Welcome to the LOSRA Website
Like any local community, the policies and decisions shaping the character and future of Lower Sunbury are influenced by a combination of local and national government initiatives, alongside market forces and vested interests operating within these frameworks. As with many areas, Lower Sunbury faces challenges stemming from an aging infrastructure, rapid urban development, increasing traffic congestion, and other pressures that impact both quality of life and the distinctive character of the neighbourhood.
In collaboration with local authorities, other residents’ associations and amenity groups, LOSRA plays a vital role in addressing fundamental issues that affect its members' lives. This organisation not only engages with broader strategic concerns but also focuses on the everyday matters that shape community well-being.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular e-bulletins via the link at the top left of this page. Your continued support is essential to our efforts, and we urge you to join or renew your membership. Subscriptions for 2026 are now payable at £5 per household. Donations are also welcome.
Active Travel Scheme Proposal - Update
Last week's article "A very interesting proposal from Surrey County Council!" certainly generated the degree of interest we anticipated. At the time of its publication and, given the tight time limits (see para 5 of the SCC email below), it was only possible to put it out there and steer readers to make their views known by email to SCC direct.
The sheer volume of emails received has prompted the Area Highway Manager to send the following reply to LOSRA:
"Thank you very much for your comments regarding the Emergency COVID 19 Active Travel Measures in Lower Sunbury. We have received a high level of feedback from the local community. The vast majority of feedback is from people who are opposed to the proposed scheme of tactical road closures and modal filters.
"We have reviewed the feedback with Cllr Tim Evans, and it has been decided that we will not implement the scheme as it currently stands. The feedback we have received has identified a number of specific transport issues that we may be able to address, and so we will continue to engage with local stakeholders. We are hoping that through continued engagement we may be able to develop new options to address these issues. This may result in a different scheme being proposed in due course.
"The background to this is that the Government has asked Highway Authorities to develop and deliver schemes to assist with social distancing, and to promote active travel (cycling and walking). The Government is expecting us to take road capacity away from motorists and reallocate this for other modes of transport. For example in Farnham town centre we have narrowed roads and widened pavements to provide more space for pedestrians to assist with social distancing and promote active travel. There is more information about this on our website here: www.ourroads.today/activetravel. The Government is encouraging Highway Authorities across the country to be radical, and we appreciate that this will cause concern for local communities.
"Nevertheless we would like to implement schemes that are supported by local communities wherever possible, and to listen to any feedback that we receive when developing and implementing these schemes. We have heard very clearly that the local community in Lower Sunbury does not want the proposed scheme to go ahead, so we are going back to the drawing board.
"A number of people have asked why we have not consulted the community in the way that we normally would. This is because the timetable set by the Government to deliver the first tranche of schemes was 8 weeks from the date when funding was announced. This did not give us time to undertake the kind of comprehensive consultation we would normally do. Instead we have tried to use local networks to let as many people as possible know what we were considering, and thereby give as many people as possible the opportunity to respond.
"We will now work with local stakeholders, including local schools, local councillors, and the Lower Sunbury Residents’ Association, to assess what alternative options might be available to alleviate transport issues in Lower Sunbuecond tranche of the Government’s active travel programme. The timescales for this second tranche have not yet been announced, but we are hoping there will be time for more extensive consultation. It is also possible that other priorities elsewhere in the County will take precedence depending on the level of funding we receive.
"I would like to thank you for taking the time to write to Surrey County Council. If you have any further queries please could you direct them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.".
Yours sincerely,
Nick Healey
Area Highway Manager
Surrey County Council
New Spelthorne Cabinet Announced
Spelthorne Council has a new Cabinet, announced by Council Leader Cllr John Boughtflower.
Cllr Boughtflower, who was elected as leader on 25 June, named a new Deputy Leader and six Cabinet members who will steer the direction of the Council under his leadership.
The new Cabinet comprises of:
- Deputy Leader - Cllr Jim McIlroy
- Finance - Cllr Sati Buttar
- Communications and Corporate Management - Cllr Robert Noble
- Community Wellbeing and Housing - Cllr Maureen Attewell
- Leisure Services - Cllr Rose Chandler
- Compliance, Waste and Risk - Cllr Richard Barratt
- Planning and Economic Development - Cllr Tony Mitchell
Announcing his team, Cllr Boughtflower said: "We are clearly in unprecedented times as we deal with the impacts of Covid-19, which will be felt for a long time to come. My Cabinet will be inclusive, not exclusive, and we will be putting the needs of residents as our highest priority. We will also be working with colleagues from across the Chamber, though joint working groups, to deliver the best possible services for Spelthorne residents."
Residents wishing to contact Cabinet members, as well as their local Councillor, can find their contact details here
The first meeting of the new Cabinet will take place on 15 July.
A very interesting proposal from Surrey County Council!
The email below has been sent to LOSRA by Nick Healey, the Area Highway Manager for Surrey County Council and makes for an interesting read:
"Following the Government’s recent announcements we have been working with Borough and District Council officer colleagues to identify potential Active Travel schemes across the county. One project that is being put forwards is in the Lower Sunbury area. This is an area with significant potential to increase walking and cycling, and which has a history of casualties on all the main roads that run through it. One factor that residents frequently say is a discouragement to walking and/or cycling is their concerns about safety due to the volume and speed of traffic. At school run times, Lower Sunbury can become heavily congested, despite the catchment areas for the local schools being relatively small.
"To try to address this we are developing a scheme of tactical road closures and modal filters. Potential locations for these are marked with a red bar and circle on the attached plan. Where these fall on a bus route, we would implement a “modal filter” which means that only buses, cyclists and pedestrians would be permitted to pass through. Where these do not fall on a bus route, we would implement a “tactical closure” which would be a closure to all motorised vehicles – full access would be maintained for cyclists and pedestrians. The objective of this scheme is to remove all east-west through traffic from the Lower Sunbury area, which means the only traffic entering the area would be residents, or people accessing a specific destination within the area. By removing through traffic, we would hope to make the area much more attractive for residents to walk and cycle within the area – for example accessing local shops or taking their children to school.
"Please note that at this stage the number and locations of the proposed closures are not set in stone. For example it has been suggested that an additional closure should be considered either in Pine Wood or Bracken Wood. The closures are being designed so that they could be changed, adapted and / or removed in response to how people actually use and respond to the scheme.
"Funding has now been made available to deliver this scheme. We are now contacting schools and local associations to inform them of the proposed scheme, and also arranging for notices to be put up on site to inform local residents and drivers. This will give people the opportunity to raise concerns or suggest amendments.
"I would be grateful if you were able to use your networks to push this information out into the local community. If anyone has any comments the best way to pass them to the Council is by e-mail."
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
July/August Edition of Sunbury Matters
The July/August edition of Sunbury Matters is in the course of distribution.
To view a copy of the latest award-winning magazine online, click here
Lockdown relaxes on 4th July
From Saturday 4 July and in line with government guidance, children's playgrounds and outdoor gyms will be open.
Please follow Government Guidance when using these facilities:
- observe social distancing
- observe the advisory notice on the maximum number of users in this area at any one time
- parents/Carers should use hand sanitiser gel or wipes to clean children's hands
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth at all times
- cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze
- adults and children not to put their mouths on any equipment
Lendy Memorial Petition
Following publication of the Lendy Memorial History (see below) the Association has been asked by members to publish the link to the following petition
More...
The Sunbury Lendy Memorial - History
Further to the notice published on this site on 15th June and whilst awaiting the Borough's "work with local communities" we publish here a comprehensive and authoritative historical account of the Lendy brothers prepared by our ex-Chairman, Alan Doyle.
It should be recognised that the underlying reasons for the protests go back to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the historical and current issues arising from that terrible event.
It will be seen that the Council has boarded up the Memorial until (presumably) their work with local communities has been completed.
Review of Walled Garden Monument
The Council has made the following announcement:
The Council are currently reviewing all historical monuments in the Borough and will work with local communities to assess the appropriateness of these statues.
In the interim we have decided to close the Sunbury Walled Garden whilst this review is being undertaken.
Departure of 6 Councillors ends 45 years of Conservative Majority Rule in Spelthorne
Six of Spelthorne Council’s most senior Councillors have quit the Conservative Party today, following their AGM last night [This press release embargoed until 9th June]. This means that for the first time in Spelthorne’s history, the Conservatives no longer have majority control of Spelthorne Council. The Conservative Group now have only 17 councillors and the other Groups collectively 22 councillors.
Council Leader Ian Harvey, Deputy Leader Olivia Rybinski, Cabinet members Jo Sexton, Amar Brar and Helen Harvey, along with long serving Cllr Richard Smith-Ainsley have been instrumental in delivering financial security for the borough. ‘’It is with regret that we had to leave the Conservative Group. Increasingly over the past 6 months we have witnessed and endured torrid levels of bullying, misogyny, hounding and intimidation which has escalated during the lockdown. This has made our continuing membership untenable. Efforts to seek assistance from the Party, at all levels, including CCHQ, to resolve this, have fallen on deaf ears’’ said Cllr Rybinski.
"This faction clearly believe that whilst the Council is still at Amber Standing; it is a good time to cause massive disruption and distraction within the Council Executive by seeking a change in the Leadership Team, furthermore What is most upsetting is that this divisive faction within the conservatives have put party politics and their own personal ambitions over and above the best interests of Spelthorne Residents’’ said Cllr Sexton.
Leader of the Council for the past 4 1⁄2 years Cllr Ian Harvey said: ‘’When I took over as Leader of the Council in 2016, the Borough was facing a severe financial crisis due to swingeing cuts to government and Surrey County Council grants, compounded by historic poor financial decisions. Our renowned investment strategies have re-invigorated Spelthorne finances to the extent that we have now embarked on our ambitious second stage of regeneration and have commenced a building program which will deliver over 1200 homes within 5 years. We have delivered a balanced budget
with increases below inflation for the last 4 years; the lowest Council Tax increases in Surrey this year. I am proud of what has been achieved under my leadership. Our new group, to be known as United Spelthorne Group, will continue to put the needs of Spelthorne residents first".
MP Kwasi Kwarteng Newsletter to Residents
The Association has been asked by the Parliamentary Assistant to our local MP to bring this newsletter to the attention of our readers.
Riverside Arts Centre receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
The following email has been received from the Riverside Arts Centre in Thames Street. We are delighted to reproduce it here and wholeheartedly endorse the award:
We, as a group of volunteers based in Sunbury, have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
The RAC is committed to the furtherance of Art and Culture in Sunbury, Spelthorne, and beyond. However, we could not do this without the time and dedication of volunteers past and present. Everyone from the Management Committee to those of our users who dedicate their time make our centre the community hub that it is today - catering for over a 100 event nights a year & a large number of clubs, social gatherings, and classes
Riverside Arts Centre is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s
Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are always wonderfully diverse.
Representatives of Riverside will receive the award from Michael More-Molyneux, Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Riverside Arts Centre Chairman, James Ford-Bannister says:
“I speak on behalf of everyone at the RAC when I say that this is a great honour for all of us. When we were unexpectedly nominated, we were proud just to be considered but to be awarded the QAVS is an achievement that further validates all the hard hours everyone gladly puts in to give back to our local community. However, I know that our volunteers won't relax after this and will continue with the labour of love that is providing arts & culture in Lower Sunbury."
Doorstep Callers Prevention Campaign
Trading Standards has launched a new doorstep callers prevention campaign as there has been an increase since the lockdown restrictions have been eased.
They are asking neighbours, family and friends to look out for vulnerable people who are being targeted by fraudsters.
Find out how to prevent becoming a victim by visiting: https://bit.ly/DoorstepCallers
Discretionary Business Grants
Spelthorne Borough Council has launched their Discretionary Business Grants Fund scheme, which will provide support during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The government announced an additional £617million would be made available to small businesses across the nation and the Council, which has received £715,000, is now able to open its scheme for applications.
This grant fund is aimed at small and micro businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs who were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund, or the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fund.
Businesses must be small, have under 50 employees and they must also demonstrate they have seen a significant drop of income due to Coronavirus restriction measures. There will be different levels of grant payments; the maximum will be £25,000 and grants of £10,000, £5,000 and £2,500 can also be awarded.
In line with the guidelines funding will include a variety of businesses falling within the following categories:
- Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces such as Cafes, shops, restaurants and other food and beverage outlets in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment.
- Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment.
- Bed & Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of Business Rate.
- Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief.
- Businesses in the Supply Chain to the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality that did not qualify for business grants.
- Businesses who may qualify for a business grant but is waiting for a decision from the independent Valuation Office Agency.
- Start-up businesses who have seen a significant fall in seed investment due to the Covid-19 crisis.
- Private businesses providing a mixture of wellness and medical support that, have been effectively closed due to social distancing measures.
- Properties used for the provision of temporary living / boarding accommodation to animals (eg, catteries and kennels) that were closed or saw a significant reduction in income due to the Covid-19 restrictions on human travel.
- Businesses that provide cultural, arts and tourism services that did not qualify for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grants · Businesses who may qualify for a business grant but is waiting for a decision from the independent Valuation Office Agency.
How do I apply?
Businesses can read the full terms and conditions and make their application by visiting this website: https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/LADGF
There will be a closing date of midnight on Sunday 14 June 2020 for businesses to apply for this discretionary grant fund.
Applications will then be assessed against eligibility criteria. Successful applicants will be contacted as soon as a decision is made with payments commencing the week beginning 29 June 2020.
We anticipate this round of grant funding to be oversubscribed so it is important all businesses applying give as much information as possible and all businesses must sign a declaration stating they are not committing any fraud and fully complying with any state aid limits.
Community Recycling Centre to Take More Types of Waste
Announcement from Surrey County Council:
Following the successful reopening of the community recycling centres last month, from Monday 1 June, residents will be able to take more types of waste to Surrey's CRCs including wood, scrap metal, small electronics and white goods.
Social distancing rules on site will remain in places for the safety and wellbeing of staff and visitors to sites. This means the number of people allowed in each site at any one time will be limited. It's expected that only a quarter of cars will be able to pass through the sites, compared to the typical peak time visitor levels at this time of year.
Therefore, queues are expected and people should only visit the CRC if it's essential. If you do travel to the CRCs, please follow instructions from traffic marshals.
Opening hours are also changing at the sites. From 1 June, all sites that are currently operating, except Farnham and Camberley, will be open from 8am to 5pm. Farnham and Camberley will be open from 8am to 4pm. Then, from Monday 8 June, all ten sites that are currently operating will be open from 8am to 4pm.
The five smaller sites that are currently closed will remain closed for the time-being as it is not possible to safely open them with social distancing measures in place.
Residents using a van, pick-up or trailer will be able to visit the sites again but will still need a van permit, as usual. Due to social distancing measures, staff will not be able to assist you in unloading your vehicle, this includes white goods. So please only bring to site what you can carry yourself.
Unfortunately, the Revive re-use shops remain closed at this time and the sites do not have capacity to store items for re-use, so please hold onto these at home for the time-being.
At the moment, the sites won't be able to accept chargeable waste (soil, rubble, plasterboard or tyres), or textiles. Please check the website for full details of opening hours and materials you can take, before you travel.
