Electric and hybrid car owners in Crawley can now charge their vehicles at new rapid charging points in the town centre.  

Crawley Borough Council has installed four 22 kw charging points on level two of the Town Hall multi-storey car park.

Tandridge District Council has elected Councillor David Cooley as its Chairman for 2018 to 19. Councillor Cooley has lived in Warlingham for 33 years and has represented Warlingham West since 2008.  Councillor Lindsey Dunbar who represents Limpsfield Ward was elected Vice-Chairman of the Council.

A new Mayor and Deputy Mayor have been elected for Reigate and Banstead.  Councillor Dorothy Ross-Tomlin was elected last Thursday; this is her second term as Mayor having previously held the office in 2007-8.  Deputy Mayor for the municipal year which runs until the end of May 2019 is Councillor Julian Ellacott, Borough Councillor for Redhill West ward.

A man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Crawley.  

Christina Abbotts was found dead at a flat in Highams Hill after she failed to turn up to meet with friends in London on Friday night.    

Zahid Naseem from Amersham has been charged with the murder and appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court yesterday. He has been remanded in custody to appear at Lewes Crown Court tomorrow.  

The suspect and victim were known to each other.

Councillor Carlos Castro has been announced as the new Mayor of Crawley for 2018 to 19.  Councillor Castro was elected to represent Tilgate ward in 2016. He was born in Lisbon in Portugal, and moved to the UK in 2009.  The Mayor’s charity is Crawley Forget-Me-Not Club which supports carers of people with dementia.
At its annual Council meeting last week, members of Horley Town Council elected Councillor David Powell as the Chairman and Town Mayor for the year ahead.  Councillor Powell has previously been the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead.

A week of action between police and partner agencies has targeted modern slavery offences across East Surrey.  

The work began with Operation Memory, a multi agency operation which was carried out last week at an address in Shipley Bridge near Horley.  The focus was whether exploitation through slavery, poor living conditions, or low wages was taking place. Several arrests were made and the investigation is ongoing.

Other work has included licensing checks at various premises in East Surrey including car washes, takeaways and farms.  

The week was part of a national project led by the National Crime Agency to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking.