WBC News - Summer 2012

Summer 2012

Wokingham Borough

NEWS Your magazine from Wokingham Borough Council

ire p s n es I m – d u l Inc ingha re Wok ic featu p m y l -18 5 O 1 s e pag

In this issue...

Jubilee trees page 9

New neighbourhoods and country parks page 24

Community colour at Rainbow Park page 26

www.wokingham.gov.uk

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Keeping in touch with us Phone: (0118) 974 6000 Fax: (0118) 978 9078 Email: wokinghamdirect@wokingham.gov.uk Text/SMS message: 07786 200 974 Website including webchat: www.wokingham.gov.uk

Welcome

Visit us Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5pm at the Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN. Social networking sites: www.facebook.com/wokinghamboroughcouncil

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Email and text updates – Register at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/online Information kiosks – Available at Woodley and Lower Earley libraries and the Civic Offices.

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We’d like to hear what you think of Wokingham Borough News, and in particular if you would like to contribute to future editions.

Please also give your views on our social networking sites – send us a message on Facebook or an email to: communications@wokingham.gov.uk Editorial: Communications Team at Wokingham Borough Council.

Print: Printed by Herald Graphics on Core Uncoated 80gsm FSC. Cost: 14p per person/ 28p per copy.

“2012 is an extraordinary year for the whole country.

This month sees the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to London for the first time since 1948. We’re also celebrating The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and it’s only the second time in our history we’ve celebrated a monarch’s 60 year reign.

There are many events in the Borough to mark both historic occasions and you can read more about them in this magazine. Some of our residents, including Forest student Jack Weatherley, will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to be an Olympic torchbearer. And we’ll be joining forces with the Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association to plant 60 mature trees around the Borough to mark the Diamond Jubilee (see page 9).

April saw us launch our new waste collection service and it would be fair to say there were a few initial problems for which I can only apologise. I am only too aware that it’s important to get these basic services right. Three months into the

new service we’re making good progress in reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill (see page 7).

Of course there is much more to read about in this newsletter. There are articles on the vital service provided to our older people by The Link Visiting Scheme, protecting your home from burglars and the official opening of Waingels College by HRH The Duke of York.

Finally, there’s a chance for you to get involved with Parish and Community Forums for each of our Strategic Development Locations in North and South Wokingham, South of the M4 and Arborfield Garrison (see page 24).

As always, I am happy to hear from you about how we can improve things for you. Please get in touch by emailing me at: david.lee@wokingham.gov.uk” Cllr David Lee Leader

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Royal seal of approval During a whistle stop tour to officially open the £31million buildings at Waingels College in Woodley, HRH The Duke of York met sixth formers to talk about their plans for continuing their education at university, their inspirations and their career aspirations.

HRH The Duke of York is keen to recognise initiatives that support young people in developing the right employability skills for the 21st Century and stated that Waingels College is an excellent example of these initiatives.

The redevelopment of the school buildings started in April 2009 and was completed in November last year.

PCC Elections mean an early canvass

In this edition Your chance to shape health services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Recycling rates increase . . . . . . 7

Election round up Some 32 per cent of our residents took to the polls on May 3 when a third of the Borough Council’s seats were up for election. The political make up of the Council is now: 43 Conservatives 9 Liberal Democrats 2 Independents Check out our website for details about your local councillor. If you don’t have access to the internet, please call Democratic Services. t. (0118) 974 6053 www.wokingham.gov.uk/cllr-database

On November 15, electors in the Thames Valley Police region will be voting for a Police and Crime Commissioner. The Register of Electors this year will be published on October 16, not December 1 as usual, and this means the Annual Canvass will take place during the summer.

Canvass forms will be sent out this month (July). Please remember it’s a legal requirement for all households to complete the form. And, by returning it early, vital council tax money is saved, as personal canvassers have to be sent to properties that don’t respond. t. (0118) 974 6522 / 6523 e. electoralservices@wokingham.gov.uk www.wokingham.gov.uk/elections

Autism for life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Marking the Jubilee . . . . . . . . . . 9 Eat Out Eat Well . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Inspire Wokingham – living the legacy . . . . . . . . 15-18 Information at your finger tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Furniture recycling scheme . . 20 Best start in life for children. . 22 New neighbourhoods . . . . . . . 24 Keep your property secure this summer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Planning matters . . . . . . . . . . . 29 What’s on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Your Chance to Shape Health Services The NHS reforms mean that from April 2013, local GPs will be responsible for buying and paying for health services in the Wokingham Borough.

This includes most hospital care and community and mental health services – but patients will have a big say in how this is done. To make this possible, local GPs from the Borough’s 14 practices and other health care professionals have set up the Wokingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

There are now seven CCGs in Berkshire and hundreds more nationally. One of the CCG’s priorities is to give patients and the public a bigger say about health care in the Borough. Each practice within the CCG is setting up patient groups and these come together as a forum to engage with the CCG. The next step is to involve the wider community. Dr Richard Perry, from the Wokingham CCG and who works for the Parkside Family Practice, explains: “We want to ensure local patients are more involved in improving the quality and effectiveness of local health services we commission – we want to give them a voice in how we make decisions, so I urge them to join a patient group at practices in Wokingham Borough.”

He added: “We also want to talk to the wider community, the Local Involvement Network, carers, support groups and patient groups. It’s important that we respond to their needs when choosing health care providers or making service changes – it’s about ensuring everyone is kept well informed, given choices and involved in decisions.”

The CCG will be using a variety of ways to listen to patients and the public and is introducing a website. It will also be holding regular meetings and forums and distributing surveys to gauge opinions and collect ideas for improving health services. If you would like to join a patient participation group, please get in touch with your general practice or, for more information about the CCG, please contact Mike Parting. t. (0118) 982 2970

e. mike.parting@gp-k81047.nhs.uk

Executive view Cllr Julian McGhee Sumner, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing “We’ve set up a shadow health and wellbeing board which met for the first time in May. Setting up this board is one of the key elements of the NHS reforms and the Government's Health and Social Care Bill. We are working with our partners to improve the health of our residents. By tackling issues together, and engaging communities and individuals more effectively in what they can do to help, we can ensure that the Wokingham Borough is one of the healthiest places to live in the country.”

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Paralympic gold medallist officially opens specialist housing facility The completion of Beeches Manor, a new housing scheme for people with dementia and adults with learning disabilities in Wokingham, has been officially opened by Paralympic gold medallist Helene Raynsford.

The £3.8 million scheme provides 26 purposebuilt rented apartments.

The unique design has apartments for independent living clustered around two central courtyards. Communal facilities include a lounge, kitchen and dining area and activity/ hobby rooms. Beeches Manor has 24-hour care and support.

Pictured above: Helene Raynsford (centre) with Simon Bostock (Housing 21) and Andy Couldrick (WBC)

A Council initiative, the scheme received a £1.8million investment from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Fosters Update After four months of consultation, and several meetings with relatives and staff, we’ve taken the difficult decision to close Fosters Residential Care Home in Woodley.

Staff play a vital role in Fosters and the care they provide is greatly valued and held in the highest esteem by residents, their families and the local community.

However the building is no longer fit for purpose – bedrooms do not meet minimum requirements for room size, there is limited wheelchair access and no en-suite facilities.

We know this decision was hard for residents and their families and we gave it much consideration. We’ve assured them that every assistance will be given to make sure their loved one is moved to the home of their choice, safely and with full regard to their individual needs through a personal plan.

To help further we have guaranteed that no-one will be worse off financially as a result of this decision, which includes meeting the difference between higher fees in the chosen home and funding for furnishings for those that choose to move into extra-care housing. We will also help with travel costs for any relative who is disadvantaged by having to travel further to visit their family member.

Financial assistance will also be given to those staff who choose to transfer employment to continue to support residents (up to 18 months).

By doing this now, we also have a greater chance of moving residents and staff together if they wish. Some concerns were raised by families during the consultation that extra-care housing isn’t suitable for their relatives and as a result of this we have been able to secure alternative accommodation for them within the Borough. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank relatives and staff for their views during this consultation.

New menu at the Acorn Community Centre A new range of specials is on the menu this summer at the Rainbow Café located at the Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive, Woosehill.

Instead of homemade soup and jacket potatoes served up as winter warmers, the café is now offering club sandwiches, salads and fruit smoothies. All are freshly made each day by the team. t. (0118) 977 6713 e. jennifer.harper@wokingham.gov.uk

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Reading your letters Nancy Bedford was so concerned about road safety at a railway bridge in Woodley that she penned a letter to us voicing her fears.

The eight-year-old was worried mum Rachel had to twist her neck to check oncoming traffic when turning left from Waingels Road to drive under the bridge in Park Lane.

An official reply was hand delivered to her Pitford Road home, addressing all her concerns.

Nancy said: “I kept thinking about it every time we came to the bridge, because mum has to strain her neck round to see if traffic is coming. I asked mum who I should contact and she said the Council. So I decided I would write a letter.”

She says her previous letter writing experience has been confined to Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy and children’s TV. “But I had to do it by hand because my sister Grace was on the computer doing her homework. It took me about 20 minutes.

Mum didn’t help me – apart from the spellings for ‘sincerely’ and ‘bridge’. And my sister looked up who to send it to.”

Nancy also received a bag of goodies from us.

She’s a very impressive young lady!

Happier and eager to learn thanks to a special programme supporting children’s emotional health More than a thousand children and young people across Wokingham Borough have so far been helped by Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS), and more than 400 staff trained in its courses.

The five-strand programme runs training for teachers, teaching assistants and other staff working in schools and with young people to raise mental health awareness and give them a toolkit to deal with a range of issues.

82 per cent of local schools have signed up to at least one part of the scheme and are now running various programmes to help their pupils.

It also offers tailored support for specific groups of children, such as isolated or vulnerable pupils or youngsters in Years 6 and 7 moving from primary to secondary school.

This is what they say about it: “Year 7 has felt calmer than other previous years since I’ve been here, the best Year 7 yet!”

(TaMHS Lead in a Wokingham secondary school) “It was good because I know how to turn red thoughts into green thoughts now. I learnt how to be brave when I was in my room in the dark.”

(Pupil, ‘Fun Friends’ Programme, Wokingham school)

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Reducing waste and increasing recycling It’s been three months since we launched our new waste collection scheme with Veolia Environmental Services with initial tonnage results indicating that we’re reducing waste sent to landfill and increasing recycling.

This is all down to your efforts. The new scheme will allow us to achieve even more and reduce our costs by nearly a million pounds every year, money which can be pumped back into vital front line services.

Things didn’t go quite as smoothly as we had hoped for when we changed the service and we’d like to thank you for your patience.

Don’t forget: •

You can still enlist for weekly kerbside recycling and receive your black boxes. Email your name and address to: wokinghamdirect@wokingham.gov.uk.

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You can still opt into our garden waste scheme. There’s an annual charge of £60 covering the fortnightly collections from a wheeled-bin (pro-rata’d if you join now). Register by calling Veolia on (0118) 909 9360.

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Alternatively, you can buy 75-litre compostable sacks for £1 each from our libraries or the Civic Offices at Shute End.

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You can compost yourself – this is the best way to dispose of your garden waste. You can still purchase a home composter for around £20 by calling 0844 571 4444.

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If you’re at risk of animal damage you can use a standard dustbin and we will collect the tied blue sacks from it or alternatively place your tied sack on top of your recycling boxes.

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The 80 official blue sacks should last you for a year. Please be aware of this if you’re placing more than three out per fortnight as you will run out.

Executive view Cllr Angus Ross, Executive Member for Environment “We appreciate the new waste scheme has been a change for you. But it was a change we had to make to hold council tax charges for you as landfill taxes of £64 per tonne are increasing at £8 per tonne year on year. We’ve been set targets to reduce landfill from around 20,000 tonnes per year in 2012/13 to around 13,000 tonnes in 2019/20. If we don’t do this, we face significant financial penalties.

“We are constantly looking to improve our performance, with the latest waste changes helping us achieve a remarkable increase in our kerbside recycling in the first month.”

Call Wokingham Direct for all other enquiries. t. (0118) 974 6000 e. wokinghamdirect@wokingham.gov.uk

With the summer finally on the way, Recyclebank has some great rewards that might interest you. You’ve probably got a few points now tucked away, so why not redeem them for rewards with our great partners in the Borough?

If you’re looking to spend your Recyclebank points on some leisure and recreation, then why not think about the rewards being offered by Bulmershe Leisure Centre, Woodford Park Leisure Centre or Loddon Valley Leisure Centre? Between these three partners, there are 11 different rewards available, including swim for £1 at Bulmershe Leisure Centre. Rewards start at just 15 points.

But if you fancy something a little more relaxed, why not take advantage of the great deals with local coffee shops and restaurants? The Brown Bag at Wokingham and Woodley are offering buy one, get one free on all hot drinks for just 30 points. Or if you fancy a sub on the go, at Subway in

Wokingham you’ll get a 6" sub free when you buy another 6" sub for just 50 points.

Don’t forget to tell Recyclebank each week that you’ve recycled, either online at Recyclebank.com, by phone or by smartphone apps. Whichever way you spend your Recyclebank points, we hope that you enjoy them! www.recyclebank.com

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Autism for life Up to a thousand people in Wokingham Borough could be autistic, according to estimates.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It’s a spectrum condition, which means it affects people in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support.

He added: “We are an advisory body, but with the power to influence decision-making and hold service providers to account over their statutory duties. A children’s partnership board had been successfully running for many years to support local youngsters with autism.

The Action4Autism Adult Partnership Board was set up two years ago in the Borough to help support adults with autism and their families.

“But children with autism become adults with autism and there was no strategic overview for adult provision. This is why the adult partnership board was set up. Inadequate support can lead to a lifetime of isolation and disadvantage for people and their families. We’re here to stop that.”

Kevin Wallace, who co-chairs the board, is autistic, formally diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

“I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 48,” he said. “It was such a relief after spending a lifetime struggling, not understanding the rules of the life game. At a very early age I had learnt to say nothing. Everything I did or said was bound to be wrong. But now I use my personal experiences to help others like me and communicate with everyone else. We’re being talked to, as opposed to being talked about.”

One example is local charity ASD Family Help which now has closer working relationships with other service providers across the Borough. It provides support to people on the autistic spectrum, parents and their carers, access to the community via activities and social events, free advice and information and autism training to local health, education and social care professionals.

The Action4Autism Adult Partnership Board brings together public, community and voluntary sector organisations to manage the local support available for adults with autism.

t. 07707 660 599 e. contact@asdfamilyhelp.org

“We look at who is doing what to whom and why. We look for gaps in the provision, where there are bottlenecks, and if services overlap in places,” said Kevin.

If you or someone you know needs advice or support concerning the autistic spectrum, please visit: www.autismberkshire.org.uk

www.asdfamilyhelp.org

Rebounding!

We’re now offering Rebound Therapy at St Crispin’s Sports Centre, Wokingham, as part of the Activise programme.

Rebound Therapy is a trampoline-based activity that’s used to help movement for those with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or long-term health conditions. Sessions are one-toone and tailored to the individual’s need or goals.

Parent Helen Duncan said: “Gemma has benefitted tremendously from weekly Rebound Therapy. The instructors are encouraging and supportive and there is a great sense of camaraderie and fun each week. Gemma says that she looks forward to going each week and has made some new friends.

She especially likes the trampoline and, although she was nervous at first, is getting better each week.”

Gemma with physical activity health mentor Adam Godwin

The Activise programme also offers multi-sports, badminton, Nordic walking and health walks.

t. (0118) 974 6264 e. sportsdevelopment@wokingham.gov.uk

Summer 2012

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English Oak, Toutley Road, Wokingham

Wokingham Borough will be flying the flag this year to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This is a once in a lifetime event as it’s only ever been celebrated once before in Britain for Queen Victoria.

Reproduced with permission from WDVTA (www.wdvta.org.uk)

Marking the Diamond Jubilee

Tree Projects

Reproduced with kind permission from Carli Adby (www.adbycreativeimages.co.uk)

We’re joining forces with Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association (WDVTA) to plant 60 English oak trees across the Borough. We’re consulting town and parish councils about suitable sites and would welcome any suggestions. These trees will be planted during National Tree Week (November 24 and December 2). Each tree (or group of trees) will have a commemorative plaque to display and will be recorded in the Woodland Trust’s Royal Record.

Get d e v l o v In

e. jubileetrees@wdvta.org.uk

WDVTA is also organising a Diamond Jubilee Hedge Tree campaign. A hedge tree is an individual tree growing above a hedge. Very few young trees are growing to replace the lovely older hedge trees as they decline. Landowners may have sapling trees growing in hedges that can be allowed to grow on to become feature trees. These can be tagged with a Tree Council marker to prevent them being cut. Alternatively saplings can be planted to become future hedge trees. Landowners interested in taking part should contact WDVTA.

Garden Party

www.wdvta.org.uk/treewarden.php e. treewardens@wdvta.org.uk

With almost 2,000 applications received in Berkshire alone for a unique event to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, 38 lucky Wokingham Borough residents and their partners joined The Queen at a special garden party. The draw from the public ballot was made by former TV star Lizzie Webb.

They joined 4,000 guests, together with The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, at the garden party last month (June) held at The University of Reading’s Henley Business School Greenlands campus. It was jointly organised by the Lord Lieutenants of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire as part of The Queen’s UK-wide Diamond Jubilee regional tour. (www.adbycreativeimages.co.uk)

Members of the public joined guests from all walks of public life including representatives of voluntary organisations and charities, together with civic, community and business leaders.

Closely associated with this event is a major Jubilee fund-raising appeal for Berkshire Community Foundation which exists to strengthen communities and enrich local life by inspiring and supporting philanthropy and charitable giving. www.berkshirecf.org Reproduced with kind permission from Carli Adby

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Despite the plentiful spring rain we’ve had, we’re working with our local water companies to ensure that water in the Borough is used wisely and sparingly in the continuing drought conditions caused by two successive dry winters. Most of the water we use comes from underground porous rock, called the aquifer, which is recharged by winter rain. A small amount of the spring or summer rain, like we had in April and May, will filter down through the porous rock to recharge those aquifers, but more is needed. In the summer months much of the rain that falls will quickly evaporate due to higher temperatures, and growing plants take up lots of the water too, so it won’t soak through as easily as it does in the winter.

We’re doing our bit to help. We’ve reduced our water consumption as far as we can and we are strictly following the hosepipe restrictions. If the weather turns hot you will see that our flower beds and sports pitches may suffer.

To play your part, please: • Request a free water-saving device from South East Water and save a litre each time you flush the toilet.

• Turn off the tap when you clean your teeth.

• Take short showers instead of baths.

• Use washing machines and dishwashers only when you have a full load.

• Report a leak – if you spot a leak, please tell South East Water.

• Apply mulch around your garden plants to lock in moisture.

• Use a water butt in your garden to store any rainfall – enter South East Water’s great water butt giveaway competition via the website.

• Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car.

• If you are on Twitter you can follow @DroughtShout to keep up-to-date with the latest news about the drought and ways you can help save water. www.southeastwater.co.uk t. 24 hour leak line – 0333 000 3330

Top reasons to get on your bike!

Cycle training in Wokingham Borough hit a new high last year, with over 1,200 children aged between 10 and 11-years-old achieving Bikeability Level 2 – that’s a whopping 70 per cent of Year 6 children trained to cycle on the roads.

Monisha Jefcut, Assistant Headteacher at South Lake Primary School in Woodley, said: “The Bikeability was a real success.

I really do feel reassured that they are going off to secondary school as competent and road aware cyclists.”

Although we saw a decrease in casualties amongst 11 to 15-yearolds, data for 2011 shows an increase for adults aged over 45.

So we’re now running adult cycle training sessions and supervised family bike rides this summer – so dust off those pedals and get booked up! www.wokingham.gov.uk/cycling e. jill.bissell@wokingham.gov.uk

t. (0118) 908 8208

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Extra care housing wins top award

Get active with Games4Life this summer Some of the biggest sporting events on earth are almost upon us.

And with Games4Life being launched last month, we want everyone to be part of the team!

weekly for adults. This can be things like jumping, skipping, dancing and running. Not only does it help to make them feel good, but it helps to strengthen their heart and bones too.

Games4Life is an exciting new initiative from Change4Life, aiming to make England the most active host nation ever.

If you’d like Change4Life to send you a free, personalised, summer activity plan – full of ideas to help you get going every day – fill in the online Games4Life questionnaire.

Why not get active? It’s important everyone gets their active minutes doing activities that really get their hearts pumping every day – 60 active minutes daily for children and 150 active minutes

MyLearningPlace is an online service available to organisations and individuals who work with us to help deliver services to the Borough’s residents. The service is available 24/7 and allows users to book onto training courses, complete elearning modules and access a host of learning resources at a time that suits them.

It was launched by our Learning and Development Team in December to help service providers access the necessary training and knowledge to do their job competently and

www.nhs.uk/Change4Life

confidently. Providing this online service opens up access to learning opportunities, enabling people to take better charge of their development.

You can register with MyLearningPlace at: www.learningpool.com/wokingham

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Eat Out Eat Well The Eat Out Eat Well Award has been developed to reward caterers throughout Wokingham Borough who make it easier for their customers to make healthy choices when eating out or taking away.

It also rewards businesses that use healthy ingredients and better preparation practices to provide healthier food across the menu.

Executive view Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, Executive Member for Internal Services “This scheme will go a long way to help our residents understand the food choices on offer and enjoy meals that are both healthy and delicious.

There are many great places in the Borough for eating out or taking away and this new scheme will help everyone have a better understanding of healthy food on offer.”

Kindly supplied by boutique contract caterer Artizian

Last month (June) we launched an exciting new award for food businesses called Eat Out Eat Well.

The award is open to all types of establishments that cater for the general public, including takeaways, cafés, sandwich shops and restaurants. It has three levels – Bronze, Silver, and Gold, and is symbolised by an apple logo in the shape of a heart.

The level of award is based on a scoring system that takes into account the type of food on offer, cooking methods, and how caterers promote it to their customers. To obtain a Gold Award, key members of staff need to undertake some form of accredited or recognised training in nutrition.

Award winners will receive a certificate and charter to display on the premises and help with promotion and training on healthier food.

Boutique contract caterer Artizian are delighted to have been awarded a Gold Award in the inaugural month.

Managing Director and owner Alison Frith said: “At Artizian, we place a strong focus on providing people with the choice of having a healthy alternative. We recognise the crucial role we play in helping our

customers understand diet, nutrition and labelling and how integral our influence is in the work place. We are delighted to have been awarded a Gold Eat Out Eat Well Award as this is what we’re so passionate about.”

The scheme is run by West Berkshire and Wokingham Environmental Health and Trading Standards Services. If you’d like to join the scheme, please get in touch.

Look out for the heart symbols appearing around the Borough! t. (0118) 974 6765 e. environmental.health@wokingham.gov.uk www.wokingham.gov.uk/healthyeating

Celebrating in Barkham Summer 2012 is a busy time in Barkham. As well as celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, it’s the 25th anniversary of the founding of Barkham Village Residents’ Association (BVRA) and the publication of its 100th newsletter. The BVRA was formed in 1987 in response to proposed housing development within the Coombes woodland. Once this had been successfully resisted, the Borough Council designated the Coombes as an Area of Special Landscape Importance where development was not allowed.

Over the past 25 years, BVRA has, together with Barkham Parish Council, continued to act as a focal point for village activities, organising regular social events including a quiz, barn dance, skittles, carol singing and an Easter Egg Hunt and keeping residents aware of other significant developments via the quarterly newsletter and the website.

BVRA ran a competition to design the front page of the 100th newsletter and to publicise the Diamond Jubilee events, won by Emma Dodds (11) of Bearwood Road (shown right). There was an excellent response to the competition so BVRA decided to include all the entrants in a montage on the back page of the newsletter.

Also, Laura Whittington (16) of Thorn Close designed a poster to mark the 25 years (shown left).

BVRA is looking forward to the next 25 years!

Laura Whittington’s poster

e: newsletter@barkham.org.uk

www.barkham.org.uk

Emma Dodds’ winning poster

Summer 2012

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Mayor’s View In May, Cllr Bob Wyatt MBE was elected to serve as Borough Mayor, taking over from Cllr Dianne King.

Bob was elected as a councillor on the original Wokingham Borough Council in 1968 and since then has worked hard for homeless young people, helping to set up the young person’s hostel at Seaford Court in Wokingham and through his involvement with Caritas, the charity for young homeless. He also takes an active interest in improving services for carers in the Borough and was appointed a Champion for Older People.

After being Deputy Mayor for two years, Cllr Wyatt is looking forward to the next year as Mayor.

Mayor Cllr Bob Wyatt (right) with Deputy Mayor Cllr UllaKarin Clark

“I feel privileged that my peers have entrusted me with this important role and I hope I can meet the expectations of our Borough’s residents in this special Jubilee and Olympic year. I have big shoes to fill after Cllr Dianne King’s departure and I look forward to being as useful as I can, to as many residents and organisations as possible. I have chosen The Link Visiting Scheme as my charity for the year. This wonderful local charity serves isolated and lonely elderly residents through volunteers who give their time and friendship freely to those who need their help. I am looking forward to this exciting year!” mayor@wokingham.gov.uk

www.linkvisiting.org

Time to link up!

Older Wokingham Borough residents have been calling for more activities to do during the week. In response, The Link Visiting Scheme has launched an expanded programme of opportunities to help them get out and about and mix with others.

SIGN UP r: ee t n u l o v or isiting V The Link eme Sch

The Link Visiting Scheme, a local charity, helps to combat the sense of isolation that can all too often accompany advancing years. By providing volunteers to visit people in their homes, perhaps once a week for a chat, it allows vast improvements in older people’s sense of wellbeing and self worth.

But often that’s not enough as time can hang heavily between visits. Many crave opportunities to get out and mix with others – so why not check out what else is on offer?

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Several monthly pie and pint groups that meet for lunch and a chat in a local pub

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Weekly coffee mornings at the Bradbury Centre, Wokingham – drop in on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am

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Weekly bowling group at Hurst Bowling Club

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Monthly singing group at The Cornerstone, Wokingham

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A reading group at Wokingham Library

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Weekly tuition in Understanding Computers

The Link Visiting Scheme would love to hear from you if you are interested in their services, or in joining as a volunteer.

David Eteson and David Grandorge at one of the pie and pint groups

t. (0118) 979 8019

e. mike@linkvisiting.org

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Transforming our Borough – turning the Vision into reality During the consultation on our Vision and priorities you gave us really useful feedback on the areas you felt were of most importance. You told us that you wanted an efficient refuse collection system and clean streets; great country parks and leisure attractions; roads and transport links that are of high quality and without congestion; top quality schools and local libraries.

Investment at Hillside Primary School

So what have we done so far to meet those expectations?

You can read about many of the projects in this edition of Wokingham Borough News, including our school building improvement programme (page 22) and Wokingham town centre regeneration (below). The regeneration team has been working closely with our Planning Department to ensure that a scheme is developed which works for the town and addresses many of our key priorities such as tackling congestion and bringing economic vibrancy to the Borough.

Executive view Cllr Alistair Corrie, Executive Member for Regeneration and Affordable Housing “I’m really excited to be involved with the regeneration of Wokingham town centre.

“It’s great hearing the positive comments about how the developing scheme has responded to public feedback and we remain committed to making sure this continues over the coming months.”

And last summer we launched our wholly-owned trading companies Optalis, Wokingham Housing Ltd and Wokingham Enterprises Ltd. By investing in these companies, we will be able to branch out into new areas of work, generate income and ultimately reinvest that income into our priority areas.

We are starting to regenerate Eustace Crescent in Wokingham to provide an improved environment for local residents and good quality housing of different types. Last autumn, residents of the Borough Council’s flats and maisonettes in Eustace Crescent were asked for their views on the future of their homes, including the possibility of demolishing the blocks in the future.

Overwhelmingly, residents supported this option. And over the past few months, we’ve been working towards this aim by working with tenants to understand their housing needs and identify suitable properties for them to move to.

A range of options for the regeneration of Eustace Crescent are now being looked at and we will report more in the next edition of Wokingham Borough News, due out in the autumn.

It’s going to be an exciting journey for the Borough making it a great place to live and an even better place to do business. www.wokingham.gov.uk/vision

Get involved in Wokingham town centre regeneration It’s been all go over the past few months. We’ve been investigating design options for Wokingham town centre as well as looking at ways to keep traffic flowing, planning the right amount of parking for the growing visitor numbers, improving pedestrian access and working to create a top class park.

Get Involve d

As we move towards submitting planning applications later this year, it’s important that we continue to respond to local people’s comments.

We’ve been putting in place more opportunities to make this happen, including engagement events and meetings.

If you are interested in finding out more about how our plans are developing and share ideas for the town, please join us at a special event in the near future. Keep an eye out for up-to-date details on our website. t. (0118) 974 6000 e. info@wokinghamregeneration.co.uk www.wokinghamregeneration.co.uk Follow us on twitter: @wokinghamregen

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Inspire Wokingham – living the legacy Forest pupil carries flame Jack Weatherley, a Year 7 student from The Forest School in Winnersh, has been chosen to take part in the prestigious Olympic Torch Relay to mark the opening of the 2012 London Games.

On its journey to London, the Olympic Torch was lit at the original birthplace of the Games Olympia in Greece, and was handed over to the UK as the host country.

The UK leg of the Torch Relay started on May 19 at Lands End and finishes on July 27 at the opening ceremony.

The Relay runs for 70 days and has been planned so that the flame will come within ten miles of 95 per cent of people in the UK. Over 8,000 people will carry the Olympic Flame during the Relay for a total distance of around 8,000 miles. A number of the Borough’s residents will be torchbearers during this period.

The Torch will be making an appearance in the Wokingham Borough on July 10. It will cross the River Thames carried on a rowing eight, landing on the Wokingham Borough

bank of the river at the Leander Club. Here a second torchbearer will run for a short distance to the awaiting convoy. The Torch convoy will then proceed on the A4130 (White Hill) in motor convoy to Bisham Abbey and then on to Maidenhead.

“It’s a huge honour to have been nominated as a torchbearer making me part of the London 2012 team, and I’m over the moon. It will be a day I will never forget. This is such a great opportunity, I can’t wait. It will be brilliant.”

Jack (12), who lives in Lower Earley, will be joining the Andover leg. We caught up with Jack who told us:

Jack has already put in some practice on some 3K runs and runs regularly with his Dad Lee.

Inspired by the Games Olympic art brightened our Shute End offices thanks to the talents of Year 8 pupils from Maiden Erlegh School.

The Creative Olympics exhibition included crafts, sculpture and imagebased work inspired by the Games.

The young people had been shown images from past Olympic opening

ceremonies and studied posters designed by contemporary artists including Tracey Emin.

The exhibition in our Mall Gallery also included the Tree of Inspiration created by local children and vulnerable adults to symbolise the principles of Inspire Wokingham.

Its ‘leaves’, carefully painted plastic bottles, show favourite places across the Borough.

It’s now on display at the Acorn Centre in Woosehill.

www.inspirewokingham.com

Follow us at: @InspireWokingham

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Winning gold in Beijing To be a Paralympian, it takes a lot of dedication and commitment. We caught up with Beijing Paralympic gold medallist Helene Raynsford, who lives in Woodley, to find out more!

How did you get involved in rowing?

In 2005 I was working for the Department of Health and went to Dorney Lake in Eton for a meeting. It was the first time I’d seen rowing live and was totally gripped by the vibe and excitement. I’d never perceived rowing would be a sport for me and I started rowing as part of my training for the GB Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. Rowing soon became my passion!

What was it like to win a gold medal in Beijing?

It should have been the best moment of my rowing career but I crossed the finish line in a world of pain and proceeded to be sick for over an hour. I was even sick into my Union Jack during my medal ceremony. There’s probably a law against that and I didn’t get the usual kisses on the cheeks but pats on the shoulder!

My best memories are of the journey to that point, the things I learnt about myself and having to overcome many challenges.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s Games?

I’m really looking forward to seeing the nation gripped by the Games. Not just the shiny medals but the appreciation of the Olympic and Paralympic values and being inspired to go on and achieve their own aspirations and goals.

Are you involved in London 2012?

I’m going to work for the organising committee (LOCOG) on a three-month secondment this summer. I’ll be part of the operational team running the Games regatta at Dorney Lake.

Having won my first World Championships there in 2006, it would have been fantastic to have defended my title.

Following injury in 2010, I can no longer row but it will be fantastic to be part of the team creating the experience for others.

What advice do you have for budding Olympians?

Sport is a great career to follow but for all those moments of glory, there are many tough times. Injury can come at any point so make sure you keep up your academic and career prospects and never forget those who started you out on the road to success.

How would you encourage those with a disability to get involved with sport?

Sport is more than keeping fit, it helps build confidence, self esteem, improve mental wellbeing and it’s a great way to meet new people. There are many disability sporting opportunities on offer in the Borough and with the Paralympic Games just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to get involved.

What’s been your proudest moment?

It has to be the Olympic and Paralympic parade in London. It was a cold October morning and we were up at the crack of dawn in our GB kit designed for hot Beijing! Until then I had been so focused on training, I hadn’t appreciated winning in Beijing – it just felt like a good day at the office.

When the floats pulled out onto the London streets it was fantastic.

The pavements were crammed with people: some leaning out of office windows waving, little old ladies on the pavement sitting on their picnic chairs and so many young people waving Union Jacks.

I went out onto the stage in Trafalgar Square to be interviewed and saw a sea of people and Union Jacks. It was only at this point that I truly realised there were a few more people other than my family and friends following the journey to Beijing. Having seen so much support for Team GB four years ahead of the London 2012 Games, I can’t wait to see the nation get behind the team this summer!

Why not check out Helene’s blog during London 2012 Games? Visit: www.inspirewokingham.com

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Olympic dreams Hundreds of young people from Wokingham Borough have been living their own Olympic dream the past few months.

They joined thousands of young people from across the county to compete in the Berkshire School Games.

The aim was to create a lasting legacy beyond 2012, encouraging more young people of all abilities to take up sport. It also showcased the huge range of sports available.

Growing 4 Gold July 6 is the closing date for entries in Growing 4 Gold 2012.

We’re looking for Wokingham Borough’s best Olympicthemed gardens.

You can enter almost any type of garden – residential front and back, window boxes, hanging baskets, communal spaces, public houses and restaurants, as well as schools, libraries and community centres. t: (0118) 974 6000 e: wokinghamdirect@wokingham.gov.uk www.inspirewokingham.com

Follow us at: @InspireWokingham

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Experience your own Olympic thrills this summer July 7 to 15

July 27

Open Doors Week

Olympic Opening Ceremony

Clubs and leisure facilities. Free all week.

Hosted by the Borough Council, Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Earley Trinity Church, Earley Charity, Head Partnership and Asda.

www.inspirewokingham.com

Barbecue along with sporting activites, face painting and bouncy castle. Tickets available from the leisure centre.

July 7 to August 31

Summer Fun in Finchampstead

Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Lower Earley Prices: £2 per adult / £1 per child or £5 per family. 6pm.

Sports, crafts, family cinema and picnics. www.finchampstead.com/summer

August 4

July 7

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Family Fun Day Get the family together and join in with a host of activities to get into the Olympic spirit. Local sports clubs and organisations will be on hand offering fun taster sessions.

Cantley Park, Wokingham 10am to 3pm. Free

July 9

Meet Neil Faulkner Archaeologist/ historian – talking about his new book: A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics.

Bring the whole family to celebrate The Games. Walk two miles (a shorter route also available) and aim to complete 12 miles by August 12 either by cycling, walking, swimming or rowing. Routes are suitable for beginners, experienced walkers, people with mobility scooters and wheelchair users.

Dinton Pastures Country Park, Hurst 10am to noon. Free

Wokingham Library 6pm. £3 charge

July 26

Teen Sport Come and join a day of fun-filled activity including BMX, basketball, street dance, football and hockey.

Elms Field, Wokingham 6pm to 8pm. Ages 11 to 19

July 27

Olympic Opening Ceremony July 8

Norreys Community Festival Sports-based, all ages and abilities community festival with an Olympic feel, organised by All Saints Primary School and Norreys Churches.

All Saints Primary School, Wokingham www.allsaintswokingham.org.uk Free entry

If you didn’t get tickets for the opening ceremony, why not head to The Acorn Community Centre to watch on a big screen whilst enjoying a barbecue?

There will also be a licensed bar and a special show by performing theatre group Platform YP. The Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive, Woosehill. 6pm.

Entry for show & barbecue: £5 per adult and accompanying children free

September 8

All 4 Sport Games A chance for adults (18+) with additional needs and/or a variety of health conditions to try a variety of sports and activities.

Mini-competitions and prizes to be won!

Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Lower Earley 10am to 3pm. Free

For more Olympic inspired events across the Borough visit www.inspirewokingham.com

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Wokingham Information Network Everything you need to know about services, support, organisations and activities for families and adults in the Borough Our free online and telephone-based guide is specially designed to help give you every chance to make the most of your talents and fulfil your potential.

It is divided into two sections: the Adult Information Directory and the Family Services Directory.

The Adult Information Directory tells you about: • Accommodation and housing • Help to live at home

The Family Services Directory tells you about:

at your fingertips or a call a way www.wokin gham.gov.u k/win

• School holiday schemes and clubs • Borough childminders • After-school/breakfast clubs at Wokingham Borough schools

• Getting about the Borough

• Day nurseries and early years settings

• Leisure activities and facilities

• Parent and toddler groups

• Health services and support

• Sports and activity clubs for children/young people

• Education, volunteering and employment

• Activities and support groups for new mums and their babies

• Charities and organisations

• Activities and support groups for children with additional needs (and their parents)

• Benefits and financial information

• Local and national support organisations

Adult Information Directory t. (0118) 974 6772 e. adults.win@wokingham.gov.uk

Family Services Directory t. (0118) 935 2255 e. FIS@wokingham.gov.uk

REACHing out across Wokingham REACH Wokingham is just one of the many Forums you’ll find in the Family Services Directory.

It was set up to encourage parent involvement in decision-making regarding education, health, social and respite services for disabled children.

Organisations listed in the guide can update their own information, ensuring all their details are completely current.

Visit the website if you have any feedback about WIN, would like more information, or are an organisation providing these services and would like to be listed.

REACH Wokingham’s Mission Statement REACH Wokingham (Parents’ Forum) exists to support the families of children with disabilities/learning difficulties and to empower them to get the support and services they need for their children to achieve positive life outcomes and reach their full potential.

The group organises meetings where parents and carers can share information and support as well as talk to decision makers face-to-face and have their questions answered.

REACH’S aims for 2012

Training days are already held on topics such as Special Education Law, which allow parents to benefit from specific professional expertise. Additional training sessions are being planned.

•

Build on relationships formed with Council decision makers, striving for co-operation and commitment

Work with the Crossroads Holiday Club has helped create holiday activities for disabled children.

•

Develop additional training for parents

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Create more opportunities for parents to interface with decision makers in health, education and social care

Why not REACH for your keyboard and make contact? www.reachwokingham.com

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Furniture recycling scheme Unwanted furniture will be recycled and sold on for charity under a scheme we’ve launched with Age Concern Slough and Berkshire East. They will collect unwanted furniture (provided it’s in a reasonable condition) from homes and businesses around the Borough. The furniture will be stored at a warehouse/showroom at IQ Winnersh, provided by Segro.

The furniture will be available to anybody to buy at reasonable prices and some will also go to other charities and our Housing Needs Team at discounted rates.

Senior Strategy Officer Rhian Hayes said: “This project brings a lot of benefits. It’s environmentally-friendly as some of the recycled furniture would otherwise have ended up in landfill.

“It will also provide reasonably-priced furniture to all customers; and discounted furniture to those who really need it.”

Tracey Morgan, Chief Executive of Age Concern Slough and Berkshire East, said: “I’m delighted to work with the Council on this forward thinking initiative that not only helps the environment but also helps the local community and older people in particular.”

The furniture showroom is in Wharfedale Road in IQ Winnersh and is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

Get in touch if you have any furniture to donate. t. (0118) 327 1329

Revenues and Benefits Our key achievements in 2011/12 Last year was another good year for Revenues and Benefits with improvements in performance in many of our key areas.

We collected a record 99.37 per cent of council tax owed, which surpassed last year’s figure of 99.28 per cent. This performance is expected to maintain our position as the highest collecting unitary council in the country. The average collection rate for unitary councils across England is only 97 per cent. Therefore our collection rate generates over £1.7million every year more than the average collection rate, providing valuable services across the Borough or reducing council tax bills by more than two per cent.

Our Welfare Benefit Team generated approximately £730,000 in new governmentfunded benefit for our most vulnerable customers across the Borough in need of financial support. This is more than £50,000 up on last year.

The average benefit claim was assessed in an average of 13.8 days, similar to last year. We will be working hard to reduce this timescale further in 2012/13.

Executive view Cllr Anthony Pollock, Executive Member for Finance “We know that times are difficult for everyone. Continuing to provide our services is essential and the efficient collection of council tax allows us to do that. Our job is to make sure everyone understands our approach, offer different payment methods and make sure that our discounts are applied fairly. Staff have done a great job and I appreciate the effort they make to ensure we are the most efficient council tax collecting unitary authority in the country – a record we have held for two years. If we weren’t so efficient, we would have to raise council tax year on year.”

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Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership

Bids are being sought for a multi-million pound fund to help stimulate economic growth across Berkshire.

The Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVB LEP) has been awarded more than £15million from the Government’s Growing Places fund to support projects that will help the local economy by creating jobs and improving infrastructure.

There is no maximum or minimum, but bids must be for a capital project and the funding must ‘revolve’ – which means any returns generated will be reinvested in the local economy.

The objectives of the Growing Places funding in Berkshire are to boost economic activity by: • Addressing transport infrastructure and site constraints and promoting the delivery of housing or other developments

• Improving the communications infrastructure, in particular the availability of superfast broadband • Responding to innovative and creative projects which remove barriers to economic growth The TVB LEP brings together businesses, local authorities, and the education and community sectors to work to grow the Thames Valley economy by delivering improved transport and communications infrastructure, increasing employment and skills across the region, and attracting and maintaining inward investment.

Visit the website to find out more about how to bid for funding. www.thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk

GRANTnet – accessing funding opportunities online Community and voluntary groups can now search for up-to-the-minute funding opportunities online through GRANTnet, one of the country’s leading online funding portals. The site allows local groups to search for local, regional, national and European funding opportunities and access general funding advice (although individual advice is not available to groups).

The site can be accessed at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/win. Users should search for GRANTnet and then register their details on the GRANTnet website in order to access the funding searches. Contact Wokingham Direct if your local group is having trouble registering or needs further advice about this site. www.wokingham.gov.uk/win e: Salma.Ahmed@wokingham.gov.uk t: (0118) 974 6037

Executive view Cllr Rob Stanton, Deputy Leader “GRANTnet provides simple, step-by-step searches that are suitable for people with all levels of IT experience and also provides a choice of standard or enhanced search results. It’s a great tool for organisations to use to find out the latest funding opportunities available to them.”

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Giving our children the best start in life More than £11million of work at three local schools is creating more places for our children, giving them 21st Century learning environments.

Hawkedon Primary School, Lower Earley – school expansion ideas

Planning permission has been granted to expand The Colleton and Hawkedon Primary Schools to create an additional 305 spaces spread across all year groups.

Part of the Hawkedon expansion scheme will be ready for the autumn term. Located in Lower Earley, Hawkedon is benefitting from a major extension, taking the school up to three form entry. The works include a number of single storey extensions and courtyard buildings, a new single school building, play areas, multi-use games facilities and a traffic drop-off zone.

The Colleton in Twyford has been oversubscribed for years and is getting worse as it’s located in one of the fastest growing areas of Wokingham Borough. The expansion includes additional teaching accommodation, a new hall, changing and play features, remodelled playground, car parking and drop-off zone for improved traffic management. This will increase places from 35 to 60 a year.

The Bulmershe School in Woodley will benefit soon from a package of works to help develop its approach to teaching and learning. The plans, which are currently at design stage, include a new teaching block, post-16 learning centre, remodelled library and information centre as well as dining facilities.

Micro enterprise getting bigger Micro-providers who offer social care and support services across the Borough have had a business boost.

We organised a special marketplace event for these small scale providers where they were able to meet a range of people interested in finding out more about their services.

During the past three years, we’ve been working to help these providers better establish themselves, helping them expand the range of options open to people who have personal budgets to fund their care needs.

Brokers from Optalis and Age UK were invited to the event, alongside local organisations representing social care customers.

The Real Business Club, which supports local small businesses, Community Catalysts and Shared Lives Plus, who both support small scale care providers nationally, also came along to chat with providers and offer advice about developing their businesses.

“We really enjoyed the event and found it very informative,” said Mary Durman, joint Chief Executive of Wokingham, Bracknell & Districts Mencap.

Mencap may hold a similar event for their members later this year so carers can meet providers, she added.

“The micro market in Wokingham is developing well which is excellent news,” said Angela Catley, Director of Operations at Community Catalysts.

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Thanks for comments on station link road We’d like to say thank you to everyone who responded to our consultation on the station link road in Wokingham.

Over 900 of you took the time to give us your views on our plans to improve the road network around the station. Over 60 per cent of people who responded to the consultation were in support of proposals. The link road will help us tackle traffic congestion – one of our key priorities – and together with the new station building, it will create a pivotal gateway into the town centre.

Thanks to your comments we made some changes to our proposals. They’ve helped shape final road designs, and a consultation report, detailing all responses, is included in the planning application being submitted this month (July).

Work will start on the new station building in the autumn – watch out for more details in the local press and on our website nearer the time. t. (0118) 974 6000 e. slr@wokingham.gov.uk www.wokingham.gov.uk/stationlinkroad

Crash barriers installed on the A329M

South East Water schemes starting this summer

Following a number of fatalities on the A329M, it became clear that we needed to extend the crash barrier system along this busy road. To carry out this work we applied to central Government for the money in 2007 and 2008 but we were unsuccessful.

To ensure South East Water can continue to supply clean, safe drinking water to customers in Wokingham now and in the future, the water company will begin a number of schemes in the area over the coming months.

Despite tough financial times, we knew we had to do all we could to complete the works on the central reservation. We invested more than £1million into the scheme and work was completed earlier this year. We also installed barriers along the edge of the carriageway near Sutton Seeds Business Park as the railway is close to the road.

There have been a number of bursts on water mains in the town. When this occurs it causes interruptions to drinking water supplies, damage to the highway, and there is then further disruption to the wider community as a result of the company having to carry out emergency repairs and highway reinstatement. This work will not only reduce the number of bursts in the town, it will also ensure the company can meet the town’s water supply demands now and in the future.

Executive view Cllr Keith Baker, Executive Member for Highways and Planning “The crash barriers along the A329M have almost certainly saved lives or serious injury this year. They have prevented a number of vehicles crossing the dual carriageway into the fast lane of the other carriageway. This is one part of our investment in the Borough’s road networks.”

Further information will be provided to residents nearer the time, via local press, advertisements and letter drops to those directly affected. www.southeastwater.co.uk

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Buckhurst Park – the first of many new neighbourhoods and country parks in the Borough

Buckhurst Park artist impression (above and below)

Over the last five years, we have agreed an overall plan for the Borough to build four major growth areas called Strategic Development Locations (SDLs). These are located in North and South Wokingham, South of the M4 and Arborfield Garrison.

These growth areas will not only ensure new homes are built to meet the Borough’s housing need, but will also include new schools, shops, roads, cycle and walkways, parks, playing fields and allotments to create really good places to live.

We’re keen to create sustainable new neighbourhoods, carefully planned in consultation with existing residents and with new people as they move in.

We would like local people to contribute to the development of the SDLs as they come forward. For each SDL we’re planning to establish a Parish and Community Forum. These will be used to keep in touch with the communities and organisations in each area and to work through detailed planning issues together.

If you live in or next to an SDL area, watch out for details on our website and in the local press about your forum. There will be meetings in each SDL during the summer or early autumn this year.

The four SDLs are really quite different and at different stages of development.

North and South Wokingham SDLs are new neighbourhoods that would effectively enhance and extend Wokingham.

Buckhurst Park, the first phase of the South Wokingham SDL, was approved by our Planning Committee in April.

This is subject to a detailed planning agreement including a commitment to provide required infrastructure. The scheme for Buckhurst Park development includes 650 new homes as well as a new primary school, transport improvements, new park and open spaces.

Arborfield SDL will be a new and expanded village based around Arborfield Garrison. Work is under way to produce a scheme that is sustainable and linked to places of work across the Borough. However, it will be some time before any detailed scheme is available to the public.

South of the M4 SDL is made up of the villages of Shinfield, Three Mile Cross and Spencers Wood, to the north west of the Borough. Planning applications for schemes at Three Mile Cross, Spencers Wood and north of Cutbush Lane are expected to be submitted to us later this summer. t. (0118) 974 6819 www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning

Get ed v Invol

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Reaching a verdict Every year, hundreds of students across the country take part in a Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition. Students take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates and court staff and prepare the prosecution and defence for specially written criminal cases. Teams compete against each other in a live format at Magistrates’ Courts with their performances judged by magistrates and other legal professionals.

We caught up with Holt student Hannah Preece who recently took part in the competition.

“We took part in the competition at Reading Magistrates’ Court. It was an amazing experience, as it taught us what it takes to work in a court as well as how they operate. We have gained so much confidence, and despite complaining about how tedious the work was at first, it became such an important and enjoyable part of our lives, as we all felt so attached to the case and incredibly driven to do well.

“After we were given the case, we were told we would have an ‘against side’ and a ‘for side’ for the case, and that both sides would compete against another local school. We began our intensive preparation that consisted of frequent meetings at lunchtime.

“We considered all the different scenarios that could occur in the court room as well as making sure that we included all of the necessary information to strengthen our case.

“We soon learnt our defence team had won the case. We were up next and I was first prosecution lawyer. It was nerve-racking standing in front of real magistrates and lawyers. After the case finished we had to anxiously wait for the magistrates to decide their verdict. The case went extremely well for our school, which resulted in us winning – we were one of the only schools to have their prosecuting and defence sides win. It meant we had made the final!”

The Holt School was joined by St Crispin’s and The Bulmershe Schools in the regional final in May. The Bulmershe School came second and headed to the national final last month (June).

Read more about Hannah’s experience by visiting our website. www.wokingham.gov.uk/news

Executive view Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, Executive Member for Children’s Services “Over 95% of criminal cases, more than one million every year, are dealt with by magistrates, yet many people know very little about their vital role. The Mock Trials offer our young people a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the legal system. I am delighted that three of our schools made the regional finals.”

Do you enjoy reading but find it difficult to get to the library?

Our Home Library Service can help by providing home delivery and a collection service for books including large print, spoken word cassettes and CDs to qualifying residents, subject to availability.

So how does it work? Well, a trained member of staff or volunteer will deliver books and other items that match your reading interests to your home or day centre at an agreed time that’s convenient to you.

You can use the service if you are permanently or temporarily homebound and unable to visit one of our libraries. Apply today! www.wokingham.gov.uk/homelibrary

t. (0118) 969 0304 / 978 1368

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Community Colour at Rainbow Park Rainbow Park in Winnersh used to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons – ‘burnt out cars, violence and vandalism’.

But seven years on this estate now has a strong community spirit, a vibrant and wide choice of activities and classes, and a community drop-in. This is a community reborn, thanks to the long-term efforts of the residents themselves, various agencies and a development worker permanently there on the ground.

Community Development Worker James Newman helps organise the activities wanted by residents. These include bowling and darts founded by local people, a get-fit club, bingo sessions and computer classes.

A simple knock on the door from James can help motivate shy residents, reminding them something is happening. Or he can help them overcome barriers such as depression, lack of confidence and mental health issues.

James’ support has also helped the local residents’ association Centre Forward

the chance to travel to different places each month.

Strategic Commissioner for Communities Josie Wragg said: “It’s important to tell good news stories about communities.

Rainbow Park is not perfect, no community could claim that, but it is an example of how community development can take place if the right people work together in the right way.”

James Newman serving Rona and Christine Jagger

Our community development workers are:

Community Action Group to grow. The group now meets monthly and runs many activities including community lunches, trips out of the area, parties, entertainment, training and workshops.

Rose Green, Senior Community Development Worker t. (0118) 974 6793

James said: “One resident recently commented that her vacuum cleaner had remained untouched in her lounge for days because of all the community activities she’d been involved with. She had come to the community centre to meet more people and make new friends after her husband had died. Not only has she achieved this, helping her become less isolated and lonely, but in the process she has learnt new skills through many college courses and become a key player in making community events take place.”

Catriona MacMillan (Norreys) t. 07785 314603

Another development has been monthly community taxi trips, which offer residents

James Newman (Rainbow Park) t. (0118) 989 4280

Claire McEnoy (Finchampstead) t. (0118) 973 1760

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First Responders are people’s choice Norreys residents have voted for Wokingham (North) Community First Responders to receive funding.

The Norreys Neighbourhood Project announced last year that local people were taking control of a £5,000 community budget.

Residents and community groups were then invited to come up with project ideas they thought could make a real difference to their community – and then bid for a share of the money to put them into action.

Some £4,500 from the budget was last year allocated to projects ranging from creating a community garden to supporting parents and toddler sessions. However £500 was left over.

The community was again asked to put forward projects, and residents were invited to vote on which to fund. Following this process, the remaining £500 was allocated to the Wokingham (North) Community First Responders.

The £500 grant will be used to cover ongoing costs for the group and may also go towards navigation software to help the responders pinpoint the exact location of emergency calls.

Nigel Eaton, Co-ordinator from Wokingham (North) Community First Responders, said: “All of the volunteer Community First Responders who help cover the Norreys Ward would like to thank: Wokingham Borough Strategic Partnership, Norreys Project Team and all the residents of the Norreys Ward who voted for our successful grant bid to the Norreys Community Budget.

“Thanks to their votes and the grant, we can continue and improve our work helping residents in the Norreys Ward.”

The group is always keen to recruit new volunteers to join them.

This is a group of volunteers trained by South Central Ambulance Service to attend 999/life threatening call-outs across the Norreys area. The group is often first on the scene of an emergency and therefore provides vital treatment.

t. 0800 585 0207 e. cfr@scas.nhs.uk www.wokinghambsp.gov.uk/norreys

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www.wokingham.gov.uk

Keep your property secure this summer Wokingham Borough is proud to have had the highest reduction in crime within the Thames Valley. But even though we are a ‘low crime’ area, we are not a ‘no crime’ area, and there were still 427 burglaries in the Borough last year.

With the summer holidays fast approaching, residents are being reminded not to leave burglars with any easy pickings.

Top tips: ● Lock and close all doors even if you are going out for a few minutes ● Don’t leave valuables or car keys by open windows and doors ● Lock all side and back gates

Most burglaries are opportunistic, so if your home does not look secure, appears empty, or has entrances that are hidden from view, it could be at risk.

John, 80, from Earley, had his home broken into earlier this year.

He said: “I’m annoyed that my privacy has been violated and that someone has come into my home and gone though my personal possessions and helped themselves to whatever they liked.

“In hindsight, I should have made my home look occupied and installed timer switches on lights and a radio. I would recommend that you take the time to make your home more secure.”

● In your garden? Lock your doors and close your windows ● Use lights and radios on timer switches so the house seems occupied ● Ensure all garden equipment is put away and your shed locked ● Cancel deliveries if you will be away ● Ask a neighbour to take post in and close curtains at night You can also mark your possession with your postcode, house or flat number to help the Police trace any stolen valuables that are recovered.

Multi-Million Pound Funding to Influence Travel Behaviour We’ve secured £2.75million of central UK Government funding for a package of transport measures designed to change the way our residents travel.

The second round of bidding for the Department for Transport’s (DfT) £560m Local Sustainable Transport Fund, aims to deliver a programme of transport measures that directly supports economic growth as well as cuts carbon emissions.

The money will be used to encourage a change in the current travel behaviours of people using the A329 corridor – just over six miles – which runs through the middle of the Borough from its boundary with Reading in the west to the boundary with Bracknell Forest in the east.

The DfT grant complements money secured by both Reading Borough Council and Bracknell Forest Council to take a holistic approach to influencing the way people choose to travel.

Read more at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/news

Summer 2012

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Planning matters Illegal mobile homes successfully removed

A garage used as a home, mobile homes in a field and shop adverts displayed where they shouldn’t be.

These are just some of the increasing number of planning breach cases we have successfully tackled during the past six months.

We talk to Marcia Head, Development Management Team Leader, to find out more: “We only issue a Planning Enforcement Notice as the last resort because we would rather work with people towards compliance.

“Our officers work hard encouraging people to comply with planning regulations. However, sometimes the harm caused by unauthorised development leaves us no option.

“We get about 700 complaints from the public every year and we investigate every one. But about half turn out not to be planning breaches.

“So before you make a complaint to us, please check first to see if they have permission. Our website has details of all planning applications and decisions.

“People can often do small things without planning permission. This is permitted development and may apply to things such as sheds or small extensions. Again, check our website. It will tell you what qualifies as permitted development.

“Some people apply for permission once they’ve done something – called a retrospective planning application. When we grant this some neighbours can get upset because they feel perhaps we should have penalised the application and refused it.

“But planning officers look at retrospective applications the same as any other.

There’s no black mark. If the application complies with our policies, then it is generally acceptable.” www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning

Drive Start

Successful cases An outbuilding in an Earley back garden was being used as a self-contained home.

We served a Planning Enforcement Notice telling the occupants to move out and remove the kitchen and bathroom so it couldn’t be a dwelling again. Following a public inquiry, the inspector found in our favour and also ordered the appellants to pay our costs. The inspector said the land owners had failed to prove their use was lawful and it was reasonable for us to want the kitchen and bathroom removed.

Another public inquiry was held when land owners appealed against our Planning Enforcement Notice concerning two mobile homes on land in Arborfield.

The notice required the residents to move out and the mobile homes be removed. Again the inspector found in our favour and ordered the land owners to pay our costs. The inspector said the mobiles were harming the character of the countryside and the appellants had acted unreasonably.

At Easter, we re-branded our Motorvation free pre-driver training programme as Drive Start with more demand for tickets than ever!

The impact on young people who have attended in the past, is obvious by their comments. Mike Richards said: “I will use what I learned from it to help keep myself alive on the road.”

Hannah Carberry said: “The course really gets you thinking about driving, and the consequences of our actions on the road.”

If you are aged 15 to 17 and desperate to get behind the wheel, an application form for our summer courses can be found at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/drive-start

www.wokingham.gov.uk

There’s nothing quite like a makeover in time for summer and Winnersh Meadows has experienced exactly that.

Beauty spot makeover

With its new look now complete, the 10-hectare country park and beauty spot between Arbor Lane and the M4 has been officially opened by local Olympic rower Zak Purchase. Zak scooped gold at the Beijing Olympics – a feat he hopes to repeat this year.

The site’s £100,000 transformation includes all-weather footpaths improving access for all, an outdoor gym, basketball hoop and a kick-about football goal, plus benches and picnic tables.

More than 4,000 bulbs have been planted as well as a community orchard with some 35 fruit trees; all varieties native to our area.

The extensive works follow public consultation in 2008 when residents outlined what they wanted to see improved.

The project was led by Pat Rowell at the Winnersh Neighbourhood Action Group, which has wanted to improve this popular open space for some time.

The group successfully applied for Lottery funding, which was boosted by the Borough Council and Winnersh Parish Council.

The opening ceremony had gym challenges, a climbing wall and dog related events.

What’s on for YOUth There’s a lot going on in our youth clubs including opportunities to get involved in youth governance work; national awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; arts, sports and community work opportunities and, with the launch of a new website redesigned by and specifically for our young people, there hasn’t been a better time to see what’s on offer.

Eloise Collier from Hurst recently received an achievement award for completing Level 1 of the National Indoor Climbing Achieving Scheme organised by Wokingham Youth Club. Eloise said: “I had a brilliant time learning how to climb as part of my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We learn with ropes and also without, which is known as “bouldering”. It has been hard work, especially on my arms, but really fun.” www.activeyouth.co.uk

Parkour comes to the Borough A dedicated Parkour facility, the first in the South East, was officially opened by top Parkour (otherwise known as free-running) experts last month at Sol Joel Park in Earley.

The facility has been made available to local residents thanks to our combined efforts with Earley Town Council and an investment of £85,000 through Section 106 funding specifically for the use of children’s play areas.

Parkour is increasingly popular in the UK and focuses on efficient movement around obstacles. The main purpose is to teach people how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping.

This new facility aims to mimic an urban landscape and contains dozens of objects commonly found in a city so that people can practice their sport within a safe and dedicated environment. It’s also got great public transport links – it’s less than 10 minutes walk from Earley train station and it’s on the 190 bus route between Wokingham and Reading.

An estimated 40,000 people regularly take part in the sport, but unlike many other sports, there are currently very few dedicated Parkour facilities in the country.

Photos courtesy of Pat Rowell of Winnersh NAG

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Summer 2012

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What’s on?

Summer fun whatever your age and tastes . . . in the countryside July 21 Summer Treasure Trail: Follow a trail and answer questions to earn a sweet treat! Ideal for families and suitable for pushchairs.

1 to 3pm, Dinton Pastures Country Park. £3 per child

August 18 &19, 25 & 26 and September 8 & 9, 29 & 30 Bushcraft: Fun course introducing adults and children to the basics of bushcraft including shelter building, fire lighting, camp craft, backwoods cooking and wild food foraging. Option of staying overnight under canvas.

10am to 6pm (1 day), 9am to 4pm (2 days) £85 (1 day) £120 (2 days). (0118) 986 7333.

August 25 and 26 Summer Orchid Show: Come and see thousands of orchids in flower, from the bizarre to the most exquisite! A huge variety of orchids will be available from top orchid growers. Sundries, pots, books, moss and composts also on sale. Take part in beginners’ workshops.

Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 4pm, Dinton Pastures Country Park.

Small entry charge to Orchid Marquee.

September 16 Pirate Day: Celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Come dressed as a pirate ready to take to the waters of Black Swan Lake for some exciting games and activities.

Morning and afternoon sessions, Multi-Activity Centre, Dinton Pastures Country Park. £5 Child and £10 Adult.

October 7 California Speedway Day: See some of the original bikes that raced on the sand speedway track at California-in-England Holiday Camp in the 1930s to 1950s. Friends of the Speedway will be showing remains of the track and concrete starting grid and sharing their stories.

. . . in your library July 5 Meet Patrick Gale: The best-selling novelist will be talking about his new book A Perfectly Good Man. Event includes a book signing and refreshments.

8pm, Wokingham Library. £5.

July 14 to September 22 Little Explorers Book Club (under 5s), StoryLab (for ages 5 to 12), Teen Reading Challenge Reading challenges for each age group to read six books. Prizes up for grabs. Also lots of agerelated activities. Free.

August 8 to August 10 The Globetrotter’s Hot Pot stories and puppet making with Pottytree Puppets Ages 5 to 12, at all libraries. Please phone your local library to book. £3 charge.

Monday August 13 Around the world – storytelling with Tusitala

11am to 4pm, California Country Park.

Free (normal car parking charges apply).

Wokingham, Lower Earley, Maiden Erlegh and Spencers Wood libraries. Free.

For details of these events and more, see www.wokingham.gov.uk www.wokingham.gov.uk/childrenscentres www.facebook.com/wokinghamboroughcouncil www.facebook.com/wokinghamboroughlibraries www.twitter.com/wokinghambc

Keeping our children safe in Wokingham Borough Keeping children safe in Wokingham Borough is everyone’s business – including yours.

If you have concerns about whether a child or young person is not being properly cared for or you are worried they may be physically, emotionally or sexually abused, or neglected, get in touch with us.

Children and their parents may need help urgently.

If you do not feel comfortable telling us, or you are not sure if you are right, you can also speak to a police officer, teacher, health visitor, doctor or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. The most important thing is to tell someone who can help.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger you should call the police on 999.

t. (0118) 908 8002 e. R&AT@wokingham.gov.uk

www.wokingham.gov.uk/child-safeguarding