Woodley Town Council has had a busy year investing in local charities, alongside hosting a memorable WWI Commemoration, starting refurbishments at Woodford Park lake and being awarded Green Flag status for its management and stewardship of Woodford Park and the Memorial Ground.

For the third year running, Woodley Town Council has not increased its precept (the annual charge that funds the services provided by the Council) and it remains at £106.71 for a Band D house.

To read more about the Council’s activities and budget summary, please click HERE.

Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses to burglaries in the Woodley area

On Monday 4th of March, between 14.00-16.00, there were burglaries in Rushbrook Road, Bruce Road and Chequers Way in Woodley.

If you saw or heard anything suspicious in the area or have CCTV, Dashcam or Ringcam footage, please contact the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number 101 or alternatively, you can report this online HERE.

If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

Please consider a few simple prevention steps to your property:

1. Keep windows and doors shut, double lock front doors when away.

2. Property mark your valuables with a UV pen or forensic property marking kit, then register on  www.immobilise.com. Make a note of all model numbers and serial numbers of all electrical items.

3. Use timer switches to make your home look occupied in the evenings

4. Ensure car keys are safely stored away from the front door

5. Keep tools and ladders locked away and out of sight.

For more Crime Reduction tips and information please visit our website www.thamesvalley.police.uk and click on the ‘crime prevention’ tab.

Changes to be implemented from 1 April

Residents who use Wokingham Borough Council’s garden waste services will see some changes to collections from April.

With the increase in housing across the Borough, and the success in take up of the garden waste scheme, many residents who have signed up for the garden waste service will see a change in their collection day or week, or both; they will be notified shortly via letter.

Cllr John Halsall, executive member for environment, leisure and libraries, said: “I am delighted at the success of our garden waste service so far with around 25,000 homes using it. We must change routes slightly to complete collections each day and reduce unnecessary journeys. I apologise in anticipation for any inconvenience caused.”

Residents can also find out their new collection days on www.wokingham.gov.uk (search for ‘rubbish and recycling collection days’) from 1 April.

Road investment

Wokingham Borough Council has revealed details of how the £1.177 million announced by the Government in November 2018 will be spent to improve the road network for drivers and cyclists across the borough.

A list of additional schemes in 2019 has been announced as well as a dedicated pothole budget to allow the council to address issues across the road network that develop during the winter.

Throughout the year the council surveys the highways network, through visual inspections, technical assessments and analysis. This information generates an annual road maintenance campaign, so the council can ensure investment goes where it is needed the most.

Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport said. “Our residents’ safety is our number one priority and we carry out essential maintenance work on the roads, throughout the borough, that most require our attention to keep our road network safe for all our road users.

“With more than 457 miles of road within our Borough to maintain, we are delighted to receive this additional funding from central government that will allow us to extend our annual road maintenance campaign.  This funding will allow us to carry out work not just the main roads but also smaller residential roads that we have not had the funding to do before.

“We will also be allocating £113,000 to fix potholes to deliver additional improvements to our roads especially as a result the freezing cold conditions we have experienced recently”

This additional funding has been allocated by the council based not only on information provided in the usual condition surveys, undertaken as part of the annual road maintenance campaign, but also taking into consideration the deliverability of these projects within the timescales provided. It was also essential to consider any planned projects taking place within the surrounding areas to minimise both cost and disruption.

Road schemes

As a result of these consideration the council identified the following schemes.

• A329M Coppid Beech (Norreys) – resurfacing flyover
• Mereoak Lane/Grazeley Green Road (Shinfield South) – junction improvements
• Wilderness Road (Hillside) – drainage improvements
• Rushey Way (Hillside) – carriageway resurfacing
• Woodlands Avenue (Bulmershe and Whitegates) – carriageway resurfacing
• Safety fencing improvements across the borough

In addition to these works, a number of smaller estate roads within the borough are planned for micro asphalt resurfacing and the council hopes to deliver the programme towards the end of the year.

For further information about the council’s road maintenance campaign be or how you can report pothole visit www.wokingham.gov.uk and search ‘pothole’.