 Waste collections: get ready for a greener future
We’re changing how we collect household waste in August 2024 – and we’re urging you to get ready by considering whether you could reduce, reuse or recycle more rubbish.
These changes, which we’ve consulted you on, offer us the chance to become one of the top areas in the country for recycling while meeting or exceeding the Government's future targets.
From next summer, most of you will be putting your general rubbish into a 180-litre black wheeled bin which will be emptied fortnightly, replacing the weekly blue bag collections.
Recycling will still be collected from free green reusable recycling sacks, with no limits on how many you put out, but this is going fortnightly on the weeks when your rubbish isn’t collected.
Weekly food waste collections and subscription-based fortnightly garden waste collections aren’t changing. Not all properties are suitable for wheeled bins, so alternative arrangements will be made in some cases.
Helping everyone get ready for changes
We need to reduce our impact on the environment in lots of different ways, and increasing our recycling rates will have a big impact on lowering our carbon emissions.
The new wheeled rubbish bins will hold the equivalent of about two full blue bags, or one a week. To help you get ready for the changes, this is the most you should aim to be putting out now.
We know many of you are already doing all you can to reduce, reuse and recycle more waste, and we really appreciate that. Please keep it up, and encourage your friends and neighbours to do the same.
But if you’re worried about space in your new wheeled bin, remember that more than half of what currently ends up in a typical blue bag is recyclable so it doesn’t belong there.
If you only put non-recyclable waste into your wheeled rubbish bin, you should find there’s more than enough space between collections.
 Children zip into action at new playground
We’ve opened a new playground at Payley Park, off Queens Road, to serve everyone living in the growing new community at North Wokingham.
Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Beth Rowland cut the ribbon at a ceremony last week, which was attended by Year 3 and 4 pupils from St Cecilia’s Primary School.
Also present were representatives from housing developer Vistry, who funded and built the playground under conditions linked to their planning permissions for new homes in this area.
It boasts equipment aimed at all ages including traditional and "nest" swings, rocking seats on springs, rotating seats and a ship with a small slide. Older children can enjoy a rope climbing frame, a larger slide, balance course and a zip wire as well as a multi-use games area suitable for football, basketball and more.
Developers funded or built much of North Wokingham’s community infrastructure including more than 35 hectares of nature parks, four of which are now open with a fifth to follow in due course.
 Meet Tanya who supports domestic abuse victim-survivors
You’re funding your community through Council Tax – which helps us deliver vital services to residents.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and we're spotlighting Tanya who works in our Domestic Abuse Team. Her role involves supporting the homelessness team in managing cases presented as homeless as a result of people fleeing domestic abuse.
This includes looking for refuge provisions, liaising with and / or attending emergency strategy meetings with external agencies and ensuring all relevant support and robust safety plans are in place to protect victim-survivors and their children.
Anyone can be a victim-survivor regardless of their age, race, gender, sexual preference, faith, disability or financial status. It is estimated that one in 10 of our residents will be affected by domestic abuse each year.
Support is available to all. Find out how Tanya makes a difference and get help by visiting our website.
 Spooky fun awaits at Dinton Pastures
Are you ready for a Halloween adventure at Dinton Pastures?
Come and try our Halloween Spooktacular Trail by the Black Swan Lake, and have some spine-thrilling fun!
The trail is open until 29 October. Before you go, book online for a trail map and activity sheet for £2.50. Remember to get a map and activity sheet for each child, so everyone gets a treat.
Use the clues on the map to help you hunt for ghouls, ghosts and other creatures hiding in the bushes. Once you're done with your quest, bring the activity sheet back to the Dinton Activity Centre reception or The Coffee House by 5pm to collect a sweet treat.
The trail is just over 2km long and normally takes around one hour to complete. The paths are wheelchair and buggy-accessible.
 Enjoy a takeaway? Seeing live music? Having a drink with friends?
We are the licensing authority and all of these things, plus more, are licensable activities.
We're in the process of revising our Statement of Licensing Policy, which is used as a guide when making decisions about licensing matters and want to hear from you on some of the updates we’ve made.
The policy covers the expectations on licensees to comply with measures, particularly meeting the four objectives of prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.
Since our policy was last reviewed, there have been some changes in legislation and best practice. We’ve included these in our policy and are seeking your feedback on four key areas of change:
- Model conditions
- Pre-Application Advice Service
- Women’s safety in the night time economy
- Best Bar None Scheme
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