|
Refugees from Afghanistan have been welcomed to West Berkshire over the past week. Families will be settling in the district as well as staying temporarily whilst longer-term accommodation is found. We're proud to be playing our part helping people who have experienced unimaginable hardship as a result of events in their home country.
Read on to find out what we're doing to help - and how you can be involved too.
 Two hotels in West Berkshire are being used to host Afghan refugees whilst longer-term accommodation is found for them.
The refugees arrived at the weekend and since then we've been busy welcoming them to the district, checking them in and ensuring their healthcare and other needs are met.
They will be staying in the district whilst accommodation is found for them with other councils across the country. We've already committed to taking in three families, as well as supporting those staying in the hotels.
Council Leader Lynne Doherty said:
"I am sure we have all been affected by the distressing situation in Afghanistan and wish to offer help to those who must now flee their country.
"At Council back in July, members unanimously backed my call to offer resettlement to Afghan families and this further move will see even more support given to those who have worked with British Forces and are now at risk following our withdrawal from the country.
"We are proud to be doing our bit to help those experiencing this unimaginable hardship and look forward to making these evacuees welcome in West Berkshire."
Residents wanting to help the Afghan refugees can now donate online.
We've been inundated with offers of donations and there are a number of ways you can get involved:
-
Financial donations: The Good Exchange, an online fundraising platform run by Greenham Trust, now has a donation page for residents wanting to make a financial donation towards supporting the evacuees. These donations will be matched pound for pound up to a value of £25,000 by Greenham Trust. You can donate online here.
-
Donated items: Residents are being asked to drop off donations of goods at either the Turnhams Green Council Offices or Newbury Community Furniture Project after which volunteers will sort through it and arrange delivery. You can find out what is needed and when it can be dropped off at: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/afghanaid
-
Offers of help: Anyone wanting to offer help, such as housing, fostering or donations of clothes and toys should go to our designated page where they can find out what is needed and when they can be dropped off: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/afghanaid
In the coming days we'll be welcoming three Afghan families to settle in the district.
The families will be offered privately rented furnished accommodation with a fixed tenancy, support with school admissions, access to health care, financial aid, English language teaching and employment and training assistance as well as any other help they may need to settle in to the community on an ongoing basis. They will also receive indefinite leave to remain, ensuring that they can settle permanently and continue to build their lives and future in the UK.
They're arriving under the Government's Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme. The scheme, which will see families welcomed within the next weeks, has been put in place to protect the human rights of Afghan Locally Employed Staff who have supported British Forces deployed in Afghanistan and are now at risk since they have withdrawn from the country.
 It’s time for the annual electoral registration canvass, which checks who is eligible to vote at all properties in the district, enabling us to update our Electoral Register. It’s a legal requirement to make sure these records are up to date. Being on the electoral roll will allow you to vote and help in keeping your credit history up to date.
We may have contacted you by email already, but only if we currently hold an email address for you or a member of your household. The message is genuine and saves us both money on postage and lots of paper. Properties who do not respond to the email or where we do not hold an email address, will receive a form by post during September. Please read the form carefully to see if you need to send it back by post or use the household response website.
You can respond online using the link in your email or login to www.householdresponse.com/WestBerkshire where you can enter your security codes. This allows you to update residents, make amendments or ask for a postal vote application form.
Any new eligible residents aged 16 or over at your property will still need to register to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
If you need any help, contact the elections team on 01635 519464.
We have joined forces with Enterprise Car Club to bring an exciting new transport service to Newbury.
Residents, visitors, and businesses in the town can now join Britain's largest privately held car club with the arrival of Enterprise Car Club. New electric and hybrid vehicles are sited at five locations in Newbury and are available from a low cost per hour.
 Picture (l-r): Randall Rickabaugh (Enterprise), Cllr Richard Somner (WBC), Alec Gore (WBC), Cllr Steve Ardagh-Walter (WBC), Jamie Hicks (Enterprise)
The service will help reduce congestion and improve air quality by enabling people to make more sustainable travel choices. We also have new introductory offers available saving individuals more money.
Anyone with a West Berkshire postcode or who is an existing member of the previous car club, there are some limited time offers available:
- Join for £1, plus get £10 FREE driving credit, using promotional code NEW110, saving new members with a West Berkshire postcode £59. This offer expires on 19 November 2022 but promotional T&Cs apply
- Join for FREE, plus get £25 FREE driving credit, when joining from a previous Car Club provider and reside in West Berkshire, using promotion code NEW025 but promotional T&Cs apply
- Discounts available for members of the Armed Forces, NHS and Emergency Services
 The last year has been challenging everyone due to the pandemic - but our library service has worked hard to continue providing as much as possible within the restrictions which were put in place.
The West Berkshire Libraries Annual Report is available now to look back all that has been achieved in 2020/21 - as well as plans for the year ahead. This year we hope to:
- Increase engagement with West Berkshire schools
- Allow users to do more with the libraries app, including using them to check out books as well as develop a seperate app for children
- Complete some essential refurbishment of Thatcham Library
- Introduce autism-friendly adjustable lighting in Newbury Library
Read the full report to see what we've been up to and what comes next.
Don't forget, the first floor of Newbury Library is closed until the 15 September, and the building will be closed completely from 16 September – 3 October for major improvement work. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Library members can still return books and collect reserved items at the door during the closure period.
 Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture; offering people the chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences - all of which are free to explore.
In West Berkshire we are celebrating this year’s theme of Edible England and encourage you to explore our picturesque and historic market towns to discover the past, present, and future of our culinary heritage and culture.
To see the full list of events please visit www.heritageopendays.org.uk. Here is what is happening at the Museum and Shaw House, there is need to book, just drop in!
West Berkshire Museum
Explore a normally closed-off part of West Berkshire Museum, the attic of the Cloth Hall, which is accessed via a steep and narrow staircase.
Two members of the Kennet Valley Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers will be on hand to demonstrate traditional skills, giving you a flavour of the original purpose of the Cloth Hall.
Saturday 11 September | 10am - 3pm | Free
Shaw House
Join us in the Great Hall for introductory talks about the history of the House at 11.30am, 12.30, 1.30pm and 2.30pm and visitors will be able to self navigate their way through the rest of the House and visit the 'Dressed for Shaw' and 'Dressed for Battle' exhibitions.
Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 September | 11am–4pm | Free
 Did you know that overgrown vegetation such as hedges, trees, plants and flowers can put the safety of pedestrians and motorists at risk?
Residents and businesses are responsible for vegetation that overhangs from private property on to the public highway within West Berkshire and we are urging people to ‘cut it back’.
Whilst trying to promote active travel throughout the district, overgrown vegetation can force people, particularly visually impaired, wheelchair users, and parents with pushchairs into the road, putting their safety at risk.
We are often inundated with reports from residents who are unable to use footpaths due to overhanging trees and hedges. ‘Cut it back’ aims to raise awareness that maintenance of trees and hedges growing on private land is the responsibility of the property or landowner.
Where we receive a report of overhanging vegetation, the Council’s Asset Management Team will write to the landowner asking them to cut it back within 14 days. Reports can be raised through our website at: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/reportaproblem
If the owner/occupier does not take corrective action, West Berkshire Council will issue a formal notice for the work to be undertaken. If this formal notice is ignored and action is not taken, the Council will organise the undertaking of the work and seek to recover the costs from the owner/occupier.
Before commencing work, it is important to check for nesting birds. For more advice about nesting birds, and what to look out for when you cut your hedges back, visit the RSPB Website.
|
