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The candidates standing in the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections on 2 May have now been published, you can find the list here. The agents representing each candidate are also available to view.
You can also now view/download the candidates’ addresses for the Thames Valley police area on the Choose My PCC website. For a printed copy call 0300 1311323.
The PCC is responsible for making sure Thames Valley Police is an efficient and effective force. There’s still time to register to vote in this election - the deadline is 16 April. To register, please visit the gov.uk website.
You can now apply for a postal vote by 5pm on 17 April, or for a proxy vote by 5pm on 24 April. If you applied for a proxy vote before 31 October 2023, this may have expired on 31 January 2024 and you may need to apply for a new one. Find out more on the Electoral Commission website.
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Help shape Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy |
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Berkshire’s six councils, led by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, want your help in developing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Berkshire through workshops and a county-wide survey.
Join us at the Corn Exchange, Hungerford Town Hall in West Berkshire on 23 April from 12:00pm to 3:00pm, where you'll have the opportunity to delve deeper into the project, learn how to support local nature initiatives, and share your valuable insights. Register your interest on EventBrite as spaces are limited.
There will also be an online session on Tuesday, 30 April via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.
Can't make it on the day? Complete the survey online! Share your thoughts, ideas, and priorities until Tuesday 7 May. Let's make a difference together.
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Our Domestic Abuse Strategy is being updated and we need the views of local people to make it as comprehensive and effective as possible.
The strategy, which is refreshed every four years, explains how we'll work with our partners across the district to tackle and prevent domestic abuse, ensure a variety of support options are available and meet the needs of all domestic abuse victims, including children.
We want to know if you think we're planning to focus on the right areas, if there is anything we've missed and to make sure it is clear and easy to understand.
It's by hearing from local people that we can make the changes needed to ensure our strategy is fit for purpose and reflective of the needs in our local area.
If you'd like to comment on our draft strategy, please complete our survey by midnight on Sunday, 19 May. It should take about five to ten minutes.
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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 had lots of you already making a splash with lane swimming at Northcroft Lido, with each session nearing capacity which is great news given the weather. We also know some of you have been wondering why there aren't more sessions available.
Unfortunately, the drains remain full following flooding and persistent rain. We need the drains to be clear in order to provide a full Lido timetable as this is where we dispose of water when we replace the contents of both the indoor and outdoor pools at Northcroft Leisure Centre.
We replace water and have a filtration system in place to keep fresh water going into the pools, chlorine at a suitable level to kill germs, water being heated and the filter pressure high enough to circulate water effectively.
A full lido programme would require us to change the water more frequently as more people would be using the pools. This can put additional strain on the local infrastructure and water table, potentially impacting neighbouring residents. Therefore, we have made the decision to adopt a controlled approach to the lido’s opening.
Our leisure partners, Everyone Active are monitoring the situation closely and we can't wait to offer a more full and varied programme at the lido for all to enjoy as soon as possible.
Many households and businesses were impacted by Storm Henk between 2 to 12 January 2024. We understand the challenges you're facing, and we're here to offer support through various flood recovery grants.
Below is a summary of the assistance still available, but please note each grant has a different deadline date, some of which are coming up very soon:
- Flooded households in eligible affected areas, who can apply for up to £500 cash to help with immediate costs.
- Households and businesses significantly affected will be eligible for 100% council tax and business rates relief for at least three months.
- Eligible flood-hit property owners, who can apply for up to £5,000 to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding via the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme.
- Farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their land will be able to apply for grants of up to £25,000 through the Farming Recovery Fund towards repair and reinstatement costs for farmers adversely affected by exceptional flooding.
If you're a resident or business in West Berkshire and believe you qualify, please visit our website for further information and to complete the necessary forms. We're here to support you through this challenging time.
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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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The Let’s Get Active Fund panel recently met to review the first round of applications to improve access to physical activities in West Berkshire.
There have been some brilliant initiatives put forward so far, and we are pleased to share that we have now supported ten projects, totalling £15,000 of the £40,000 fund available!
Projects supported by the Let’s Get Active Fund include machine maintenance at West Berkshire Therapy Centre, a supported walking group for The Newbury Community Resource Centre and a Kids Go Green project for Five a Day Garden.
There's still £25,000 left to award, so if you have a physical activity initiative to finance apply now!
Come along to Shaw House this Sunday (14 April) for the Love Local Artisan Fair where you can explore unique crafts from homeware, garden goods, and clothing to jewellery, food, and drink; there will be plenty for everyone.
The ‘Heritage Hub’ will feature local venues and places of interest to showcase the vast history of our region with representatives from Sandham Memorial Chapel, The Corn Exchange, The Base, Greenham Control Tower, Welford Park and Bucklebury Farm Park.
Enjoy lunch in our café or from outdoor caterers (Fink Street Food and Caroline’s Little Kitchen), and support the creative talent West Berkshire and surrounding areas have to offer!
The artisan fair will run from 11am – 3pm and you will be able to pay on the door, adults £2, children £1 (free for children aged 3 years and under). Dogs on leads are welcome outside.
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Discover Ancient Egypt at West Berkshire Museum |
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Next Wednesday, 17 April, there will be two events at West Berkshire Museum allowing you to explore the history of Ancient Egypt.
The first is a free event, starting at 1pm, which will tell the story of how West Berkshire Museum ended up with its own Egyptology Collection. The speaker Rachel Cotton is a member of the Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society and is currently reading for an Egyptology MA at the University of Manchester. Book online here.
The second event, starting at 7pm, is a talk about religion and the afterlife in Ancient Egypt. The speaker, Beth Asbury, is West Berkshire Council’s Assistant Archaeologist, a Committee member of the Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society and the Council for Archaeology Wessex Group. Tickets cost £5 and you can book your place here.
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And finally...
- We would like to wish Eid Mubarak to all celebrating across West Berkshire!
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