ROGUE TRADERS BETTER WATCH OUT

As a councillor, I sometimes hear sad and even shocking stories from local residents who have been misled into having unnecessary, bad or overpriced work carried out by opportunistic tradesmen or doorstep sellers. These people are heartless and often pick on the most vulnerable people in our community, but they need to watch out because we are on to them!

I joined a combined team from the Council’s Business Regulation Service and the Wallington South police Safer Neighbourhood Team this morning on surprise visits to traders and householders where building or maintenance work is being carried out in Wallington to make sure that all was well.

I’m pleased to say that whilst I was out with the team we only met reputable tradesmen and some very friendly Wallington residents, who thought the scheme was a good idea. But if we had needed to we had people on hand from Scambusters, the Council and police who could have taken enforcement action or made arrests if necessary.

This was the first of a series of Sutton Rogue Trader Days that will be carried out across the borough over the next few months as part of a campaign aimed at reducing doorstep crime and illegal trading.

The team aims to make residents aware of their legal rights as well as the potential dangers when traders turn up on their doorstep. But work with traders is equally important, as we will be encouraging them to prioritise the needs of the consumer and always act within the law.


SAFER SUTTON TRADER SCHEME

The council is also launching a Safer Sutton Trader Scheme soon. Any trader who works in local homes will be able to apply to the Council to be listed in the scheme if they have been in business for over a year and can provide good references.

Local residents will then be able to refer to the list to find traders who have been approved.

Better Health Care – not dead but in need of intensive care?

"The Better Healthcare Closer to Home programme will provide 21st Century healthcare designed around the needs of local people.

"Under Better Healthcare Closer to Home, a network of local care centres will provide the majority of services that are currently provided by St Helier Hospital and Epsom General Hospital. They will be supported by a new general hospital for people who are seriously ill."

Well, that’s what it says on the Better Healthcare Closer to Home website, today, 10th September 2007. http://www.betterhealthcare.org.uk/programme/

But Sutton and Merton PCT’s BHCH newsletter, which was published today, makes it clear that the general hospital idea is dead, stating that:

“We have received a report demonstrating that a totally new built hospital on either the Sutton or St Helier sites now looks to be unaffordable..”, and continues on to say that “.. there is no prospect of bridging the gap.”

According to the PCT, the project will now be focusing on providing a mixed new build and refurbishment option at St Helier, with a new building replacing Fergusson House, and the main building being upgraded

But even this is dependent on the money being found for the work, which is acknowledged in NHS-speak by the statement that “The cost of this option would be less than new build, and while there is still an affordability gap, it is much less than other options we have looked at.”

SAVED OUR ST HELIER?

I am relieved that the “Save Our St Helier” campaign led by Liberal Democrat MPs Tom Brake and Paul Burstow and the Lib Dems on Sutton Council, seems to have been successful and that the future of St Helier Hospital has been secured.

But it is hugely disappointing for the people who live and work in Sutton, who were looking forward to having the facilities of a new general hospital to learn that after wasting what must be hundreds of thousands of pounds the new general hospital idea is dead.

LOCAL CARE HOSPITALS SURVIVE

I am delighted to learn that plans for the four local care hospitals at St Helier, Wallington, the Nelson and Wilson have been retained and the PCT will also look into developing a new community and primary care service on the Sutton site.

My Lib Dem colleagues, Jayne McCoy, Richard Bailey and I are committed to working with the PCT and the local health centre in Wallington to ensure that a suitable new facility is built in Wallington South and we are relieved that the Shotfield Health Centre / Local Care Hospital seems to have been preserved.

Let the people decide

As a Lib Dem, you won't be surprised to hear that I am wholeheartedly committed to a strong European Union, but I don't understand what Gordon Brown is up to at present.

Brown, and Blair before him, seem to be obsessed with telling us about the 'red lines' that they have negotiated, lines across which the EU Constitutional Treaty may not tread. The Tories seem similarly hung up on whether the Treaty is a Constitution 'in disguise'!

The Lib Dems were the only parliamentary party to call for a Referendum on the Maastrict Treaty and I think it's time that we demanded the same for the European Constitutional Treaty.

The people of the UK should given the credit and the opportunity to decide through a Referendum - not Gordon Brown!