Local Authority

PARKING restrictions outside a church and medical centre are due to be changed to create more access to those using the sites.

The decisions were made during a meeting of the Spelthorne local committee of Surrey County Council held at Knowle Green on Monday.

A have your say event is being held on Thursday, June 17 at the Thomas Knyvett College, in Stanwell Road.

The event is a chance for residents to air their views on local and boroughwide matters whilst meeting councillors and and representatives from Surrey Police, NHS Surrey, Surrey County Council.

For more information, contact Joanne Jones on 01784 446 421 or by emailing j.jones@spelthorne.gov.uk

JAMES BOND was joined by over 40 Brownies, Guides and Rainbows as they thanked the Mayor of Spelthorne for donating £4,500 to Girlguiding.

The girls, who were joined by lookalike Douglas James, were representing over 1300 members of Girlguiding Spelthorne at Shepperton Studios, in Studio Lane, on Monday, May 17.

They were at the studios to thank Councillor Caroline Spencer for her donation of £4,500 which will be used to support activities and camps for girls aged five and upwards.

ASHFORD and Sunbury police stations are to close as part of plans to free up money for 200 new officers on the beat.

The station in Church Road, Ashford, receives an average of seven visitors a day with the station in Staines Road East, Sunbury, receiving just four, say police.
Sunbury receiving just four.

Each visit effectively costs the force £82.

Spelthorne voters made history as Conservative candidate Kwasi Kwarteng was elected the borough's first black MP on Friday (7) morning.

Mr Kwarteng gained 22,261 votes ahead of Liberal Democrat candidate Mark Chapman who received 12,242 votes.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Kwarteng, said: "I was selected at the open primary in January and it has been a very steep learning curve.

"I've moved to the borough and am enjoying it very much.

"I must thank everyone that's been involved who has made this a memorable occasion."

Two hours after the Spelthorne count began, Chief Executive of the council Roberto Tambini revealed that the borough has seen a 2.65% increase in voter turnout.

At the count, which is being held at Spelthorne Leisure Centre, in Knowle Green, Mr Tambini revealed that 68% of Spelthorne residents have voted.

This is compared to the 65.35% voter turnout in 2005.

He also revealed that 81% of postal votes have been returned.

More to come as it happens.

Three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a two way crash in Ashford last night (Wednesday April 14).

At around 10.15pm, police, fire fighters, and ambulance crews were called to the B377 Ashford Road, near the junction with Kingston Road, after silver Ford Mondeo and an AA Vauxhall Vivaro panel van collided.

Traffic wardens have gone mobile under new guidelines issued by Spelthorne Council.

The wardens have been given scooters to zig zag in and out of traffic, and the council say this will help traffic flow across the borough, as they can deal more effectively with illegal and obstructive parking issues.

Councillor Gerry Forsbrey, cabinet member for the environment, said: "The introduction of scooters is a good move. They are environmentally friendly and allow parking wardens to respond quickly and cover more ground.

"This will all help traffic moving in Spelthorne and also ensure that potentially dangerous and illegal parking practices are nipped in the bud."

The £600,000 plans to spruce up Ashford, Sunbury Cross and Shepperton are set to include new street furniture, more car parking and the creation of a BMX track or skate park.

At a Surrey county council local committee meeting, held on Monday, March 15, plans were presented which detailed how £200,000 would be spent on each of the towns to rejuvenate them.

The money, is to be spent on Church Road in Ashford, the High Street in Shepperton and the underpass in Sunbury Cross.

Spelthorne's neighbourhood inspector will be returning to the borough after a return of around six months.

Sarah Greenhalgh will return on Sunday March and take over from the acting inspector Rebecca Kempster.

For the past few months PC Greenhalgh has been working on the Operational Policing Review Team at Surrey Police's headquarters, Mount Browne.