It is with deep regret that Spelthorne Council announces the death of the Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr Isobel Napper.

Cllr Napper was first elected as a Conservative member of the Council for the Riverside and Laleham Ward in May 1999 and she continued to represent the Ward until her death on 20 August.

In May 2013 she was appointed as Mayor of the Borough. During her time in office she was dedicated to meeting Spelthorne residents, supporting local organisations and raising money for her chosen charities – Staines Army Cadets, DayBreak and Ashford Hospital Breast Care Unit.

She served on several committees within the Council, the most recent being the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Licensing Committee. An active member of the local community, Cllr Napper was Chairman for Voluntary Action in Spelthorne and the Spelthorne Social Club for the Blind and Partially Sighted.

Cllr Napper devoted her life to local politics and worked tirelessly to represent the interests of her constituents during her fourteen years’ service. She lived in Spelthorne for 47 years and enjoyed a career in nursing before working as a Secretary. She is survived by Tom, a retired stonemason, her three children, Nancy, Denise, and Tom and grandchildren.

Many Sunbury residents will know Irving Childs and his son Saul who ran the Saul Irving hairdressing salon in Thames Street until Irving retired a couple of years ago – Saul had not been able to work for several years because of a serious back injury. When he retired, Irving, who for many years had been a stalwart of the Sunbury Business Community, rented out his shop to a lady to keep running a hairdressers there and take advantage of the goodwill that had been established. However, it seems that things have not worked out and Irving found it necessary to take legal action to recover monies owed from the sale of the business. The tenant has now left and declared herself bankrupt, and in removing her fixtures and fittings, caused considerable damage to the shop, as well as putting unpleasant posters in the shop window which several residents have reported to us. Saul is now happily well enough to re-open the salon as his own business, with the assistance of Carley and Karen.

The new telephone number will be posted on the website (www.saulhairdesign.com) and also the shop window from this Thursday, 22nd August, 2013. Any clients with existing appointments are urged to contact Saul on 07525 360517.

Following numerous complaints from local residents, local County Councillor, Tim Evans, has now arranged with Surrey Highways to place double yellow lines around the north corner of Lower Hampton Road and a little way up the west side of Harfield Road.

This safety measure will be ratified by the Spelthorne Local Committee in 2014. Thereafter, next summer (mid June probably) statutory notices will be placed asking if there are any objections. Assuming there are none of substance, the yellow lines will be laid down about this time next year.

The LOSRA Chairman makes the following announcement in relation to the controversial hydropower project at Sunbury Weir:

“Spelthorne Borough Council were a consultee regarding the Application by HP Projects for a hydropower scheme at Sunbury Weir, and Spelthorne Council members had “called-in” this matter to the full Planning Committee. LOSRA and others had raised queries about some of the plans submitted by the Applicant is support of this hydropower scheme. The Head of Planning at Spelthorne told us that Elmbridge Borough Council (in whose area the scheme falls) also have an issue with the plans and the level of information and detail they have been given by HP Projects. When Spelthorne spoke to them, Elmbridge confirmed that they have now invalidated the Application until they have the information. We will all be re-consulted once the Application is validated again. On this basis it will not go to the Spelthorne Planning Committee on 28 August as originally intended."

This Site will be updated just as soon as more information becomes available.

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 40th 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 2013, please either join or renew now. Annual membership has remained unchanged for the last 7 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.

On Tuesday 13th August, having heard about the possibility of developing part of the Kempton Park site, LOSRA met the Managing Director of the Racecourse site and consultants retained by The Jockey Club. They had no specific plans to show and no numbers were mentioned. The MD and consultants explained their position and we put ours to them. Spelthorne Council have set up an all-party Steering Group to handle their interest in this matter.

It will come as no surprise that LOSRA's position, in view of this initial consultation and with no detail available, is that Lower Sunbury residents’ concerns could, in the main, probably be summed up in two words: Green Belt. It is clear, however, that this is likely to be a very complex issue, as it may well coincide with another planning application just north of the A 316.

There is another meeting tentatively planned for late September. This site will be updated as and when more information becomes available.

The period for consulting on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule which started on 2 July has now concluded (see: http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/3014/Consultations-and-representations) and LOSRA has made the following submission.

We are very grateful to those local residents who spared a few minutes of their time to assist in our Thames foot/cycle bridge survey. The very positive results have been attached to our submission.

The Sunbury Cross Subway has been closed to pedestrians as result of damage caused by a vehicle collision late last week. An uninsured and unroadworthy (no MOT) skip lorry suffered brake failure and went across the roundabout dramatically damaging the control boxes, ripping out the electricity supply and telemetry so essential to the operation of the subway pumps. It was fortunate that there were no personal injuries as the control box ended up down in the subway.

The subway is below ground water level and, to facilitate pedestrian passage, the pumps should work continuously. Pump Services were immediately called out but cannot repair the extensive damage for another 10 days as the parts are not immediately available. An attempt was made over the weekend to use a pump truck, under a lane closure on the roundabout, but the knee-height level of water together with the rainfall meant that this had to be stopped. The subway is therefore not currently safe for pedestrian use.

Be sure to visit the LOSRA stand at this year's Sunbury Regatta which is being held on Sunday 10th August at Rivermead Island, Thames Street. Exclusive Sunbury tea towels, copies of the Sunbury Trail booklet and postcards will be on sale and, for those who have yet to do so, an opportunity renew their 2013 memberships.

The Regatta itself will feature the usual Club and local skiff, punt and dongola racing; tug of war, stalls, entertainments, bars, fresh food and much more besides. The day will end with the illuminated sail-past and firework extravaganza.

Altogether, a fun day out for all, young or old, on Sunbury's foremost summer calendar event.

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