A Sutton residents’ association chair made an impassioned speech as councillors failed to vote in time on two crucial housing items.

Colin Hawkins, head of the Sutton Federation of Tenants and Residents (SFTRA), urged committee members and residents to face the reality of the situation.

Rows between some councillors broke out midway through the discussion on an estate rehousing and compensation scheme.

This will look to provide residents on those estates with commitments and offers if or when plans for redevelopments involving their homes arose.

However, time ran out for councillors on the housing, economy and business (HEB) committee to vote on the item before the 10.45pm curfew.

Now it’ll be pushed back for another meeting, having a knock-on effect on the impending future of old persons’ housing scheme Beech Tree Place near Sutton town centre.

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Mr Hawkins, who is 79, said: “What we're talking about here isn't over-promising that we've got the resources to give people infinite time on every site. It's about managing pain effectively.”

When Cllr Nick Mattey asked whether he meant it would be painful for residents, he added: “I'm telling you it's going to be excruciatingly difficult, and to suggest that you - as 12 councillors, or 54 councillors - can exclude pain is to make a promise that isn't deliverable.

“Now that needs to be said to you in uncompromising terms.”

That was before he was interrupted and slammed the table with his fist, saying “let me finish!”

He added: “The goal isn't to make this any sort of issue other than dealing with reality, which is going to take time and it's going to be about taking responsibility for reality.

“There's been a contraction - I agree with you [Cllr Mattey] about Richmond Green - but that's the past. We're talking about how this pain is dealt with in the most bearable way. I speak with the greatest awareness that to die miserably whilst being turned into a commodity is grotesque, but we've got to deal with reality.”

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Earlier in the meeting, Cllr Mattey referred to the demolition of sheltered accommodation at Richmond Green which saw residents moved out.

He called the treatment of the people who lived there “a disaster”, and that he was “absolutely disgusted” and “ashamed”.

Though because his microphone was not switched on at the time of the comments, they were not recorded and described as “inflammatory”.

Mr Hawkins, self-described “old geezer”, spoke of how he supported Sutton Council’s regeneration plans but warned that this is now about how past mistakes are not repeated.

He said: “I’ve lived and worked in this borough for a quarter of a century, we're in a better place councillor. I can tell you that.

“Why can I tell you that? Because I'm at the heart of it.

“What we're going to have to work through, and particularly you as councillors who come to this meeting once a quarter four times a year, is to have belief and confidence that what the London Borough of Sutton's teams are doing - which Simon Latham [executive head of housing and regeneration] is in charge of - is one that, on its own terms, is good practice turned into humane practice.”