Pianist Carlo Grante returns to Riverside Arts Centre, 59 Thames Street at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, 1 February, to play a thrilling programme of Chopin (The Funeral March sonata and Grande Polonaise Brillante) and Bach-Busoni, including the famous Chaconne.

Tickets from Helen Heslop on 07885 428 864, via WeGotTickets http://www.wegottickets.com/event/249330 and at the door. £15 (£11 concessions) or at the door.

We regret to inform our members that Alan Doyle has, for personal reasons, resigned from the Chairmanship of LOSRA. Paul Watts, our President, will be Acting Chairman until our AGM in June.

As a follow-up to the preceding article, We have just received this very useful memorandum from one of our members. Entitled: Getting the Best out of EA Flood Warnings, it is well worth viewing if you wish to keep abreast of real time flood risk:

To see the Flood Warnings, go to www.environment-agency.gov.uk

In “At home & leisure”  go to “Flood”.

I have found that searching for “Local Flood Information” by post code or town is confusing, because of out of date warnings and some that seem to conflict with each other. It is also laborious for getting an overall picture.

I believe that the “Live flood warnings map” in “National Flood Information” is useful, and quicker. Zoom into the area you want, and click on a marker pin.  Click on “More Detail” which will bring up the latest warning.

Note that you can select :
Severe Flood Warnings / Flood Warnings / Flood Alerts / no longer in force.

You can then scroll up or down through the warnings to get the overall picture. They seem to be in update-time order, and to some degree moving downstream.

At present, at 07:00 on Sat 11 Jan 2014 the river is stable above Windsor (Maidenhead to Windsor benefiting from the Jubilee River Flood Relief Scheme). Below Windsor it is rising slowly, generally above 2012 levels but below or approaching 2003 levels. At Datchet and Old Windsor it will rise slowly over the weekend, but is not expected to reach 2003 levels.

At Chertsey and Laleham it is not expected to rise in the next 24 hours (possibly due to the river running off downstream,  or maybe it would rise a little when the latest flush reaches us from Windsor?)

From Molesey down there are references to the tide (in flood flows a high tide can reflect above Teddington Lock.) and whether the Thames Barrier will be closed for particular tides (they can close the Barrier at or near low tide, and the river flood water will collect behind it, to be released when the Barrier is opened as the tide falls.)

It is useful to get the overall picture, to try to see what is coming to us from way upstream. The levels change so slowly that the local warnings do not seem give that, until they start to compare the current event with previous floods.

NB 1 There can be an influence due to flood flows from the Colne Brook and Colne  at Staines,  from the Wey at Weybridge, and the Mole at Molesey (though the last should not affect us greatly, if at all.)

NB 2 A new storm or prolonged heavy rain on a saturated / flooded catchment can cause a new flood to travel down the river. This may or not be a problem, subject to any dry period in between allowing the earlier flood to drop.

NB 3 In the EA website, in  “National Flood Information” there is a Met Office 5 day weather forecast.

Pat Brady

11 Jan 2014.

Parke Road, Lower Sunbury, this morning

The following email was received from Spelthorne Council today and is published for information of all who may be affected:

Dear Residents' Associations,

The Council website has a lot of relevant information regarding the latest flooding.

Please see below – which provides information on what the Council is doing. Please distribute to all your members.

-The river Thames continues to rise and information from the Environment Agency suggests it will not peak until very early next week. The flood warning still stands on the river Colne. Groundwater is a further issues which is causing difficulties for our residents.

-The Council’s Emergency centre (phone line only) will operate over the weekend 10am-6pm. See website for phone numbers

-The Greeno Centre is on standby as an emergency rest centre.

-Streetscene continue to work on the ground assessing the situation and where of benefit, distributing sandbags.

-The Council is now updating its website information including providing links to the Environment Agency’s guidance on Flooding from Groundwater.

-The Council continues to work closely with Surrey County council and our health colleagues to support the most vulnerable.

Regards

Joanne Jones

Community Development

It's tempting to believe that regular readers of this Website would not fall victim to the sort of scam described in the following email from our local police:

Surrey Police is warning residents to remain vigilant following an increasing number of reports of scams involving fraudsters obtaining bank details, cards and cash using bogus telephone calls and couriers across the county.

On each occasion the victims reported receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be a police officer and attempting to convince them to hand over large amounts of cash or bank cards.

The offenders are claiming to be from the police and are using a variety of pretences including saying that the victims bank card has been used by somebody who is in custody. They are then asking the victim to phone the bank to cancel the card and advising the victims that they will send a courier round to collect the card.

Meanwhile the fraudster is staying on the line and obtaining the victims bank details whilst they think they are phoning the bank. The courier then calls at the victims address saying they have been sent by the police to collect a parcel – the envelope containing the card.

Fortunately, the victims in the most recent offences all realised that the calls were part of a scam and refused to pass on any bank details, such as PIN numbers, or allowed their cards or cash to be taken. Other victims have been less fortunate and have lost significant amounts of money

Surrey Police asks that if you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours that you remain alert and if you see them being approached by unexpected visitors, check who they are and ensure that they are a legitimate caller.

Police Officers and banks do not operate in this manner and would never request a customer to confirm their PIN details over the phone. Anyone who receives a suspicious call, either on the phone or in person, is urged to not give any details and report the matter to the police.

Surrey Police advises the following:

• NEVER give out any personal information about your bank account to anybody over the phone.
• If someone calls claiming to be a police officer, ask for their identification number, police force and their telephone extension. Advise them that you will call them back on the 101 number. If possible, use a different phone, i.e. a mobile phone if the call was received on your landline.
• Never hand over money or bank cards to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere
• If someone comes to your door claiming to be a police officer, always ask to see their police identification card and take note of their identification number. A real police officer will not mind waiting outside while you call 101 to check if they are genuine.

If you have received any calls of this nature, or handed over any money, bank cards or bank details, please call 101 or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk

The first Trading Standards Alert for 2014 has been received by LOSRA and contains some very useful tips on how to avoid being conned in the New Year. 

Click here to view the latest Alert

The following email together with the accompanying information has been forwarded to LOSRA by Spelthorne Council and we are very pleased to reproduce it here:

"I am sure you are aware a flood warning has been issued by the Environment Agency for parts of Sunbury. We are monitoring the situation and have regular liaison with relevant partners including the EA. However, given there is the threat of flooding we would appreciate it if you could put the attached on your website as an aide memoire to residents on things to consider in a situation where flooding is possible."

Flooding – River Thames

Be prepared for possible flooding in next 24 hours

The weather forecast for today is prolonged heavy rain which will significantly increase river levels, so continue to be vigilant and prepared. There is a possibility that some properties in the area may be flooded in the next 24 hours. Please use this checklist NOW to prepare and protect your home from damage.

Flood plan checklist

Keep a list of useful numbers to hand: 

• the emergency services
• your insurance company
• Environment Agency Floodline – 0845 988 1188
• Spelthorne Borough Council – 01784 451499
• Spelthorne Borough Council out of hours emergency – 01932 425060
  
  

If your property is threatened

• Make up a flood kit to include a torch, blankets, waterproof clothing, wellington boots, a portable radio, first aid kit, rubber gloves and key personal documents. Keep it upstairs if possible.
• Make sure you know where to turn off your gas and electricity.
• What about your pets? Where will you move them to if a flood is on the way?
• Think about your car. Where can you move it to?
• Store valuable or sentimental personal belongings upstairs or in a high place downstairs.
• Think about medication. In the event of a flood, you will still need to take it.
• Ensure that elderly and vulnerable neighbours, friends or relatives in the area are aware of the danger.
• Try to protect your property from flood water using floorboards or pillowcases filled with earth to block doorways and airbricks.
• Do not let children play in flood water – it may be contaminated.

Stay informed

All flood warnings are serious. Local information is available from:

• Local radio – BBC Southern Counties Radio (104.6 and 104 FM)
• Regional TV – Meridian, London Tonight and BBC Newsroom South East
• Websites – www.spelthorne.gov.uk or www.environment-agency.gov.uk
• Floodline – 0845 988 1188

On Friday 10th Jan. the SCC is delighted to welcome to the Club for the first time a great name from the ‘60s who had two memorable Top Ten hits in 1964 with “Tobacco Road” and“Google Eye”. The line-up features their original lead singer Ray Phillips, who has had an unbroken half-century career with the band, as well as making solo records and performing with other line-ups like the British Invasion All-Stars with members of The Yardbirds, Creation and Downliners Sect. 

With him in the current Nashville Teens is a line-up of seasoned performers, including Colin Pattenden, member of Manfred Mann’s Earth band when they had their big hits back in the 70s, on bass, with Simon Spratley of The Ian Campbell Blues Band on keyboards, Ken Osborn from Levee Camp Moan on guitar and Adrian ‘Spud’ Metcalf on drums. It will be another night of classic ‘60s R&B to kick the New Year off, featuring in Ray one of the great voices of the beat era. There’s more information, including a fascinating and comprehensive narrative of Ray and the band’s history, at www.Nashville-Teens.com.

Doors open at 8.30, tickets £7.50 at the door.

Both Alan, the LOSRA Chairman, and his predecessor were guest columnists for the Surrey Herald. Both, in their turn, ceased writing for this particular journal because of the random and nonsensical way in which the sub-editor wielded his red pen. From now on Alan will be publishing his thoughts on the Website and you are invited to join him by reading his first Soap Box:

The Times this morning (19 December) carried an editorial piece extolling the virtues of building on Green Belt. All the usual tired arguments are wheeled out: the planning regime is too sluggish, the number of households is increasing exponentially, people are living longer. In addition there is the latest specious nonsense (which had its recent origins in the Department for Communities and Local Government) that Green Belt is inherently ugly and would look better if it were covered in bricks.

The problem, as the Times would have it, is that a failure to build enough houses has led to the unaffordable price of housing. In fact, the opposite is true. The unaffordable price of housing has led to a shortage of houses. This might sound like a dispute over which came first – chicken or egg? But it isn’t, and here’s why.

The un-affordability problem is sourced in central government policy. Successive Chancellors of all parties, and Bank of England Governors over several preceding decades, have allowed a situation to develop where the role of housing as a class of financial asset has been allowed to completely overwhelm the role of housing as a means of stopping the rain falling on our collective heads.

As a result, house prices have been bid up to a level which is acceptable when considered purely as a financial asset, measured against other financial assets such as stocks and bonds, by those who see housing as just another method of investing their money. But that has generated prices which are out of reach for people who just want a home, either to buy or to rent.

This is the crucial housing problem. House prices have risen too far, and first time buyers cannot afford to buy. Couples thinking of starting a family cannot find an even slightly bigger residence. And does The Times (or the DCLG, for that matter) really – honestly - think that building more and more houses will result in any of them becoming more affordable?

We could concrete over all the ‘ugly’ Green Belt in the south east of England; in Spelthorne we could fill in all the reservoirs and fill them with tower blocks; we could moor vast terraced –housing boats in the river, suspend condominiums from barrage balloons; and the price of housing would be affected not one tiny jot.

This is a problem sourced in central government. It cannot be solved by building locally. And to argue otherwise is to dabble in the finances of Toy Town, or what is known in the trade as Noddynomics.

Over the last few weeks LOSRA has had two meetings with representatives of Spelthorne Council. At both these meetings, it was made very clear that the Council strongly disagrees with the leading article in the LOSRA Autumn newsletter on the subject of the development of Green Belt land at Kempton Park. We are grateful that the Council has responded to the concerns of LOSRA and residents of Lower Sunbury as expressed in that LOSRA newsletter.

The following email has been received from the Chief Executive's Office:

"We welcome this opportunity to make our position on Kempton Park completely clear. As you would expect the Council has regular discussions about future business plans with all the major operations within the borough, including Kempton, but it has not seen or discussed building plans for any development on this site. Should plans be submitted at some future date there would be a statutory requirement for the developer to undertake full and detailed pre-application discussions with the local community. We would expect this to be done at a very early formative stage. The subsequent application would be publicised giving the community a further opportunity to comment. Officers would consider the scheme in the light of all relevant policies, including Green Belt, and considered for a decision at a meeting of the Planning Committee.

"We always encourage development on Brownfield sites but unfortunately cannot stop consideration of other options, including Green Belt. Were the Government to review Green Belt Policies, then we would consider how any changes applied to Spelthorne.

"Spelthorne Council and LOSRA will not agree on everything – and perhaps that is as it should be – but we firmly believe that the closer relationship of recent years has brought real benefit to the local community and is founded on the acknowledgement that both parties play different roles (and will sometimes have different ideas) but both want the best for Lower Sunbury."