 New mayor appointed for borough
Cllr Carol Jewell was elected as the next Wokingham Borough Mayor at Annual Council last week, succeeding Cllr Adrian Mather after a year as his deputy.
The Mayor is officially the ‘first citizen’ of the borough with a civic role, representing the council and the people of the borough, as well as presiding over borough council meetings.
Unless His Majesty The King or his representative is in attendance, the Mayor takes precedence over any other dignitaries at events within Wokingham Borough.
The Deputy Mayor for the next civic year will be Cllr Rob Comber.
Cllr Jewell’s chosen charity for her year as Borough Mayor will be Building for the Future. The charity provides activities, support and therapy for children with disabilities and additional needs, as well as supporting their families.
 Budget consultation launches next week
We launch our extensive consultation on our spending plans for 2026/27 next week, so you can shape our budget and how your Council Tax is spent.
We’re committed to involving you in decisions about the services that matter to you, and this wide-ranging consultation is part of that.
Most of our spending is committed to services we’re legally required to provide. The consultation will focus on the areas where we have more flexibility (known as discretionary spending) and how we might make savings.
Tuesday’s Residents’ Round-up gives a summary of our finances and the wider situation on how we’re funded.
Sign up to our Engage platform now so you can respond easily when the survey opens next week.
 Lorry driver fined for crossing historic bridge
Another heavy goods vehicle (HGV) operator has been fined after they pleaded guilty to breaching road weight restrictions in our borough.
They were ordered to pay £1,112, including prosecution costs and a victim surcharge, following a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on Monday 19 May.
This followed an incident on 10 October last year, when an 11.5 tonne lorry crossed the Grade II listed Sonning Bridge despite the 7.5 tonne limit.
They were spotted during a routine inspection by the Public Protection Partnership (PPP), our joint venture with West Berkshire and Bracknell Forest councils.
Weight, width and height restrictions prevent roads being inappropriately used by vehicles that are too big or heavy, and PPP officers patrol with Thames Valley Police (TVP) to enforce them.
As we've previously reported, two HGV drivers were recently fined for breaching the weight limit on Rances Lane, Wokingham, following a joint patrol. If you have concerns about limits being breached, you can report this to the PPP.
 Call for Forest of Imagination feedback
Thanks to the hundreds of residents who joined us for Forest of Imagination at Dinton Pastures this weekend.
The showcase event saw people gather at the country park in Hurst to celebrate nature through arts, culture and education to help imagine and create a better and more sustainable future.
If you attended, we’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the installations, workshops and what you thought of the showcase weekend more generally.
What you might have missed
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