The following email has been received by LOSRA from Mark Carter, Awards Co-ordinator, BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey and we are pleased to reproduce it here:

Hi,

I wanted to let you know that we are now seeking nominations for this year’s BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey Community Heroes Awards.

Now in its fourth year, and firmly established as a local celebration of the area’s unsung heroes, this is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of people who go the extra mile.

Making a nomination couldn’t be easier. Simply choose one or more categories from the list below, then tell us who you would like to nominate and why. There is no limit on how many people you can nominate. All we ask is that your entries arrive by no later than Midnight on 19th October 2014.

Young Achiever - Awarded to anyone aged 18 or under, who has demonstrated courage or maturity beyond their years 

999 - Presented to a member of the emergency services or the armed forces for commitment to their profession

Sport - Awarded to someone who has contributed to local sporting life, either playing a sport or acting as a referee or official

Good Citizen - Awarded to an individual or organisation that either helps to make the neighbourhood a better place to live on an ongoing basis, or through a single act of kindness or bravery

Fundraiser - Someone who has given up their time to raise funds for a charity or good cause 

Volunteer - Awarded to a person who gives up their time voluntarily to help out a charity or good cause

Animal Welfare - Someone who goes out of their way to care for animals

Education - Showcasing an individual who goes the extra mile in the field of education and learning

Music and Arts - Celebrating the best of local creative talent - everything from local choirs to talented actors

Full details, including terms and conditions, can be found on the attachment or at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsussex or www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsurrey

We look forward to receiving your nominations and please do spread the word among family, friends and colleagues too.

Best wishes

Mark Carter

Awards Co-ordinator

BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey

Broadcasting Centre, Brighton, BN1 3XB or Broadcasting Centre, Guildford, GU2 7AP

We have no way of knowing how many of our local youngsters take advantage of this facility but for those who use the skate park in Green Street, please note that it will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, 18th & 19th August. The closure is necessary to allow for maintenance and repair work to be carried out.

Anyone looking for alternative facilities in the Borough can make their way to the Shepperton Skate Park off Shepperton Court Drive; or Lammas Park off Wraysbury Road.

It was good to see so many familiar faces visiting our stall at the Sunbury Regatta. Some came to join our Association, others to renew their memberships, and many just dropping by, in search of information or simply to discuss their concerns.

Now celebrating our 41st Anniversary as a fully constituted Association and, working with our local authority and other agencies, we continue to work tirelessly in doing what we can to preserve or enhance the amenities enjoyed by the Lower Sunbury community.

Our officers and committee are all volunteers who dedicate their time and energies to further the aims and objectives of the Association; and our future depends upon your continued support. If you are not a member or have forgotten to renew your membership for 2014, please either join or renew now. Annual membership has remained unchanged for the last 8 years and, at £5, costs about the same as a pint and a half of low strength beer. You may join or renew membership via the Paypal button on the Home Page or, alternatively, by leaving your subscription at the Post Office in Avenue Parade or at Twirltours Travel Agents in Green Street. We are of course very grateful to all those who have supported the Association today and over the many years of our existence.

The following is an extract from a letter dated 6th August which has been received from the Department of Communities and Local Government;

"The Secretary of State has carefully considered the case against call-in policy, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively. The Government is committed to give more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues, and believes planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible.

"In deciding whether to call in the application, the Secretary of State has considered his policy on calling in planning applications. This policy gives examples of the types of issues which may lead him to conclude, in his opinion that applications should be called in. The Secretary of State has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in the application. He is content that they should be determined by the local planning authority." 

In this case the local planning authority is not our local Council (who opposed the application) but the Planning and Regulatory Committee of Surrey County Council.

SATEP, (Spelthorne Against the Eco Park) and our Council are currently looking at the possibility of challenging the approved application by way of an application to the High Court for judicial review. As ever, limited resources may frustrate our progress and all contributions, however small, will be most welcome. To donate, please visit the SATEP Website: http://satep.co.uk/

The public will now be permitted to film, photograph and use social media whilst attending Council and Committee meetings thanks to the enactment of the Local Audit and Accountability Bill which brings greater transparency to local government.

The most significant change for 2014, which comes in under the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations, will be the use of tweeting, blogging or using Facebook to detail council decision-making as it happens, although oral reporting during proceedings is prohibited to prevent disruption.

In addition, the changes require local authorities to ensure that decisions made by officers under delegated powers are recorded and available for the public to view.

The Act and its provisions may be viewed by clicking here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/40/enacted

Many previous attendees will already have received this invitation from Joanne Jones and it has also been reported in the local press. In case you have missed it, her invitation is reproduced here:

"I’m writing to invite you to this year’s Spelthorne Assembly.

"Popular elements from previous years are again being featured – including the “marketplace” with scores of stands and displays from a wide variety of organisations; Make It Happen – where one lucky community project goes home with £1,000 following a live vote on the day.

"New this year is a Community Contact Point where those with something to offer, or request, or simply publicise - can post their messages.

Speakers and workshops are being finalised.

"Early booking for delegates is advised; casual visitors do not need to book – just turn up. Looking forward to hearing from you – and please circulate this invitation to your colleagues and contacts.

Thank you.

Regards

Joanne"

Joanne Jones, Community Development

Spelthorne Council, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 1XB

LOSRA has received the following invitation from Joanne Gravier (North West Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group) and is pleased to reproduce it here: 

Come and help us shape the provision of services for children and young people in North West Surrey with behavioural and mental health problems.

VENUE: St James’s Parish Hall, Weybridge. (Nearest parking is Fairfield Road pay and display car park)

DATE: Tuesday 12th August 2014

TIME: 2-4pm or 5-7pm

You may be aware that CAMHS and Behavioural Services for children and young people are one of our priority areas as a CCG. We propose to add behavioural services (e.g. for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders or ADHD) to the forthcoming re-procurement of Surrey Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to get a much more “joined up” service for children, young people and their families.

You are invited to join us on 12th August 2014, when we will be running a workshop during the afternoon and will be repeating in the early evening (2-4pm and the repeat session at 5-7pm) in the church hall at Weybridge. We do acknowledge that August is holiday time, so it’s not ideal, but it’s a continuation of the engagement we’ve been having over the past year and considerable work has been done during that time with local clinicians, schools, education and others.

We are not leading the Surrey CAMHS procurement, but want to make sure the views of our population in North West Surrey are sought and included – so we are being driven by the timeline for the CAMHS stakeholder engagement.

If you are not available on 12th August but know someone who would be interested, please do pass this on.

To book a place for either the afternoon or evening session, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Joining instructions and pre-reading material will be sent out once you’ve booked your place.

(Just attend one – the evening session one will be a repeat of the afternoon session.)

We look forward to seeing you.

The full application by Crest Nicholson for the development of the London Irish site in The Avenue (see article of 25th July) was approved by a vote of 10 - 1 with two abstentions.

The meaningful consultation with local residents by the developers may explain why very few objections had been received by the Planning Office.

There is no doubt that the construction phase will cause disturbance or inconvenience to local residents and it is the Association's intention to ensure that there is a direct line of communication with the project manager(s) to keep disruption to the minimum possible; and without obstructing the exacting conditions which have already been imposed for the approval to remain valid.