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 Councillor Stuart Gourley has been appointed to West Berkshire Council's Executive.
It follows the resignation of Councillor Adrian Abbs, who has chosen to sit as an independent councillor on West Berkshire Council. Lee Dillon, Council Leader, appointed Stuart to the Executive with responsibility for Climate Action, Recycling and Biodiversity.
On his appointment, Councillor Stuart Gourley said: "I have long been a strong voice in my ward for improvements to the River Lambourn and wider flooding issues across Newbury. I look forward to working hard on the challenges and imperatives to help mitigate and reduce the impact of climate change and the ecological emergency. We need to keep the focus on making West Berkshire a cleaner and greener place to live, work and play."
You can read more about this appointment and find out more about the Executive and its role in local decision-making on our website.
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Museum looks to buy Peace Camp sculptures |
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 West Berkshire Museum is looking to raise £3,250 to buy two contemporary sculptures for the Museum collection. The sculptures, created as part of the project 'Peace Camp' in 2021, led by artist Jemima Brown, commemorate the 40th anniversary of the camps that were established from 1981-2000 to protest against nuclear arms.
The sculptures fit the Museum's theme for collecting in that they provide a 'sense of place' for audience development, exhibitions, outreach, and collection development; enabling community engagement and dialogue, to reflect local communities in displays and explore individual and community identities.
If acquired, we hope that the sculptures will play a part in helping communities to understand what West Berkshire has been, is now and will be in the future.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
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 Image left to right: Jon Winstanley, Service Director Environment Transport and Countryside, Cllr Owen Jeffery, Cllr Denise Gaines, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Housing and Sustainable Travel, Brian Woodham, Thatcham Flood Forum, James Hope, Hope and Clay, Cllr Stuart Gourley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Recycling and Biodiversity, Keith Hoddinott, Thatcham Flood Forum and Gareth Hardwick, Ardent.
Construction work is progressing well at three flood alleviation schemes in Thatcham. Once completed, this £3.5million project will help protect another 107 properties from the impact of surface water flooding in Thatcham.
These three projects - at Bowling Green Road, Heath Lane and East Thatcham - are the latest in the delivery of the Thatcham Surface Water Management plan which identified flood risk measures throughout the town.
We also held a public consultation and exhibition earlier this year on protecting properties around the Memorial Fields in Thatcham from flooding. We are now in the process of submitting a planning application for a 0.85-hectare flood detention basin and a 120m long swale. Subject to the necessary approvals being granted, construction work is programmed for 2024.
Cllr Denise Gaines, Executive Member for Highways, Housing and Sustainable Travel at West Berkshire Council, visited the sites last week to see the progress. She said: “This is very positive news for the town of Thatcham. This clearly demonstrates the Liberal Democrats continuing support and investment in measures to help prevent the devastating impact of flooding and combat the challenges caused by climate change and an increase in extreme weather events.”
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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’ve been touched to see how much Shaw House means to local people after the historic gates, pillars and finials were damaged in a collision on Saturday morning. Fortunately, we are happy to say that nobody was hurt.
Shaw House is a Grade 1 listed building and has various regulations and restrictions setting out how repairs can be made, and by whom. Whilst we greatly appreciate the generous offers of help from local people, we are not in a position to take them forward and are dealing with this through the insurance arrangements we have in place.
All visitors to the House should use the main car park while the area is cleared. There is wheelchair and pushchair access from the very top of the main car park via the old kitchen garden.
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In brighter news, we were very excited to see Shaw House featured on BBC Bargain Hunt last weekend. Our very own Visitor Services Officer, Sarah Somerville was interviewed by presenter Caroline Hawley about the fascinating history of our Elizabethan mansion and the hidden bakehouse. You can catch the episode on BBC iPlayer if you missed it, or want to watch it again!
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 The grass is starting to look really smart at Faraday Road in Newbury and we are almost ready to start marking out the pitch. Work is also underway to connect the pre-existing facilities that were used for the original clubhouse into the refurbished changing room unit that is now onsite. This includes home and away changing facilities with showers, toilets and urinals. The roll on/roll off goal posts are all ready to go so watch this space!
What’s it like to work in Children and Family services in West Berkshire? See how Nikki works with our partners to give our families the best possible support.
Social Work in West Berkshire. What’s stopping you?
The Pang Valley Flood Forum, which was due to be held on Saturday 4 November, has now been postponed. The exhibition will be rescheduled for early 2024 and will be an opportunity to learn more about flooding and what can be done to reduce the risks. Further information on the rescheduled date when it is released will be announced here.
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We value your views on the decisions we take. There are several areas we are currently holding consultations on, including:
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 Ever thought about getting back on the saddle but need that extra boost of confidence and knowledge? Look no further! Our female-only cycling courses are tailor-made to kickstart your cycling adventure.
What's in store for you:
- Session one: Master the basics in a supportive group, covering everything from starting and stopping to signalling and using gears, all in a safe off-road environment.
- Session two: Take your skills to the road in a smaller, friendly group. Learn about road positioning, effective communication, navigation, and keen observation.
And here's the best part – it's all for FREE thanks to funding from our Public Health team! Don't miss your chance to become a confident and capable cyclist and book your place. If you think your group or organisation could benefit from this training, reach out to our Road Safety Team at activetravel@westberks.gov.uk to ask for more information and book in a session.
 Come and join us at Shaw House this Sunday for a spectacular wedding fair. With a bridal fashion show at 1pm and over 40 specialists under one roof, the Shaw House wedding fair is the ideal place to plan your big day. The event will run from 11am-3pm and admission is free. Wedding couples are encouraged to pre-register which will cover them both and any guests they wish to bring with them. You can register to attend here.
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Recycle your Halloween pumpkins! |
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Don't let your pumpkin go to waste this Halloween! Each year millions of pumpkins will go to waste, but you can reuse or recycle them.
If you’ve eaten too much pumpkin and don’t want to compost it at home, please place pumpkins inside your food waste caddy for collection. Food waste caddies are collected every week on your normal collection day.
If you have lots of pumpkins to recycle, they can be taken to one of our household waste recycling centres (Newtown Road, Newbury or Padworth Lane, Padworth). Don't forget to book an appointment before visiting.
Need more ideas? Visit Love Food Hate Waste for 6 ways to eat your Halloween pumpkins.
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And finally...
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Is there a hidden gem waiting to be discovered in your home? Delve into that forgotten box and experts at a special Educafe fundraising event on Saturday 4 November, 11am-4pm at Renegade Brewery in Yattendon will value your treasure and share the story behind the find. All proceeds go to Educafe, a Community Interest Company bringing together diverse communities in West Berkshire. Find out more here.
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We know that those with Dementia can often feel anxious, stressed and confused as the clocks change. Visit this website for tips on how to help as the clocks go back this weekend.
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Protect your little monster this Halloween from ghosts, ghouls and viruses. Book their flu vaccine today. Whatever you’re doing with the kids this half term, make sure they stay well. Find out more here.
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