The Surrey County Council Elections are being held on Thursday 2 May and, in the Sunbury East Ward, a by-election to elect a local Spelthorne Councillor is also being held on the same day.

Residents are reminded that they will only be able to vote if their name appears on the Electoral Register and the deadline for having their name added is 17 April.

To check if your name appears on the Register, call the Electoral Services team on 01784 444218, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the Council Offices in Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames.

If you have moved home since the Electoral Register was published on 16 October 2012, you can apply to register at your new address. Forms are available from the Spelthorne Council Offices or to download from the website at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/register

If you are unable to vote in person, you can apply for a proxy or postal vote – the deadline for this is also 17 April.

For more information, contact the Electoral Services team on 01784 444218.

The following email has been received by LOSRA from Spelthorne Council and we are very pleased to reproduce it here:

Cardio Tennis is a high energy fitness activity involving a series of tennis based drills and activities to music. It is suitable for all abilities from total beginner to advanced and it is a fun and sociable way to get fit.

Spelthorne Borough Council in partnership with ‘Sportivate’ are providing a free course for young people aged 14-18 years, from Thursday 18 April to Thursday 23 May at Cedars Park, Sunbury –on-Thames from 6-7pm.

Additionally there are free trial sessions for adults, one on Wednesday 17 April at Lammas Park, Staines-upon-Thames and one on Thursday 18 April at Cedars Park, Sunbury-on-Thames. Both sessions run from 7-8pm.

After the free trial sessions, courses for adults will be held at the two sites from 7-8pm and cost £30 for five weeks:

• Lammas Park: 24 April – 22 May and 12 June – 10 July
• Cedars Park: 25 April – 23 May and 13 June – 11 July
  
  

Both courses for young people and adults have only 12 places available and will be given on a first come first served basis.

To book email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or text/call Steve on 07956 493529

Before clicking on to the latest Trading Standards Alert, you may wish to see the following extract from a Surrey Police email which gives crime prevention advice to mobile phone users:

"Surrey Police is making members of the public aware of a series of offences in which the offenders have used a distinctive distraction technique to steal mobile phones.

"The Force has currently identified seven similar crimes in Guildford, Epsom and Staines. The offence works by the offender(s) approaching the victim in a café or restaurant and asking for directions. They place a map over the victim's mobile phone or smart phone and engage them in conversation. When they leave, the offender(s) take the map and phone with them.

"The most recent incident occurred yesterday (Thursday, 28 February) in a coffee shop in White Lion Walk, Guildford. The victim, a woman in her 40s, was sitting reading a newspaper with her iPhone 5 on the table. A man in his early 20s, who spoke with an accent, believed to be eastern European, put a map on the table and asked for directions. After he left, the victim realised that her phone was missing.

"This was the fifth similar incident in Guildford with other incidents occurring at a coffee shop in Guildford High Street on 22 February, a fast food restaurant in Guildford High Street on 18 February, a coffee shop in Guildford High Street on 8 February and a coffee shop in Market Street on 25 January.

There have also been reports of a similar distraction technique being used in thefts at a coffee shop in Epsom High Street on 11 February and a restaurant in the Two Rivers retail park in Staines on 20 February.

Detective Sergeant Jim Strugnell, investigating, said: "We're not telling people to never leave mobile phones on the table in front of them but would urge people to be aware of other people around them, and if you are approached in such a manner, pick up the phone yourself before engaging in any conversation.

"We need people to keep reporting any incidents or suspicious activity to us so that we can build up a picture of those responsible and where the offences are occurring. If you think you have been a victim of such an offence but have not already reported it to the police then please do so as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information about any of these offences, or who has been a victim of a similar incident themselves, is asked to call Surrey Police on 101, quoting reference GD/13/1368. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For the latest Trading Standards Alert which, amongst other things, draws attention to.... wait for it..., a bogus Trading Standards Officer! click here

Gas Safe Engineers, cold calling, concert ticketing and product recalls are all featured in the latest Trading Standards Alert. To view, click here

The next Music Night at Surrey Cricket Club is on Friday 22nd March, when The Mustangs are back to launch their new CD "Speed Of Love" - it's a bit sooner after the last gig than we might otherwise have done, but they were keen to slot a Sunbury date in around the time of the album launch, which means there are twelve new songs to perform.

It's always a stunning high powered show led by dynamic front man Adam Norsworthy, with their highly original brand of blues-inspired original material. If you've not seen them, check them out (including plenty of music) at www.themustangs.co.uk .Over the last two weekends, they've been back to their usual slot at the Swanage Blues Festival where the video for their new single was shot; and this coming weekend are in France doing two shows at Le Blues Autour Du Zinc Festival in Beauvais, so the show will be finely honed for our gig. We look forward to seeing you there.

March sees another band making their debut at the SCC Music nights, as they welcome the Blue Bishops, who work at the rocky end of the blues/R&B spectrum.

They are performers with a rich heritage, including Geoff Grange (guitar, vocals, harmonica) collaborator of Bill Wyman and Nicky Hopkins; Jim Rodford, formerly of Argent and The Animals on bass; Justin Hildreth, formerly with Joan Armatrading, on drums; and Simon Burrett, veteran of may bands since his days as an artist with Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon label in the '60s.

They work in the studio with former Abbey Road luminary, John Leckie, producer of Bebopo Deluxe, Argent and Radiohead.

Find out lots more and hear some tracks at www.bluebishops.co.uk

Back in January we published an appeal for volunteers to join Thames 21 in a clean up Sunbury Lock Island. Those who came will remember the remorselessly cold day it was too. Thames 21 will again be coming to Sunbury Lock Island on Saturday 16th March from 10am - 1pm. This location is a charming part of the Lower Sunbury riverscape and we are being asked to join a team to give it a clean-up and to help manage the vegetation.

Volunteers are asked to report to the footbridge ahead of the lock at 10am. Old clothes recommended but all necessary equipment will be provided. Details of the public events are also on the Thames21 website www.thames21.org.uk/events/

As ever, full of important up-to-date information, the Spring Newsletter is now at the printers and will be delivered to Lower Sunbury households from 14th March. To view the electronic version, click here.

Further to the article posted on 20th February, we are very pleased to report that over 150 protesters gathered at the Civic Centre in Esher for the Full Council Meeting on Wednesday 27th February, representing an alliance of interested parties: residents affected by Waterside Drive proposals, including LOSRA Committee members; residents affected by Stompond Lane proposals and supporters of Walton & Hersham Football Club (WHFC) who have played at Stompond Lane for 80 years.

A double decker bus arrived carrying WHFC fans who proceeded to wave banners and placards calling for the council to “Save Stompond Lane” as councillors arrived for the meeting.

The public gallery was packed beyond its standing room capacity and extra committee rooms were opened to accommodate the crowd. The level of public turnout evidently took Council officials by surprise, with comments made by the Mayor, Cllr Janet Turner, Cllr Chris Sadler. The Reverend called upon councillors to consider the communities they represented during the prayers.

Cllr Stuart Selleck called for a further amendment to the Stompond Lane development proposal for an "appropriate period of consultation with the public and relevant stakeholders be held in close proximity to the Stompond Lane sports ground". The Council leader, John O’Reilly agreed to a ‘significant period of consultation prior to the planning application for Stompond Lane… with a reasonable expectation that, as part of that consultation, amendments will be made and taken on board’.

Whilst this was good news for supporters of Stompond Lane, LOSRA will be calling for a similar consultation process to be held with Sunbury residents before a detailed Planning submission is drawn up for the sports stadium complex at Waterside Drive. The scheme submitted last year was poorly designed, and there was no input sought from Spelthorne representatives.

Apart from these latest scams, the Trading Standards Alert also draws attention to product recalls. To see the full TS Alert, click here.