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.
Fairview New Homes Planning Application for Page Aerospace Site, Forge Lane
Following the public consultation which began in May 2015, Fairview have now submitted a planning application to Spelthorne Borough Council which was validated on Thursday 3rd December (reference number: 15/01599/FUL).
The plans remain largely unchanged to those presented at the public exhibition on 22nd September, except that, following a final pre-application meeting with the Council on 12th November, the internal configuration of the apartment building has been amended resulting in an increase to the overall unit numbers from 32 to 33. This has not contributed to any external visual change to that presented during the public consultation.
Planning Officers have advised Fairview that consultation letters will be distributed to residents within the coming days, and that the 21 day statutory consultation period will be extended to 28 days, to account for the Christmas break.
Fairview intends to conduct a further door-to-door canvass of neighbouring properties next week, to ensure that residents are aware of the application being submitted and know how to submit their comments.
All plans and visuals are available online at www.FairviewPageAerospace.co.uk
NHS Patient and Public Participation Policy
This policy is for patients and the public, and for NHS England staff. It sets out the NHS ambition of strengthening participation in all its work and how it intends to achieve this.
Council Supports Anti Dog-fouling Campaign
All the evidence shows that the majority of dog owners in Lower Sunbury are responsible people who take care to clear up after their dogs. Nevertheless, for the small minority who tarnish the reputation of the majority, this notice from our local Council will be of interest:
"Spelthorne Council has joined forces with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy in a bid to reduce dog fouling in the Borough.
"The ‘We’re Watching You’ campaign sets its sights on irresponsible dog owners, with recent research showing that dog fouling tends to be worse during the winter months and at night time when some dog owners feel that they can’t be seen ‘under the cover of darkness.’
"Spelthorne Council has joined the edgy and uncompromising campaign to tackle dog fouling hotspots and is displaying posters that use innovative materials which glow-in-the-dark at night and recharge during the day.
"Cllr Maureen Attewell, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We know that residents consider dog fouling to be by far the most unacceptable and dirtiest type of litter. The vast majority of dog owners are responsible people who pick up after their dogs but some people seem to think they don’t need to bother if it’s dark. We are pleased to be working together with Keep Britain Tidy on this cutting-edge campaign and hope that we will see some good results.”
Surrey and Bucks Trading Standards Investigate Hoverboards
There has been quite a lot of publicity in the national press regarding the dangers associated with battery packs for hoverboards. Should any of our readers have missed it, we bring to attention a recent email from Trading Standards which will be of interest: TS officers recently intercepted a £7,000 consignment of 51 self-balancing boards imported from China and sent them for testing to see if they complied with electrical safety standards.
Trading Standards will now ensure the boards can never be used by the public after checks showed that chargers and battery packs supplied with the products pose a fire risk.
In particular, TS are also investigating a case in Buckinghamshire where a woman was injured after a hoverboard belonging to her 10-year-old son exploded in a bedroom, sending burning fragments flying across the room.
The Mersey Legends Come to Sunbury Cricket Club on 11th December
The final Music Night of 2015 at Sunbury Cricket Club falls on Friday 11th December, when the Club welcomes The Mersey Legends once more for their now traditional Christmas bash.
They are led by Yanni Tsamplakos, who was born in Liverpool and who played at The Cavern with his band The Seftons in the heyday of the beat boom – the band were top of the bill at the Cavern when it re-opened in 1967. They play wall-to-wall Mersey era classics, with a show that’s true to its roots, and promises an evening of non-stop ‘60s favourites that are always guaranteed to get everyone dancing, so come along with your friends and have a bit a rave-up to get the party season properly under way. You can get full information at www.themerseylegends.co.uk.
There’s a small bonus for this gig – the Club will be having a raffle, and the little tickets they give you when you pay at the door will actually give you a chance of winning one of the prizes, so make sure you hang on to them!
Sunbury Park Cattle Grazing Feedback
Readers of this site will already be aware that the Council undertook an eight week cattle grazing trial in Sunbury Park. The purpose of the trial was to try and enhance the local biodiversity whilst undertaking this historic method of grassland management.
Cows will naturally graze the more dominant grass species and in turn allow the less plentiful plants to establish. The Council and Friends of Sunbury Park are striving to encourage increased levels of wildflowers onto the site which would aid pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies. The Council strongly rejects any rumour of potential land change for future developments.
The use of grazing animals is a major part of modern conservation management and is employed in other areas of the Borough such as Dumsey Meadow (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
The Council emphasises that it is not their intention to isolate anyone from using the park and would simply ask that those enjoying the park to do so in respect of others, just like any other park within the Borough. If the cows return next year, a permanent water supply would be installed. Furthermore an improved entrance at the Green Street car park would be provided to ease access for pushchairs and mobility scooters.
It's a well known fact that those who are against a plan are more likely to register objections whilst those who approve rarely signify their support (the silent majority). With this in mind and whether for, against or indifferent, please take a few moments to let the Council know your views by completing the feedback by Monday 4 January 2016 by clicking here
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Chennestone Christmas Fair - Friday, 4th December, 6.00-8.30pm
Chennestone Primary School PTA warmly invites you to come and join in the fun and support your local school. There will be toys and treats, craft activities, cakes, raffle and tombola along with fantastic food and fun; and games for the whole family.
There will also be performances by the school choir and Fuschia Dance Group. Admission £1 for adults (children free).
Edison Lighthouse Comes to Sunbury Cricket Club, 27th November
On Friday 27th November SCC welcomes a big chart name from the early ‘70s to the Club for the first time in the shape of EDISON LIGHTHOUSE. They were originally a studio band who had a huge No.1 hit at the start of the ‘70s with “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”, but with that success, a permanent touring band was put together, and lead singer Brian Huggins and bass guitarist Peter Butt have been with the band ever since, also featuring Simon Aldridge on guitar and Shepperton resident Stephane Booroff on drums.
They are hugely popular on the ‘60s and ‘70s revival circuit, regularly doing the big weekend holiday camp shows plus theatres and clubs across the country throughout the year, and this is a very rare appearance in this area. They are top class, highly professional and polished entertainers, with an act drawing on classic material from the 60s & 70s era, so it’s a show that’s guaranteed to hit the button with their audience. Don’t miss it! There’s plenty of info at www.edison-lighthouse.com.
The Riverside Youth Theatre Presents The Snow Queen
This Christmas, The Riverside Youth Theatre is proud to present The Snow Queen at The Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street, Lower Sunbury, from 10-12 December, 8pm, tickets are £8 each.
Adapted from the story by Hans Christian Andersen. Set in the far North, The Snow Queen is an exciting adventure, but it is also a magical story about love – a child’s innocent and unshakeable love.
Gerda has to go on an unimaginably dangerous journey to save the life of her dearest friend Kai. She encounters trolls, marauding robbers, a prince and princess a talking reindeer and the beautiful but cruel Snow Queen.
Tickets can be purchased online or via telephone 07871 992988.
Take in an Art Exhibition at Squire’s
A group of local artists are exhibiting paintings, photographs, drawings, textiles, ceramics, sculptures, prints and cards in the Orangery at Squire’s in Halliford Road, TW17 8SG
Different interests and materials make for a varied and eclectic exhibition. Some works are figurative, some abstract. Some are humorous and some are thought provoking. All works are for sale and there is a wide price range, from large framed paintings to unframed photographs, prints and cards.
Dates and times: Thursday 19 Nov to Sunday 22 Nov 2015, 10.00am – 5.00pm (Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm)
Christmas Shopping - Know Your Rights
Faulty goods, misleading claims and substandard services mean Christmas presents fly back on to the shelves in January, according to new figures from Citizens Advice.
Analysis by the charity shows that people are more likely to call its Consumer Service helpline with complaints about items such as toys, computer games and jewellery in January than any other time of year.
Citizens Advice, Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are urging people to get to know their new consumer rights as Christmas shopping gets underway. The organisations are highlighting how the new Consumer Rights Act, brought into effect on 1 October, can help people to shop with confidence and get their money back when things go wrong.
The findings reveal that complaints to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service about toys doubled in January 2015 in comparison to the rest of the year, while problems with DVDs, video games, games consoles, and sound systems rose by two thirds.
The top five most complained about personal goods in January 2015 were:
- Tablets, notebooks and laptops hit the number one spot. Last January saw 850 complaints, one third higher than the rest of the year.
- Women’s clothing - complaints rose by a fifth.
- Televisions - the helpline saw 29 per cent more enquiries.
- Toys - toys had the biggest increase in complaints, which were more than double than any other time of the year
- Jewellery - complaints increased by 40%
Complaints were most likely to be about defective goods, while one in seven people contacted the service because of misleading claims and descriptions about their purchase. One in twenty complained that businesses didn’t honour their cancellation rights.
The Festive Season Starts with a Christmas Fayre on 10th December
Something of a departure from the customary Christmas market, the festive season this year will start with a Christmas Fayre to be held on Thursday December 10th from 5pm - 9pm in the Orchard Meadow car park opposite Avenue Parade. Live reindeer, sponsored by Crest Nicholson, childrens entertainment, Santa’s grotto, stalls and carols . There will also be a large community raffle with many excellent prizes. Tickets will be on sale in the village and proceeds will be going to the Princess Alice Hospice.
Display of Local History Photographs at Sunbury Library, 14th November
Members of the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society will be mounting an exhibition of historical photos at Sunbury Library. The one-day free event will take place on the ground floor between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 14th November.
The exhibition promises some previously unseen photos including those with a royal theme to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Wales. History books will also be on sale.
For more information please visit: www.sslhs.org.uk or call Nick on 01932 564585 or Brenda on 01932 784866.
New Council Leader Elected
Cllr Quentin Edgington has been elected as the new Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, following the death of Cllr Robert Watts earlier this month.
Cllr Edgington was elected to the Council in May 2015 and is a Conservative ward councillor for Riverside and Laleham. He works as an Area Manager for a funeral directors and previously served as a councillor for the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames.
Cllr Edgington said: “This is a real honour and I would like to thank my colleagues for putting their trust in me and electing me to the role of Leader. Spelthorne is a fantastic Borough and I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve the residents and continue the excellent work undertaken by Cllr Watts. I have lots of plans and ideas and I look forward to implementing them together with my fellow councillors and all the staff at Spelthorne Council.”
Cllr Edgington has appointed Cllr Maureen Attewell and Cllr Joanne Sexton as Deputy Leaders. Cllr Maureen Attewell replaces Cllr Colin Davis as Cabinet Member for Waste, Environment and Parking following his resignation from the Cabinet.
The other Cabinet positions remain unchanged.
