23 storey extension and extension of existing basement to provide a mixed use development comprising 312 self contained residential units and 195 co-living units .

If you want to ask why or comment it is application DM2025/00226 on the planning portal and while it is across the ward boundary in Sutton South, it looks like you should book your GP appointment for 2027 now!

There will be lots of media in the next few weeks about Local Elections for County Councils – many of us get repeated questions because they think we are all up for re-election and we have to tell them no, it’s 2026!

But not for residents in Sutton Central:

Liberal Democrat Councillor David Bartolucci has been absent from all Committees for 6 months. The Council therefore dismissed him and called a by-election so, after a prolonged period of being underrepresented by the Liberal Democrats, local residents will get the opportunity to have their say about what has been described as the “Croydonisation” of Sutton.

And it is residents who count most to our party, Sutton Independent Residents, and we are pleased to introduce Pamela Marsh, a candidate who residents will really relate to:

Moving to the Borough 30 years ago after growing up in neighbouring Croydon, Pam has worked in Primary Care and a variety of healthcare settings including work with learning disabilities and elderly care.  More recently, she has been working in finance roles in various industries,

Running a Residents Association locally, she is passionate about health, local neighbourhood and community but most of all her belief that local residents should be consulted, listened to and represented fairly.

Beddington residents first elected Independent Councillors in 2018 – the ward had been poorly served by the Ruling Liberal Democrats and residents in Sutton Central may have the same sense – the B&Q site was originally granted planning in December 2023 for 970 apartments, recently that was increased by an extra 44 apartments! With a 19 floor development in St Nicholas House and a 20 storey development in Throwley Way approved, we have heard people ask “what about schools, what about doctors”

Sutton Central Residents need a Councillor who will ask those questions, ask how much money is being spent to bring more people into Sutton and how much was wasted on Beech Tree Place.

You can guarantee that there will be a blizzard of leaflets coming your way but just put your cross next to Pam’s name on 10th April and you will notice the difference.

Propaganda is  defined as the dissemination of information—facts, arguments, rumours, half-truths, or lies—to influence public opinion. Deliberateness and a relatively heavy emphasis on manipulation distinguish propaganda from casual conversation or the free and easy exchange of ideas.

Sutton’s Liberal Democrats have turned this into an art form with a blizzard of leaflets pushed though letter boxes – the very definition of “Junk Mail” and many living in Beddington will have received the latest offering from that itinerant politician who was elected to represent Carshalton and Wallington at the last General Election.

Easy to ignore or to add to the hamster cage , but it contains a really misleading piece under the front page heading of “Council clamps down on rogue landlords”:

Fact – I appreciate that Mr Dean is not interested in facts – on 21st March 2023, supported by their local Independent Councillor, Beddington residents living in Upper Road sought through a petition to the HEB Committee to invoke an Article 4 direction to remove permitted development rights for small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the Sandy Lane/Upper Road area of special local character (ASLC).

The outcome of that action was that research was undertaken into the issue and, on 28th November 2023 at another HEB Committee meeting, the London Borough of Sutton sought to invoke an Article 4 Direction but, to allow existing developments to take place, it was agreed that this should be enacted on 22nd February 2025!

It is sad to say that stable door and horse bolting come to mind as of 169 HMO’s in the Borough, 59 were registered after November 2023.

But what is the reality of this Liberal Democrat Council’s attitude to HMO’s – well just a few months back, Beddington residents were horrified that there was a proposal to make the Lodge at Bandon Hill Cemetery an HMO:

Bobby Dean’s “Rogue Landlord” in this case was none other than the London Borough of Sutton.

And what about the protection afforded by the Article 4 Direction – it means that rather than being built under “permitted development”, the plans will be subject to scrutiny by the Planning Committee. And in case you think that means you can relax, consider the residents of Crichton Road in Carshalton.

Plans to convert a local doctor’s surgery into an HMO received 39 separate objections, Planning Committee in December 2024 was crowded with concerned residents and when only five of the Liberal Democrats voted for the HMO and the vote was drawn, the Liberal Democrat Chair of the Committee cast his deciding vote for the development.

One last thought – on Monday, Council will be debating (?) the 2025/6 budget – one of the specific areas for approval is an increase in Councillor Allowances and it was interesting to see the use of this propaganda piece to push their party leadership:

You can be sure that they will vote for the increase but that will make an interesting comparison – the three Beddington Councillors will receive what is a generous basic allowance collecting a cumulative £38,396 before tax. Next door in Wallington North, with their special allowances, the three Councillors pictured will receive a cumulative £132,796 – we are all paid by Sutton’s Council Tax payers and one wonders how much harder Liberal Democrat Councillors are working for their special allowances

We believe that local Councillors are here to support local residents and not to promote ourselves or a political party – Residents First Always!