Voters in key Ashfield ward issue anti-social behaviour message to council election candidates

Sutton Central and New Cross is the Ashfield Council area covering Sutton town centre and the New Cross area, including Outram Street.

It was won by Independents at the most recent election in 2019 with Independent David Hennigan – who is not seeking re-election – and Ashfield Independent Samantha Deakin successful in becoming councillors.

But now the two council seats are up for grabs again as part of the wider council election on Thursday, May 4.

The ruling Ashfield Independents are looking to retain control of a council in which they won 30 out of 35 available seats in 2019.

Seven people are contesting the key Sutton ward, with two candidates each for the Ashfield Independents, the Conservatives and Labour.

The seventh candidate is representing the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

Now voters, shoppers and traders have issued their messages to the seven candidates and revealed what they want to see from the council in the next four years.

Duanne Elliott, aged 38, who runs the EcoVape store on Portland Square, says sorting anti-social behaviour and cleaning up the town are his priorities.

He said: “The town looks a mess and needs tidying up.

“All you see regularly is alcoholics sat near the sundial shouting and screaming at people all day, and you very rarely see them getting moved on.

“It’s off-putting when you see people walking around with their kids and there are people drinking so much.

“The town’s dying slowly and everywhere you look, there are nail bars and barber shops yet it used to be such a thriving little town.

“Everywhere’s the same no matter what town you go to.”

A similar message was issued by shopper Leanne Stone, 43.

She said: “The town’s not as vibrant as it used to be and the more you come into town, the more you see shops boarded up or closing.

“It’s not exactly something you want to spend your time visiting, so I think more needs to be done to bring pride back into Sutton.”

However, another more direct message was also issued to candidates for the ward – and other candidates standing in the district-wide poll.

John Curtis, 53, who lives in Kirkby but regularly visits Sutton, said: “I want councillors and candidates to stop with the verbal diarrhoea.

“People always say things to get elected and then constantly will not stick to it once they are.

“Candidates in the election should be honest, fulfil their promises and do it not just to get into power.

“I’m not interested in leaflets, saying ‘we did this and the other party didn’t do that’. Tell us what you plan on doing, speak to normal people about their priorities and get it done.”

Alongside the central town centre, the ward also covers the busy Outram Street shopping row.

This houses the political campaign office of the Ashfield Independents, while Lee Anderson, the district’s Conservative MP and a former Labour member of the council, also has an office on the road.

The majority of this road falls under the New Cross area, which has been the target of crime and anti-social behaviour in recent months.

Efforts by the authority and Mr Anderson led to some alleyways in the area being closed off after issues with drug use, fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

And a staff member at one café on the road says these issues have been improved since measures were taken.

Sherrie Shrives, 22, who works at AK’s Café and Carvery on Outram Street, said: “It’s been quite quiet recently.

“Anti-social behaviour is still ongoing but it is getting better.

“I’ve heard from customers of certain alleys being blocked off, which has helped because the main issue in this part of town is the crime rate.

“It’s definitely been improving over the last few years.”

The key battleground ward is one of 23 Ashfield council areas up for election on May 4.

Some wards are only electing one candidate, while others – such as Sutton Central and New Cross – are electing two, or even three councillors onto the authority.

Across the wider district, candidates from the Ashfield Independents, the Breakthrough Party, the Conservatives, the Green Party, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and unaligned independents are bidding to be elected.

Sutton Central and New Cross candidates:

Samantha Deakin, of Chatsworth Street, Sutton – Ashfield Independents Working All Year Round;

Max Everett, of Oak Tree Road, Sutton – Labour;

Vicki Heslop, of Leamington Drive, Sutton – Ashfield Independents Working All Year Round;

Shinto Mathew, address in Nottingham city – Conservative;

Margaret Renshaw, of Stanton Court, High Street, Stanton Hill - Labour;

Lea Sharpe, address in Ashfield area – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition;

Karen Shaw, address in Ashfield area – Conservative.