Leader of the Council, Councillor Ross Garrod

Councillor Ross Garrod gave an update on Council issues. Cllr Garrod had just come from a public meeting for the residents in Galpin Road. Cllr Garrod said he grew up in Merton, lives in borough and his family still lives here. It is an honour to be leader of Merton Council and he is proud to come from Merton with its fantastic parks, schools, outstanding Children’s services. The overarching aim for the new administration is to reinstate pride in Merton, with everyone having a stake in making Merton a place we are all proud of. The Council has three main priorities:

Civic Pride

• Residents to have a stake, volunteer, rewarding communities for local action
• Supporting high streets and town centres.

Building Sustainable Future

• Encourage sustainable transport, move to Electric Vehicles, e-bikes, and active travel
• Tackle climate emergency
• Build new affordable homes, with a target of 400 new genuinely affordable homes on Council land by 2026
• Shift in emphasis in planning through new Local Plan to get good quality green and energy efficient development

Sporting borough

• New Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage
• Make Merton best borough of sport
• Investment grass root sport and healthy lifestyles
• Social prescribing helps NHS link to local activities
• Supporting the Walk and Talk service to bring people together to tour the borough
• Working on blueprint for weekly free activities for 4–16-year-olds and those over 65

Actions so far have included

• £2m added to climate emergency fund
• Supporting residents through the cost-of-living crisis including £2m fund being used to help people hit the hardest. We already have one of the most generous Council Tax support schemes. We have held four cost of Living events including one in Colliers Wood, with another one in Pollards Hill at end of October. We will be recruiting two additional benefits advisors based in libraries, providing support for the Community Fridge and vouchers for school meals during holidays. We will also be working with Thinking Works to do energy audits in people’s homes
• Cabinet agreed to end Veolia contract Street cleaning and waste collection in 2025
• Merton Local App to promote local businesses already downloaded 4000 times and features more than 400 local businesses
• Weekly walk around estates to see conditions and speak with residents
• New scheme for Housing Multiple Occupation landlords means they will require planning permission to divide up existing family homes. We will also be introducing a landlord licensing scheme
• We have recruited ten additional enforcement officers
• We had an outdoor screen at the Canons for the Wimbledon tennis and Women’s Euro final to create a community feel
• We have extended the existing Public Space Protection Order for Anti-Social Behaviour related to alcohol in five wards. We will be consulting on extending borough wide
• We have announced two new Civic Pride funds, one for the Voluntary and Community Sector and for Neighbourhood projects

A resident said that Colliers Wood Library is important existing community hub but feels unsafe when not staffed. Cllr Garrod said that since introduction of the card scheme we have seen an increase in footfall but happy to look at the safety concerns. Cllr Garrod explained that the screen at the Canons had been sponsored by the All-England Club and will build in future years. 

A resident said that the High Path regeneration results in loss of sports facilities and children’s play space and that the said that the planning application LESSA would reduce available space for sport. Cllr Garrod said this is private land and Planning Applications Committee has to look at planning law to make decisions.

A resident asked about homelessness in Morden and Cllr Garrod said that officers monitor and work with homeless to provide support. Underground staff also supporting those in Morden.

A resident asked about the cost-of-living support and Cllr Garrod said there was a comprehensive package of support with details on the website.

A resident asked if the landlord licensing scheme will involve a fee and Cllr Garrod said that there will be a fee and the scheme will give tenants security that they are renting from monitored and quality landlord.

A resident asked about Britannia Point and Cllr Garrod said that the Council had stepped in and engaged with landlord to make the area save. We have issued notice of dangerous structure and the landlord’s initial submission was not acceptable, so a new plan was submitted last week which we will assess to make sure it is safe for residents.

Councillor Kirby thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.