As Christmas approaches Reigate & Banstead Borough Council are informing people of changes to their recycling and refuse collection service.

Residents who usually have collections on Monday 21st December have a revised collection two days beforehand on the 19th.

Tuesday 22nd – Friday 25th will be collected one day earlier.

Normal collections apply between 28th and 31st December; and those expected for collection on Friday 1st January will occur on the 2nd.

Normal service resumes on 4th January.

Garden waste collections are being suspended for two weeks over the festive period.

Residents can find details of these collection day changes and more information on the recycling and refuse service on the council’s website www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/recyclemore.

During 2016, with the exception of Christmas and the New Year, the council will be collecting as usual over bank holidays.

11 people, including a number from Crawley, have been charged with drug offences following an investigation by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).

The charges include possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs, possession of criminal property and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

They’ve all been bailed to appear at Lewes Crown Court on December the 23rd.

A former baggage handler who abused his position at Gatwick Airport by attempting to smuggle large quantities of cocaine into the country has been jailed.

David Fox used his work privileges to get into a restricted airport area to remove Class A drugs from suitcases and take them out among his own belongings.

Fox, assisted by another man, Stephen Chambers, was caught out when a rucksack containing 4kg of cocaine was sent to a different part of the airport and he was unable to retrieve it.

The drugs worth £500,000 were seized by Border Force officers in the incident in September 2012.

Fox, who is currently serving a 10 year sentence for attempting to import cocaine into Gatwick Airport in 2013 pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an extra 4 years at Kingston Crown Court.

Chambers was also sentenced in relation to a separate offence in January 2013, in which he organised the importation of 46kg of cannabis into the UK.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Ten people have been charged in the first week of Surrey Police’s crackdown on drink or drug-driving related offences.

A further eight have been arrested for drink or drug driving related offences and are on bail.

The campaign named Operation Dragonfly started last week.

As part of the campaign police will be releasing the names of those that have been charged.

Officers will also be Tweeting about people who have been stopped on suspicion of drink or drug-driving offences.

To keep up to date with officers looking for drink drivers, follow @SurreyRoadCops on Twitter.

People in Sussex and Surrey can text 65999 to provide details of suspected drink or drug drivers.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.If you know someone is driving whilst over the prescribed limit or after taking drugs call 999.

A schoolgirl from Reigate became Mini Mayor at the weekend.

10 year-old Josie Davie from Sandcross Primary School designed a Christmas card and beat off nearly 100 other entries to be crowned Reigate & Banstead Mini Mayor for the day.

Josie shadowed the Mayor, Councillor Mrs Joan Spiers, on Saturday and wore a replica Mayoral gown.

She was collected by the Mayor’s chauffeur; welcomed Father Christmas as he landed in Reigate’s Priory Park by helicopter; visited Reigate on Ice and joined in the Christmas Fair in Church Street.

Josie was treated to lunch and assisted former ‘Steps’ bandmate Lee Latchford-Evans turn on the Reigate Christmas Lights.