School Look Inside for All the Latest on Merton’S Exciting School Expansions
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issue 55 AuTuMN 2013 news and information from your council Win family tickets to The Wimpy Kid show Back to school Look inside for all the latest on Merton’s exciting school expansions Merton is the Best Find out what your council has been doing to win a top award Get involved See how you can get involved with local decisions 2 We asked The Leader of As part of our annual residents’ survey we always ask a group of Merton Council, Merton’s younger residents for their feedback. We asked them what they think about council services and how they feel about living in Councillor Stephen the borough. Alambritis, writes for My Merton. My two kids have grown up now but I’ll never forget “You said” the annual panic as we got ready to go back to school after the summer break. Finding the money for uniforms was sometimes difficult in the early days but Nearly three quarters agreed the council provides services that young we managed and both my kids got a great education at people need and 90% agreed Merton is a good place for young people Poplar and Hillcross schools in Merton. to live. So I’m delighted we have been able to do so much to ensure today’s generation of children gets a top class education locally. Our results have improved year on year and we have invested in a huge programme of school expansions to cater for our rapidly growing 90% population of children. We have focused on expanding agreed Merton is our very best schools, building 88 new classrooms, a good place for in addition to new and refurbished halls and other new young people school buildings. to live Of course it’s not all hard work for our kids and we’ve also invested in a programme of new and improved children’s play areas and outdoor gyms in our parks. We’ve been able to invest in new school buildings and in our parks – and freeze your council tax for three years – because of our good financial management. Our careful planning means that we are able to remain We did: resilient in the face of financial challenges. This allows us to protect the services you value most while also We are committed to continuously improving our services and to continuing to invest prudently where needed. building them around the needs of children and young people. But I’m not the only one who thinks we’re doing l Our primary school expansion plan enabled 540 extra places to be a good job! We have recently been voted the best offered in 2012–13 compared to 2007. achieving council in the country. This award is a tribute l For the academic year 2012–2013 we were also able to offer 81% to our staff and to every single resident of our borough. of parents their first choice of primary school. It feels like we’ve had our very own school report l 85% of our schools are rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted; – and we got a gold star! an increase from 61% in 2010, and above the national average. l All our children’s centres are rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. l 84.6% of our secondary school pupils gained 5+GCSEs grade A*–C in 2012; an increase from 77.1% in 2010, and above the national average. l Merton Youth Partnership won a national ‘Innovation Award’ for its PS: Our leaf clearance crews will be out throughout the ‘creative solutions’ to delivering youth services. autumn sweeping up the fallen leaves. We expect to sweep up over 100 tons of leaves over the autumn find out more months. The crews make their way around the borough www.merton.gov.uk/schools on a schedule so everywhere will be cleared, but if you see a build up of leaves call us on 020 8274 4902 and we’ll clear it up. mymerton issue 55 • Autumn 2013 3 www.merton.gov.uk My Merton is published by the London Borough of Merton and is distributed free to households in the borough four times a year. The editorial content of My Merton is produced by the London Borough of Merton’s contents Communications Team: emma Henderson (editor) Community Bronwen Pickering Felix Ampofo, sarah Dolly news 4 sophie Poole 12 The latest news from Feature contributions from Autumn around the borough elizabeth Thompson highlights My Merton is designed There’s still by Domino4 01932 988677 Features Email [email protected] lots going on www.domino4.co.uk in Merton this health 13 Printed by Cliffe Enterprise Autumn season Tips for you and your family Print Partnership on keeping fit and healthy Contact 0845 601 9478 Email [email protected] www.cliffe-enterprise.com school expansions 16 Find out more about the My Merton is distributed by London plans to extend more of Letterbox. Contact 020 8940 0666 or log on to www.londonletterbox.co.uk Merton’s primary schools quick reference 5 minutes with 32 keyservices My Merton speaks to the head of the borough’s Switchboard: 020 8274 4901 Fire Brigade, Rick Ogden Anti-social behaviour hotline: 020 8274 4907 Council tax: 020 8274 4904 Regulars Benefits advice: 020 8545 4178 Libraries: 020 8545 3783 environment 10 Parking: 020 8545 4661 Find out about a community Registering to vote: clean up, our new high tech 020 8545 3407 bins and more Waste collection services: 020 8274 4902 What’s on 25 Your guide to all that’s going contactus on in Merton this autumn My Merton, Communications, 8th Floor, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, sM4 5DX Don’t forget to Tel 020 8545 3985 visit our website! Email [email protected] www.merton.gov.uk/mymerton www.merton.gov.uk/mymerton What’s on listings You can also follow us on: 020 8545 3985 [email protected] Adverts For all advertising enquiries www.facebook.com/mertoncouncil contact [email protected] The London Borough of Merton does not accept responsibility for or endorse any products or services offered by advertisers. 15 23 @Merton_Council Murrayton – the Democracy My Merton costs only 18p a copy to produce home of tennis in action See what tennis is on offer for Your child’s chance www.flickr.com/photos/mertoncouncil residents to be mayor for a day When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it. www.youtube.com/user/MertonCouncil My Merton is printed on fully recyclable paper, which is accredited by the PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes). news 4 Keeping Merton informed Merton signs Merton’s Armed Forces Day Parade in June Armed Forces Community Covenant An official signing ceremony of the Armed Forces Day Community Covenant took place in Merton in early September. Armed forces personnel were present along with the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Krystal Miller, Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, other councillors and visitors. The covenant was agreed unanimously at the last full council meeting and contains details on how the council and local organisations, including the voluntary sector, will support members of the armed forces and their families, recognising their contribution and sacrifices they make. A buzzing Local businesses commit to healthier catering La Poste Coffee Bar in Mitcham, Willow Lane Local business owners with Councillor Linda Kirby, Merton Katavento and Ban Yai in Merton Council cabinet member for adult social care and health Merton Council has created two Abbey Mills and Fresh Fish in ‘Bee Worlds’ on Willow Lane in South Wimbledon have all Mitcham as part of Friends of received the HCC award for the Earth’s national Bee Cause making changes in their shops. campaign to help save the Other local businesses are starting British bee species. to change their food practices to Along with the help of the achieve the award winning local 5th Morden Beaver Group, standard through working with Friends of the Earth, Merton’s Merton’s trading standards and voluntary Tree Warden Group public health teams. and FM Conway, the council has If you are a local food business planted the seeds for two new Food businesses in Merton have health team, aims to encourage and want to join the initiative, all Bee Worlds on Willow Lane, signed up to the London Healthier food outlets to ensure their menu the information is available online. between Carshalton Road and Catering Commitment (HCC). choices include fruit, use less salt find out more the Willow Lane Industrial The pan-London initiative, being and use healthier cooking oil to www.merton.gov.uk/healthier_ Estate. The Bee Worlds are part rolled out by Merton’s public prepare food. catering_commitment of a wider highway improvement project designed to promote cycling and walking while allowing this section of Willow 13 to 19? Have your say on health Lane to be opened to traffic. As part of the planting event, by becoming a Young Advisor local beekeeper and pollen enthusiast, Norman Chapman, The council is looking for young making services better for other If you are between the ages of gave the Beaver Group an people who are interested in young people in Merton. You will 13 and 19 and live, work or study educational talk about bees. having a say on health services in receive training in communication, in Merton then you could be a Merton. Young Advisors are a presentation and team work skills Young Advisor. All you need is crucial link between the council, that will allow you to give your passion and commitment to community leaders, councillors opinions about health websites, making a difference to the lives and young people in the borough.