We know residents are frustrated by the recent disruption to rubbish, recycling, food and garden waste collections and we are sorry households continue to be affected.

The Council has agreed a £160,000 package of measures with Biffa to strengthen the resilience of waste and recycling services through to April 2027. These measures include additional staffing support, workforce stability initiatives and operational improvements, including an additional vehicle to support recycling collections.

The additional measures have only recently been agreed and it will take time for their full benefits to be felt across the service. In the meantime, some collections may continue to be affected as the service recovers and stabilises.

We understand residents’ frustration and thank them for their continued patience and understanding. The Council and Biffa remain committed to restoring a reliable service and reducing the risk of future disruption.

Crawley Borough Council has announced that all six Crawley Parks have retained their Green Flag awards.

For Tilgate Park this will be the 24th consecutive year of achieving this status with Goffs Park and Memorial Gardens retaining their the 18th year.

Worth Park has also again received a Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.

Cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing, Councillor Chris Mullins, said it was a ‘fantastic’ achievement.

A man has been arrested following a collision between two cars near Gatwick Airport.

The incident involving a black Ford and a black Mercedes occurred on 16 July at around 3.55pm on the junctions of Beehive Ring Road and Gatwick Road.

A 55-year-old man from East Grinstead has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, uninsured driving and possession of an offensive weapon in public.

He has been bailed until 17 September pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sussex Police

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is encouraging residents to consider whether they, or someone they know, could benefit from a free Safe and Well Visit.

Anyone who is at a higher risk of experiencing a fire or who may have trouble escaping in an emergency, is eligible for the free visit by the fire service.

The visits will also cover wider health and wellbeing issues that can affect a person’s safety

Residents can find out more and request a visit on the West Sussex County Council website

40-year-old Luke Ingram is currently serving seven years and five months in prison for his role in running a drugs factory out of storage containers.

On Tuesday, 29 July 2025, officers carried out a warrant at a site just outside Horley.

They found evidence of a sophisticated cannabis factory, including machinery to help harvest the plants on a substantial scale. Most of the plants had already been harvested, but a large quantity of cannabis was found in a fridge within the warehouse.

Officers saw a man on a phone fleeing the site as they arrived, pushing through brambles and bushes to make good his escape. Subsequent phone data showed Ingram’s phone travelling from the site at that time.

Intrepid police dog Jilly tracked the escapee’s scent through the undergrowth and encountered a dropped pair of keys. These opened the door to 2.2kg of cocaine in a container inside the warehouse, alongside evidence that it was being divided up for onward distribution.

The site was leased to Ingram, supposedly to house supplies for a legitimate landscaping business. He was nowhere to be found, and officers soon learned he was intent on leaving the country as soon as possible.

Three days later, officers intercepted Ingram just after sunrise at Gatwick Airport in line to board a 5.45am flight to Nice. He was arrested for being concerned in the supply Class A and B drugs and being concerned in production of cannabis. Rather than checking into his seat on a plane, he was instead booked into a police custody cell.

Ingram was in possession of a new phone and a new number, which included messages where he talked about going away and needing more lives or a miracle. He was also sporting cuts, scratches, and bruises when detained, consistent with fleeing through woodland at speed.

Ingram (30/07/1985), of Reigate, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on Tuesday, 16 June, after pleading guilty to playing a leading role in a large-scale drugs operation.

Investigating officer, DC Ellie Blackford, said, “Ingram said in a text to a friend that he needed ‘a miracle’ to be able to get out of the country last August. Unfortunately for him we were fresh out of miracles, and he has now been grounded.

“Drug dealing is far from a victimless crime, and we are committed to robustly tackling the production and supply of illegal drugs in Surrey and bringing those responsible before the courts.”