Despite her repeated denials, it is suspected that the Leader of the Council had always intended that the third option to be debated at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 14th September, namely; to "Withdraw the Local Plan from examination and prepare a new Local Plan" would win the day.

However, at the 11th hour, The Minister of State intervened by exercising The Secretary of State's powers under Section 27, Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 directing that the Council should not take any step to withdraw the plan from examination (currently paused by Council) and report monthly to her officials on the progress with the examination.

In her letter she states: "The last Local Plan was adopted in 2009, it should have been reviewed and updated many years ago. Withdrawing the Plan at this advanced stage of preparation will extend the already unacceptable period in which the Council has had no up-to-date local plan in place."

The Minister concludes the letter: "Should a significant delay occur to progressing the examination and should you fail to comply with the directions in this letter, I will consider taking further intervention action to ensure that an up-to-date plan is in place."

LOSRA has long campaigned for the plan's eventual adoption (despite its unpopular provisions) as the best defence against unplanned predatory developments and, in this regard only, we welcomed the Secretary of State's intervention.

It was the second option that was voted through, namely: to seek a further pause in the Examination timetable until the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) have been published (expected in the Autumn) before agreeing next steps; and to take legal advice on the viability of challenging the Minister's decision.

It's reasonable to suppose this to be a further delaying tactic as it's difficult to imagine what within the revised NPPF is likely to make a material difference to the status quo.

Residents have no option but to observe how this highly divisive saga rumbles on and on until its eventual denouement.

Steve Fishwick is widely considered to be one of the best jazz trumpet players ever to come from the UK, and is rapidly gaining a global reputation thanks to his flawless technique and his beautifully flowing, harmonically rich improvisations.

Steve will be appearing with the Terence Collie Trio at the Riverside Arts Centre on Sunday 1st October.

To see poster for venue and booking details, click here

The Extraordinary Council Meeting on 6th June saw the Council resolve "to formally request the Planning Inspector to pause the Examination Hearings into the Local Plan for a period of three (3) months to allow time for the new council to understand and review the policies and implications of the Local Plan and, after the three month pause, the Council will decide what actions may be necessary before the Local Plan examination may proceed.”

 
It seemed obvious at the time and, subsequently with the discovery of irrefutable evidence, that the ultimate intention by a cohort of disaffected councillors is to scrap the Local Plan altogether; and that the resolution to 'pause' the Examination Hearings was no more than a device to add a veneer of respectability to achieving their ultimate goal.
 
It should be remembered that, before the local elections in May, the progress of the LP through to the public Examination Hearings had been approved by Council. Should these dissident councillors get their way it would put the Council back by years and, in the absence of an LP, leave the Borough open to predatory developers who have in the past successfully appealed development approvals where existing plans are deemed to be out of date (as is the case in this Borough). Though by no means perfect (subject as the plan is to government fiat), the eventual adoption of the LP is the only protection we have against the prospect of a developer free-for-all.
 
A highly vocal minority, principally from Staines, intend to pack the public gallery in support of the motion by an ersatz partisan grouping to ditch the plan completely. Your presence is needed to lend support to those councillors who justifiably wish to put an end to this nonsense.
Please attend by 6.45 pm. The relevant agenda item may be viewed by clicking here

It’s been a long summer without Music Nights at Sunbury Cricket Club and lots of people have been asking when the Club will be starting up again. The cricket season is over now, and we are delighted to announce that our first Music Night of the new series is on Friday 22^nd September when we are equally delighted to welcome back THE MUSTANGS.

The Mustangs are one of the UK’s longest-established and most critically-acclaimed blues-rock bands, with a reputation for blistering live shows and ground-breaking original albums, and they have been a favourite at Sunbury Music Nights for over ten years. They last played here at the 2019 at the Club's Gin and Music Festival, almost exactly four years ago, having headlined at the very first Beer Festival a couple of years before that, so are long overdue a return.

Now working as a power trio following the retirement of harmonica veteran Derek Kingaby, they feature the stunning voice and slashing guitar of livewire frontman Adam Norsworthy, plus the razor-sharp rhythm section of Jon Bartley (drums) and Ben McKeown (bass).  Formed in 2001 they combine the power and punch of traditional R’n’B with great original songs, and are regulars at festivals like the Swanage Blues Festival, and in 2017 played at the Glastonbury Festival. Some of our patrons will have seen Adam doing a fine rocking show at one of Music Nights last year with his other band The Milkmen.

Rock ‘n’ Reel magazine called them “Truly storming, ferocious….the very definition of blues rock.” They now have around ten albums under their belt and of their most recent one, “Watertown” Metal Eyes magazine wrote “A wholly original album, a rock masterpiece. ‘Watertown’ flies to peaks unreachable to most of us”.

There’s more information at www.themustangsband.co.uk. They always do a great show for the Club and it’s an ideal way to get the new season of Music Nights under way, so we look forward to seeing you there. Tickets are £10 on the door, and hot food will be available as usual.