 Locking the door on anti-social behaviour
We worked with Thames Valley Police to enact three closure orders on properties in Wokingham during the last two weeks after investigations found they were being used for criminal behaviour.
The tenants of the houses were being subjected to ‘cuckooing’, in which the home is taken over and used for exploitation and criminal behaviour such as drug dealing or sex work, and is particularly linked to County Lines drug trafficking.
These closure orders are one of the ways we protect vulnerable residents against exploitation and reduce County Lines in our neighbourhoods and make it an offence for anyone other than those specified to enter the properties for the next three months. The occupants have been safely moved to new addresses.
Perpetrators will usually target someone who is vulnerable, for example through mental health, isolation or addiction issues, and will convince them to let them use their home by offering money or drugs.
If you have an immediate concern about someone’s wellbeing, please contact the police on 999. If you would like to report anti-social behaviour to the council you can email the team at asbhousing@wokingham.gov.uk or visit the anti-social behaviour webpage for more information.
 Back the campaign - Fair Funding Deal for you
Thanks to the hundreds of residents who have backed our Fair Funding Deal campaign after its launch last week.
We want even more people to back our message for fair funding from the Government for your borough.
The Government is putting an unfair burden on you – our residents.
You get £30million less towards your services than an average council, that's £400 less per household on average. Contact your MP and Government boss for councils Michael Gove to call for change. Our message calls for:
- Mr Gove to come to the area and understand the true state of local finances
- Future funding settlements matching local needs for vulnerable children and adults (where most of Council Tax goes)
- Funding being for longer periods of time, to allow us to plan better
30 seconds to support the campaign
We ask you do one thing. Contact your MP and Michael Gove calling for a better deal for our area. It takes less than 30 seconds.
Press the relevant link below and it will open a new email with the pre-written call for a better deal. All you have to do is send it:
 Recognition for way borough welcomed Hongkongers
A healthcare webinar produced by us and a range of partners to support people from Hong Kong (known as Hongkongers) arriving in the borough was recognised at the Innovation in Public Health Awards.
It helped people to navigate their way through the health care system once they arrived in the UK and has been used by more than 18,000 people.
In 2021 the Government created an immigration route that enabled Hongkongers to move to and settle in the UK. Following this, a large number of Hongkongers have moved to the area, leading to a surge in new patients registering with local healthcare providers.
Our public health team, local doctors’ surgeries and other community partners identified that many of these residents were struggling with accessing healthcare at the right places due to the language barrier.
The webinar was delivered in Cantonese, and focused on guiding Hongkongers through some of the key health information they would need. The project was a finalist in the awards, organised by the UK Public Health Register.
 We’ve got the power with new vehicle chargers
Electric vehicle chargepoints are now available in 18 more locations thanks to a £173,500 contribution from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV).
We’ve installed them in residential streets and car parks - and Flowbird, the supplier, is also helping towards the cost, ensure no cost to Council Taxpayers.
They work on using Flowbird’s pay-as-you-go smartphone app, which is free and easy to use, and are available around the clock. You’ll find them at:
- Wokingham - William Heelas Way, Pigott Road, St Paul’s Gate and Rose Street, Denmark Street and Cockpit Path car parks
- Twyford - Station Road, Polehampton Close (East) permit holders’ car park
- Earley - Westminster Way, Maiden Place, Station Road car park
- Winnersh – Chatsworth Avenue
- Woodley - Wheble Drive, Pitford Road and Headley Road car parks
- Arborfield - Bramshill Close
- Finchampstead - Roycroft Lane
- Wargrave - Braybrooke Road
Our thanks to Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) and VolkerHighways for supporting the installation works.
These chargepoints will help residents to adopt electric vehicles, in turn helping us honour our climate emergency goals. We’re applying for more OZEV funding soon, so if you think your street could benefit then let us know.
Free bus travel this festive season
If you are looking to travel to any Saturday events this festive season, you can take the bus for free, as plans were approved last week.
Local bus routes will be free to all every Saturday from 18 November until 23 December, for those boarding in Wokingham borough, funded by a national grant. This was formally agreed on Friday.
Check the full list of routes included on our news site. Includes services for Arborfield, Crowthorne, Earley, Finchampstead, Lower Earley, Riseley, Shinfield, Sonning, Swallowfield, Three Mile Cross, Twyford, Winnersh, Wokingham and Woodley.
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