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 During the summer term we launched a competition with schools to come up with innovative designs for our waste vehicles. We received over 500 entries for the Recycle Design competition, and it was a tough decision for the judges to narrow down the entries and pick the winners.
Our winners are Evie with her ‘Be a wise owl’ design and Anish with his ‘Save Earth’ design! A huge well done to both Evie and Anish, who we recently visited at their schools to present them with their certificates and unveil their winning designs on the collection vehicles.
We want to give a big thank you to everyone who took part, and we hope you enjoy seeing the designs on the vehicles around the district when making our waste and recycling collections.
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Your West Berkshire magazine – latest edition out now |
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 Your West Berkshire is a magazine bringing you news and events from West Berkshire Council.
It's a good opportunity to find out more about some of things your Council is doing for you and your community. Through this magazine we will be sharing with you news, events and stories about our work, our achievements and the services which we provide throughout the district every single day.
In the latest edition you can read more about how we’re improving local roads, support for rural businesses, how we're using artificial intelligence to help us and advice about preventing and preparing for flooding – and lots more.
Hard copies will be available to pick up in communities over the next few weeks – including at libraries, leisure centres, Shaw House and West Berkshire Museum.
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Our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has been activated to provide rough sleepers with warm, safe accommodation during the severe weather expected this week. SWEP starts at 5pm today (Tuesday, 19 November) and will be reviewed on Thursday morning.
If you're at risk of sleeping rough, or are concerned about the wellbeing of someone sleeping rough, visit our offices at Market Street, Newbury (Mon–Thurs: 8:30am–5pm, Fri: 8:30am–4:30pm), or call Housing Services at 01635 519530 (option 2). For emergencies outside these hours, contact our Duty Team at 01344 351999.
We’re working with local partners like West Berkshire Homeless, Loose Ends, and Newbury Soup Kitchen to provide essential support. We have an Outreach worker available to engage with those who are reported to be sleeping rough in the area and to assist them with their options for accommodation and other support. If you see someone sleeping rough, you can report this via who can connect local services to support rough sleepers.
We're all working together to keep everyone safe during this cold spell.
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 Usain Salt, Sir Gritalot, Melty Micky, and the rest of West Berkshire’s nine-strong gritter fleet are prepped and ready for action as we gear up for winter.
Test runs have been successfully completed to ensure all equipment is in top condition, and with 2,500 tonnes of salt stocked at the depot, our teams are fully prepared for whatever the weather brings.
Last winter, our gritters covered 11,515 miles, spreading over 2,600 tonnes of salt to keep the district’s roads safe. Roads are salted when temperatures are near freezing, typically before the morning or evening rush hours, as these are peak times for frost and ice. Real-time data from weather stations across West Berkshire helps us forecast and deploy gritters efficiently, treating the most critical routes first.
Don’t forget - over 446 salt bins, owned and maintained by Parish/Town Councils, are available across the district for residents to use on public roads and paths during icy conditions. The salt is not to be used on private properties i.e. for driveways or private footpaths. We only treat footways, including pavements and cycleways, in times of persistent ice or snow.
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Keep up to date on road closures in your area by using the map of roadworks, including those of utility companies, on our website to plan your journeys. Click the link below for more information.
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We’re thrilled to announce a major refurbishment project starting this December to enhance the health and fitness experience for residents of all ages and abilities at Kennet Leisure Centre!
The revamp is part of our comprehensive programme of leisure facility improvements around the district which include the wonderful Northcroft Lido and a refurbishment of Northcroft Leisure Centre that will be complete early next year. Work is also underway on a new modular exercise studio at Hungerford Leisure Centre.
Key upgrades include:
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Complete overhaul of the gym with redecoration, new flooring, and state-of-the-art equipment.
- Modernisation of the indoor cycling room and studio spaces.
- Full revamp of the squash court scheduled for January.
The gym will be closed for two weeks from Monday, December 2nd. During this time, members can use Northcroft Leisure Centre’s facilities. Classes will continue with minimal disruption.
 All our waste collection vehicles that are used to collect weekly food waste from households, and the delivery vehicle for bins, boxes and bags across the district, are now running on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a cutting-edge renewable diesel.
Made from certified sustainable materials, HVO can replace diesel directly and offers up to a 90% reduction in fossil carbon dioxide emissions, making it significantly better for the environment than regular diesel. This initiative supports our ambitious goal to achieve net zero across the district by 2030.
Expanding on our net zero ambition, an electric Refuse Collection Vehicle (eRCV) will also be trialled this autumn to further develop plans for more sustainable services.
 The next Health Scrutiny Committee meeting will be held at 1.30pm on Tuesday 10 December in the Council Chamber at our Market Street offices.
The meeting will focus on:
- Eastfield House surgery proposed relocation – the surgery is consulting on moving from St Johns Road in Newbury to a new medical centre south of Newbury College.
- Access to primary care, making appointments, digital services, care navigation and being kept informed.
- All Age Continuing Care assessments
Residents are invited to submit questions related to topics on the agenda by emailing Executivecycle@westberks.gov.uk by 1 December. These questions may then be answered during the meeting.
Colleagues from the NHS and West Berkshire Council will be discussing these topics and answering questions from Committee Members.
Each meeting will be streamed live on our YouTube channel for residents wanting to follow the meeting as it happens or later at their convenience. You can find out more information on our website.
 Christmas is coming and many people will have a new laptop, tablet, or other electronic device on their list. If Santa delivers on your tech wish list, then your old laptop could be recycled, refurbished, and potentially used for good by a school or community project.
We've been recycling our old computers through Green Machine Computers for some time. They collect all our redundant ICT equipment and refurbish 50% of what is collected. Around half of this is distributed to schools and charities free of charge.
They can do this with your old tech items too! If you have devices you want to recycle responsibly and potentially benefit schools and other worthy causes, you can drop them off at the Newbury Community Furniture Project at Hambridge Road Industrial Estate, Bone Lane, Newbury RG14 5SS.
Between Wednesday 20 November and Saturday 21 December there will be an added Christmas treat as the Green Machine team will be hosting Pop Up shops there on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 9am and 5pm selling refurbished laptops as well as some smaller computer accessories such as keyboards and cables.
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Anyone can watch our Council and Committee meetings in person at our Market Street offices in Newbury and live on our YouTube channel to view the important decisions made by councillors on issues such as planning, waste services and schools.
Upcoming public meetings include:
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 FloodRe is a Government and insurance industry initiative, set up to enable property owners to find affordable insurance for properties that are at risk of flooding or have been flooded.
FloodRe collects a levy from multiple home insurers each year, and insurers who are part of the scheme pass on the flood risk part of your policy. If you then make a valid claim on your insurance, your insurer pays you and FloodRe reimburses your insurer from the central FloodRe fund.
Pang Valley Flood Forum is putting on a live Flood Insurance Information Presentation and Q&Awith Kelly Ostler-Coyle from FloodRe. There will also be displays of flood resilience equipment from Floodgate, Fernco and more.
Please do come along to Pangbourne Village Hall on 26 November from 7pm to 8.30pm to learn more and speak to experts. There is plenty of pay as you go parking on site.
 The Public Protection Partnership recently held events where they tested electric blankets and portable heaters. Just under half of the electric blankets tested failed. The two most common reasons for failures were the age of the blanket and damage arising from the ways the blankets are stored. They should be stored flat, rolled up or loosely folded to prevent damaging the internal wiring and should be replaced at least every 10 years. Faulty blankets can cause injury or fires.
Check electric blankets regularly for signs of wear and tear including scorch marks, fraying fabric, exposed elements, creasing, worn flex, loose connections or an old BEAB safety mark.
Portable heaters were also tested and 14% failed. Heaters cause around three fires a day in England. They should be kept away from furniture and curtains and should not be used for drying clothes.
Old hot water bottles can break and cause serious burns. They should also be checked regularly for signs of wear and tear. The flower symbol found on hot water bottles indicates exactly when it was made. The number in the middle is the year it was made, the flower segments represent the 12 months of the year and the dots inside represent the number of weeks. They should be changed every two years.
 We’re supporting Safeguarding Adults Week. If you suspect an adult is being taken advantage of, speak up now. Safeguarding adults is everyone’s business.
Call 01635 519056 or visit our website.
Congratulations to the six Berkshire voluntary groups who've been awarded a King’s Award for Voluntary Service this year.
The award recognises outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK with 281 local charities, social enterprises, and voluntary groups receiving this prestigious award.
The winning groups, with two from West Berkshire, are:
- Cianna’s Smile who provide support for young people, and their families, affected by Sickle Cell.
- Freely Fruity who relieve poverty amongst individuals by growing fruit trees and edible plants and sharing with food banks.
- Loose Ends Newbury who run a welcoming drop-in centre for the homeless and vulnerable, making a difference with a hot meal.
- Newbury Riding for the Disabled Ltd who are a group of horses and helpers enriching disabled children mentally and physically in a happy, positive environment
- Soulscape who help young people to deal with life’s pressures, their wellbeing and promoting good mental health.
- The Baby Bank who provide essential support to children aged 0-16 and their parents experiencing hardship.
Each group will receive their award from the Lord Lieutenant at a presentation event in February. In addition, two volunteers from each group will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2025.
There's still time to nominate a group for a King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2025. Nominations are open until 1 December 2024 and you can find out more here.
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Local Author Book Fair this Saturday |
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 Visit Newbury Library on Saturday 23 November between 11am and 2pm to meet some of West Berkshire's amazing local authors, including Helen Saxon, Tim Jarvis, Fiona Barker and many more.
Alongside being able to chat to authors directly, there will be several scheduled talks and readings throughout the day:
Talks for adults in Carnegie Lounge:
- 11-11:15am - Helen Saxon: 'True Crime'
- 11:30-11:45am - Sarah Harper: 'Ella’s Ghost'
- 12-12:15pm -Tim Jarvis: 'How to Write Fiction'
- 12:30-12:45pm - Peter Tickler: 'The Tickers Jam Murders'
- 1:30-1:45pm - Simon Bowden: 'Hidden by Law'
- 1.45-2pm - Pete Logan: 'No one cares: it's okay to speak up'
Events in the Children's Library:
- 11:30am-12pm - Rachel Guy will be hosting a storytime and craft activity based on 'Pinecones in my pocket', a rhyming children’s book about finding opportunities for play when out in nature.
- 12:30-1pm - Lisa Mullan will be hosting a Rhymetime based on her book 'The Missing Birthday Cake', an interactive, rhyming, picture book mystery for children aged 3-7.
All of the authors will have a selection of their books on display, with titles for children and adults. Books will be available to purchase and each author will be more than happy to personalise a copy for you.
And finally...
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Carers Rights Day is tomorrow (21 November) and this year’s theme is ‘Recognising your rights’. We’ve teamed up with a range of partners and organisations to hold a special event on Thursday 21 November at Frank Hutchings Community Hall Thatcham, RG18 4QH between 2pm and 5pm to get everyone together to talk about the issues they’re facing and where to get help. There will be free refreshments, cakes and parking. No need to book- just turn up! Find out more here.
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If you’re a parent worried about your child's safety and the risk of knife crime, join this free, online information session delivered by the national anti-knife crime charity, The Ben Kinsella Trust between 6.30pm - 8.30pm on Thursday 21 November. Register your attendance here.
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