Many schools in Sutton are expected to close on Wednesday as part of planned public sector strikes.

A large number of council staff are expected to take strike action on November 30 as part of a national dispute between trade unions and the government over pensions.

A number of schools have said they will be closing because of the walkout, with others expected to announce they will also have to shut because of staff shortages.

Sutton Council has said bin collections could also be affected if refuse collection staff join the walkout.

Staff at St Helier Hospital are also expected to take part in the strike action, while a handful of Sutton Police support staff may also strike.

Both the hospital and police said they did not expect the walkout to cause significant disruptions to their services.

The council is promising to try and keep as many frontline services open as possible.

Meals on wheels services and care services are expected to keep running.

More comprehensive information on whether council services will be affected is expected tomorrow morning.

Schools that have already said they are partially or completely closing are Abbey Primary, Avenue Primary, Bandon Hill Primary, Beddington Infants', Carew Manor, Cheam Fields, Cheam Park Farm Infants' Green Wrythe Primary, Hackbridge Primary, Muschamp Primary, Sherwood Park, St Dunstan's Cheam C of E Primary, St Mary's RC Infants, St Mary's RC Junior, Stanley Park Junior, Wallington High School for Girls, Westbourne Primary.

Parents can check on their school's website for updates and further information, along with the Sutton Guardian website.

Epsom and St Helier university hospitals' NHS trust director of nursing, Pippa Hart said the hospital was expecting to continue work with a minimal disruption to services.

She said: “Our absolute priority is, and always will be, to provide our patients with a high level of care.

“As such, we have been engaging with all of our staff – including doctors, nurses, healthcare support workers, pharmacists, radiologists and our administrative staff – to make sure that we can continue to provide a safe service whatever the circumstances.

“We have robust contingency plans in place to ensure that, should strike action take place on November 30, we are fully prepared to continue our work with minimal disruption to services.

“If we do need to reschedule any appointments, we will contact patients directly. However, people can also keep up-to-date by visiting our website at epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk, or by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/epsom_sthelier.” A Sutton Police spokesman said: "A number of staff in support roles may exercise their lawful right to take part in the industrial action. However, the numbers of staff involved are likely to be low and their action will not adversely impact on our policing of the borough."

At least two million workers across the UK due to walk out in the Strike action on Wednesday.

Organisers expect disruptions to courts, government offices, job centres, driving tests, border controls and council services.

Highways Agency staff will be on strike.

Ministers expect two thirds of schools to close, and although clinical and medical staff in hospitals will work - the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing are not taking industrial action - some staff in hospitals will be on strike which would cause some delays.

The strike is over changes the Government want to make to how public sector pensions.

The Government has said the way they are funding is unsustainable, and wants public sector workers to pay more into their pensions, work for longer and accept a pension based on a "career average" salary, rather than the current final salary arrangement which many are currently on.

Unions, however, say the proposals will leave their members paying more and working longer for less.

Janet O'Brien, branch secretary at Sutton Unison, said: "We are expecting a large number of people to take part in the strike. We have had a big increase in membership in the past month."

She said the pensions issue was "the icing on the cake" after long-standing concerns from workers about their pay and conditions.

A Unison picket line will take place outside Sutton Civic centre, while a widescale march and rally involving other south west London Unison branches will take place outside Kingston University.

Check Suttonguardian.co.uk for updates on the strike action.