Category Archives: Elliot Colburn

A decade too late, even Sutton’s LibDems now turn on Viridor

No one wants the polluting Beddington incinerator to be allowed to increase its capacity for burning rubbish. So why is the Environment Agency ‘minded’ to approve the application? STEVEN DOWNES reports Tomorrow is the final day for submissions in a … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Business, Croydon Council, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Kingston, London-wide issues, Merton, Planning, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Sadiq Khan, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Community hub Jack and Jill in finals for national pub awards

A Coulsdon pub has made it to the finals of the Community Pub Hero Awards, a prestigious national competition organised by PubAid with the backing of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, and sponsored by Matthew Clark. The Jack and Jill, … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Coulsdon, Elliot Colburn, Pubs | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sutton’s 40-page emissions report fails to mention incinerator

Our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION, on the most ridiculous claims made yet by the Liberal Democrat-controlled council There is a meeting tonight in Sutton of the council’s environment and sustainable transport committee. And, along with Ruth Dombey, the LibDem-controlled council … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Helen Bailey, Nick Mattey, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Client councils are failing to hold polluting Viridor in check

Our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION, on the feeble opposition from south London boroughs to the Beddington incinerator creating even more toxic pollution The South London Waste Partnership, the arm’s-length, unelected and unaccountable quango formed by Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Business, Croydon Council, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Mayor Jason Perry, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Sheldon Vestey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Boo-ris Johnson: Barwell predicts end for PM could be close

As Boris Johnson is booed by royalists gathered outside St Paul’s Cathedral for the latest part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, a former colleague lays out the weaknesses of the Prime Minister’s position as a result of Partygate, and the … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Chris Philp MP, Croydon South, Elliot Colburn, Gavin Barwell, Paul Scully MP | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘A pattern of unacceptable behaviour, spread over months’

Junior government ministers Paul Scully and Chris Philp remain silent over the Prime Minister’s Partygate scandal, while  other Tory MPs call for Boris Johnson to resign Two south London Conservative MPs have joined a growing number from their party to … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Bromley Council, Chris Philp MP, Croydon South, Elliot Colburn, London-wide issues, Merton, Paul Scully MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Half of Sutton LibDem councillors quitting at May’s elections

Defending the indefensible, whether it is the dodgy deals over the council’s SDEN heat network, the appalling treatment of families with SEND children, or some of the ruling group’s more under-hand conduct, has taken its toll, writes our Civic Offices … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Catherine Gray, Charlie Mansell, Elliot Colburn, Jayne McCoy, Jenny Batt, Neil Garratt, Nick Mattey, Outside Croydon, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Tim Crowley, Tom Drummond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutton’s LibDems in meltdown as ‘betrayed’ deputy quits

A councillor called ‘Moral’ has taken a principled stance against her erstwhile party colleagues. EXCLUSIVE by CARL SHILTON, investigations editor Ruth Dombey’s deputy mayor on Sutton’s Liberal Democrat-controlled council is quitting at the local elections next month because she has … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Tom Brake MP, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council wants to turn Battle of Britain Memorial into lorry park

Sutton Council wants to turn part of the Purley Way into a lorry park for at least two years. The council’s construction logistics plan for a special school on Sheen Way Playing Fields will see dozens of HGVs parking up … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Elliot Colburn, Helen Bailey, Joy Prince, Parking, Paul Scott, Purley Way, Robert Canning, Sutton Council, TfL, Transport, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tory MP Colburn caught out as ‘leftists’ defend public liberties

In the middle of “Party Gate”, one local Conservative MP has shown that not only does he favour authoritarian laws that remove the rights and liberties that helped to make this country what it is today, but he managed to … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sutton’s Simpson show can’t account for £2m SDEN subsidy

‘I can’t give you a guarantee there is no fraud’ – the words of an independent accountancy official at a meeting this week caused further dismay to Sutton’s ruling LibDems amid the growing controversy of their loss-making heat network. CARL … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Helen Bailey, Jayne McCoy, Neil Garratt, Nick Mattey, Richard Simpson, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Tom Drummond, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Latest Tory sleaze scandal shows that rules are for other people

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The backlash against the Tory government’s vote to let one of their MPs escape penalties for breaking the rules over lobbying has today brought the suggestion of a U-turn. But why is it one rule for them and … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon South, Elliot Colburn, Olga Fitzroy, Paul Scully MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Government cuts £100m from budget for new Sutton hospital

Plans for a new hospital in Sutton have been hit after the government wrote to the local NHS Trust to advise that they would be cutting their contribution to the £511million build costs by around a quarter. The plans to … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Epsom and Ewell, Health, London-wide issues, Merton, Paul Scully MP, St Helier Hospital, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Simpson feels heat from MP over SDEN ‘independent’ review

A Sutton MP has raised serious doubts whether a supposedly “independent” review into the controversial council-owned SDEN company will make any difference for the hundreds of Hackbridge residents whose homes and lives have been blighted by the expensive and unreliable … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, London-wide issues, Nick Mattey, Outside Croydon, Richard Simpson, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutton heating ‘disaster’ has residents seeking compensation

CARL SHILTON, our Sutton correspondent, reports on a badly-organised meeting – part Muppet Show, part Orwell’s 1984 – at which shocked residents saw their new ‘luxury’ homes reduced in value potentially by tens of thousands of pounds because of a … Continue reading

Posted in Ben Andrew, Elliot Colburn, Housing, Jayne McCoy, London-wide issues, Property, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MP Colburn in ‘angry’ row with Sutton over faulty heat network

The hot water supplied to Hackbridge’s New Mill Quarter might be lukewarm, but the political row over the council’s faulty heating network is close to boiling point, as our Sutton correspondent, CARL SHILTON, reports The MP who represents thousands of … Continue reading

Posted in Ben Andrew, Elliot Colburn, Helen Bailey, Jayne McCoy, London Fire Brigade, Property, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Community dishes up plates-full of embarassment for Tory MPs

A social media flashmob protest took place yesterday outside the offices of Sutton’s Conservative MPs to express public disgust at Paul Scully voting in the Commons against providing free meals for vulnerable children during the half-term break. Protesters described Scully’s … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Community associations, Elliot Colburn, Paul Scully MP, Ruth Dombey, Schools, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Appeals to Sutton and Croydon to join Rashford campaign

The leaders of LibDem-run Sutton and Labour-controlled Croydon have been urged to join a growing number of councils in issuing food vouchers over half term as the row over free school meals provision during holidays continues. London boroughs Southwark, Lambeth, … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Elliot Colburn, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues, Paul Scully MP, Ruth Dombey, Schools, Southwark Council, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tories choose NHS’s birthday to sound death knell for St Helier

The Tory government chose the weekend of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the NHS to sound the death knell for acute services at St Helier Hospital, and at Epsom Hospital in Surrey. A 25-year-long battle to maintain and … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Health, London-wide issues, Mayday Hospital, St Helier Hospital, Surrey, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

XR’s slow march highlights lack of progress on emissions

Extinction Rebellion protesters yesterday marched through Sutton town centre before delivering letters to the borough’s pair of Tory MPs, Paul Scully and Elliot Colburn, demanding action on the climate emergency. Sutton XR said, “The letter urges our MPs to publicly … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Crisis Commission, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Extinction Rebellion, Paul Scully MP, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutton’s heating network inflicts fuel poverty on new estate

Our Sutton reporter, CARL SHILTON, on a saga of deceit and disservice Sutton Council and its Liberal Democrat councillors have found themselves in hot water over SDEN, the district heating network which was supposed to provide cheap, “green” energy pumped … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Jayne McCoy, Nick Mattey, Sutton Council, Tom Brake MP, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SDEN: A timeline of council bungling and sky-high fuel prices

Sutton Council’s handling of its energy network has placed a number of families who have moved into the Barratt’s-built New Mill Quarter at Hackbridge in “fuel poverty”. This timeline tells a story of denial, dishonesty and outright incompetence 2018: The … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Jayne McCoy, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

MP challenges Viridor over its management of wildlife reserve

A Member of Parliament has intervened over the serious damage to the wildlife habitat and the destruction of one of London’s largest nesting colonies of house sparrows, following reports of the ecological calamity by Inside Croydon. Elliot Colburn was elected … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Environment, Jayne McCoy, Sutton Council, Tom Brake MP, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

LibDem rebels block plan to build on Sheen Way playing fields

Our Sutton reporter, CARL SHILTON, on how the council leadership has suffered another damaging knockback A meeting held in Sutton last week proved that it really is possible for a committee to vote down a proposal for overdevelopment backed by … Continue reading

Posted in Elliot Colburn, Environment, Helen Bailey, Nick Mattey, Paul Scott, Planning, Purley Way, Ruth Dombey, Schools, Sutton Council, Tim Crowley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Creatura shows his contempt for public by backing Cummings

Dominic Cummings can rest easy. Coulsdon councillor Mario Creatura reckons he did no wrong. Creatura, who worked in Downing Street as Theresa Mayhem’s Twitter monitor, must now surely be ranked as only the second-worst government special adviser in the history … Continue reading

Posted in Coulsdon, Elliot Colburn, Mario Creatura | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments