HARROW MP Gareth Thomas said regeneration in Rayners Lane has 'transformed the lives of every family in the area' as he unveiled new homes.

The MP for Harrow West was joined by Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, for a tour of the homes at the Spectrum development on Friday, January 20.

Mr Thomas said: "The regeneration of the Rayners Lane Estate has transformed the lives of every family in the area. This simply would not have been possible without the partnership and collaboration between Home Group, Harrow Council and the local community.

"There is still much work to do to ensure that everybody is moved into new, affordable and suitable accommodation but I know Home Group are working hard to make sure the redevelopment continues to be a real success."

The new phase of the development offers energy-efficient one and two-bedroom flats and two and three-bedroom houses and has a children's play area, traffic calming measures and landscaping.

The homes have solar panels for hot water, grey water harvesting and green roofs to help reduce water retention.

By 2014, Home Group will have built 450 properties for rent and over 300 properties for sale and once completed will provide new shops, public open spaces and a community centre.

A limited number of properties are also available through First Buy, a government funded scheme launched in 2011 designed to help first-time buyers purchase a new property.

The Mayor said: "I am delighted to have been asked to officially open this new phase of apartments and houses at The Spectrum. This regeneration programme is transforming the estate, replacing poor quality homes with modern, quality units we can all be proud of."

LIBRARYGOERS will be able to use free wi-fi internet and modern computers as part of proposed investment in Harrow's cultural facilities.

Other changes include reviewing branch opening times, relocating Hatch End Library a short distance from its current building into Harrow Arts Centre in Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, and seeing if a new premises can be found for Rayners Lane Library in Imperial Drive, South Harrow.

TEENAGER Herve Mpanzu, 18, of Northolt Road, was charged with robbery and possession of an offensive weapon on Thursday.
It relates to an incident on Monday, December 19, in which a 26-year-old man was allegedly mugged in Torrington Drive, South Harrow.

TWO men have been charged with robbing a 24-year-old man on Tuesday, January 9, in Stroud Gate.
Kyle Harvey, 22, of Apple Grove, South Harrow, and Abdul Gayed, 19, of Bycroft Road, Southall, will appear for a plea hearing at Harrow Crown Court on April 4. A third man arrested was released without charge.

A PRIMARY school in South Harrow has continued to improve on its status as one of the best in the country by topping the latest table of exam results.

Figures released by the Department for Education show that Newton Farm School, in Ravenswood Crescent, has moved up from fourth place to first.

The school's Key Stage SATs results in 2010 were the best in England, with all pupils gaining level four in English and maths, and 97 per cent of pupils achieving level five in maths - which is above the national average - and 94 per cent in English.

Headteacher Rekha Bekhoo CBE has attributed the continued and consistent progress at the school to 'outstanding teaching' and the 'inspirational leadership' of senior staff.

She said: "We have high expectations of all pupils and ensure that the curriculum is a rich and varied one, which is
fit for purpose and allows
pupils to make progress and have memorable learning experiences.

"The behaviour in the school is exemplary and
everyone treats each other with care and respect."

The last Newton Farm inspection report by school watchdog Ofsted said 'pupils and staff from a wide range of backgrounds work in a
harmonious and purposeful atmosphere'.

It also stated that more than three-quarters of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, most of whom are from Indian or other Asian backgrounds and speak another language at home.

The national average for level four in English and maths was recorded at 82 per cent and 81 per cent, which were not only far exceeded by pupils at Newton Farm, but also by Harrow schools on the whole.

More than 85 per cent of pupils in the borough achieved level four or above in English, and 83 per cent made the grade in maths, putting them in the top 25 of local
authorities in the country.

THREE partners at two different Harrow accountancy firms received the ORBIS Visionary Award on World Sight Day, held on October 13, for raising £100,000 over four years for ORBIS, a charity that provides equipment and training to enable hospitals in third-world countries to treat blindness.
The recipients were Vinoo Patel, 60, of Grange Road, South Harrow, and Nilesh Haria, 52, of Jesmond Way, Stanmore, who run Richfields in Station Road, Harrow, and Manhar Patel, 65, of Berry Hill, Stanmore, of M C Patel and Co in Kenton Road, Harrow.

STAFF at a Harrow-based accountancy firm will be among a host of fundraisers to walk over burning embers and broken glass later this month to help raise cash for St Luke's Hospice.

Employees at RDP Newmans will join others to take on the extreme challenge to help the Kenton Grange based hospice in its is bid to raise £100,000 to mark its 25 anniversary, which hosts the firewalk each year.

The efforts from the 26 members of staff, at the Station Road based chartered accountants, coincide with the Observer's bid to help raise £10,000 of the hospice's £100,000 target this year and will take place at Claremont High School in Claremont Avenue, Kenton, on Thursday, September 22.

The team from the firm, including partners David Finn, Roger Nyman, Paresh Radia and Lyndon Perez, will attend motivational seminars and training sessions before tackling 20 feet of wood burning embers at more than 1200 Fahrenheit or a bed of razor sharp glass, which they hope will raise more than £10,000 for the hospice which cares for people in Harrow and Brent whose illnesses are no longer curable.

David Finn a partner with RDP Newmans, said: "Here at RDP Newmans we are always looking at ways to give something back to the local community.
"St Luke's Hospice is an extremely valued local charity which provides an amazing level of care for those in Harrow and Brent whose illnesses are no longer curable, which is why we are sponsoring this event.

"The Hospice is particularly close to my heart as my secretary Brenda Hayes was a resident at the hospice recently before she passed away.

"We all know it is going to be extremely tough and I'm sure before the challenge the majority of our team will be wanting to do anything but walk across hot embers or broken glass.

"However after two hours of motivational training I am confident every single competitor will be successful, in the mean time raising thousands of pounds for St Luke's."

The event is being staged at the school in Claremont Avenue, Kenton, by experts from Time4Change.

Time4Change was founded by Cliff Mann - the most experienced fire and glass walking instructor in Europe.

A MAN in his 30s was taken to hospital on Friday morning last week with head injuries following a collision between a car and a lorry in Rayners Lane.

London Ambulance Service sent a single responder and ambulance crew to the site at around 9.30am after the collision between a red Ford Fiesta and a grey goods lorry on Imperial Drive at the junction with The Ridgeway.

The driver of the Fiesta man was treated at the scene but was taken to Northwick Park Hospital as a precaution with injuries not thought to be life threatening.

Part of the road was cordoned off as police recovered both vehicles but was reopened by 11.25am the same morning.

No one has been arrested or charged in relation to the accident.

The same stretch of road was the scene of a fatal accident this time last year in which Faraj Hassan Al-Saadi died when he was sent crashing from his motorbike

ONE of Harrow's amateur football sides has renovated its function room after securing a £37,000 grant.
The rundown 250-seater hall at Harrow Borough Football Club's Earlsmead Stadium in Earlsmead, South Harrow, was more than 40 years old but has undergone roof repairs and a redecoration and received new toilets.

Crews at Northolt Fire Station in Petts Hill, Northolt, who attend incidents in South Harrow, are holding an open day on Saturday (Sept 10) between 11am and 4pm.
They will holding a demonstration of the work they do at road traffic accidents and fighting fires and will provide recruitment advice as well.