Tackling financial hardship in Wokingham borough – have your say

Wokingham Borough Council is asking for residents’ input to help shape a brand-new strategy aimed at tackling financial hardship and related challenges in the borough, and ensuring all residents have access to the support they need.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges for local people, impacting their standards of living and health and wellbeing. By taking part in the survey, you will help the Council to understand more about the issues that are affecting people, with key topics including family and home life, employment and income, and access to support.

The information will be used alongside other key data points to help inform the strategy and ensure the Council has the right support in place to help residents who are on low income, or who are facing financial hardship for the first time.

The engagement is taking place on the Council’s new online platform, Engage Wokingham Borough, which is being used to improve how Wokingham Borough Council listen to residents and ensure there is a two-way dialogue. You can sign up to Engage Wokingham Borough and take part in the survey and others via the Engage Wokingham Borough webpage.

Don’t miss your chance to shape your community’s future

A revised blueprint for new homes and supporting infrastructure across Wokingham Borough is set to go before residents for their views.

When it next meets on 12 November, Wokingham Borough Council’s  executive is expected to agree to launch a public consultation on the authority’s new Local Plan Update: Revised Growth Strategy.

This would run from 22 November to 17 January next year and everyone should take part because the finished document will help meet demand for new housing, schools, roads, green spaces, community and leisure facilities and other amenities for many years.

Unlike the previous draft Local Plan, which people were consulted on last year, a new town of about 15,000 homes at Grazeley is no longer proposed. Following an unexpected extension of the emergency planning zone around AWE Burghfield to include that area, the Ministry of Defence now opposes development so it isn’t considered achievable.

The Council therefore suggest an alternative approach which will continue allocating most new development to carefully planned major new communities so suitable infrastructure can be provided.

Public meetings will be held from 7pm to 9pm at St Crispin’s School in Wokingham on 22 November or at Arborfield Green Leisure Centre on 30 November. Please consider taking a Covid-19 lateral flow test before attending.

There will also be four virtual meetings on 2 and 6 December running from 6pm to 7pm and 7.30pm to 8.30pm on each date, one of which will be recorded for viewing on demand.

All places must be booked in advance by visiting the Engage Wokingham Borough webpage.