 Solar and battery scheme extended
Switch Together Solar has been extended due to demand, giving you a final opportunity to register.
The scheme helps Wokingham Borough residents access competitive prices on solar panels and battery storage.
If you haven’t registered yet, this is your final opportunity to receive a personal offer for your home.
Registration is quick, free and there’s no obligation to go ahead.
Registration closes Friday 24 July.
 Helping crews during hot weather
As the current hot weather continues, collection crews may start work earlier to help avoid the hottest part of the day.
Please continue to put your bins out the night before your collection day if possible.
This helps crews work safely and efficiently while temperatures remain high.
 Don't put batteries in the bin
A recent waste vehicle fire in Wokingham Borough has highlighted the dangers of putting batteries in household bins.
The incident was spotted quickly by the collection crew, who worked with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service to deal with the fire safely and minimise the risk to nearby homes, residents and the vehicle.
The road was then cleaned and made safe following the incident.
The fire is believed to have been caused by a battery placed in household waste.
Batteries, vapes, power banks and gas canisters can be damaged during collections, causing fires that put collection crews, residents, property and vehicles at risk.
Thank you to the collection crew, street cleansing team and firefighters for their quick actions.
Never place batteries, vapes, power banks or gas canisters in your household waste or recycling bins. Instead, take them to a suitable recycling point.
 Give unused medical equipment a second life
Do you have crutches, walking sticks, shower stools or other support equipment at home that you no longer need?
 Next step for Barkham Solar Farm
Plans for Barkham Solar Farm are set to move forward again, with the site potentially going live from September 2027.
A report to our decision-making executive is advising that the project will now proceed at the earliest opportunity, following delays caused by national changes to grid connection rules.
The solar farm will deliver widespread benefits to the borough, reducing carbon emissions through locally generated electricity and helping us become a carbon neutral borough, while generating income to support local services.
It is predicted to generate over 31,000 Megawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, enough to power approximately 9,400 average UK homes, and deliver an average annual surplus in excess of £1 million over its 40-year operational life.
While national changes have caused delays, current discussions show that the solar farm could still be up and running by September 2027, with only limited impacts.
Our executive will consider this at a meeting on 30 July.
 Hundreds attend Elms Field electric vehicle showcase
More than 400 people learned about switching to a greener motoring future at our free rEVolution event in Wokingham.
Dealers showcased electric vehicles from 10 brands on Elms Field, with experts available to answer questions about buying, charging and maintaining an EV. There were also electric bikes, free Dr Bike checks, cycle marking with Thames Valley Police and an electric bus on display.
Our My Journey Wokingham team offered sustainable travel advice, while families enjoyed activities and collected wildflower seeds.
The event was organised together with Wokingham Town Council, Reading Borough Council and Lets Experience Electric.
Keep your home cooler this summer
Hot weather can make some homes uncomfortably warm, particularly top-floor flats, loft conversions, homes with large south-facing windows and properties with limited shade.
Simple steps such as closing blinds and curtains on sunny windows, opening windows when the air outside is cooler and reducing heat generated indoors can all help.
If you've got a particularly sunny room, external shading, solar control window film and insulation can make a noticeable difference by reducing heat entering your home.
Looking ahead, Energy Saving Trust highlights that measures such as insulation and solar control window film can help homes stay cooler in summer as well as warmer in winter.
If your home becomes too warm, consider spending time in a cooler public building, cafés and coffee shops or other indoor public space.
 Climate change discussion across the borough.
A free screening of the People's Emergency Briefing is taking place in Twyford on Thursday 16 July and in Shinfield on 14th August.
The film explains the latest evidence on climate change and nature in straightforward terms, and explores what it could mean for everyday life in the UK, including extreme weather, health, food security and the cost of living.
Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to discuss what these challenges mean for local communities.
Tell us what you think its name should be
Help name Dinton's willow caterpillar
Have you suggested a name for the willow caterpillar at Dinton Pastures yet?
We've already had some brilliant ideas from residents, and there's still time to take part.
The living willow caterpillar has been shaped and restored by our Rangers, volunteers and local students, and we're looking for the perfect name to match.
If your idea is shortlisted, it will go to a public vote later this summer.
The winner will receive a family boat hire activity at Dinton Activity Centre, a visit to meet our Rangers, a photo with the caterpillar and a handmade willow tree to take home.
Entries are open until the end of July.
Progress so far, ahead of the final gravel surface
Path improvements continue at Ashenbury Park
Work is continuing on new paths at Ashenbury Park in Woodley, with the next phase of construction now underway.
The paths are currently under construction, with the final gravel surface due to be added once this phase is complete. The contractor will be doing the top-coat, dusting and removing the excess soil. The path will be allowed to settle for a few weeks before a final dressing of gravel is added.
The project will help tackle the muddy and waterlogged conditions that can make parts of the park difficult to use during wetter months and creates a one mile, approximately two kilometre, circular walking route. The finished paths will have a rolled gravel surface, similar to those at Dinton Pastures.
The improvements will make it easier for people to enjoy the park throughout the year, improving access between Ashenbury Park, Aldermoors Local Nature Reserve and nearby routes.
The work is part of a £212,000 investment in Ashenbury Park, funded through income generated and reinvested by the Countryside Service from car parking, events and activities.
We’ll share another update once the work is finished.
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