December 2009 Archives

Staines News would like to wish its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The chief executive of Spelthorne Council has said he is 'extremely disheartened' after the authority received an 'adequate' independent review by the Audit Commission.

Roberto Tambini has hit out at new website OnePlace, who assess local authorities and combines views of six independent inspectorates, which include the Audit Commission, Ofsted, and the Care Quality Commission.

Seven drivers were arrested during an 11 day crackdown in Spelthorne to target distraction burglars.

Surrey Police held Operation Carlside between November 23 and December 3 along with Surrey Trading Standards and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to target the kind of criminals who wrangle old people and vulnerable people out of money.

Residents and councillors have given mixed reactions to the possible decision to close Ashford, Sunbury, and Shepperton police stations.

Chief constable Mark Rowley said in November that the force are planning to close numerous old police stations in the county and employ 200 extra front line bobbies in the face of their budget being cut by the government this year.

Young children at an Ashford primary school are preparing to send shoe boxes filled with goods around the world.

The pupils of Spelthorne Infant and Nursery School, in Chertsey Road, have collected nearly 70 boxes containing toys, books, sweets, clothing, and hygiene items and will be sending them to children living in Africa, central Asia, and eastern Europe.

The Labour party have chosen their candidate for the up and coming 2010 general elections.

Adam Tyler-Moore beat four other Labour candidates, and believes he has a good chance of becoming elected.

A congregation member at a church in Ashford would like to warn the public of a scam affecting people in the borough.

The warning message appeared in the December edition of Crossroads, which is a parish magazine for St Hilda's Church in Woodthorpe Road.

Thomas Knyvett College held a GSCE awards evening on Thursday November 26.

Past pupils from last year came back to the Stanwell Road school after the college wide 59% pass rate for grades between A* and C in 2008.

VIOLENT offenders could be among the criminals living in a new 'bail hostel' somewhere in Ashford - but the government is refusing to reveal its exact location, writes Adam Courtney.

The two-bedroom hostel is being run by ClearSprings, which has been warned it could lose its government contract to run the houses after an inmate was murdered by another offender at one of its properties in Teeside, and is being used to accommodate people on bail or on a home detention curfew, which could include offenders who have:

The eighth Ashford Scout group will be selling Christmas trees to raise money for themselves on Sunday 13.

They will have a range of different trees, which can be picked up from their hut in Convent Road from 10am.

Call Louise Sears on 0791 330 8071 for more information.