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NEWS
march 2024
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All unused copies of My Wokingham are recycled by Woodside Recycling. My Wokingham is a member of the Love Paper global campaign promoting the sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper and paper packaging. Our newspaper is printed on recycled paper which will be recycled again into new products. In fact 74% of paper and 83% of paper packaging is recycled into new products; one of the highest recycling rates of any material in Europe. Run by not-for-profit organisation, Two Sides, the campaign seeks to tell consumers across the world all the positive stories about paper, print and paper packaging from its environmental credentials to its ability to improve mental wellbeing, learning and enhance creativity. Even in today’s digital world, paper remains unique in its ability to touch our lives. Paper is renewable, recyclable and the natural support of new ideas and creativity.
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Council Tax increase of 4.99 per cent agreed
A
s part of their budget, Wokingham Borough Council is proposing to increase their share of Council Tax by 4.99 per cent in the 2024/5 financial year. This includes a two per cent increase towards adult social care and a one per cent ring-fenced increase to reduce overspend on special educational needs, both in the past and expect-
ed in future. The average Band D Council Tax will therefore be £2,262.93, including funding for the fire service, police and a typical parish council - an increase of £8.80 per month. A spokesman said: “We need to save about £16.4 million next year because our costs are much higher than the additional funding we get from the Govern-
ment. This is largely due to inflation and growing demand for our services – particularly educational support for children and social care for older residents. “We’d like to reassure you that we will be able to maintain the services that people rely on, and these remain a priority in these challenging times, but our difficult financial position means we can’t avoid increasing Council Tax.”
Bright outlook for borough as global weather centre stays local
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ne of the world’s biggest weather prediction and climate change monitoring organisations will be staying in Wokingham Borough after its relocation plans were approved. The council has agreed proposals for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) to move from Shinfield Park to a new purpose-built headquarters on the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus. This will keep about 300 jobs within the borough, worth about £16.7 million per year to the economy, as well as supporting about 455 additional roles through the centre’s suppliers. The centre was established by the UK and other founding members with just over 155 staff in 1975. However, it needs a new base as this has roughly doubled, with staff coming from over 30 countries. Discussions about the move, which the Government will fund through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, have been ongoing for more than a decade as the current headquarters has become increasingly outdated. The decision to stay in the UK was agreed in 2021, following negotiations between the Government and the ECMWF’s 23 member states, and the centre has been working closely with the council to secure planning permission since 2019. Protecting our planet around the clock The ECMWF works 24/7 to produce global weather predictions and other data for its members and across the world and is home to one of the world’s largest supercomputers and weather data archives. It is also a key player in the European Union’s space programme, offering trusted information on climate change, atmospheric composition, flooding and fire danger, and is currently working to create an accurate digital model of the Earth to help make even better predictions. The centre’s new headquarters will replace vacant buildings with well-designed, high-quality offices including a courtyard. Its design will be highly sustainable, producing net zero car-
bon emissions and rating “excellent” against the international BREEAM standard. In keeping with the organisation’s focus on the environment, the scheme will promote public transport as it is well served by buses. It will also have 26 electric vehicle chargepoints, plus 90 bicycle parking spaces including 10 for visitors, and will increase biodiversity on the site by 10 per cent by creating more habitats for wildlife. A shared vision for our future Cllr Lindsay Ferris, executive member for planning and local plan, said: “Tackling climate change is at the heart of everything we do and is enshrined in our climate emergency action plan, which sets out a bold aspiration to do all we can to reach carbon neutrality. “We’re therefore incredibly proud that such a major player in this important global fight has chosen to stay in our borough - and equally proud to have supported them in this endeavour, which will be of significant benefit to our economy. “With the British Museum and Natural History Museum both working towards a move to the nearby Thames Valley Science Park, Wokingham Borough is emerging as a strong centre for the sciences and education in general. “It’s pleasing that the centre’s long search for a more suitable home has reached such a major milestone, and we will continue to work constructively with them as they take the next steps.”
Join in with borough-wide annual community litter-pick
W
okingham Borough Council invites residents to take part in their borough-wide annual litter pick on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March to help make a difference to where you live. No previous experience is needed. To take part in a litter pick, you will need to wear gloves and sturdy shoes. You are encouraged to bring your own litter picker and high-visibility vest, but if you don’t have any, organisers will provide them to you while stocks last. Bags will also be given out to collect litter. Apart from keeping your local area clean, community litter picks also give you an opportunity to meet new people and educate children about the importance of looking after our world. The Annual Litter Pick is organised in support of Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean.
