ISSUE 69 SPRING 2017 Win four tickets to see Footloose at NewTheatre Wimbledon Balancing the borough’s budget The latest on Future Merton regeneration plans Children walking their Daily Mile in Merton 2 The Leader of Merton Council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, writes for My Merton There’s been to make some difficult decisions about Merton doing a lot in the where we spend our money. This is the right thing newspapers made more and more difficult as the recently about government has cut council budgets by for children children from more than 40% since 2010. Imagine if Merton has recently taken in 22 Syria and your boss cut your pay by 40%! children under the age of 17 who are other war torn However, I’m a businessman so from countries affected by violence countries who I’ve made sure we stretch every penny and war, such as Syria, Iraq and are stuck in we have so that we can continue to Iran. The government gives us some refugee camps provide the services you value the most. money to cover the cost of care and with no family to look after them. I This year we’ve put £9m more into adult housing for these children but we don’t think any of us can imagine how social care to look after older and disabled have to cover a lot of the costs scary that must be for a child, and I people in the borough and we’ve also ourselves. However, in Merton we know that the community in Merton is invested more in children’s services. think helping children is the right doing a great deal to extend our support Although we’ve been forced to thing to do. It is certainly in the to refugees, and children in particular. agree to charge the government’s proud tradition of London, where You can read more on page five. new adult social care precept, we’ve so many people have escaped war Their experience makes me realise continued to freeze the core element and persecution in the past. how lucky we are to live here in of your council tax. We think it’s A great way you can help Merton. More and more people are important to keep council tax affordable children, including refugee moving here because we’re a great when people are worried about how children, is by becoming a foster place to have a family and for kids to Brexit might affect their finances. You carer. On page 21 you can find out grow up. Our schools are some of the can find out more about the council’s how rewarding it is to offer a child a most improved in the country and budget on page 16–17. place in your family. In Merton we we have amazing parks, playgrounds I’m so pleased I’ve been able to bring know how important families are and leisure centres. And we’ll soon up my children here, and I want many and we’ll continue to look after all have a brand new secondary school in more families to enjoy the same of our children, including offering South Wimbledon! Merton experience my family has had! refugee children the chance of Of course, all of this costs money. happiness despite the war and And at this time of year the council has violence they have experienced. Bobbies back on the beat They say an Englishman’s home is his castle, which I think means we like to feel secure in our own houses! So I’m delighted at the news that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has brought back neighbourhood policing. Every ward in Merton will soon have two dedicated police constables and a police community support officer. Merton is already the third safest borough in London. But more “bobbies on the beat” is excellent news and can only make our community safer. We live in a really great borough where we all try to look after each other. But it’s a bonus Serving up the Friends to know that we have local police officers who are keeping an eye on our in Lower Morden’s first neighbourhood and looking after our safety. anniversary lunch mymerton Issue 69 • Spring 2017 3 merton.gov.uk contents contact us Community Switchboard: 020 8274 4901 News 4 Anti-social behaviour The latest news from hotline: 020 8274 4907 around the borough Council tax: 020 8274 4904 Benefits advice: Features 020 8545 4178 Cleaner, greener Libraries: 020 8545 3783 10 New waste and parks contracts Parking: 020 8545 4661 save taxpayers millions Registering to vote: 020 8274 4901 Feature 21 Waste collection services: Could you be a foster carer? 020 8274 4902 Community My Merton is published by the London Borough of Merton and is safety 19 distributed free to households in Everyone is welcome in Merton the borough four times a year. 5 minutes with Editorial 32 [email protected] Chief Superintendent merton.gov.uk/mymerton Steve Wallace What’s on listings: Fill in the online events form at: merton.gov.uk/eventscalendar Regulars Adverts Working life 9 For all advertising enquiries contact [email protected] 23 Ruth Hearty, Reparation Coordinator, Youth The London Borough of Merton The Daily Mile in Merton does not accept responsibility Justice Service for or endorse any products or services offered by advertisers. What’s on 25 Your guide to all that’s My Merton costs only going on in Merton 12p a copy to produce this spring When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it. My Merton is printed on fully recyclable paper, Don’t forget to which is accredited by the PEFC Council visit our website! (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes). This edition of merton.gov.uk/mymerton My Merton is distributed from 16 March 2017. You can also follow us on: My Merton is designed by Domino4 01932 988677 14 16 Email [email protected] www.domino4.co.uk Future Merton Budget www.facebook.com/mertoncouncil Printed by Cliffe Enterprise The latest on regeneration Full analysis of how we Print Partnership projects across the borough have balanced the budget Contact 0845 601 9478 @Merton_Council Email [email protected] www.cliffe-enterprise.com My Merton is distributed by London Letterbox. Whenever you see this logo www.flickr.com/mertoncouncil Contact 020 8940 0666 or log on to www.londonletterbox.co.uk that means there’s a volunteering opportunity to get involved in www.youtube.com/mertoncouncil news 4 Keeping Merton informed Carved in Stone Pupils stay safe online A heritage project has uncovered the life stories of Schools across the borough more than 500 First World marked Safer Internet Day by War combatants taking part in activities to commemorated on local promote the safe, responsible war memorials. and positive use of digital The two-year Carved in technology by children and Stone project was financed young people. by a £80,900 grant from the Pupils from Haslemere Heritage Lottery Fund and Primary School in Mitcham run by the council’s Heritage learned about staying safe service. It was supported by online with advice from the a team of 39 volunteers and council as part of the UK Safer 29 organisations who shared Internet Centre initiative. their knowledge, resources The children presented their and historic documents. ideas about what they thought A total of 512 stories are staying safe online meant to the now available alongside Mayor of Merton. Pupils 1,436 wartime documents learned how to use technology Pupils from Haslemere on the Carved in Stone positively and stay safe when Primary School with the website, which also features using the internet on mobile Mayor of Merton, the Wimbledon and Merton phones, at home or at school. Councillor Brenda Fraser Roll of Honour, listing those who fought in the conflict between 1914 and 1918. Have your say find out more Music is on transport merton.gov.uk/carvedinstone for Life in Merton Our Public Transport Young singers and Liaison Committee will give Grant awarded musicians from across residents the opportunity to Merton will be speak directly to transport Croydon, Merton and Sutton performing in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Pupils from providers about how their Credit Union has been awarded 19 primary schools will be taking part in Merton Music services in Merton could be a £16,939 grant by Lloyds Foundation’s performance of Music is for Life on 8 May. improved. A representative Banking group to improve its Highlights of the evening will include two new compositions: from Transport for London services to residents in the area The People’s Guide to the Orchestra, by composer Neil Brand, will outline the Mayor of and increase its outreach work. which is inspired by film music, and Speak Up, Speak Out! London’s Draft Transport find out more by Pete Churchill and Adam Saunders, which celebrates Strategy and there will also www.croydonplus.co.uk William Shakespeare’s life. be presentations on buses, No appointment needed to talk to find out more Call Merton Music Foundation on trams and electric vehicle a representative at Merton Civic 020 8640 5446 or book tickets on the Royal Albert Hall’s website: charging points. Centre in Morden on Wednesdays www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2017/music-is-for-life There will be a public between 10am and 3pm question and answer session at the end of the meeting. The Public Transport Liaison Committee will Road race meet on Wednesday 10 May Cyclists taking part in the Prudential RideLondon – at 7.15pm in the Council Surrey will be riding through the streets of Raynes Park Chamber at Merton Civic and Wimbledon on Sunday 30 July in the final stages of Centre in London Road, the event which finishes in The Mall in central London.