Local Authority

Spelthorne council are offering subsidised place scheme places for families who live in the borough and are the recipients of benefits.

During the February half term, which starts on Monday, February 15, families who receive housing benefit, income support or full council tax benefit are entitled to vouchers which contribute to the cost of a play scheme place.

The vouchers allow a £7 discount on a daily place or £35 on a weekly place.

To apply for an application form or for further details phone 01784 446 433 or email leisure@spelthorne.gov.uk

STAINES police constables could be sharing office space with Spelthorne Council's offices by the beginning of April.

A public consultation was launched on Friday (29) to find out resident's opinions on possible station closures, but the force is currently looking at merging neighbourhood teams with the council offices, in Knowle Green, due to the cutting of the forces budget last year.

Spelthorne voters turned out in full to vote for 'the black Boris Johnson' at a meeting designed to choose the next Conservative candidate for the borough.

Four hundred and nine people packed into Kempton Park Racecourse to listen to six hopefuls give a 30 minute presentation each, and although local candidate Philippa Broom was tipped to win, the accolade went to Eton and Cambridge University educated Kwasi Kwarteng.

A body was found in the River Thames at Shepperton Weir on Sunday January 17.

Police were called to the towpath off Ferry Lane at around 2.45pm after it is believed a member of the public found the body, who has now been identified as Marilyn Susan Toogood, 54, from Lightwater.

The police created a cordon around the area, and although the woman was reported missing, it is not clear how she came to be in the water or if she committed suicide.

Detectives from Staines CID have said the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

An ambulance attended, but there was nothing they could do and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Did you witness anything? Would you like to leave a tribute for Ms Toogood. If so, please comment below.

Surrey County Council has pledged £500,000 to repair hundreds of potholes which have sprung up on the county's roads in the wake of the heavy snow.

Repair teams are currently working to fix at least 200 potholes a day to avoid any vehicle damage to drivers and residents.

A petition containing 68 signatures was handed into a council meeting on Monday January 18 to stop the axing of the number 557 bus.

The petition was created by Stanwell campaigner Andrew McLuskey, who spoke at the Surrey County Council local committee in Spelthorne, which saw councillors and the public speak out about The Surrey Bus Review.

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.

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.

An extra 200 police officers could be seen walking around the streets of Surrey in the near future.

Chief constable of Surrey Police Mark Rowley has said the force are looking to close police stations, make cuts of senior officers and lower bureaucracy as part of radical plans due to be discussed on December 10 with Surrey Police Authority.

Schoolchildren from all over the borough visited Spelthorne Council's offices on Friday November 13.

Pupils from ten primary schools, including Saxon Primary School, in Briar Road, Shepperton, and Our Lady of the Rosary, in Park Avenue, Staines, visited as part of the Junior Citizenship event, which saw each school deliver a presentation on what sporting activities they would like to see provided in the borough.