Welcome to the LOSRA Website
As with any other local neighbourhood, the policies and actions which affect the character and future of Lower Sunbury are generally framed and implemented by a combination of local and national government, along with the vested interests and market forces which operate within those frameworks. Lower Sunbury is by no means unique in being under threat from a creaking infrastructure brought about by rapid urban development, the growth of traffic, and other pressures affecting the quality of life and the character of the area.
Working with the local authorities, we see it as the responsibility of residents’ and amenity groups such as LOSRA to address the underlying issues which fundamentally affect their members’ lives, as well as the minutiae of everyday life with which such groups are often concerned.
Please sign up to receive our regular e-bulletins by subscribing via the facility at the top left hand of this page. It goes without saying that, without your continued support we would cease to function so we urge you to join, or renew your membership now Subscriptions (£5 per household) for 2024 are now payable.
Trading Standards Alert - Students beware!
The latest TS Alert draws attention to rental fraud which happens when would-be tenants are tricked into paying an advance fee to rent a property. Last year The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau warned students to be careful when looking for university rental accommodation at this time of year. Fraudulent landlords are making £755 million a year from the scam, and costs individuals £2,394 per victim.
Also featured in the Alert is a warning to beware of emails pretending to be from Facebook suggesting "Pages you might like" that direct you to websites laced with malware. To view the full TS Alert, click here.
Spelthorne Public Meetings for Fire Service Consultation
Further to the article published on 23rd August, LOSRA has just received the following email from Surrey County Council:
As part of the continuing consultation process regarding changing the number of fire engines based in Spelthorne, two public meetings have been scheduled. Residents and other stakeholders are invited to find out more and ask questions to Officers and Myself.
The meetings will take place as follows:
- Tuesday, 17 September 2013, 7-9pm, Hengrove Scout HQ, Station Crescent, Ashford TW15 3HN.
- Wednesday, 25 September 2013, 7-9pm, Staines Community Centre, Thames St, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 4EA
Spaces are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Please register which meeting you would like to attend and if you have any specific access requirements by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more information about the proposals please see www.surrey-fire.gov.uk/psp
Kay Hammond
Cabinet Associate Fire and Police Services
Surrey County Council
Time to Vote for the Sunbury Walled Garden
A record breaking 1,448 parks and green spaces this year received a Green Flag Award and people are now urged to vote for the nation's favourite.
The annual People's Choice Award, managed by Keep Britain Tidy, is now open - giving the public the power to decide which one of the 1,448 Green Flag sites should be named park of the year with an online vote.
So now is your chance to tell the world how much you value your local park. To vote:
- Visit http://www.greenflagaward.org/
- Select the South East region on the interactive map
- Find the Sunbury Walled Garden and select
- Click the 'vote for this site' button
Paul Todd, Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Award scheme manager said: "Our judges have decided on this year's winners of the coveted Green Flag Award but the public now have the opportunity to decide which park or green space deserves The People's Choice Award."
The vote will close at midday on 1 October and the winner of the 2013 People's Choice will be announced on 9 October at a ceremony in London.
New App Engages Spelthorne Residents
Working with Capita, Spelthorne Borough Council has launched a new mobile phone app called 'Engage' to offer residents more choice in the way they contact the Council.
The Engage app is free and can be downloaded to any smart phone/device and allows residents to access a range of the most frequently used Council services in just a couple of clicks, at a time that suits them. The Engage functions include:
- Pay Council Tax and Business Rates
- Pay parking fines
- Pay for collection of large household goods
- Report missed bin collections
- Report dog fouling problems and problems with parks
- Report abandoned vehicles, graffiti or fly-tipping
- Receive news, events, travel and weather updates
- Find your nearest leisure centre, doctor, recycling centre or library.
- See 'what's on'
Engage allows residents to access Council services whilst on the move - no need to make phone calls or log on to the website. Residents can report problems such as dog fouling and graffiti directly to the Council, with the facility to attach a photograph and location marker.
In addition to being the first to receive Council news, residents can also find useful information about their local area including restaurant hygiene ratings, crime rates and traffic news.
For more details click here: http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/4436/New-app-engages-Spelthorne-resident
Have you visited the Embroidery Gallery lately? See what's Happening
Exhibiting art that appeals to a multitude of senses and is inclusive to all. This was the challenge the Embroidery Gallery gave to teachers and pupils from Manor Mead and Sunbury Manor schools. The brief was to design and create a visual and tactile art piece with an audio component. The project was led by artist Stuart Simler. The finished work sits alongside a prestigious collection produced by blind artists. The collection is on loan from Moorfields Eye hospital to which it was donated by BlindArt, a registered charity.
The Event closes on 1st September.
Click here to see the autumn brochure giving details of other events and workshops at the Gallery
Trading Standards Alerts
The following are excerpts from the latest Trading Standards Alert:
Scams
Consumers are being cold called and offered savings for radiators and windows. The Government is running a savings scheme but beware of companies trying to associate themselves with the Government scheme to con consumers out of money. Credit card details and payment are reported to have been requested over the telephone in this alleged scam.
The usual “inheritance” scams are continuing to operate and our advice is to report and dispose of such letters coming from the Netherlands, Hong Kong and The USA.
When was the last time you asked your elderly neighbour, friend or relative about scam mail? Would they let you look at some of the letters they receive? Many scams carry on for years because of a lack of support or intervention so please help the vulnerable if you can.
Consumers who may have been a victim of a scam can report the matter to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06. Friends relatives or neighbours can also do this on the consumer’s behalf if the consumer is vulnerable or feels uncomfortable doing so.
More...
The King Earl Boogie Band at Sunbury Cricket Club, 6th September
The evenings are drawing in and autumn is just around the corner which means that the first Sunbury Cricket Club Music Night of the new season is less than two weeks away.
On Friday 6th September Sunbury Cricket Club is delighted to welcome, for the first time, THE KING EARL BOOGIE BAND. The Club wanted to kick off the autumn run of gigs with something special, and has been trying to book this band for some time. They are a rocking, bluesy outfit whose blend of straight ahead blues, r’n’b, and rock’n’roll has earned them a reputation that gets them booked back at venue after venue. They have played UK festivals like the Great British R’n’B Festival (Colne, Lancashire), Blues At The Fort (Portsmouth) and Maryport Blues Festival (Cumbria), and also at a range of festivals across Europe in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
The Club looks forward to seeing you on 6th Sept. and hope you will support them through the autumn season.
Fire Stations in Spelthorne - Have Your Say
The following email has been received from Surrey County Council and is self-explanatory. Readers are being asked to submit their views on the proposal to reduce the number of fire stations within Spelthorne from two to a single, centralised facility.
I am writing to ask for your input on important proposals regarding how fire and rescue services will be provided in the Spelthorne area.
As you may recall, in Surrey Fire and Rescue Authority’s Public Safety Plan for 2011 – 2020, we proposed changing the way fire stations in Spelthorne are crewed and also the location of some of our fire stations in order to achieve a more balanced level of emergency cover across Surrey.
Currently there are two fire stations in Spelthorne – Staines and Sunbury – both providing 24-hour emergency cover with one fire engine each. To continue to provide an effective fire and rescue service within the resources available, the Service now needs to consider the provision of one fire engine in Spelthorne, located more centrally within the Borough.
The benefits of this proposal are the more efficient use of resources across the whole of Surrey and the provision of a new, modern fire station.
Today (5 August 2013), marks the start of a thirteen-week consultation with residents, businesses, staff and unions. Further details about the proposed changes are available at www.surrey-fire.gov.uk/psp.
Please do take the time to give us your views via the online questionnaire and encourage your local residents to do the same. Please contact us if you require postal questionnaires. You can also feedback via these additional channels:
- Email comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Write to us at: Public Safety Plan team, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Croydon Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0EJ
- Call us on 03456 009 009
- Minicom: 020 8541 9698
- SMS: 07527 182 861
- Fax us on 01737 222857
Your feedback and our analysis will be presented to Surrey County Council’s Cabinet at the end of 2013 for decision.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally reassure all our stakeholders that we will continue to work together to provide essential and excellent fire and rescue services throughout the borough. The safety of the public and our firefighters is, and always will be, the top priority for our service.
Kay Hammond
Cabinet Associate Fire and Police Services
Surrey County Council
Spelthorne Council Announces Death of Mayor in Office
It is with deep regret that Spelthorne Council announces the death of the Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr Isobel Napper.
Cllr Napper was first elected as a Conservative member of the Council for the Riverside and Laleham Ward in May 1999 and she continued to represent the Ward until her death on 20 August.
In May 2013 she was appointed as Mayor of the Borough. During her time in office she was dedicated to meeting Spelthorne residents, supporting local organisations and raising money for her chosen charities – Staines Army Cadets, DayBreak and Ashford Hospital Breast Care Unit.
She served on several committees within the Council, the most recent being the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Licensing Committee. An active member of the local community, Cllr Napper was Chairman for Voluntary Action in Spelthorne and the Spelthorne Social Club for the Blind and Partially Sighted.
Cllr Napper devoted her life to local politics and worked tirelessly to represent the interests of her constituents during her fourteen years’ service. She lived in Spelthorne for 47 years and enjoyed a career in nursing before working as a Secretary. She is survived by Tom, a retired stonemason, her three children, Nancy, Denise, and Tom and grandchildren.
Popular Local Hairdresser Returns to the Village
Many Sunbury residents will know Irving Childs and his son Saul who ran the Saul Irving hairdressing salon in Thames Street until Irving retired a couple of years ago – Saul had not been able to work for several years because of a serious back injury. When he retired, Irving, who for many years had been a stalwart of the Sunbury Business Community, rented out his shop to a lady to keep running a hairdressers there and take advantage of the goodwill that had been established. However, it seems that things have not worked out and Irving found it necessary to take legal action to recover monies owed from the sale of the business. The tenant has now left and declared herself bankrupt, and in removing her fixtures and fittings, caused considerable damage to the shop, as well as putting unpleasant posters in the shop window which several residents have reported to us. Saul is now happily well enough to re-open the salon as his own business, with the assistance of Carley and Karen.
The new telephone number will be posted on the website (www.saulhairdesign.com) and also the shop window from this Thursday, 22nd August, 2013. Any clients with existing appointments are urged to contact Saul on 07525 360517.
Sightlines at Harfield Road j/w Lower Hampton Road
Following numerous complaints from local residents, local County Councillor, Tim Evans, has now arranged with Surrey Highways to place double yellow lines around the north corner of Lower Hampton Road and a little way up the west side of Harfield Road.
This safety measure will be ratified by the Spelthorne Local Committee in 2014. Thereafter, next summer (mid June probably) statutory notices will be placed asking if there are any objections. Assuming there are none of substance, the yellow lines will be laid down about this time next year.
Hydropower Project at Sunbury Weir Invalidated by Elmbridge Council
The LOSRA Chairman makes the following announcement in relation to the controversial hydropower project at Sunbury Weir:
“Spelthorne Borough Council were a consultee regarding the Application by HP Projects for a hydropower scheme at Sunbury Weir, and Spelthorne Council members had “called-in” this matter to the full Planning Committee. LOSRA and others had raised queries about some of the plans submitted by the Applicant is support of this hydropower scheme. The Head of Planning at Spelthorne told us that Elmbridge Borough Council (in whose area the scheme falls) also have an issue with the plans and the level of information and detail they have been given by HP Projects. When Spelthorne spoke to them, Elmbridge confirmed that they have now invalidated the Application until they have the information. We will all be re-consulted once the Application is validated again. On this basis it will not go to the Spelthorne Planning Committee on 28 August as originally intended."
This Site will be updated just as soon as more information becomes available.
A Good Day at the Sunbury Regatta
It was good to see so many familiar faces visiting our stall at the Sunbury Regatta. Some came to join our Association, others to renew their memberships, and many just dropping by, in search of information or simply to discuss their concerns.
Now celebrating our 40th Anniversary as a fully constituted Association and, working with our local authority and other agencies, we continue to work tirelessly in doing what we can to preserve or enhance the amenities enjoyed by the Lower Sunbury community.
Our officers and committee are all volunteers who dedicate their time and energies to further the aims and objectives of the Association; and our future depends upon your continued support. If you are not a member or have forgotten to renew your membership for 2013, please either join or renew now. Annual membership has remained unchanged for the last 7 years and, at £5, costs about the same as a pint and a half of low strength beer. You may join or renew membership via the Paypal button on the Home Page or, alternatively, by leaving your subscription at the Post Office in Avenue Parade or at Twirltours Travel Agents in Green Street. We are of course very grateful to all those who have supported the Association today and over the many years of our existence.
Green Belt Development - a Prospect for Kempton Park?
On Tuesday 13th August, having heard about the possibility of developing part of the Kempton Park site, LOSRA met the Managing Director of the Racecourse site and consultants retained by The Jockey Club. They had no specific plans to show and no numbers were mentioned. The MD and consultants explained their position and we put ours to them. Spelthorne Council have set up an all-party Steering Group to handle their interest in this matter.
It will come as no surprise that LOSRA's position, in view of this initial consultation and with no detail available, is that Lower Sunbury residents’ concerns could, in the main, probably be summed up in two words: Green Belt. It is clear, however, that this is likely to be a very complex issue, as it may well coincide with another planning application just north of the A 316.
There is another meeting tentatively planned for late September. This site will be updated as and when more information becomes available.
