Lib Dem Colin Hall, with responsibility for this service, has come under fire for not telling councillors that the emergency cleaning was being axed before the job was finished, prompting accusations that this was a secret decision to avoid bad publicity. Conservative Councillor John Kennedy has slammed Colin Hall for failing to keep councillors’ appraised of the situation at Tuesday’s meeting of the Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Committee. This follows this month’s Full Council Meeting at which Councillor Hall was asked if his position was still tenable.   

John Kennedy, Vice-Chairman of the Council's powerful internal watchdog, the Scrutiny Overview Committee, said:

“I shall be writing to Deputy Leader Cllr Colin Hall to demand some answers. These cuts and the abandoning of the emergency drainage-cleaning programme will expose homes in Sutton to avoidable flood risk.

“ Why weren’t councillors told at Tuesday’s meeting? The whole scrutiny process is there to hold Executive Councillors to account and we expect them to be forthcoming with material information. This is a very serious matter.”

Councillor Kennedy added: “The soakaway cleaner costs about £4k a week, and is essential in protecting local households from the risk and misery of damage and flooding this winter. It is a small price to pay to protect our citizens, but it seems the Council will cut and run when it thinks it can get away with it and hope that no one will know and no one will ask. The Council is playing Russian Roulette with the homes of Sutton residents.' 

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Contact:

Cllr John Kennedy, Vice-Chairman Scrutiny Overview Committee on 07798 842 513

-or-

Cllr. Tony Shields, Vice-Chairman Sustainable Communities Committee on 07951 056660