If you are considering using your private vehicle to take household or garden refuse to the Community Recycling Centre at Charlton Lane, you should be aware that local residents are being restricted to quantities which can be fitted into the car boot only.

Unless you have an estate, it is possible you will have filled your car by flattening the back seat. If so, you are likely to be refused.

One would have thought that maximising the load per visit is the most efficient on grounds of both car transport and site usage. It seems that basic logic is lacking in this arbitrary policy which has not been formally communicated, or consulted upon, by Surrey County Council.

We need clarification and a proper description of a sensible policy worked out with SCC and for which the County is responsible, not one made up by SITA employees on the gate. Residents pay for this service and have a right to expect nothing less. The additional increased risk of fly-tipping must also be a concern.

To see the latest progress report (which makes no mention of the restrictive policy), click here

The next Music Night at the SCC falls on Friday 19th February, when the Club welcomes back The Blue Bishops, another band who are long overdue a re-appearance at the Club. Their style is very much at the up-beat rocking end of the blues/R&B spectrum, and their line-up features musicians with an impressive musical heritage.

Guitarist/vocalist Simon Burrett is a veteran of many bands since his time as an artist with Mike Vernon’s Blue Horizon label in the ‘60s, and Geoff Grange (guitar/harmonica/vocals) is a former collaborator of Bill Wyman and Nicky Hopkins. The Club is especially pleased that bassist Jim Rodford, of The Zombies and Argent (and rarely available these days because of his touring schedule with them) has confirmed he can do this gig; and Jim’s son Steve Rodford, who now also plays with the Zombies, is on drums. More info at www.bluebishops.co.uk.

Their album “In The Red” was produced by former Abbey Road luminary John Leckie, producer of Bebop Deluxe, Argent and Radiohead. Find out lots more and hear some tracks at www.bluebishops.co.uk. It will be an exciting evening of music ranging across blues, rock and R&B, and the Club looks forward to seeing you there.

Food will be available once more, with a new menu, and with hours extended so that it is served up until 9pm.

The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association (SSAA) is looking for one or two people to Chair/co-chair their Association. This is a voluntary position run through the Riverside Arts Centre in Thames Street, Sunbury. The SSAA runs the Arts Festival for Sunbury & Shepperton and also organises Coffee Concerts during the Spring & Autumn each year; and other events, from time to time, as they arise. For example, in 2014 the SSAA facilitated ‘The Restoration of Nell Gwyn’, an excellent show written by Steve Trafford and superbly acted by Elizabeth Mansfield and Angela Curran.

Their current Co-Chairs feel that it is time for them to retire and let other people take the SSAA forward. Your plans for the SSAA will shape its future.

To apply, contact Catherine Black on 07864 057760 (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and/or Carmen Souchet 01932 567365 (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by the end of March and come in for a discussion with them and other members of the committee. They would love to hear from you.

Cllr Ian Harvey, who was elected to the Council in 2013 as ward councillor for Sunbury East, was elected as the new Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council at an Extraordinary meeting of the Council held on Tuesday 2 February.

Cllr Quentin Edgington tendered his resignation as Leader prior to the vote.

Speaking after his election, Cllr Harvey said: "I am honoured that my fellow Conservative councillors have entrusted me with leading the controlling Conservative group at such an important time for Spelthorne. I look forward to working with my Deputy, Councillor Tony Harman, our Cabinet and fellow councillors as well as the Council staff to ensure we deliver excellent and cost effective services for residents."

If you’re planning to eat out this Valentine’s Day, the last thing you should have to worry about is whether the restaurant takes food hygiene seriously.

The truth is, you can’t tell much about a restaurant’s hygiene standards from its appearance but there is one easy way to set yourmind at rest - check the food hygiene ratings. These tell you about hygiene standards in restaurants and other food businesses.

Check online at http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/spelthorne or, if you’re out and about, look for the green and black sticker. If you can’t see one just ask the staff.

The ratings reflect the findings of the Council’s Environmental Health Officers and range from 0 to 5, with a 5 rating meaning that the hygiene standards are very good.

Currently in Spelthorne, 52% of food businesses are rated as very good and 82% are rated as satisfactory, good or very good - so there are plenty of places to choose from.

For more information visit https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/foodhygiene

The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association is pleased to announce their Spring Coffee Concert programme.

Performance times, venue and box office details are given on the attached information leaflet.

To view, click here

To Celebrate Billie's 100th birthday, Marta Capponi is pleased to present a night dedicated to her music. Marta's voice will bring the audience into the charming atmosphere of the old 40's when Billie Holliday was at the top of her short and intense career. Marta will be accompanied by an excellent jazz trio featuring Hampton based pianist Terence Collie, Richard Sadler on bass; and Emiliano Caroselli on drums.

The performance will start at 7.30pm (doors 7pm) with tickets at the door £10. Alternatively you may book online for the reduced rate of £8 at www.moodindigoevents.co.uk

The next open meeting of the Patients' Participation Group will be held at the Sunbury Health Centre from 6.30pm - 7.30pm on Monday 8th February.

The meeting, which has previously generated much positive feedback will, as before, be of limited duration and those wishing to attend may like to refer to the latest set of minutes from the Core Group for an update.

To view, click here

The next music night is on Friday 29th January, when Sunbury Cricket Club welcomes back the Lee Ryder Band who played at the Club a couple of years back and are long overdue another appearance.

LRB is a top class professional blues band, led by Lee Ryder, a Londoner who has been playing the blues for over 40 years with some of the best players in the genre, since touring as a teenager in the ‘60s with his band Hush. All the members have a long history in the business, with Dave Lennox, formerly with The Foundations and Blodwyn Pig, on keyboards, and Simon Bishop, once with Renaissance and familiar to you as a member of The Good Old Boys, on guitar, plus Roger Brewer on drums and Vince Lewis on bass.

The Club has acquired a reputation for presenting top quality blues, and this gig will be no exception. There are loads of music, biogs and other info on their web site at  www.theleeryderband.co.uk, so check them out.

Many readers will be aware from coverage in the national press that, during the weekend of 4th - 6th March this year, a countrywide clean-up event called Clean for the Queen will take place in honour of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. As the name suggests, it is a clean-up activity to remove litter from the streets and open spaces of Britain.

Whilst the Council will not be taking a central role in this initiative it is able to offer supplies of litter-pickers, gloves & bags; and will collect bags of litter afterwards.

If you are interested in taking part in this event you can either email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. giving all the details of how many litter pickers, gloves, bags etc you require; or you can call the Depot direct on 01748 446411 to discuss your requirements.

To gauge the extent of support for this event it would be helpful if volunteers were also to get in touch with LOSRA by using the 'Contact LOSRA' facility at the top of the home page. (not the comment section below this notice). Likewise, if you have any particular street or open space in mind.