Councillor Tim Crowley, Leader of the Conservative opposition at the London Borough of Sutton, has today issued the following statement calling on Councillor McCoy, Chair of the Housing, Economy and Business (HEB) Committee, to resign over revelations that she failed to act to make Trinity Square safe for disabled residents:
"In April 2011 an internal Audit report was published into the Sutton High street redevelopment which uncovered numerous failings in management oversight, procurement and safety issues in relation to the project. One of the most serious of these related to impediments for the disabled as highlighted by SCILL showing serious design flaws that could be dangerous to those who had mobility or sight issues. All of the recommendations were accepted by the council and it was said that the issues flagged up by SCILL would be addressed.
"Five years later and it is discovered that the council has had to pay-out over £200k in compensation with another £50k pending on another possible settlement due to people suffering accidents falling off of the dangerous drop at Trinity square. Two weeks ago railings were installed at Trinity square to make the area safer and to prevent trips and falls. Why did this take 5 years and why just 2 months ago were we told that the area was deemed safe by an external safety consultant when quite obviously it was not?.
"As the council self insures its first £100k of any claims then this £250k is coming directly from the pockets of hard working council taxpayers. It is a scandal that this has been allowed to continue for five years after it was flagged up and has been continually pointed out to the council which seems to have acted like an Ostrich with its head buried deep in the sand.
"In 2011 we as the opposition called for Councillor McCoy's resignation over the inept performance of the council with the Sutton Town Centre project. She refused saying that she had only come into her post in May of 2010. Today the Conservatives are again calling for Councillor McCoy to consider her position and resign as lead member for HEB in the light of putting the residents of the borough at risk and by effectively frittering away £250k when the railings that have just gone in 5 1/2 years after the original report cost just 1/100th of the monies paid out.
"It is time for this incompetence to stop and for Cllr McCoy to go."
The statement comes after Conservative Councillor Patrick McManus (pictured) visited the site to see the newly installed railings after also raising concerns about safety.