The Leader of Merton Council, Councillor Ross Garrod, has announced a new appointment to his top team to lead on what residents have told is a top priority for them: keeping Merton’s streets clean and tidy.
Cllr Stuart Neaverson, who represents Colliers Wood ward, will be appointed as Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets at the Annual Meeting of Merton Council on Wednesday 21 May.
He will be responsible for continuing the delivery of what residents told us they wanted from their waste and street cleaning services, including:
- Weekly street cleaning in every residential road in the borough
- An expanded pop-up tips programme, which sees them appear in every neighbourhood four times a year.
- Tougher action to crack down on fly-tipping
- And a dedicated graffiti removal team.
He will also be responsible for the council’s transport services, including our pledge to double the number of cycle hangars in the borough.
Cllr Neaverson brings to the role his experience as Chair of Merton’s Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel, which scrutinises both transport and waste services, and more recently as Chair of the Development and Planning Applications Committee.
Cllr Garrod said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Cllr Neaverson to the Cabinet to lead our waste and street cleaning services. We know that residents are expecting us to deliver on what they told us matters to them, and I am confident that Cllr Neaverson will be able to do just that.
“Residents are already seeing improvements to their waste and street cleaning services, including the return of weekly street cleaning, pop-up tips in every neighbourhood, tougher action to tackle fly-tipping, and a new dedicated graffiti removal service. We will continue to work hard to make the service the best it can be and keep Merton’s streets clean and tidy.”
Cllr Stephen Alambritis, current Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets, will now take on the role of Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services following the decision of current portfolio lead, Cllr Billy Christie, to stand down.
Cllr Alambritis has extensive experience in Cabinet and was Leader of the Council between 2010 and 2020, during which time he oversaw the development of a Council owned company which sold for a significant sum in 2023 and kept Merton’s Council Tax amongst the lowest in outer south-west London.
These experiences equip him to take on the finance brief and continue Cllr Christie’s strong record of protecting council services, securing value for money for taxpayers, and delivering on what residents have told us matters to them.
Cllr Christie decided to stand down from the Cabinet at the end of 2024/25 municipal year. He took this decision due to changes in his professional and personal life. He will continue as a backbench councillor, serving the people of Lavender Fields ward.
Cllr Garrod said: “I want to thank Cllr Christie for his hard work and dedication in Cabinet since May 2022, steering our finances through extremely challenging times for local government finances across the country. Despite these challenges, Cllr Christie has delivered a balanced budget year after year, expanded our Council Tax Support Scheme helping thousands of families across the borough, established a cost of living fund for those struggling to make ends meet, secured accredited London Living Wage status for Merton Council so that a fair days work always means a fair days pay, and kept Council Tax lower than our neighbours in Kingston, Croydon, and Sutton. Cllr Christie should be proud of all he has delivered for Merton.
“We will be sorry to see Cllr Christie stand down from Cabinet, but we are confident that the Council’s finances are safe in the hands of Cllr Alambritis.”