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.
Easter Egg Hunt
An Easter egg hunt is being held for children aged 12 and under at the market in Staines-upon-Thames on Saturday 4 April, from 10am – 2pm, near the entrance to the Elmsleigh Centre.
Find 10 posters around the market, collect 10 cards and then claim your Easter egg (one egg per child).
Introduction to Timebanking - Sharing the Resources in our Communities
Within our communities we have a wealth of skills, interests and experience that we can share with each other. Sharing these things can help to make our communities even better places to live and Timebanking is a really simple way to make that sharing easy.
Timebanking is all about giving and receiving. It works by people offering to share a skill, interest, experience or some practical support with other time bank members. In return they can receive something they want from the time bank.
Tony is 17 and offers to teach older people at the local community centre how to use WiiFit to keep them mobile and active. For every hour Tony puts in he earns one time credit which he spends on learning new cooking skills from Jan, another time bank member. Everyone’s time is equal. For more information about timebanking please read the attached flyer and visit www.timebanking.org.
You are warmly invited to attend an information session on Monday 30 March to find out more about timebanking and how it could benefit your community. You will also find out how Timebanking UK and Surrey County Council could work with people, groups, organisations and businesses to create a time bank in your area. The session will take place between 1pm and 3pm at the Staines Library, Friends Walk, Staines, TW18 4PG.
To book your place, please contact Liz Tracey: Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Telephone 02085417020.
Cycle/footbridge Feasibility Report; Let Us Know What You Think
Readers of our Spring and Autumn 2014 newsletters will be aware that the Association, following widespread public support, commissioned Ramboll UK to undertake a feasibility study of possible locations for a cycle/footbridge connecting Lower Sunbury to the Thames Path National Trail at Walton.
We are very pleased to announce that the report has now been completed thanks to the generous sponsorship of Crest Nicholson and London Irish RFC; and a contribution from our County Councillor's member's allowance.
The report identifies five possible sites, which now brings us to the next stage of the project. We are obviously very anxious to hear your views as to the preferred location for the bridge. To this end a number of public consultation drop-in events have been arranged at the Riverside Arts Centre. 57-59, Thames Street, on the following dates and times:
Saturday, April 11th in the Studio 1100-1300
Wednesday, April 15th in the Main hall 1900-2300
Saturday, April 25th in the Studio 1400-1800
The report, together with appendices is published here and will allow residents to familiarise themselves with its content beforehand.
Each event will be introduced by a LOSRA Committee member so it would be advisable to attend at the start times shown. It should be stressed that the consultation will be limited to possible site selections only. To have included design options for each site would have proved prohibitively expensive.
Feedback forms and ballot papers will be available at each event and a supply of ballot papers will also be made available at Skinners Post Office.
For those who have read the online report but are unable to attend any of the events, a copy of the ballot paper may be completed by clicking here
Data protection: Please note that Information provided on the ballot paper will be held by Cratus Communications on behalf of LOSRA. Your data will be used exclusively to inform the consultation regarding a river crossing at Sunbury and for no other purpose.
P&G Surrey Youth Games: Free Sports coaching
Team Spelthorne is looking for young people aged 7-16 to participate in the annual P&G Surrey Youth Games. The P&G Surrey Youth Games is the largest annual youth festival with over 2000 young people experiencing a competitive, countywide sporting event.
The event is a great opportunity to try a new sport or improve existing skills.
The coaching sessions take place from April and there are fifteen sports on offer including hockey, cricket, judo, football, basketball, lacrosse, touch rugby, table tennis and boccia. Thanks to sponsorship from local organisations, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Everyone Active and Shepperton Studios, Spelthorne Council is offering the coaching sessions free of charge. Participants will then be selected from the coaching sessions to represent Team Spelthorne at the Games on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June 2015 at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.
To be eligible for Team Spelthorne, you must either live or go to school in Spelthorne and if you already play a sport, you must be below county standard.
Please register online at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/surreyyouthgames to guarantee your place. Each sport has limited spaces and places are given on a first come first served basis. Please visit the website for a full list of sports, coaching timetable and eligibility criteria.
For more information contact Spelthorne Leisure Services on 01784 446433 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LOSRA Spring 2015 Newsletter
Our Spring Newsletter for 2015 is back from the printers and we can expect house-to-house deliveries to commence very shortly. The formatting of the pages did not allow us to feature the drop-in exhibitions for the cycle/footbridge consultations on the front page, so persevere and you will see the article on the right hand column of page.3.
The on-line copy of the newsletter may be viewed by clicking here
The full cycle/footbridge feasibility report will be published on this site in the next few days.
Report of Dog Poisoning in Popular Hawke Park
A local resident has reported the poisoning of a dog in the popular Hawke Park, the linear green space which runs through Lower Sunbury. The report, originally made on Facebook, relates to an incident which occurred on Sunday evening in an area of the park which is close to Sunna Gardens or Saxonbury Avenue.
It is not known whether the poison was left deliberately for a dog or whether it was intended for pest control. Whatever the intention, the dog is now seriously ill and we use this space to alert all dog-walkers in the vicinity to exercise extreme caution.
More...
Application to Create Children's Play Area in Orchard Meadow
An application for the Creation of children's play area including the erection of natural play equipment and the provision of bark safety surfacing is being considered by our planning office.
If you wish view this application ((Ref: 15/00237/FUL) or to make representations, please click here
Representations should be submitted by 25th March.
Call for Magna Carta charter bearers
The following email from Spelthorne Council has been received by LOSRA and we are pleased to reproduce it here:
Up to 33 people from Spelthorne, Runnymede and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead will be able to play a special role in June's Magna Carta celebrations as charter bearers.
Charter bearers will help carry a replica of the Magna Carta down the River Thames on the Royal Shallop Jubilant on the various legs of Magna Carta 800th - The River Relay, which is taking place over the weekend of Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June.
Cllr Penny Forbes-Forsyth, Cabinet Member for Leisure said: "The Magna Carta is one of the most important documents in history and it is very fitting that we celebrate this momentous anniversary with events which involve the community. If you know someone who you think would enjoy being part of this special weekend, please let us know about them.”
Nominations are now open. Community groups - including local faith groups, charities, schools, clubs and societies - are invited to make nominations, explaining why they feel the person should be considered for the role.
The nominees must live, work or study in Spelthorne, the Royal Borough or Runnymede and be over 16 years old by 12 June 2015.
The application form can be found at rbwm.gov.uk/web/museum_mc800_river_relay_charter_bearers.htm and completed online or posted. The closing date is Thursday 2 April and the names will be announced by the end of April.
Invitation to Mayor's Charity Ball and Weybridge Male Voice Choir
As our local Sunbury East Councillor, Suzy Webb's office of Mayor approaches the end of her year as first citizen, she extends an invitation to two events in aid of her chosen charities:
• Parkinson’s UK (Staines branch and Spelthorne Parkies) – offering information, friendship and support to local people with Parkinson’s
• The Purple Angel – helping to raise awareness of dementia-related illnesses, including giving assistance to Alzheimer’s sufferers and their carers
• The Salvation Army Youth Outreach Service - providing a supportive environment to help young people achieve their full potential.
The first of these events is this Saturday, 14th March, at St. Peter's Church, Laleham Road, Staines, and features a concert with the Weybridge Male Voice Choir. For details, click here.
The second event, the Mayor's Ball will be held on Saturday, 21st March at the Runnymede-on-Thames Hotel. For details and print-off booking form click here.
LOSRA is pleased to publish these fundraising events on Suzy's behalf.
Gordon Giltrap Comes to Sunbury Cricket Club on 20th March
The next Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club falls on Friday 20th March, and it promises to be a very special evening indeed as the Club welcomes one of UK’s finest acoustic and electric guitarists GORDON GILTRAP. He is a greatly respected personality, not least by his peers in the business – Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple and Rainbow has said that “I think Gordon Giltrap is one of the best acoustic guitar players in the world….He was always way ahead of his time…….His concerts and playing are breathtaking.”
His music defies definition and transcends the genres - his career goes back to the ‘60s working in folk clubs with the likes of Bert Jansch, but he was highly successful on the prog rock scene, and has recorded with major names like Rick Wakeman, Brian May and Midge Ure He had a big hit in 1977 with “Heartsong” from his landmark album “Perilous Journey” – the tune was used for a long time as the theme for BBC’s “Holiday” TV programme. Indeed, several of his compositions have been featured as TV music.
He is a very engaging and witty raconteur as well as a quite extraordinary performer, so an enthralling evening is assured. The Sunbury audience loves a top class guitarist and this is a chance to see one of the UK’s very best. Please note that since he has to travel a long way for the gig, we will be starting the show promptly at 8.30 p.m., so he can get away at a reasonable hour, so please make sure you arrive on time.
You are urged to have a look at his web site at www.giltrap.co.uk – there’s a wealth of fascinating background and biographical detail, which will set the scene for his performance. The Club looks forward to seeing you there.
Spelthorne Council is introducing a new textiles collection service
From 23 March, the Council will collect all your unwanted textiles, making it easier for you to have that spring clear out and do your bit for charity at the same time.
Collections will take place on an alternate weekly basis so look out for information being sent in the post from 9 March explaining what items you can include and which week your collection will be made. Your textiles will be collected on the same day as your bin but at a different time.
The items collected will be sorted by the Salvation Army. Wearable items will be sold through markets in Eastern Europe, as long as they are clean and dry, raising vital funds for the Salvation Army’s charitable work. Old textiles, even if they are worn, torn or stained, can be recycled to make industrial cloths or padding for chairs and car seats.
Some properties will not receive this collection service initially. If you have not received an information card by 18 March visit www.spelthorne.gov.uk/home and put your address in to ‘My Spelthorne’ to find out if you are included and which week your collection will be scheduled.
From 18 March, you will find a list of the items you can include at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/textiles. Alternatively call Customer Services on 01784 451499 for more information.
Follow LOSRA on Twitter
After a long period of absence and following a software upgrade to this website we are pleased to announce that we are finally back on Twitter.
Keep up to date with all the latest news by clicking here to 'Follow LOSRA on Twitter'.
You will receive a tweet every time we add a new news article.
Residents Question SCC Cabinet on Viability of 'Eco Park' Plan
The planning permission that Surrey County Council gave to itself for the construction of an incinerator at the Charlton Lane Community Recycling Centre is now to be re-considered by the SCC Cabinet on grounds of affordability and value for money. When the Cabinet met on 24th February it heard that delays, (for which our campaigners combining with SATEP may justifiably claim credit!) have resulted in revisions to pricing'.
LOSRA campaign member, Brian Catt took the opportunity to address the Cabinet stating that the Eco Park is "now an avoidable mistake" based on it being an expensive disposal of waste, having minimal energy recovery and having "a very high risk of failure". He added: "In the light of these clear facts, especially that the Eco Park is low volume expensive disposal, and not yet begun, can the County assure its councillors that officers' value study will include the better available opportunities for the County to realise best practice in treating our dry waste?"
At the same meeting, LOSRA member, Peter Crews, asked what options are due to be considered in the review and was told by Cllr. Furey (acting Cabinet member for Environment and planning) that it would be either amending the existing waste contract, or terminating the waste contract and achieving recycling and landfill diversion improvements without new infrastructure by securing alternative technology. Peter concluded: "Finally, do you agree the value for money assessment completely misses the point as it is based on the [erroneus] assumption that Surrey must build an incinerator?" The Leader, David Hodge said their questions would be answered after the meeting.
Last Tuesday's Cabinet meeting was originally earmarked to further detail the impacts of delays in the delivery on value for money and affordability of the Eco Park project but the decision has now been put back to 28th April. Cllr. Furey confirmed that the evaluation of each option would include the 'whole life cost' of construction, operation and maintenance.
Review of Spelthorne's Local Plan - Statement of Community Involvement
The Council has prepared a draft SCI which updates the current version adopted in 2006. This ensures that the Council takes account of changes to planning legislation and guidance since the current SCI was adopted. A link to the 2006 SCI can be found at the bottom of this page.
The Council is now seeking views on the draft Statement of Community Involvement over a four week period from Friday 27 February 2015 to Monday 30 March 2015. The draft SCI is also available to view at the Council Offices in Knowle Green during normal opening hours. Copies of the draft SCI can be made available in large print, Braille or another language on request. Please contact the Council on 01784 446345 or alternatively email Planning Policy if this is required.
Comments on the draft SCI can be submitted by using the online form or by downloading and completing the comments form on the Council Website. Copies of the comments form are also available at the Council Offices during normal opening times.
Comments forms can be returned either by email or by post to:
Planning Policy & Implementation
Spelthorne Borough Council
Knowle Green
Staines-upon-Thames
Surrey
TW18 1XB
Comments must reach the Council no later than Monday 30 March 2015. Please note that comments cannot be treated as confidential and will be made publicly available on the Council's website either in full or in summary. Whilst the names of those responding and their comments will be made publicly available personal details such as addresses or contact details will not.
Following consultation the Council will consider all of the comments made and whether any changes are required to the draft SCI. The SCI is scheduled to be adopted Summer 2015.
For full details and access to all relevant links, click here: https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/
