Sutton Council Rejects Motion to Restore Funding for Mill Green Repairs

17 July 2025

Sutton's Mill Green is facing urgent repairs following years of funding cuts, Sutton Council heard on Monday. The neglect resulting from funding cuts impacts public amenity, antisocial behaviour, fire risk, local biodiversity, and may lead to increased costs for addressing more significant issues in the future.

The council convened to discuss a motion addressing the deterioration of Mill Green on Mitcham Common, highlighting the impact of reduced funding on the area's maintenance and upkeep. The motion, put forward by Councillor Dave Tchil, aimed to reinstate resources for the comprehensive maintenance of the common land.

Prior to 2016-17, the council provided an annual grant of £13,900 to the Mitcham Common Conservators (MCC) for the management of Mill Green. This funding supported essential tasks such as litter clearance, footpath maintenance, grassland cutting, and tree safety works. However, the grant was significantly reduced to £7,700 in 2016-17 and completely ceased in 2017-18.

Councillor Tchil expressed concern over the current state of Mill Green, citing safety concerns such as fires, overgrown areas, and dangerous entry/exit points for pedestrians. He noted that the council has only funded the emptying of litter bins and amenity grassland cutting since 2018, with the mowing of a parcel of land adjacent to Mill Green Road being ceased. He highlighted that the dangerous entry and exit points for pedestrians lead onto a relatively busy 30 miles per hour road with a single track, and that grass overgrows around blind corners, creating a dangerous situation.

The deterioration of green spaces is because there is significant underfunding, Councillor Tchil said. He appealed to the council to consider the motion and work out a solution to return some investment to the area.

Councillor Richard Clifton, however, raised concerns about the motion, stating that it was misleading on the financial history of previous support and confused the responsibilities of the Conservators and the council. He argued that the Mitcham Common Conservators is a wealthy organisation with significant financial resources and investments, and that they should be responsible for funding any necessary work on Mill Green. Councillor Clifton stated that the Mitcham Common Conservators (MCC) has significant financial resources, with reserves valued at £1.7 million in the last set of accounts he saw as a board member. He also mentioned that the MCC has financial investments that contribute over £60,000 in annual income through interest payments and dividends, and that the golf club on Mitcham Common pays the Conservators approaching £80,000 of rent annually.

Councillor Clifton also clarified the responsibilities of the Mitcham Common Conservators (MCC) versus Sutton Council, stating that the MCC are the sole body responsible for the upkeep of parts of Mill Green that belong to Mitcham Common. He added that Sutton Council is responsible for the maintenance of the parts of Mill Green that they own, which are maintained by ID Verdi under their contract. This includes litter picking and trimming back along the road edges, as well as tree inspections and any necessary tree work.

Councillor Snita Goulden echoed these concerns, stating that the council stopped the non-ring fenced grant back in 2017 during Tory austerity, and that with Labour running the country, austerity continues. She said that the motion was effectively asking Sutton to reinstate a grant they couldn't afford in 2017, which is not possible now.

Ultimately, the motion was lost, with councillors voting against the proposal to reinstate funding for Mill Green.

Councils Involved

Sutton

Meetings Involved

the Council of Sutton Council on 14 July 2025

People Involved

Eric Allen Local Conservatives Cheam

Martina Allen Chair: Cheam North and Worcester Park Local Committee Local Conservatives Worcester Park South

Steve Alvarez Local Conservatives St Helier West

Councillor Isabel Araujo Liberal Democrat Carshalton Central

Helen Bailey

Councillor Rob Beck Chair of the North Cheam, Stonecot and Worcester Park Local Committee Liberal Democrat Stonecot

Moira Butt Local Conservatives Carshalton South and Clockhouse

Councillor Richard Choi Liberal Democrat Sutton Central

Imran Choudhury

Wendy Clark Local Conservatives St Helier West

Councillor Richard Clifton Vice Chair of the Planning Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton South

Councillor Paul Cole Vice Chair of the People Committee, Vice Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board Liberal Democrat St Helier East

Tim Crowley Local Conservatives Carshalton South and Clockhouse

Councillor Sam Cumber Chair of the Sutton Local Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton North

Bobby Dean Liberal Democrat The Wrythe

Ruth Dombey Vice Chair: Sutton Local Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton North

Tom Drummond Leader of the Opposition Local Conservatives Worcester Park North

Mike Dwyer Local Conservatives North Cheam

Councillor Qasim Esak Chair of the Scrutiny Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton West and East Cheam

Councillor Trish Fivey Liberal Democrat Sutton South

Tim Foster Leader of the Sutton Independent Residents Group Sutton Independent Residents Beddington

Neil Garratt Local Conservatives Belmont

Peter Geiringer Local Conservatives Worcester Park South

Councillor Sunita Gordon Lead Member for Resources Liberal Democrat Wallington North

Catherine Gray Local Conservatives St Helier West

Jillian Green Sutton Independent Residents Beddington

David Hicks Local Conservatives Belmont

Marian James Chair: People Committee Liberal Democrat Wallington North

Councillor Andrew Jenner Chair of the Carshalton and Clockhouse Local Committee Liberal Democrat Carshalton Central

Councillor Edward Joyce Vice Chair of the Scrutiny Committee Liberal Democrat South Beddington and Roundshaw

Councillor Barry Lewis Leader of the Council Liberal Democrat Wallington North

Bryony Lindsay-Charlton Local Conservatives Sutton North

Patrick Magnus Local Conservatives South Beddington and Roundshaw

Councillor Sam Martin Deputy Leader of the Council, Vice Chair of the Beddington and Wallington Local Committee Liberal Democrat Wallington South

Councillor Nick Mattey Deputy Leader of the Labour Coop and Independent Group Labour Coop and Independent Beddington

Councillor Jayne McCoy Chair of the Planning Committee Liberal Democrat Wallington South

James McDermott-Hill Deputy Leader of the Opposition Local Conservatives North Cheam

Councillor Cryss Mennaceur Deputy Mayor, Chair of the Pension Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton Central

Councillor Gemma Munday Chair of the People Committee Liberal Democrat St Helier East

Param Nandha Vice Chair: North Cheam, Stonecot and Worcester Park Local Committee Local Conservatives North Cheam

Patrick Ogbonna Chair: Hackbridge, St Helier and the Wrythe Local Committee Liberal Democrat The Wrythe

Spencer Palmer

Councillor Ed Parsley Vice Chair of the Hosuing, Economy and Business Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton Central

Jane Pascoe Vice Chair: Sutton South, Cheam and Belmont Local Committee Local Conservatives Belmont

Jonathan Pearce Local Conservatives South Beddington and Roundshaw

Councillor Louise Phelan Chair of the Licensing Committee, Vice Chair of the Sutton Local Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton West and East Cheam

Joe Quick Local Conservatives Worcester Park North

Councillor Muhammad Sadiq Mayor Liberal Democrat Wallington South

Councillor Cumar Sahathevan Vice Chair of the North Cheam, Stonecot and Worcester Park Local Committee, Chair North East Surrey Crematorium Board Liberal Democrat Stonecot

Tony Shields Chair: Sutton South, Cheam and Belmont Local Committee Local Conservatives Cheam

Councillor Jake Short Chair of the Hosuing, Economy and Business Committee Liberal Democrat Carshalton Central

Richard Simpson

Councillor Colin Stears Chair of the Hackbridge, St Helier and The Wrythe Local Committee Liberal Democrat The Wrythe

Luke Taylor Liberal Democrat Sutton West and East Cheam

Councillor Dave Tchil Leader of the Labour Coop and Independent Group Labour Coop and Independent Hackbridge

Vanessa Udall Local Conservatives Cheam

Sheldon Vestey Labour Hackbridge

Councillor Lisa Webster Vice Chair of the Carshalton and Clockhouse Local Committee Liberal Democrat Carshalton South and Clockhouse

Councillor Christopher Woolmer Chair of the Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee Liberal Democrat Sutton West and East Cheam

Topics

Mill Green Repairs Sutton Council Dave Tchil Mitcham Common Conservators Funding Cuts Councillor Richard Clifton Councillor Snita Goulden