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Berkshire Youth scoop Mental Health Initiative Award |
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Congratulations to our partner Berkshire Youth who have won the category ‘Youth Mental Health Initiative of the Year’ in the CorporateLiveWire Global Awards 2022/23.
Berkshire Youth help with the transition from childhood to young adulthood, supporting young people to reach their full potential through leisure activities and to make a positive contribution to their communities. Many of the young people they work with are vulnerable or disadvantaged and unable to access help elsewhere.
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 If you’re one of the many people saying “I want to start a business in 2023”, we’re here to support you.
To help you on your way a new local start-up programme funded by us and delivered by the Berkshire Growth Hub has been launched to nurture new and emerging businesses across Berkshire – taking you from entrepreneur to ‘enterprise ready’.
The five-week Start-Up Programme will support you in achieving your goals and equip you to meet current and future economic challenges. Each workshop is run by experienced leaders who are specialists in their field. You’ll also have the opportunity to network, learn from others, and meet with other business owners after each workshop.
The workshop starts on 28 February and runs for 5 weeks. Places will be limited so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The closing date for applications is 14 February.
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With over 1,500 members of staff corporately, plus additional members of staff working across our local schools and education settings, we're one of the largest employers in the area. There are lots of reasons to consider a career with us - from the wide range of services we provide to the training and benefits we offer.
Current vacancies include:
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 We want to deliver a balanced Budget to support our most vulnerable residents, whilst paying for longer term projects, such as new school buildings and maintaining our roads. We also want to maintain our significant investment in our social care services.
Councillor Ross Mackinnon, West Berkshire’s Executive Member for Finance and Joseph Holmes, Executive Director (Resources) at West Berkshire Council will speaking about the current financial position, our Medium Term Financial Strategy, Capital Strategy and Revenue Budget for the year ahead on a YouTube Live session on Monday 13 February at 5.30pm.
Join us at on our YouTube channel to find out more. If you have any questions in advance please email them.
A project to transform the former Traveller’s Friend Pub at Crookham Common is now underway, with groundworks, site investigation and building strip-out works for the site now complete. The former pub is being developed into accommodation for people with physical disabilities, sensory needs, autism and learning disabilities.
The work is supported by the Council’s Adult Social Care service, to create additional housing in West Berkshire for people with specific needs.
Cllr Joanne Stewart, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Cllr Steve Ardagh-Walter, Thatcham Colthrop and Crookham, made a visit to the site this week. They discussed the progress with the team from Transforming PLC who are managing the project.
The next step in the process will see the current buildings transformed, internally and externally, and additional living spaces, gardens and leisure areas created. A village shop will also be retained on the site, with adaptations made, so that it is fully accessible.
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 Our public open days start from Saturday 11 February until Sunday 24 September, when Shaw House will be open at weekends from 11am - 4pm, and during school holidays 10am - 4pm. Entry to the House, grounds and exhibitions is free!
We also have lots of family events and activities starting in February half term at Shaw House and West Berkshire Museum. To see what’s on please visit their website.
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 On Thursday 4 May voters will go to the polls to elect councillors to West Berkshire Council and local town and parish councils.
Since elections were last held in May 2019, the UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections. This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the May local elections.
You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable. You can use any of the following:
- Passport
- Driving licence (including provisional license)
- Blue badge
- Certain concessionary travel cards
- Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- Biometric Immigration document
- Defence identity card
- Certain national identity cards
If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply for this on the Electoral Commission website and also find how to apply by post.
We’ll be sharing more information about the elections in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can find out more about registering to vote, and voting by post or proxy on our website.
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We value your views on the decisions we take. There are several areas we are currently holding consultations on, including the consultation on the Proposed Submission (Regulation 19) Local Plan Review 2022-2039 (LPR). You can read the plan and its supporting documents here and you can submit comments via the Local Plan Consultation Portal here.
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And finally...
Thanks to Ellie Evans, a year 13 student at St Bartholomew's Sixth Form in Newbury, who created this bulletin as part of her work experience placement with the Council's Communications Team.
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