ISSUE 65 SPRING 2016 Providing quality services in tough times Council tax frozen for year the sixth running Being smart about sugar Keeping the borough clean 2 The Leader of Merton Council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, writes for My Merton Building a I never thought I’d become a politician, I fell into it by accident. better Merton I was fighting for our local I was there before Christmas when the council hospital at St Helier when made the historic decision to approve plans to bring AFC Wimbledon back to the borough. The I realised the best way to change atmosphere was electric and I couldn’t help giving things was to stand for election. a big cheer when our planning committee gave its I can understand why some verdict – it was just like being at an important game. people say they can’t trust politicians. Too often, Tense, exciting. And the team won in the end! It was a fantastic night, meaning we can look they think we say one thing but then do another. forward to getting a brand new state of the art That’s why, when I promised I would freeze stadium, offices and 600 new homes for Merton. Merton’s council tax, I made sure I stuck to It shows what we in Merton can achieve even when, like all councils in the country, we’re faced my word. with big cuts to our funding. By being business- I’m a businessman so I know a company like, by working with developers and land owners, would quickly go bust if they tried to get away we intend to create much needed new housing. We’re not going to let funding cuts stop us with increasing the price after you’d already finding new ways of investing in our town bought their product! centres and improving your local community. So I’m pleased we’ve been able to keep our That’s why I think Crossrail could be great for the borough. It will bring investment, jobs, shops promise to freeze Merton’s council tax again and housing and will make it easier for people to this year, for the sixth year running. Every week do business in Wimbledon. But it needs to be I speak to local residents who are struggling done properly. We won’t support Crossrail unless with the high cost of living and I’m glad we it’s right for residents and businesses. But I’m can help them. confident we’ll find a solution and I’m looking forward to a thriving town centre that competes By using our money carefully, we’ve also with the very best in London. set up a new £1.3m fund. This will reduce the We’re also looking at ambitious plans to impact government cuts to our funding will rebuild both Morden and Mitcham town centres. have on services for our most vulnerable As a Morden man myself, I residents, including older people and children. can hardly wait! The fund uses the income we have received as It’s an exciting a result of building more homes, without time for the putting council tax up. borough, despite the financial I might be a politician these days, but challenges. By promises are there to be kept and you can being business-like, trust me to try to keep mine. AFC Wimbledon can be just one of many success stories in Merton. mymerton Issue 65 • Spring 2016 3 merton.gov.uk My Merton is published by the London Borough of Merton and is distributed free to households in the borough contents four times a year. The editorial content of Community My Merton is produced by the London Borough of Merton’s News 4 Communications Team The latest news from My Merton is designed by around the borough Domino4 01932 988677 Email [email protected] www.domino4.co.uk Printed by Cliffe Enterprise Features Print Partnership Contact 0845 601 9478 Health and Email [email protected] wellbeing www.cliffe-enterprise.com 10 Tackling your sweet tooth My Merton is distributed by London Letterbox. Contact 020 8940 0666 or log Community on to www.londonletterbox.co.uk safety 21 A look at Safer Merton’s first quick reference pop up event in Pollards Hill keyservices 5 minutes with 32 Switchboard: 020 8274 4901 Merton foster carer Anti-social behaviour hotline: 020 8274 4907 Evelyn Marshall Council tax: 020 8274 4904 Benefits advice: Regulars 020 8545 4178 Libraries: 020 8545 3783 19 Environment 12 Parking: 020 8545 4661 Regenerating Latest on keeping Merton Registering to vote: clean and a successful 020 8545 3407 Morden recycling project on the Waste collection services: Phipps Bridge estate 020 8274 4902 What’s on 25 Your guide to all that’s going contactus on in Merton this spring My Merton, Communications, 8th Floor, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, SM4 5DX Tel 020 8545 3327 Don’t forget to Email [email protected] visit our website! merton.gov.uk/mymerton Dreamstime.com | merton.gov.uk/mymerton What’s on listings: 020 8545 3327 Timbrk [email protected] © You can also follow us on: Adverts For all advertising enquiries contact [email protected] 9 16 The London Borough of Merton www.facebook.com/mertoncouncil does not accept responsibility Free childcare Budget for or endorse any products or Merton freezes council services offered by advertisers. for two-year-olds Find out if you are eligible tax for sixth year My Merton costs only @Merton_Council 12p a copy to produce When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it. Whenever you see this logo www.flickr.com/mertoncouncil My Merton is printed on fully recyclable paper, which is accredited by the PEFC Council that means there’s a volunteering (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes). This edition of opportunity to get involved in My Merton is distributed from 7 March 2016. www.youtube.com/mertoncouncil news 4 Keeping Merton informed New outdoor learning area New at Garfield Primary Sports Blast courses Mayor of Merton, Councillor David Chung opened the new The council’s free Sports outdoor learning area at Blast is getting bigger with Garfield Primary School in the more classes becoming autumn. The council’s £85,000 available all the time. The investment in the school means latest additions to what’s on that the younger children can offer for 14 to 25 year-olds now enjoy their new mud living in the east of the kitchens, tepees, allotments and borough are Yoga and sand pit. There is also a tunnel Basics2Box. Classes are held and hill. Garfield Primary at St Marks Academy. School headteacher Michele parents to ensure their children find out more Thomas, said: “We recognise have the opportunity to fulfil merton.gov.uk/sportsblast the importance of early years their potential from their earliest Free racquet education and work with educational experiences.” sports for children Volunteer in The council is now offering free racquet sports lessons to children your local library aged 9 to 16 who live or go to The council is calling on school in Merton. Sessions on residents to volunteer to help squash, table tennis, badminton out in its award-winning and tennis are all part of a new libraries. Volunteering is a good way of initiative called 4 Racquets. contributing to the community. It also offers the opportunity to Young people taking part meet new people and can be great experience to put on a CV. could also be in with an Volunteers who currently help in Merton’s libraries have a opportunity to huge variety of skills to share, including teaching people how to represent use IT, supporting many community activities and providing Merton customer service to members. West Barnes Library volunteer in this Chiara, said: “I love working here, teaching people how to use a year’s computer and how to do things like email. It is so rewarding London Youth Merton hosts and I am thankful for this opportunity. I would recommend Games. volunteering in a library to everybody.” find its first ever find out more merton.gov.uk/libraries out more merton.gov.uk/4racquets aquathlon The council and BETTER © Jose Manuel Gelpi Diaz | Dreamstime.com Leisure have teamed up to host Merton’s first ever aquathlon. Merton FoodCycle Supported by British Triathlon, project launches the event is open to disabled and non-disabled athletes in the A nationwide charity that cooks borough and will take place on healthy meals for vulnerable adults the 10 April at Canons Leisure using surplus food from supermarkets Centre. Some of the races will has launched in Merton this spring. be part of the selection process FoodCycle Merton works with people dealing for young athletes to go through with homelessness or those on low incomes. to the Balfour Beatty London The charity is looking for volunteers. If you are Youth Games. interested, contact [email protected] find out more for more information. merton.gov.uk/aquathlonevent Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough • Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough • Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough • Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough • Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough • Merton – proud to be a Fairtrade borough news Keeping Merton informed 5 Council tax frozen Celebrating for sixth year the Queen’s Merton Council has frozen council tax for the sixth year in a birthday row, while setting up a new fund to protect vulnerable residents. The decision follows full council agreement at the annual budget The council is marking the meeting on 2 March when Councillors agreed the budget for Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016–17.