Witness appeal after stabbing in Wokingham
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses to an assault occasioning grievous bodily harm in Wokingham.
At around 3am on Sunday (13 February), the two victims, both young men, left the GIG House, Denmark Street, to catch a taxi. They were then involved in an altercation which resulted in both of the victims being stabbed.
The victims suffered stab wounds to the face and neck and were taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital for further treatment.
A 23-year-old man from Frimley has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article in a public place, using threatening/abusive language to cause harassment and attempting to cause GBH with intent. A 23-year-old man from Wokingham has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Anyone with information should call the police on 101 or make a report online, quoting reference number 43220066779. Or you can report information completely anonymously by calling the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
 Councillors cover key issues for you
Our councillors are keen to talk to residents on issues we know they care about. Here are some of the topics we’ve covered recently with them:
- John Halsall, leader of the council, on writing to Michael Gove MP about our housing allocation for new homes required to be built
- John Halsall, leader of the council, on the start of a review of our election cycle meaning all councillors would be elected once every four years, rather than now where a third of our 54 councillors (18) is elected every year in a four-year cycle
- Cllr Laura Blumenthal, deputy executive member for anti-poverty, on the Hardship Alliance and our draft anti-poverty strategy
- Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, on what we’ve done and are doing to cut congestion
- Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services, on the opening of the Wokingham Charity and Community Hub
- A series of videos with Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement, answering your questions on the Local Plan Update
 Cantley Park play area nearing completion
Our destination play area at Cantley Park is set to open to children of all ages in March, with a launch date to be confirmed soon.
The innovative new interactive play equipment, provided by Yalp, has been installed and surfacing has been laid, with only the final landscaping left to go.
The play area, funded by developers' contributions, will be wheelchair accessible and include kit designed to be as engaging as video gaming - but without time spent in front of a screen.
We know residents are keen to see this open as soon as possible, so we thank you for your patience and can't wait to announce more.
 Grants to improve homes help tackle fuel poverty
We continue to tackle fuel poverty across the borough with the launch of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme (GHG LAD2).
The scheme provides free grants to help residents on low incomes and who are living in low energy efficient properties to carry out a range of works to their home aimed at improving energy efficiency and lowering their fuel bills.
The improvements will also help lower local carbon emissions and support our vision for a carbon net zero Wokingham borough by 2030.
Letters are being sent out to households we believe may qualify for the scheme to encourage them to apply, although other households are able to apply direct if they believe they may be eligible for GHG LAD2 support.
In order to qualify for the GHG grant, residents need to have a household income of below £30,000 and live in a property with a current energy performance rating (EPC) of E, F or G. Some D rated properties may also qualify depending on the work which is required.
Residents and landlords who believe they might qualify need to apply via the green homes grant scheme application form on the Energy Trust’s website.
 New road for North Wokingham taking shape
Our North Wokingham Distributor Road, which will serve new homes being built in the area, is still on course for completion in late spring.
Balfour Beatty has just finished building a new bridge over the railway near the southern roundabout, at the end of the Winnersh Relief Road, and is now surfacing the road which crosses this.
The bridge will connect Reading Road with a new carriageway running parallel to the west of Old Forest Road. Contractors are also realigning a section of Toutley Road to the north and have built a culvert over the Emm Brook stream so they're ready to start surfacing this too.
Another section to the east near Ashridge Farm, which Balfour Beatty finished last year, remains closed for safety reasons as there is still a heavy volume of construction traffic from homes being built nearby.
This section, which also includes a new nature park with two ponds and an array of wildlife habitats, will open in the coming months. The North Wokingham Distributor Road will run from the Winnersh end of Reading Road to the junction of Oak Avenue and London Road, near Coppid Beech roundabout.
It's part of our £250 million major new roads scheme, which is funded by developer contributions.
What you might have missed
- Our Council Tax system will be down from Thursday (17 February) in order for us to prepare/produce the new Council Tax bills. During this time you won't be able to access your online account and we will only be able to answer general queries over the phone. It should be back up by the end of the working day on Tuesday 22 February
- The Ruscombe draft neighbourhood plan is now out for consultation. The plan, prepared by Ruscombe Parish Council, aims to help guide development in the area reflecting the aspirations of the community and taking account of what makes the area special. You can view the plan and supporting documents on the neighbourhood planning page of our website or by visiting our online engagement platform
- There’s still time to shape the programme for our new children’s activity clubs during the school holidays, aiming to start at Easter. You’ve got until 28 February to give us your views, which will take little more than five minutes
- Did you know many soft plastics, like bread bags, bubble wrap, plastic bags and frozen food bags, can now be recycled at many larger stores of major supermarkets? You can check your nearest using the checker tool on the Recycle Now website
- We’ve got more than 30 jobs currently being advertised to join us, from social workers to lawyers and adult education tutors. We’ve also got a range of apprenticeships and Kickstart roles for those looking to start their working life
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