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The Local Plan Inspector has requested West Berkshire Council to suggest a number of additional housing sites for inclusion in the Local Plan 2023 to 2041. These have now been submitted to the Planning Inspector.
 Following a number of public hearings earlier this year, the Planning Inspector has found there is a shortfall of around 850 homes against a requirement for a minimum of 9,270 new homes to be built between 2023 and 2041. Three weeks ago, the Inspector set out the next steps for the Council to take before he can consider whether the plan is sound. These included asking the Council to suggest new sites for development to meet the shortfall.
The Council has now responded suggesting four sites across Thatcham, Calcot and Pangbourne as available for the delivery of new homes. To meet the Inspector's requests, West Berkshire Council has also identified an area north of Newbury which could be explored for future growth as it has the potential to deliver between 650 and 800 homes, later in the plan period (from 2034 onwards).
In addition, the Planning Inspector has also found that the site proposed at Northeast Thatcham has capacity beyond the 1,500 homes proposed and has found that to make effective use of the site this should be expanded up to 2,500 homes. Not all of these additional 1,000 homes would be built within this plan period, with the majority likely to be delivered after 2041. The final capacity of the site will be determined through the creation of a masterplan which will be developed collaboratively by the Council and developer and with comprehensive engagement with the local community.
We now await the Inspector's report and full Council will need to agree any modifications ahead of further public consultation.
You can find maps, reaction and more details about these latest developments on our website.
- Want to learn more about the planning process in West Berkshire? You can hear from our planning team and put your questions to them at our next Community Forum - more detail is available later on in this bulletin.
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Where's our fostering team this month? |
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Our fostering team had a fantastic day at the Jubilee Sensory Garden in Thatcham last week, raising awareness for fostering!
A big thank you to Mayor of Thatcham Suzanne Adamantos and Deputy Mayor Petra Pemberton, who is also one of our dedicated foster carers, for helping spread the word to the local community.
The team had some wonderful questions from those who attended, see below for some myth-busting:
- Can I foster if I'm working full time? Yes, you can! Many of our foster carers work full time and successfully foster with us.
- Can I do part-time foster care? Absolutely! There is a real need for part-time carers to support our children during weekends, term times, and school holidays. All you need is a spare room and a loving home.
- Do I get paid for fostering? Yes, you are looked after financially as we understand the importance of supporting our foster carers.
Our fostering team will be out and about throughout the rest of August, you can catch them at:
- 29 August - Kids Fest Town Centre and Turnfields (Thatcham Broadway, High Street, and Turnfields), 10am - 3pm
- 31 August - Reading Pride, Kings Meadow, Reading, 10:30am - 2:30pm
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 You may receive an email towards the end of next week asking if your household's details on the electoral register are correct.
Those without emails on our records, and those who do not reply after receiving an email, will be sent a paper form a month later. Simply follow the instructions in the email to confirm your details.
You can also contact us directly on 01635 519464, we're here to help.
Any new electors must register to vote here or complete a paper form.
 Photo (L-R): Cllr Nigel Foot (West Berkshire Council), John Stewart (NCFG), Cllr Vaughan Miller (Newbury Town Council), Lee McDougall (NCFG), Nic Robbins (NCFG), Cllr Jeff Brooks (West Berkshire Council), Jason Braidwood (NCFG
In partnership with Newbury Community Football Group (NCFG), we are delighted to announce the return of Newbury Football Club to Faraday Road as their home ground. Following their promotion to the Thames Valley Premier League, the ground is being revitalised to meet the club's needs.
We’ve secured portable changing facilities, a clubhouse, and toilets on-site. Players and coaches will benefit from new dugouts and floodlights for evening training, with a portable spectator stand coming soon. These flexible facilities are designed for future use across the district, ensuring they can adapt as more permanent structures are developed. Significant work on the pitch surface is also underway, preparing it for the exciting season ahead!
On our website you can read more about the latest and reaction to the return of Newbury Football Club.
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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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 Join us on Tuesday, 10 September at 6.00pm for our next Community fForum on 'The Planning Process in West Berkshire'. This session is an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to discuss planning proposals and issues impacting our neighbourhoods. Our Planning Team will provide an overview of current policies, Government guideline changes, and answer your questions. Topics include updates on planning changes, digital services, and environmental considerations.
You can find more information on our website and email us to submit questions or register for the event.
The forum will be Henwick Rugby Club in Thatcham and will also be available for attendees to join on Zoom. Anyone wishing to attend, whether in person or online, must register in advance.
Questions submitted in advance must be submitted by midday on Friday, 6 September.
Do you want to work as a registered childminder, childminding assistant or nanny?
Our ‘Preparing to Become a Childminder’ course covers everything you need to become a home-based child carer. It aims to provide you with all of the information that you need to run your business, understand your new role and how to register with Ofsted.
Incorporating a balance of taught sessions, self-study, additional online learning and activities; you will have access to experienced trainers over the period of your course; who will also be on hand to support you during your registration process.
To register on this course please contact: earlyyearsservice@westberks.gov.uk 01635 503500
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 Whooping cough (pertussis) cases continue to rise across the UK with 10,493 cases confirmed from January to June 2024 compared to 858 cases for the whole of 2023.
The infection can be serious for babies who are too young to start their vaccinations and may lead to complications resulting in hospitalisation and even death.
The pertussis vaccination in pregnancy helps to protect people who are pregnant and young babies against serious illness. The NHS encourages those who are pregnant to come forward, and for staff who come into contact with them to signpost or offer this vaccination at every opportunity.
 Kennet Leisure Centre in Thatcham is holding a ‘Festival of Inclusivity’ on Friday 23 August which invites children and adults with physical disabilities, learning or neurological conditions to take part in a day of sports and activities.
The centre, which is operated by Everyone Active in partnership with West Berkshire Council, has teamed up with Sport Together Berkshire to host the event.
There will be something on offer for all ages, interests and abilities – from wheelchair sports like basketball and rugby, to boccia and new age curling.
Visitors will be able to relax and unwind in the ‘Sensory Room’, hosted by accessible play charity Swings and Smiles.
Tickets cost £10 and offer access to the activities running between 9.30am and 12.30pm.
Everyone Active will be hosting a disability swim session from 2pm until 3pm for those that would like to enjoy the water. There will also be a wheelchair rugby session in the afternoon that visitors can participate in free of charge.
For more information and to book tickets, visit 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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Time is running out to apply for free energy-saving home upgrades!
Householders have until the end of September to register an interest in the Home Upgrade Grant, so be sure to check you if are eligible and apply now.
Eligible homeowners could receive improvements to help save energy and cut energy bills.
Don’t forget to share this with loved ones too in case they’re eligible!
 Our Garden Waste collection for the new subscription year starts from 26 August, with collections on your normal day, even if it’s a bank holiday.
For the 2024/25 garden waste collection service, we won't be issuing bin stickers. Instead, our collection crews will use in-cab technology to verify which properties have subscribed, making stickers unnecessary. To help identify your bin, you might want to mark it with your house number or name using permanent marker or paint.
We’re enhancing our monitoring to ensure only subscribed bins are collected. This includes checks by our crews, spot inspections by council officers, and the removal of green bins if put out from non-subscribers.
If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do so at: www.westberks.gov.uk/gardenwaste.
Before signing up, please check your bank to make sure you aren’t already paying by Direct Debit to avoid duplicate payments.
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Good luck to all our young people waiting to collect their GCSE results tomorrow!
Check out how our A Level, Technical and Vocational qualification students got on with their results last week here.
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And finally...
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If your recycling or black bin collection date is on Bank Holiday Monday we will continue to collect these as normal. Please put your rubbish or recycling containers out by 6am on your scheduled collection date. Check your bin day here.
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