Sutton councillors are set to debate a motion at full council in a bid to tackle bullying across the borough.

The meeting, to be held on November 12 at Wallington County Grammar School in Croydon Road, will coincide with the day UK Anti-Bullying Week starts.

If passed then the motion would see councillors and Sutton Council staff offered training to identify and tackle acts of bullying.

There would be updated signposting to help residents also call out bullying.

Agreement on the motion, proposed by Deputy Mayor of Sutton Cllr Chris Williams, would see the council officially join the UK Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) and adopt their definition of it.

The theme for this year’s UK Anti-Bullying Week “choose respect”.

Cllr Chris Williams, who is also the vie-chair of the council’s people committee, said: “As a former teacher, working in several secondary schools during a forty-year career, I am well aware of the corrosive impact on people's lives bullying can have.

“Over time, schools have thankfully become far better at facing up to and challenging bullying. Every school has an anti-bullying policy.

“It is now time that other organisations learned from good practice in schools. I want to thank the Anti-Bullying Alliance for their crucial work around the country and we look forward to supporting their efforts here in Sutton.”

It comes as charity Childline held over 19,000 counselling sessions with children about bullying in the year to March 2018.

Particular groups at risk include LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, those with disabilities or special educational needs, or currently receive free school meals.

Martha Evans, director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, said: “I want to commend Sutton councillors for playing their part to unite against bullying.

“This motion highlights the different ways that bullying occurs, whether online or face-to-face, that there are some groups more at risk of bullying and sends a clear message that it is never acceptable.

“It’s also great to see that all councillors will lead by example when interacting with each other by ‘choosing respect’, the theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week.

“We would be delighted to welcome them as members of the Anti-Bullying Alliance.”

UK Anti-Bullying Week will run from November 12 to 16.