Remembering Marian James

It is with profound sadness that Sutton Liberal Democrats announce the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Marian James, who stood down as a councillor in 2026 and died peacefully on Wednesday, surrounded by her family.

There are no words that can sum up a life like Marian’s, full of dedicated service to the community and a passion for making other people’s lives better.

Throughout her long career, she touched the lives of families across Sutton, putting into practice values of compassion and kindness that made her a hero in the eyes of all who knew her well.

Marian was the founder and first Chief Executive of Sutton Carers Centre - which has gone on to help so many unpaid carers to do their incredible work.

As the Lib Dem councillor for Wallington North for 12 years, she embodied the spirit of a true community champion, and was a great friend and mentor to so many of her colleagues.

And as Sutton’s Lead Member for Peoples' Services, she oversaw the establishment of the first Council-run children’s homes anywhere in London, a legacy that we will always be proud of.

Just this week, she was awarded the Freedom of the Borough in recognition of her breathtaking contribution to life in Sutton.

But as her party colleagues and her friends - we want to extend our recognition of her work by stating for the historical record that Marian was the very best of us, and her memory will live on in everything we do.