Graham Tope has been a councillor for the Sutton Central ward continuously since 1974 and was a Governor of Robin Hood Junior School for many years until 2010.
He is currently Executive Councillor for Community Safety, Leisure, Libraries, Parks & Allotments and chairs the Safer Sutton Partnership Board.
Graham was born in Plymouth, but has lived in the Borough since he was three years old. His wife, Margaret, was a teacher at a local Infants School and their two sons attended Devonshire Primary School and Greenshaw High School. Their older grandson has just started at a local primary school.
In his twenties, Graham won a sensational by-election to become Liberal Member of Parliament for Sutton & Cheam from 1972-74, when he was also the youngest M.P.
Shortly after, in 1974, he was elected to Sutton Council on which he lead the Liberal (later Liberal Democrat) Group for the next 25 years. In 1986, when the Liberal Democrats became the Majority Party, Graham became Leader of the Council for the next 13 years until 1999.
He stood down as Leader in order to seek election to the then new Greater London Authority in 2000. He was a member of that body, on which he also lead the Liberal Democrats, until 2008 and chaired the Finance Committee of the new Metropolitan Police Authority throughout that period.
In 1994 the UK Government nominated Graham to be one of the UK's 24 Members of the then new Committee of the Regions, the body created to be the "voice" of European regional and local government in the EU's decision making process. Graham has been Leader of the European Liberal Group on that body and is still one of the 3 UK members of its Executive.
Graham was awarded a C.B.E. In 1991 and was made a Life Peer (as Lord Tope) in 1994. He is currently Co-chair of the Liberal Democrat Communities & Local Government (CLG) Parliamentary Committee.
Correspondence Address:
Civic Offices
St Nicholas Way
Sutton
SM1 1EA
Email: graham.tope@sutton.gov.uk
Phone: 020 8770 7269
Ward: Sutton Central
Surgery details
Every Saturday, except August, from 11 am until 12 noon at the Salvation Army Hall, Benhill Avenue, Sutton