Wokingham Borough Connect
 Act quickly to vote in person anonymously
Due to the new requirement to bring photo ID to vote at a polling station, residents who have registered to vote anonymously and intend to vote in person, will also need to apply for an anonymous elector’s document (AED).
AED applications need to be submitted before 5pm on Wednesday 24 April and the AED will need to be brought to the polling station. This means you do not need to show an additional form of photo ID when voting.
Anonymous registrations only last for one year, so you must apply every year to ensure you don’t lose your vote.
 Tears of joy at removal of car eyesore
There was great excitement in Woodley last month when old and dilapidated cars were finally removed from the neighbourhood.
After many failed attempts to work with the owner of the cars we were left with no alternative but to start legal proceedings to get the cars removed and the area tidied up.
Following a successful criminal conviction, we secured a court order for the removal of the old and dilapidated cars that had blighted the community.
On Friday 5 April we worked with a removal contractor to have the cars removed. Thames Valley Police also came along to ensure that there was no breach of the peace.
The clean up attracted lots of attention from the neighbours and some were close to tears, with many coming out to watch and take photos as the eyesore was removed from their neighbourhood.
 Green'n'Tidy scheme almost doubles thanks to grant
A grant from the Community Safety Partnership has meant that Green'n'Tidy, a community gardening scheme, has been able to nearly double the residents it supports.
The scheme, run by the The Wokingham Volunteer Centre, have teams of volunteers who offer a basic gardening service to keep front gardens tidy and safe. It supports older, vulnerable and disabled residents who are unable to care for the gardens themselves and can't afford commercial services.
We know that an untidy garden can indicate that a resident is vulnerable, and so keeping it in shape can reduce the risk of them being targeted by rogue traders and other criminals.
They were recently awarded a grant from the Community Safety Partnership to purchase a van and other equipment. This has enabled them to extend the scheme to a further 120 households, meaning they are now helping over 280 households to keep their front gardens tidy.
Some of the new clients had been on the waiting list for quite some time and are extremely grateful to be receiving support and have said they are relieved that their gardens are being kept tidy and safe for them to venture into.
One in particular was delighted to have removed the pressure from her neighbour to improve the tidiness and appearance of the front of the street.
If you are interested in volunteering, or want to find out if you or someone you know qualifies for support, visit The Wokingham Volunteer Centre website.
 The year in numbers: Anti-Social Behaviour Team
Our anti-social behaviour (ASB) team work seven days a week dealing with issues related to noise, bonfires, fly-tipping, vermin, fly-posting, graffiti, abandoned vehicles and stray/abandoned dogs.
The nine-strong team work alongside others from our community safety teams as well as Thames Valley Police, town and parish councils and other local agencies to resolve issues affecting communities.
The team have had a busy 12 months. Here is a snippet of what they've been up to between April 2023 and March 2024:
- Returned 48 lost dogs to grateful owners
- Rehomed 38 stray dogs through private adoption or to rescue charities
- Investigated 1,002 incidences of fly-tipping
- Received 379 reports of abandoned vehicles
- Resolved 1,864 requests for support with ASB
- Issued 27 Fixed Penalty Notices of £300 each in for failure to comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order in our car parks
- Carried out welfare checks and supported with evictions at six unauthorised encampments
If you want to find out more about the types of issues we can help with and how to get in touch, visit our Community and Safety webpages.
 Raising awareness of sexual assault
Local charity Kaleidoscopic who provide peer support to adults and children who have been exposed to domestic abuse have released a new video to raise awareness of sexual assault.
We have lots of information available on our website about recognising the signs of domestic abuse, tips for keeping safe and how to seek support for yourself or others.
You can also call our domestic abuse service which is provided by Cranstoun. Their support line on 0118 402 1921 is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering help and support to anyone affected by domestic abuse.
If you are unable to contact the service during office hours, the support line will connect you to the out-of-hours team who will be able to help you.
There is no time limit on reporting a sexual assault which you can do via 101 or online.
In an emergency you should always call 999.
Have your say: how the fire service respond to automatic fire alarms
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service are currently consulting on proposals to change how they respond to automatic fire alarms.
You can take read the consultation information and take part in the survey on the RBFRS website.
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