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Ready to beat the heat?

With hot weather forecast over the next few days we're providing advice to help you beat the heat. 

A good place to start is this downloadable 'Beat the Heat' checklist which provides advice on the types of homes likely to overheat, people who are most likely to be vulnerable to heat and advice on how to cope during the hot weather.

There is also advice available from the NHS on heatwaves and how to cope in hot weather. It includes a range of top tips, many of which are simple but can be easily overlooked. These include:

• closing curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler and remember it may be cooler outdoors than indoors
• drinking plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol
• keeping out of the sun between 11am to 3pm
• walking in the shade, apply sunscreen regularly and wear a wide brimmed hat, if you have to go out in the heat
• making sure you take water with you, if you are travelling

If you're planning to go into open water to cool down, take care and follow any local safety advice. The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service provides advice on how to stay safe in the water and what to do if you or someone else gets into trouble. 

Celebrating Shared Lives Week

It’s Shared Lives Week (13-17 June) and we are celebrating the great work of our local Shared Lives Carers and inviting local people to consider joining our friendly community as a Shared Lives Carer, including those who could offer occasional short-term respite support.

The Shared Lives Scheme matches carers and people in need of support, based on shared interests, experiences and lifestyles. This gives adults in need of support a chance to gain skills that will help them to live a more independent life.

To find out more about becoming a shared lives carer visit our Shared Lives webpage or call the team on 01635 520173.

New playing pitch for Newbury

A new sports pitch is being proposed to help boost the number of grass playing pitches across the district. 

We know there is a shortage of grass playing pitches, especially for youth teams. Local sports clubs are expecting more people to want to take part in activities, and a growth in demand coupled with not enough places to play, will mean that we won't be able to maintain the quality of the pitches. 

In response to this we are proposing to build a new grass pitch at Manor Park in Newbury and are currently asking for your views. 

The new facility will include a level pitch, be suitable for local league competition, and have drainage, toilet facilities and up to 30 additional parking spaces.  

We'd like to find out the level of support for this proposal, and understand any concerns you may have. You can take part in our consultation, which runs until midnight on Sunday 26 June. We're also holding a webinar with Councillor Howard Woollaston (Executive Member for Housing, Leisure and Culture) and officers from our leisure team on Thursday 23 June. You can register, and submit questions in advance, via the above link.

Latest finance report shows balanced budget

Our latest finance report shows we've successfully balanced our budget during the last year - delivering important services for residents whilst strengthening reserves, preparing us for the challenges ahead

Last year (2021/22) we had a budget of £142m to spend on services, with a further £43 million on capital projects to support delivery of the Council's approved Capital Strategy. The budget remains balanced despite the challenges of the pandemic, the steep rise in inflation, and whilst keeping the Council Tax increase to just 2%.

Throughout the year, our reserves have been protected in readiness for a rainy day, leaving us in good shape to manage the impact of inflation, bigger energy bills and to support essential services as the needs of local communities change.

We’re already delivering on a number of capital projects as part of our budget allocation for 2022/23. £52 million of investment has been earmarked for new and improved educational facilities across the district, £12 million on leisure facilities and more than £80 million to improve local infrastructure.

Latest figures also show that we’re among the country's top-10 districts to provide value for money. Find out more.

Outdoor Theatre at Shaw House

Multi-award nominated Immersion Theatre are making a welcome return to Shaw House this summer with a highly original adaptation of the classic Much Ado About Nothing and family favourite Rapunzel;

Much Ado About Nothing

Saturday 23 July | Gates 6pm | Performance 7pm | Adults £13, Child £9 The world’s best-known battle of the sexes is brought vividly to life as the riotous struggle for love and power explodes onto the stage with audience interaction, heaps of comedy, and an electric soundtrack. This is Shakespeare for everyone and as it’s meant to be: interactive, fun, and highly accessible! Age suitability: 10+

Rapunzel

Wednesday 17 August | Gates 5pm | Performance 6pm | Adults £13, Child £9

Let your hair down and get tangled in a brand-new musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale! This fast-paced, larger-than-life production guarantees heaps of audience interaction, a host of catchy songs, unforgettable characters, and maybe even the odd water gun or two! Age suitability: 4+

Book both shows online at www.westberkshireheritage.org/whats-on

Take part in our Bus Survey

Buses sustain town centres, strengthen communities and help towards protecting the environment. We're asking you to have your say in our Bus Survey to help inform how we can continue to ensure local bus services provide vital services to you in West Berkshire and beyond.

We've recently been provisionally allocated £2.6m by the Department for Transport towards delivering our Bus Service Improvement Plan - and your views will help us to inform future schemes and updates to the plan.

Your views are extremely important to us. To take part, please complete the online Bus Survey by midnight on Sunday 3 July 2022. 

Community Governance Review for Greenham Parish – have your say!

We're working with Greenham Parish Council on a Community Governance Review. It's a legal process, where we consult with parish residents and other interested parties, such as businesses, schools, and local churches, on the most suitable ways of representing them and making sure they all have a say in how their local community is represented.

As part of this process, we’re asking residents and stakeholders to have their say about the internal boundaries of Greenham Parish and the governance therein.

The consultation is open until Sunday 03 July 2022.         

​See full details on what is being proposed and take the survey.

Please call 01635 551111 to receive a hard copy of the information and survey.

Be Scam Aware - Don’t let scammers steal your money!

Citizens Advice West Berkshire (CAWB), and West Berkshire Council’s Public Protection Partnership have launched their annual Scams Awareness campaign to encourage people to report scams, share their experiences and look out for others. You can find out more about staying safe from scams on the Citizen's Advice website. To help stop more people being fleeced here are their top tips on how to spot scams It seems too good to be true – for example a holiday that is much cheaper than you’d expect You are being pressured to transfer money quickly or in an unusual way like by Amazon vouchers or a money transfer service You have been asked to give away personal information or PINs If you’ve been scammed: Talk to your bank or card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment Call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk/scamsadvice We’ll pass the details of the scam to the local Trading Standards service and can offer further advice West Berkshire residents can call Citizens Advice West Berkshire on 01635 516605 and leave a message Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ They’ll also issue a crime reference number

Clean Air Day: 16 June 2022

Did you know that by walking short journeys instead of driving, the UK could save £16m in fuel and the population would burn an additional 3.6 billion calories! Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution campaign, bringing together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector. Where you can, choose to walk, cycle or take public transport to help make West Berkshire’s air cleaner.

And finally...

• If you missed the Executive meeting last Thursday you can watch it back on our YouTube channel.

• Our refreshed plan for the London Road Industrial Estate in Newbury was approved by the Executive last week. You can read more about it here.