The Leaders of Spelthorne Borough Council and Slough Borough Council have sent the following letter to The Times newspaper to express their support for a third runway at Heathrow:

Dear Sir,

Further to the article "Tory councils prepare to sue over Heathrow runway" (3 March 2016), we are writing to you as Leaders of Councils neighbouring the airport that support a third runway.

After three years of expert analysis and at cost of £20m to the taxpayer, the independent Airports Commission made a unanimous and unequivocal recommendation to the Government that Heathrow should be expanded. The Commission looked closely at local environmental impacts and concluded that these could be adequately mitigated.

Following several years of consultation and engagement with local people and Local Authorities, the plans that Heathrow are proposing are radically different to those rejected by the Prime Minister in 2010. The Prime Minister's comments rejecting the original plans at that time are irrelevant to the current proposals.

We are the Leaders of Councils representing tens of thousands of residents who live next to Heathrow, many of whom, as in other surrounding Boroughs, are reliant on the proximity to the airport for work. We will continue to encourage the airport to do more to reduce its impacts but we support the skills, employment and community benefits that Heathrow expansion would bring to our Boroughs.

Yours

Councillor Ian Harvey, Leader, Spelthorne Borough Council
Councillor Rob Anderson, Leader, Slough Borough Council

A number of public drop-in events, including Sunbury on 15th March, are being held by the River Thames Scheme to allow residents to have their say and view options for the weirs. Experts will also be at hand to answer questions.

To view the drop-in programme, click here

Are you aged 7-16? Interested in trying a new sport?

Then why not come along to the Team Spelthorne P&G Surrey Youth Games free training sessions.

The P&G Surrey Youth Games, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, is the largest annual youth sports festival in Surrey. The aim of the games is to provide opportunities for young people to try new sports. Over 2000 young people, aged 7 to 16, will experience a competitive, countywide sporting event when they take part in the games on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 2016.

In preparation for the competition weekend, Spelthorne Borough Council is holding between 4 and 8 weeks of coaching for each sport, which will begin in April/May. The training sessions are free of charge which offers young people a fantastic opportunity to try a new sport or improve on existing skills. At last year’s Games, Spelthorne coached over 400 children, entered 29 teams and won 10 medals.

There are a wide variety of sports on offer, including badminton, boccia (disability sport), boxing, girls’ cricket, girls’ football, hockey, judo, lacrosse, netball, squash, swimming, table tennis, girls’ touch-rugby, tennis and touch tennis. All sessions will be led by qualified coaches and, from the coaching sessions, teams will be chosen to compete in the games 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.

Full details for the coaching sessions, age ranges and full eligibility can be found on the website. You must register in advance of the sessions which can be done online at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/surreyyouthgames. Bookings open on Wednesday 2 March.

For more information, contact Leisure Services on 01784 446433 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Local residents at the top of The Avenue have received notices from Buxted Construction advising of significant changes to the layout and architecture of the The Avenue where it meets the junction with Staines Road East.

A first phase of the works will involve moving services which are currently in the way. The second phase will involve moving the kerblines out to accommodate a new lane and a pedestrian refuge, creating a right turn lane for The Avenue. A raised junction and "Keep Clear" space will be provided for The Spinney.

Temporary traffic lights will be installed to enable the works to be carried out and parking on The Avenue near the junction should be avoided if possible.

Not surprisingly, the new layout, which will take 6 - 8 weeks to put in place over the Easter period, is causing consternation to residents in the vicinity and to the local dental practice where restricted parking will impact upon his patients, some of whom are disabled.

The subject has been raised with our local County Councillor, Tim Evans who is currently looking into the matter and LOSRA has advised residents to put a question to the Local Spelthorne Committee which meets on Monday 14th March, 6.30pm at the Council Chamber, Knowle Green.

One of Sunbury’s biggest musical events of the year is taking place on Friday March 11th when The Tony Kinsey Big Band is giving a concert at which Tony will perform his major work “The Embroidery Suite”. The event is on Friday March 11th at Sunbury Cricket Club, the performance beginning at 8.00 pm.

The event is being promoted by Sunbury Millennium Embroidery, and marks the beginning of the celebrations this year of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Sunbury Embroidery Gallery in the Walled Garden, Thames Street. The Embroidery Suite was composed by Tony as part of the fund-raising effort to build the Gallery and was originally performed at St. Mary’s Church well over ten years ago.

In addition to the Embroidery Suite, the 16-piece orchestra, plus vocalist, will perform other Tony Kinsey compositions, including two new pieces which will be having their first airing. The concert is being recorded for CD release.

Tickets are £15.00, available from the Embroidery Gallery, which is open from 10am to 4pm every day except Mondays. For a donation of a further £5.00 on top of the ticket prices, you can have your name included as a supporter of the project in the CD booklet.

A long-time Lower Sunbury resident, Tony has been one of the major figures in British jazz for well over 60 years, and is highly respected as a drummer, bandleader and composer, and opportunities to see him performing in our area are relatively rare. This will be a very special occasion, and tickets will be in considerable demand, so you are advised to book in advance.

The Big Band includes some of the top performers in the British jazz scene. See flier by clicking here

On Saturday 27th February St Mary's Church presents Kathryn Harries in concert. The Internationally renowned soprano and Director of the National Opera Studio will be joined by stars of the future in a programme of popular music that has something for everyone.

The concert is being held within the Church itself at 7.30pm and is in aid of the Church Restoration Fund. Tickets £10. Box Office 01932 232068.

On Sunday, 6th March, the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street will be the venue for a performance by guitarist Maciek Pysz.

Maciek is a jazz musician, guitarist and composer. He is known for his clear lyrical phrasing, his virtuosity and his imaginative, cinematic compositions inspired by people, places and experiences.

"One of the most melodic and innovative guitarists I've heard for many a year...all compositions are as melodic and harmonically satisfying as his solos" Lance Liddle (Bepop Spoken Here). "Pysz is a quiet virtuoso who has developed into one of the most distinctive guitarists around" **** Ian Mann (The Jazz Mann). "There is some beautiful stuff here - a must for jazz guitar fans **** Stephen Graham (Marlbank).

Maciek will be accompanied by Terence Collie on piano, Max Luthert on bass and Eric Ford on drums.

Tickets £8 via website: www.moodindigoevents.co.uk or £10 on the door.

Readers of this site will remember the proposal to build a children's play area in Orchard Meadow (see article of 17th July followed by a public consultation announcement on 23rd July). Spelthorne Council is pleased to announce that the play area is now open.

Designed for the under 11s, the play area is made using natural wood materials and includes a range of equipment including climbing logs, balance structures and play boulders.

Spelthorne Council obtained external funding for the project from the Surrey County Council Community Improvement Fund and Fields in Trust. An official launch is planned for the Easter holidays.

One of LOSRA's key objectives is to protect what remains of our Green Belt and a recent application by Heronslea Ltd to build 16 houses at the former Homewood Nurseries on Green Belt land at Fordbridge Road is no exception.

The application (Ref: PT/15/01423/FUL) may be viewed by visiting the Council Website: my.spelthorne.gov.uk/planning/ and representations may be submitted online, by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by post to Planning and Housing Strategy, Spelthorne Borough Council, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 1XB. Representations should be received by 25th February.

LOSRA has forwarded a letter of objection to this application, the salient points of which may be viewed by clicking here

There is a vacancy at the Almshouses for a single pensioner of limited means who lives in or has close connections with the Parish of Sunbury.

The Vigne-Bremmer Almshouses are situated at 30/44 Nursery Road, Sunbury, TW16 6LE and the accommodation consists of a ground floor bed-sitting room with a shower room and kitchen, newly decorated, and one of eight homes sitting in a pretty communal garden at the end of Ravenscroft, off Nursery Road. The monthly contribution is £410.00, incl. heating and water rates.

The Almshouses are a registered charity (No.213816) and applications should be made to the Administrator for further information: Ms A Dixon, 74 Darby Crescent, Sunbury, TW16 5LA. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Tel: 07771 872656.