A multisite clinical trial has launched in the United States to investigate whether non-pharmaceutical methods can be used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children ages 7-12. This trial is currently recruiting new patients and seeking FDA clearance.  

The trial uses a wearable device – Novostim 2 – developed by Innosphere Engineering Ltd. The company anticipates FDA clearance by Q3 of 2025 and has already received approval for sales in Israel.  

The novel treatment builds upon years of research into non-invasive brain stimulation techniques led by the University of Surrey’s Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh. The research team carried out multiple studies in which children with ADHD were treated with transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) coupled with cognitive training (CT).  

tRNS is a non-invasive technique that delivers a weak and painless electrical signal to the brain to enhance activity in regions associated with attention. In the studies, children who received tRNS and CT experienced significant improvements in their ADHD symptoms, working memory, and processing speed, along with changes in their brain activity, which could be linked to the improvement of their symptoms in the long-term. 

Two clinical trials have been completed using Novostim 2 at Hadassah Medical Center in children aged 7-12, which showed significant improvement in ADHD symptoms, including a 43% reduction in ADHD symptom severity and overall symptom alleviation. 

The trial, over a two-week period, involves 20-minute treatment sessions in which Novostim 2 is used to deliver tRNS over specific regions in the brain associated with ADHD and during which participants engage in attention-based digital games.  

For more information on the latest trial, visit ADHDtrial.com  

Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey, said: 

“We were thrilled by the success of the previous clinical trials, which brought us one step closer to providing a safe and effective non-pharmaceutical option for children with ADHD. The device’s ability to modulate brain activity and enhance cognitive functions may hold the key to long-lasting benefits, potentially reshaping the landscape of ADHD treatment.  By harnessing the power of psychology, neuroscience, and technology, we can empower young patients to improve their focus, attention and overall wellbeing. The need continues to grow, and I hope to see this technology become available to many children and their families soon.” 

Rami Shacour, co-Founder and CEO of Innosphere, adds:  

“For decades, stimulant medications have been the cornerstone of ADHD treatment. At Innosphere, we’re parents first, driven by a mission to give families more personalized, effective options for their children. With Novostim 2, we’re redefining what’s possible in ADHD care. We’re thrilled to announce sales approval in Israel and eagerly anticipate FDA clearance this year. This is just the beginning, as we explore Novostim 2’s potential to complement existing therapies and transform lives.”

Image: Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh

South West London Pathology (SWLP) has launched one of the most advanced diagnostic facilities in the UK, with new cutting-edge laboratories set to transform healthcare delivery for patients across its network, including Epsom Hospital. The upgraded laboratory at Croydon Hospital marks the first phase of a significant technological overhaul aimed at improving diagnostic speed and accuracy.

Serving over 3.5 million people through five hospital sites, including Epsom Hospital, and 450 GP practices, SWLP is integral to the region’s healthcare infrastructure. When fully operational, the SWLP network of laboratories will process over 30,000 tests daily, ensuring faster turnaround times and better outcomes for patients in Epsom and the surrounding areas.

The state-of-the-art facility will streamline clinical blood science services, including clinical chemistry, haematology, coagulation, and serology, using cutting-edge pre-analytical automation technology developed in partnership with Beckman Coulter, a global leader in diagnostics.

Simon Brewer, Managing Director of SWLP, said:
“The introduction of Beckman Coulter’s advanced analysers at Croydon Hospital marks a transformative step for our diagnostic services. With these technologies soon to be implemented across the entire network, including Epsom Hospital, we are setting new standards in diagnostic efficiency and patient care.”

Rob Young, UK General Manager at Beckman Coulter, added:
“By equipping SWLP laboratories with the latest diagnostic technologies, we’re enabling healthcare teams to deliver faster, higher-quality results. This advancement will significantly enhance the care provided to patients across the SWLP network, including those relying on Epsom Hospital for vital healthcare services.”

The upgraded laboratories will unify diagnostic services across all SWLP sites, enhancing efficiency and ensuring a consistent standard of care. For patients at Epsom Hospital, this means improved access to accurate and timely test results, contributing to better overall health outcomes in the local community.

About South West London Pathology (SWLP)

South West London Pathology (SWLP) is an NHS pathology partnership providing integrated diagnostic services to hospitals, GPs, and healthcare organizations across South West London and beyond. Serving over 3.5 million people, including those at Epsom Hospital, SWLP delivers a comprehensive range of tests using state-of-the-art technology to improve patient care.

Image: Rob Young, UK General Manager for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics; 

Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust; 

Simon Brewer, SWLP Managing Director

Children at a special needs school could be left waiting years for a much needed crossing. Clifton Hill School, on Chaldon Road in Caterham, is a secondary school for 11-19 year olds with severe and complex learning difficulties and special needs.

Students at the school demanded action in May 2024 after telling councillors they felt scared going on the road outside their school because there is no safe crossing. Pupils are encouraged to use the cafe in the church opposite the school as part of their independent living skills, but they said people “driving like maniacs” or even honk at them if the students take too long crossing the road.

Surrey County Council said: “In the interim we are looking into rectifying shorter-term issues such as improving line painting and signage, and we will keep the school and parents updated on this as we progress. We’ll continue to do all we can to keep our roads safe.”

Short-term measures included lowering a school warning sign so drivers can see it at car-level, getting the greenery cut back so drivers can see the signs, and installing a dropped kerb for wheel-chair users.

“Another term is over and our children can’t cross the road safely,” said Rachael Forkan, mum and member of the Clifton Hill Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Ms Forkan said she and the head were “not thrilled” the signal crossing was part of a ‘long-term plan’ for improving the school’s road safety. Ms Forkan said: “It isn’t a bit helpful because that could be anything from two years to seven, and my son will leave there in five years’ time.”

Officers reported there were no dropped kerbs between the school and the church which made it “problematic to navigate” for wheelchair users trying to cross smoothly. Where the County Council would deliver road safety awareness training to students, for students with complex and multiple disabilities, like at Clifton Hill, officers said this type of training would “not be appropriate”.

“It’s definitely a priority for now,” said Councillor Jeremy Webster for Caterham Hill. “But the [County Council] is telling me there isn’t any money and that we have to wait a couple of years, but by then problems will be worse.”

The local councillor described Chaldon Road as “problematic” with existing highways issues such as increasing pressure from developments and an unstable embankment. Cllr Webster told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS)he would continue to urge the Surrey County and Caterham Parish council for their financial support.

Conservative MP for East Surrey, Claire Coutinho, who visited the school in summer 2024, said she recently met with Cllr Jeremy Webster at the school for an update on the crossing issue. Ms Coutinho said she asked him to maintain pressure on his colleagues at Surrey County Council to find a “funding solution” to get so a crossing installed as soon as possible.

A Surrey County Council spokesperson said: “At a site meeting completed in October 2024 we recommended a zebra or push button signalised crossing as the most appropriate road safety measure to be introduced. We appreciate that parents would like this to be implemented immediately, however this assessment forms part of a wider piece of work across the county which has seen us identify demands for road safety measures across another circa 50 sites, and we will have to prioritise which of these sites are then worked on with any available funding. At present, the council hasn’t set its budget for this area of work and as such no funding has yet been allocated.

“Which sites take priority will depend upon a number of factors including the level of road safety risk based on site observations and collision history, the number of people that would benefit from improved facilities, cost and the level support from the local community for any proposals. Once funding has been identified it typically takes a year to design, complete the legal consultations and then implement a zebra or signalised pedestrian crossing.”

Residents of Epsom and Ewell are advised to prepare for disruptions to South Western Railway (SWR) services due to essential engineering works in the Wimbledon area. Bus replacement services will operate on key routes over two consecutive weekends: January 18-19 and January 25-26.

While services on the London Waterloo line from Epsom will be affected, passengers can still reach Waterloo by using Southern Railway services via the Victoria line and changing at Clapham Junction. However, there will be no SWR services between Epsom and Guildford, and SWR trains to Dorking will also be unavailable.

The works will involve renewing 800 meters of track, ballast, and sleepers between Wimbledon and Earlsfield, alongside replacing points and installing 100 meters of conductor rail. These upgrades aim to improve track reliability and reduce faults, providing smoother journeys for passengers.

Key Impacts for Epsom and Ewell Residents

• No SWR trains from Epsom to Guildford.
• Southern Railway services to Dorking via the Victoria line remain available.
• Rail replacement buses will operate between Clapham Junction and Worcester Park, affecting onward connections.

Additional Service Changes

• SWR services between London Waterloo and Chessington South, Hampton Court, Dorking, and Woking (stopping services) will not run.
• Longer-distance services to Portsmouth Harbour, Exeter St Davids, and Weymouth will be revised, taking up to 30 minutes longer.
• Berrylands station will be closed during the works.

Plan Ahead

SWR advises passengers to check travel options in advance via the SWR website (southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey) or National Rail (nationalrail.co.uk) and to allow extra time for their journeys.

Apologies from Network Rail and SWR

Peter Williams, SWR’s Customer and Commercial Director, acknowledged the inconvenience:
“Customers should plan ahead if they intend to travel on these weekends, as engineers carry out vital maintenance at one of the busiest parts of our network. We’re grateful for our customers’ patience.”

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex Route Director, added:
“We’re sorry for the disruption but completing these upgrades back-to-back is the most efficient option. We encourage passengers to check their journeys and plan ahead.”

Further closures in the Wimbledon area are also planned for Sunday, February 2, and Sunday, February 9. Updates will be available on the SWR website.

For Epsom and Ewell residents, alternative travel routes and extra planning will help navigate the disruptions while these essential upgrades take place.

Hip pain is a common complaint, particularly among middle-aged and older adults. Two frequent causes are Hip Osteoarthritis (OA) and Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS). While these conditions share some symptoms, they differ in causes, treatment, and long-term outcomes. Understanding these distinctions is key for accurate diagnosis and management.

What is Hip Osteoarthritis?

Hip osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by age-related changes in the cartilage of the hip joint. The hip’s ball-and-socket structure relies on cartilage for smooth movement, but this can wear down over time, leading to pain, stiffness, and decreased function.

Signs and Symptoms of Hip OA:

• Pain in the Groin or Thigh: Pain is typically deep in the groin, buttock, or thigh, worsening with activity and improving with rest.
• Stiffness: Morning stiffness lasting less than 30 minutes is common, especially after inactivity.
• Reduced Range of Motion: Difficulty with daily activities such as putting on socks or shoes.
• Crepitus: A grinding sensation during movement due to rough joint surfaces.
• Functional Limitations: Challenges with walking, climbing stairs, or standing up from a seated position.

What is Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome?

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) involves pain over the lateral hip, specifically around the greater trochanter, the bony prominence on the hip’s outer side. Unlike OA, GTPS stems from issues in the soft tissues, such as the gluteal tendons and bursae.

Signs and Symptoms of GTPS:

• Lateral Hip Pain: Pain over the outer hip, often radiating down the thigh and exacerbated by lying on the affected side or climbing stairs.
• Tenderness: Pain upon palpation of the greater trochanter.
• Pain with Activity: Aggravated by repetitive movements or prolonged standing.
• Night Pain: Discomfort when lying on the affected side, disrupting sleep.
• Muscle Weakness: Weakness in the hip abductors, affecting gait and mobility.

Key Differences Between Hip OA and GTPS

1. Location of Pain

   • Hip OA: Pain is typically deep in the groin, buttock, or thigh, potentially radiating to the knee.
   • GTPS: Pain is localized to the lateral hip, radiating down the outer thigh but rarely affecting the groin.

2. Underlying Pathology

   • Hip OA: A degenerative joint disease involving cartilage degradation.
   • GTPS: A soft tissue condition involving inflammation or degeneration of the gluteal tendons and bursae.

3. Risk Factors

   • Hip OA: Aging, obesity, joint injuries, genetics, and repetitive hip loading.
   • GTPS: More common in peri- and post-menopausal women due to hormonal changes affecting tendon health, as well as altered biomechanics like gait changes or muscle weakness.

4. Impact of Hormones on Soft Tissue Health Hormonal changes during menopause reduce tendon elasticity, increasing the risk of GTPS. In contrast, OA primarily results from mechanical factors and cartilage degradation.

Management and Treatment

Hip Osteoarthritis:

• Exercise and Physiotherapy: Low-impact activities like swimming or cycling help maintain joint mobility and muscle strength.
• Weight Management: Reducing body weight can alleviate stress on the hip joint.
• Medication: NSAIDs are commonly used for pain and inflammation.
• Joint Injections: Corticosteroid injections under ultrasound guidance can provide temporary relief and aid diagnosis in complex cases.
• Surgery: Total hip replacement may be necessary in severe cases.

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome:

• Activity Modification: Reducing activities that exacerbate symptoms, such as prolonged standing or lying on the affected side.
• Physiotherapy: Strengthening the hip abductor muscles and improving flexibility is key.
• Shockwave Therapy: Effective in some cases for promoting tissue healing and reducing pain.
• Corticosteroid Injections: These can temporarily reduce inflammation for patients unresponsive to conservative treatment.
• Surgery: Rarely required but an option for severe or unresponsive cases.

Conclusion

Hip Osteoarthritis and Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome are distinct conditions causing hip pain, with different causes, symptoms, and treatments. While OA is a degenerative joint condition affecting cartilage, GTPS is a soft tissue disorder involving the tendons and bursae around the greater trochanter. Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective management, and consulting a healthcare professional is critical for those experiencing hip pain.

For more information see www.genuinephysio.com

Image: Man with hip pain. Credit Towfiqu Barbhuiya

Plans for a summer concert on a private island as part of Weybridge Festival have been cancelled over health and safety concerns. D’Oyly Carte Island hosted three days of music and entertainment as part of the Weybridge Festival over a weekend in July 2024.

The private island, inaccessible to the public for part of the year, opened its grounds last year for Weybridge Festival and celebrated music ranging from Motown and Soul to 70s’ and 80s’ soft rock. But councillors have decided to issue a counter notice to stop the event going ahead in 2025 over safety concerns.

Surrey Police and Environmental Health representatives slammed the application for its lack of important information to ensure public safety such as the limited access to and from the island, and the lack of adequate protection to prevent members of the public falling into the river. The pair emphasised that no site plans have been shared with officers, nor exit routes or briefing for marshals to judge the safety of the operation.

“We don’t want to wait for a tragedy to happen,” said Lucy Marriot, from Surrey Police at Elmbridge Borough Council licensing meeting on January 7, “We want to take a proactive approach to public safety.” Both representatives argued there was not an acknowledgement of the potential dangers of an island-based music festival and the size of the event.

But Andy Hill, the applicant and owner of the island, asked the committee in a statement: “Was it a mistake that the event was approved last year?”. Although Mr Hill submitted the same risk assessment form as last year, the council said its internal procedures for Temporary Event Notice licensing had changed and new officers have come into post.

Serious safety concerns

The council’s principal environment officer raised the alarm that no measures have been listed to protect the public. She told the committee the applicant’s risk assessment form gave no details on how the event would look after people (who may have had a few drinks) would be protected from uneven paths, the water enveloping the island or the courtyard fountain.

A unique location, only one bridge serves as the connection from the mainland to D’Oyly Carte Island. Almost 500 people could leave the island via the sole bridge at the same time, according to the officer, and no evidence has been given whether the bridge could hold the weight.

“I hope you don’t see it as health and safety gone mad,” the officer said, as both officers repeatedly urged they did not want the event to be cancelled but wanted the public to enjoy it safely. The council’s environmental officer said she had “serious concerns about Mr Hill’s attitude to health and safety”.

Council documents state that nine marshals and one professional security marshal will be employed to look after nearly 500 people at any one time over the weekend. In his defence, Mr Hill said after the meeting that all the marshals employed for the festival had worked on the island before and so knew the land much better than other staff.

But the Licensing Officer said she did not think it was “appropriate for one [professional security] marshal, one trained person, to look after 499 people and cover the whole island.” She stressed that other marshals would not be trained in crowd control or lifeguarding to look after people at the island event, according to the submitted documents.

A spokesperson from the council said: “Despite the Police and environmental health offering to meet with the applicant to discuss and address these concerns, no meeting was accepted. Consequently, our environmental health team and the Police had no choice but to object which resulted in a hearing where the licensing sub-committee refused the temporary event notice in its current form.”

“Health & Safety on steroids”

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Hill said: “In 2024 D’Oyly Carte Island held a series of Summer Concerts that were enjoyed by over 3,000 of our local community as part of the wider Weybridge Festival. Before the concerts we met with the police, health & safety, noise control, ambulance services and a few others to make sure we held an event safe for the public. These bodies made some good recommendations and, at a cost of over £35,000, we implemented them all with the associated risk assessments.

“The outcome from these recommendations and the associated investment was no injuries, no complaints, no arrests, no drugs and no disorder, just a flood of compliments. We were asked by Weybridge Festival to do the same again for 2025, so I submitted an application to repeat what we held in 2024. It is a complete mystery why the Council has rejected our application, cancelling the D’Oyly Carte Island Summer Concerts in 2025.

“Were Health & Safety negligent in their duties by allowing the concerts to proceed in 2024? Why have they objected to a repeat of the same event in 2025? One can only speculate that Health & Safety has been put on steroids and they are more interested in creating unnecessary meetings and paperwork, repeating work that has already been completed, simply to keep them gainfully employed at tax payers expense.

“We have invested heavily in bringing D’Oyly Carte Island back to life and have created opportunities like the café, bar, creperie and the D’Oyly Carte Island Summer Concerts. These activities include the community on our journey to renovate this amazing piece of history and culture in Weybridge. All I would ask in return is for the 100,000 people that have visited the island to write or email the Council asking them to reverse their decision and permit the D’Oyly Carte Island Concerts to proceed.”

The “Croydonisation” of Woking will continue after a 26-storey town centre tower block on the former BHS site was approved. The plans for the 272-home 85-metre-tall building are nearly identical to those previously rejected in March 2024 but have been signed off following changes to Woking Borough Council’s housing targets and further clarifications from the developers. Donard Real Estate will demolish the former store to create the Crown Gardens project. The build-to-rent project will include 28 affordable homes as well as retail and commercial zones on the ground floor of the Commercial Way site. There would also be public space landscaping to improve the area around Christ Church.

Approving the plans – which were also under a separate appeal – would help the council meet its new, higher housing targets and help take pressure off green belt sites. The meeting was also assured the building would be predominantly made of brick, limiting the potential of weather damaging external cladding. The town centre had to be closed off after cladding fell from the Hilton Hotel building this year due to storms. Speaking on behalf of the developers was Mervyn McFarland. He said, “Crown Gardens will deliver 272 high-quality build-to-rent homes addressing the growing need for housing and helping Woking’s residents, particularly young people and families, to stay in Woking and contribute to the town’s vitality and growth. It will help alleviate pressure on traditional housing stock while also contributing to meeting housing targets. It will free up homes better suited to families and other demographics, contributing to a more balanced housing market in Woking. Crown Gardens will support Woking’s regeneration, bringing up to 700 new residents to the town centre. This is expected to bring in around £10m expenditure annually in local spending, boosting businesses.”

The limited parking at the site was no longer considered a valid reason to object to the plans given its proximity to Woking Railway Station and active travel options. The January 7 planning committee also noted that a similar high-rise application at Technology House was allowed on appeal, with the Planning Inspector saying parking options were sufficient. Councillor Rob Leach (Liberal Democrat, St Johns) said: “It’s clear that the development will help meet the housing needs that we have and the new government target building levels, to a significant extent, are helped by this. I’ve always been resistant to skyscrapers in Woking, what I’ve called the Croydonisation of Woking, in the past, but I think this has to be preferable to incursions on the green belt where that can be avoided.”

Related report:

Blot on Epsom Downs horizon to grow no more?

The May 2025 Surrey county elections must not be postponed, the 11 boroughs and district councils have said. That call has been amplified with the Surrey Liberal Democrat MPs writing to Government lending their support to the call – while a petition arguing the same has been signed by more than 3,000 people. The decision to call off this year’s poll will be down to Government ministers who said they would consider delaying local elections in areas going through the devolution process. Surrey has put itself at the front of that queue – which would get rid of existing councils and replace them with a new structure. What that would look like is anyone’s guess at the moment, but could range from a single mega council, or potentially two or three slightly smaller bodies. Any new system would have an overarching strategic mayor.

The county leadership argues that postponing the elections would give officers time to get on with the once in a lifetime reorganisation – which needs to have interim proposals submitted by March ahead of a more ironclad May deadline. They also question the value of holding elections, which would cost an estimated £2.48m, for a council that was effectively doomed to die within two years – the new devolved authority is expected to be up and running in 2027 with shadow elections held the year before.

The leaders of the 11 Surrey District and Borough Councils met with their Surrey County Council counterpart on January 7 to discuss the English Devolution White Paper and what this would mean for the residents of Surrey. There was acknowledgement that the central Government was determined to introduce sweeping changes through devolution with district and county councils merged into new unitary authorities. A statement released after the meeting read: “All the Leaders of the Surrey District and Borough Councils expressed their concerns around the pace of change being imposed by central government and that such widespread and significant change needs wider consultation with the residents, stakeholders, and businesses across the county. In addition there was concern that the change, as proposed, will decrease local representation for residents of Surrey. While the Leaders concluded that there needs to be a dialogue with Surrey County Council on the proposed changes, there was wide agreement that the county council’s plan to write to the Secretary of State, Jim McMahon MP on Friday January 10, requesting to postpone the county elections scheduled to take place on May 1 2025 was not supported by the District and Borough Leaders and would be opposed if submitted.”

Surrey Heath Borough Council leader Shaun Macdonald added that allowing the elections to go ahead would ensure that all those involved “in shaping the future of our communities” had the democratic mandate to represent residents. The six Liberal Democrat MPs for Surrey also co-signed a letter to Government calling on it to not pass legislation postponing this year’s elections, describing it as an affront to democracy. They also expressed concerns over the speed of devolution and local government reorganisation. They said: “A proposal of this scale requires careful consideration and broad support. Yet, just three weeks after the government’s announcement, no credible plan exists. There has been insufficient engagement with district and borough councils or MPs to justify this unprecedented step.”

Elections, they said, must go ahead to give those voted in the mandate for how to deliver those changes. They added: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape local government in Surrey, and it must not be derailed by unnecessary delays or a lack of transparency.”

Related reports:

Are Epsom and Ewell’s Interests Served by Postponing Democracy?

Surrey’s Conservative leader wants to postpone May’s poll reckoning

Local government reorganisation: What will it mean for Epsom and Ewell?

All change! Epsom and Ewell Borough Council approaching its final stop?

Millions of pounds worth of affordable Surrey homes remain unbuilt because nobody is willing to take on the project. It has left Spelthorne Borough Council scrambling around trying to find a housing partner with negotiations set to take place over a potential rent to buy scheme.

It leaves families dangling in limbo on waiting lists with nowhere to go as there are almost 2,500 people are currently on Spelthorne’s housing list.

It comes as the developers behind a massive Staines Tower block withdrew all affordable housing from the scheme and instead only offered the council money to put towards low-cost homes elsewhere in the borough.

The Elmsleigh Road scheme was given the green light on appeal in 2022, after Spelthorne Borough Council had refused the application the previous year. The site, at the Old Telephone Exchange, is still under construction by the developer, Fairview New Homes.

Developers, Fairview, asked the council to remove affordable homes from its plans for 206 new units in two towers in Staines, and agreed a £3.85m contribution to go towards off-site affordable housing, instead of the 70 homes that were originally planned.

However, the council opted to delay accepting the money and approached a rent-to-buy provider, Rent Plus, to potentially take the affordable housing off its hands. Cllr Lawrence Nichols (Liberal Democrat/ Halliford and Sunbury West) told a planning committee on January 8: “If we take the [developer’s] money, Rent Plus walk away.”

Rent Plus buys affordable homes from developers at a discount, and then leases them to low-income families on the waiting list with the long-term plan of buying them.

The council had previously rejected using Rent Plus because the company did not provide housing to “the most needy” in line with the council’s legal requirements, the Housing Officer told the committee. Cllr Nichols said Spelthorne council has a meeting with the provider, Rent Plus, scheduled for January 14, next week.

“No interest”

The developer told the committee it had approached numerous registered providers for affordable housing but there was “no interest from any to take the residential units”. There were four separate tender processes and during the most recent, 81 parties were approached. Only 21 responses were received and all declined the opportunity to purchase the homes.

Speaking at the meeting, Director of Affordable Housing for Fairview New Homes Jonathan Millership, said: “The responses highlighted several issues that were specific to this development; these include the high rise nature of the building and the inclusion of a single staircase, a lack of appetite for flats in tall buildings outside London and a general lack of appetite for developer-led section 106 schemes.”

But councillors were not impressed. Cllr Katherine Rutherford (Independent Spelthorne Group/ Ashford Common) said the company “should have done their research”.

Cllr Darren Clarke (Conservative/Laleham and Shepperton Green) said: “Built the wrong thing in the wrong place to the wrong standard, but people don’t want them.” He added: “We all want affordable housing [and] we’ve got a real housing crisis.”

The council had also considered accepting the £3.8m and putting in its s106 pot for building community infrastructure. Officers explained the council could then use this to buy homes in the borough and then rent them out as affordable housing, generating a profit.

Councillors eventually decided to defer the decision on whether to accept the developer’s contribution until the next planning meeting in February 2025.

Image: CGI visualisation from Thames Street or the Elmsleigh Road Scheme. (Credit: Spelthorne Borough Council Planning documents/ Fairview New Homes)

Raw sewage has spewed out of a broken manhole cover and into the River Mole. Video taken by the Dorking and Horley MP, Chris Coghlan, shows the waste pumping out of the ground, just yards from the River Thames tributary in Brockham. He had been alerted by residents who said they were fed up after repeatedly trying to get Thames Water to fix the problem. The utility firm has apologised to those affected and said they would also clean up the surrounding areas.

Posting a video to social media, Mr Coghlan said: “So it’s happy new year, happy new sewage spill from Thames Water. I’m here outside a broken manhole cover here in Brockham and you can see it’s literally busting sewage out of it, spraying it everywhere. And behind me you can see loo paper, what looks like condoms.

“I’ve been speaking to some of my constituents here, this has been going on for years. They have been reporting it to Thames Water and they’ve done nothing and if you look behind me down here, this is the River Mole. It’s going straight into the River Mole. We’re a little upstream from the stepping stones where many people would love to bring their kids to paddle but they just can’t because this sewage is being dumped into the river and dumping E Coli everywhere.

“So I am very upset about this, I will be writing to Thames Water and the Environment Agency. It is a completely illegal sewage dump and I want it fixed.”

Thames Water publishes an up-to-date map showing near real storm discharge activity, as indicated by its monitors. At the time of publication there were active discharges in Chertsey feeding into the River Bourne meaning “there could be sewage in that section of the watercourse,” as well as at Leatherhead into the River Mole, at Holmwood into Holmwood Stream, at Cranleigh into Cranleigh Waters, and at Ockley Road feeding into Cobbler’s Brook.

In London, Thames Water has issued an update after E. Coli was found in an area of South East London with people in Brockley advised to boil their water before using it. A Thames Water spokesperson said of the Brockham leak: “We responded to reports of external sewer flooding near Hillside Close in Brockham on Monday January 6. When our engineers attended the water had receded, however we will carry out further investigations to understand why the flooding occurred. During this time we will also clean up the surrounding areas and we are sorry to those who have been impacted.”

Related reports:

Trust the public to check our rivers

River “Bogsmill” blights Borough

Image: Broken Manhole Chris Coghlan Dorking and Horley MP