 Government approves plan to improve SEND support
Plans to improve support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Wokingham Borough have been approved by the Government.
Our three-year SEND Reform Plan sets out how we'll work with schools, health services and families to improve support, make services more joined up and help more children and young people get the help they need closer to home.
It builds on our existing work, including more than £40 million of investment to create over 600 additional SEND places across the borough.
The plan includes developing an 'Experts at Hand' service, bringing together specialists such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists to help schools better support children and young people.
Government approval also means around £46.3 million of our historic SEND deficit is set to be written off, helping us address financial pressures while we continue improving services.
We'll work closely with families and our partners to deliver the plan over the next three years, making sure their experiences help shape improvements.
 Seeking spark with partner for EV charging vision
With a nationwide ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles coming up, we've agreed our next steps to help people adopt electric vehicles (EVs).
We're seeking a long-term partner for installing and running a varied network of charging points, which will be accessible and financially sustainable.
Our goals include improving access for residents who don't have their own off-street parking, as they face more obstacles in switching.
We'll soon be inviting bids and hope to appoint a partner by next spring. As part of the agreement, we'll consider all options including new or emerging technologies.
About 40,000 EVs or 30 per cent of all cars could be registered in Wokingham Borough by 2030, and we want to have more than 400 chargepoints by then.
We'd receive a share of any surplus to support the services we provide.
 Support sessions for unpaid carers
Unpaid carers in the Wokingham Borough can attend a day of talks and advice to help them with their role.
The Wokingham Carers Partnership is hosting a day of talks at Radstock Community Centre in Earley, from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Thursday 19 November. The agenda, which is being run for Carers Rights Day, includes sessions on:
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9.45am - SENDIASS: Education Health Care Plan information
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10.40am - Wokingham Borough Council: preparing for adulthood
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11.35am - Citizens Advice: help with saving energy
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12.40am - THP Solicitors: legal advice and wills
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1.25pm - Recovery College: your health matters too
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2.30pm - Age UK Berkshire: carers breaks and other new services
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Online meeting – Silver Time Legal: wills, trust, lasting power of attorney, care fees and inheritance tax
Free carers information session
There’s also Carers UK session for unpaid carers from 12 noon to 1pm on Tuesday 17 November.
It will cover the Digital Resource Centre for Carers (information and guidance hub) and the Jointly app for organising and communicating caring responsibilities. Book your free place online.
 Thousands of crocuses planted for a brighter spring
Volunteers have planted 4,000 purple crocuses at St Crispin’s School in Wokingham, continuing an annual tradition.
The flowers are expected to begin blooming in spring and, over the coming years, develop into a carpet of purple.
The purple crocus is the symbol of Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign, representing the dye placed on the little finger of children who have received the polio vaccine.
The planting is one of several local environmental projects supported by the Rotary Club of Wokingham, including tree and hedge planting around the town.
 MenB vaccine: Don't miss your first dose
If you’re a young person eligible for the free MenB vaccination, there’s still time to protect yourself before the offer for first doses closes on 31 December.
You need two doses for full protection, with the second given 28 days after your first.
The time-limited offer is available to anyone born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008, as well as people under 25 who started higher education or moved into university halls for the first time this autumn.
MenB can cause serious illnesses including meningitis and sepsis which can be life threatening. Getting vaccinated is particularly important for this group of young people, who often live and socialise closely together.
If you haven’t had your first dose yet, make sure you get protected before the offer closes.
What you might have missed
- Help us improve the support available for carers across the borough by taking part in our consultation, which is open
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