A budget that delivers Sutton's future

At tonight’s full council meeting, we have once again laid down a budget that helps us deliver Sutton’s future.

It reflects our commitment to prudence, fairness and long-term thinking,  making sure we support the most vulnerable, deliver great services, and ensure that ours is a borough of opportunity for all.

Unlike the opposition parties we take the importance of having a credible and ambitious plan very seriously. It is why at election after election for 40 years the people of Sutton have backed us to deliver on the vision of a brighter future for our borough.

In these uncertain economic times, that need to be pragmatic and ambitious at the same time is more important than ever. We have to steer the ship sensibly, protecting Sutton from the choppy waters around it. But we must also set a clear direction of travel, which is why we are clear about the projects that matter most.

We’re doing the hard work today that pays off tomorrow - like supporting elderly residents to live independently for longer with AI-enabled smart tech, taking proactive action to invest in our high streets across the borough, and building the affordable homes Sutton needs close to the town centre.

And we are unapologetically ambitious in our vision for Sutton’s future, which is why we’re delivering the London Cancer Hub in Belmont, putting Sutton’s name on the map globally for life sciences and creating thousands of new local jobs.

Putting local people at the heart of what we do, is what we do best. It is this community-driven approach that runs through the heart of this budget.

In May everyone in Sutton will have to make a choice between this approach and that of the Conservatives and Reform - who have no plan for our area, no ambition for Sutton, and frankly, nothing nice to say about it. Sutton deserves so much better than that.

I’d invite everyone reading this to join us in the fight to keep the Conservatives’ and Reform’s hands off of Sutton, and help us deliver that brighter future we all deserve in Sutton. It’s hard work - but when it’s done in service of an area as great as ours - it’s a privilege.