Surrey County council is investing £36 million to create more than 200 new places at specialist schools in the county.

The new places will be available for the academic year beginning September 2021 and will allow children with Education Health and Care Plans to enjoy a wider choice of local schools.

The demand for specialist school places in the county has risen in recent years, meaning the county needs more than its current 770 places in mainstream schools.

Julie Iles, SCC Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning, said:
“Our aim is to increase our outstanding specialist provision within Surrey so that all children and young people can receive a good education closer to their homes. Increasing the range of options within the county will help young people to fulfil their potential while continuing to play an active role in their local communities. It will also reduce the number of children having to travel long distances to get to school.

“Providing more appropriate provision within the county will also help us to reduce the cost of finding suitable places elsewhere. Places in the independent sector are usually more costly than those in our own settings and do not necessarily offer better value for money. This will be a much more effective use of our resources.”

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The A24 was closed for several hours after a lorry containing livestock overturned.

About 60 sheep were killed in the collision which happened at Dial Post shortly before 4.30pm on Monday.

A man from Buckinghamshire has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and released on bail.

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Reigate and Banstead’s PCSOs will be in Redhill’s Memorial Park later this week to meet members of the public.

The officers will be on hand to discuss questions and concerns with residents from 3.30pm on Thursday.

It comes after PCSOs held a talk for a Beaver Group in Langshott, with a mock crime scene created while youngsters hunted for hidden items earlier this week.

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A Crawley man has been given a suspended sentence for walking through Gatwick Airport with two knives.

Adam Russell, 32, who suffers from schizophrenia and said he had ‘voices in his head’, was tasered by police when he was seen heading towards the international departure lounge in the South Terminal with the weapons back in June.

Lewes Crown Court heard how around 200 people had to be evacuated from the terminal when Russell was seen “walking with purpose” with “an emotionless glazed-over look on his face”. The prosecution said how a security officer had been so scared that “she thought this is it, this is a terrorist attack.” The court was also told how Russell had previously told a neighbour he was planning a massacre at the airport and was going to going to “kill them all”.

Defending Russell his barrister explained how “in the preceding weeks to the incident his mental health was deteriorating significantly” adding Russell wished her to indicate he could now see “just how alarming this must have been.”

Upon sentencing the judge noted that in other circumstances he would be sending Russell to prison due to the seriousness of the incident. Instead he gave a 15-month suspended sentence with the requirement to have mental health treatment and rehabilitation.

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MMR vaccination rates in Surrey are below the World Health Organisations’ target.

Despite uptake increasing when compared to last year, NHS figures show rates for first doses at 24-months are 92% and 94.8% for first doses at five years, below the recommended 95% level.

Rates in West Sussex are marginally higher with first doses at 24-months at 94.8% and first doses at five years just above the target level with 95.7%.

However overall levels in both counties are above England’s average which is 90.6% for 24-months and 94.8% for five years.

You can see rates for other vaccines here:
http://bit.ly/child_vacc_stats_annual

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