Crawley Borough Council has successfully prosecuted Tesco for a health and safety accident.  

Tesco Stores Ltd was fined £200,000 at Lewes Crown Court sitting at Hove.  The prosecution was taken by the council following an incident at the Tesco Store in Three Bridges in 2014.  Water leaking onto the shop floor had caused a member of staff to slip, causing an injury where she was off work for several months.

Tesco had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three offences, breaching its duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and failing to report an injury following an accident within 15 days.  Tesco also had to pay the council’s costs of £51,000.

Surrey’s Leader David Hodge has survived a vote of no confidence, following the row over whether a ‘sweetheart deal’ had been agreed with central government ministers so as to avoid a 15 per cent Council Tax hike.

Tabled by the Lib Dems and supported by 8 Councillors, the Tory Chief won a clear majority with 47 voting in favour of him, while 12 abstained.

Opponents say Hodge’s credibility has been undermined following leaks of him appearing to say there was a deal.  He says he’s standing up for the people of Surrey and will continue to do so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-39331300

Head teachers in West Sussex say the government’s push for free schools and grammars is diverting money away from them.

They’ve joined with heads from 14 other counties in signing a letter saying the plans do not offer “meaningful solutions” and ignore the inflationary pressures all schools are facing.

A new funding formula is currently under consultation which closes on Wednesday.  The Department of Education says it will end the “postcode lottery” with more than half of schools getting a cash boost.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-39338134

A man has been left with a fractured eye socket, bruised ribs and laceration of the spleen following an attack in Horley.

It happened just after midnight on Saturday on Massetts Road, when two men approached the victim and asked to use his phone.  They then beat him up and made off in a white hatchback.

Police say it was a seemingly unprovoked attack and are asking any witnesses to come forward.

Police are on the look-out for two men who are alleged to have attacked a teenage girl in East Grinstead.

The 16 year-old victim has told officers she was sexually assaulted near Halsford Lane the early hours of Wednesday morning.

She had walked to a petrol station in London Road just after midnight before continuing down an alleyway at Imberhorne Lane.

Police have increased patrols in the area and are asking anyone with information to come forward.