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 A proposal to form a new unitary council covering West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse is to be discussed by councils next week.
The initial proposal is being progressed under the title ‘Ridgeway Council’ – named after the famous 5,000-year-old footpath that travels through the heart of the three council areas.
All three councils will hold special meetings ahead of a deadline of Friday 21 March for councils in Oxfordshire to submit proposals to the Government as part of a programme to shake up local councils. It will see two-tier councils, such as in Oxfordshire, replaced with single-tier councils and a requirement for all councils to serve around 500,000 residents or more. It will mean West Berkshire Council – which covers around 170,000 people – will need to merge with neighbouring councils.
If approved, an initial proposal will be submitted by South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils later this month and a final submission due no later than 28 November 2025. After that, further development work would take place on the proposals along with a programme of communication and engagement to ensure local voices and community needs are reflected in the proposal.
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New cycle direction signs on Newbury-Thatcham corridor |
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 We've installed new cycle direction signs between Newbury and Thatcham town centres showing average cycling time in minutes to destinations such as the Nature Discovery Centre.
The new signs have the local ‘Linkways’ branding, which is gradually being rolled out to identify main routes for cycling.
As well as making it easier to get about, encouraging and enabling active travel helps us tackle the climate and ecological emergency by offering many residents an alternative for some or all of their local, shorter-distance journeys.
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 With the exciting news that the Holidays, Activities and Food (HAF) programme has been renewed for 2025-2026, West Berkshire HAF is now partnering with the Holiday Activities booking platform. This is a centralised booking system and generates a voucher that will streamline the booking process for you.
Eligible parents and carers of children with free school meals will be sent a unique voucher code via email and/or text on 13 March from their schools which will allow you to log in and register for the Holiday Activities portal. From there, you can book onto any HAF provision showing with availability (holiday provider dependant).
Your voucher will allocate you four credits to use to book up to four sessions across the Easter holidays.
If you have any questions about HAF please email our HAF Coordinator at Hannah.lee1@westberks.gov.uk
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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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E-bikes are a popular eco-friendly, affordable and convenient way to travel, and e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular, despite being illegal to use on public roads, pavements and cycle lanes.
When used and cared for correctly, e-bikes and e-scooters are safe. However, when the lithium-ion batteries are improperly used, damaged, faulty, or of poor-quality, they then become a serious fire risk.
Our Public Protection Partnership is reminding users to:
- Buy from trusted sellers and check the product reviews
- Look for the UKCA or CE mark
- Only use manufacturer approved chargers, batteries and replacement parts and follow their instructions
- Check your battery regularly for damage
- Get professional guidance when converting a pedal bike into an e-bike
- Register your e-bike or e-scooter through the manufacturer’s website to receive recall information
You mustn't:
- Overcharge the battery, (it could overheat)
- Leave your product unattended while charging or while you are asleep
- Charge or store your e-bikes and e-scooters in bedrooms or where escape routes could be blocked
- Cover chargers or battery packs whilst charging
- Attempt repair work yourself
- Use your battery or charger if you notice visible faults
- Dispose of a damaged or end of life battery in your household waste or normal recycling
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Today (12 March) is Young Carers' Action Day and the theme this year is ‘Give Me a Break’ which aims to raise awareness about two crucial areas of need for young carers. The first is having time to have a break to recharge and look after their mental health. It can be difficult for some young people to make time for this which is why it’s important for schools and the organisations that young carers work with to support young carers in making time to have a break.
The second part of the theme looks to recognise the impact that caring responsibilities have on young carers' education and how its difficult for them to juggle their responsibilities such as homework or being in school on time with the responsibilities they have in the home.
As part of Young Carer’s Action Day, we would like to share that we are going to be trialling an exciting opportunity for our young people that aims to support our young carers in their education. We look forward to sharing more details with you soon.
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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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 Click the image for more information
 Join Belfast born artist Heather McAteer at West Berkshire Museum to hear about the inspiration behind her new exhibition of works on paper ‘This Must Be The Place’.
Heather will be available to chat to visitors about her process and ideas and answer any questions about the work. This event is free to drop in (no need to book).
West Berkshire Museum | Saturday 22 March | 1.30pm-3.30pm | Free, drop-in
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Ceramic workshop at Hungerford Library |
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We have a ceramic workshop suitable for both adult beginners and experienced crafters taking place at Hungerford Library on Friday 28 March, 4.30-6.30pm. All materials are provided. Advance booking is essential, tickets £5 (non-refundable). Please contact the library for more information and to book your place: 01488 682660 or email hungerfordlibrary@westberks.gov.uk
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And finally...
- National Highways will be resurfacing the M4 between junctions 6 and 7 this weekend. To do this, they will be closing the M4 westbound between junctions 6 and 7 from 6am Saturday 15 March and reopening it by 6am Monday 17 March. Traffic will be diverted at junction 6 westbound, by A355, A4, Huntercombe Spur to re-join the M4 at junction 7. Find out more here.
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