Crawley residents are being praised for their involvement in stem cell donations.

As part of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Crawley MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Blood Cancer, Henry Smith, met with Anthony Nolan at Westminster.

Smith is proud of the 785 Crawly donors currently registered with the Trust, and is hopeful to recruit additional donors from the Borough.

While anyone on the register could be a match for someone with blood cancer, men aged 16-30 are most likely to be asked to donate. They provide more than 50 per cent of donations.

There is also a shortage of donors from non-white and mixed-race backgrounds.

Tandridge District Council has launched a six-week consultation.

The Limpsfield Neighbourhood Plan will influence the way the parish develops over the coming years.

The Plan considers a variety of issues including setting out ways to protect local green spaces and the Green Belt, improve internet speeds, ensure the expansion of Oxted Health Centre to meet demand, and protect the heritage and character of Limpsfield Parish.

It can be viewed online at www.tandridge.gov.uk/Limpsfieldnp, or go to the Council Offices in Oxted or any library to look at paper copies.

You can leave comments by:

•  Visiting the consultation portal at http://consult.tandridge.gov.uk/portal
•  E-mailing neighbourhoodplans@tandridge.gov.uk.
•  Writing to Tandridge District Council, 8 Station Road East, Oxted RH8 0BT.

The consultation finishes at 5pm on Monday 29th October.

Landlords are being reminded to check whether they need to apply for a licence ahead of new legislation coming into effect next month.

From October, the government requires landlords of all houses in multiple occupation (also known as HMOs) accommodating five people or more in two or more households, to have a licence regardless of the number of storeys in the building.

Previously, licences were only needed for HMOs of three storeys or more.

Cllr James Durrant, the Executive Member for Community Safety at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, does not believe responsible landlords have anything to worry about.

In a statement, Cllr Durrant says “The licence makes sure that basic safety requirements – such as having working smoke alarms, and electrical appliances and furniture that are safe – are met. This is good news for tenants and should give them reassurance that their homes are safe.”

Further information about houses in multiple occupation can be found www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/hmo. 

Landlords must apply before 1 October 2018 to avoid risking enforcement action.

‘Save a life, surrender your knife’

That’s the motto of Operation Sceptre – a national knife crime campaign which aims to reduce the number of people, especially young people, carrying a weapon.

Sussex Police is supporting the initiative and officers are undertaking proactive activities across the county to encourage knife owners to give up their blades safely, anonymously and without fear of prosecution.

Knife bins are located at police stations across Sussex until 24th September.

In addition to the amnesty bins, officers will be attending local schools, making test purchases and performing proactive patrols across the county.