Town Elector’s Meeting – Tuesday 25th May 2021 19.00-20.00

Town Electors’ Meeting – Your Town, Your Say

The Town Elector’s Meeting will have a new focus this year, looking back at the past 12-18 months and how the local community of Woodley has pulled together during the Covid 19 pandemic.

We want to celebrate the support and help the local residents of Woodley have received, and we will therefore have presentations from:

• Jake Morrison, Citizens’ Advice Bureau
• Peter Absolon, Readibus
• Marjie Walker, The Link Visiting Scheme & Jayne Streak, Friendship Alliance
• Richard Davies, Woodley FoodBank
• Tracy Ward, Woodley Volunteer for Covid 19 Facebook Group
• Deborah Mander, Woodley Town Council Town Clerk

The Town Elector’s Meeting will also give local residents the opportunity to have their say and ask any questions on the areas of Woodley that we look after. These include:

• Centre Stage 
• The Oakwood Centre
• The Garden of Remembrance
• The allotments at Reading Road
• Community activities and events 
• Halls for hire (Coronation and Chapel Halls)
• Youth support work
• Woodford Park Leisure Centre and The Gym on the Park
• Woodley Town Centre Management Initiative
• Local parks (Woodford Park, Malone, Wheble Parks & Bulmershe Open Space)
• Maintaining designated bus shelters, the public toilet, street lighting, noticeboards, and public seating.

Do you have a question you would like to ask the Council about one of these areas?

Would you like to see more youth activities and events?

Would you like an annual Picnic in the Park or a Music Festival at Centre Stage?

Would you like to see any additional services or improvements to our parks and green spaces?

We’re encouraging local residents to join us on the evening of Tuesday 25^th May at 19.00 via Zoom, when you will have the opportunity to ask your question. To obtain a link, please email Matthew.Filmore@woodley.gov.uk.

If you are unable to attend and would still like to submit a question, then please email communications@woodley.gov.uk or send your questions to our Facebook or Twitter pages. 

The meeting can also be watched live on the night on our YouTube channel. 

Please note that we will be unable to answer any questions related to Wokingham Borough Council and will ask you to contact them directly.

Step 3 of lockdown lifting confirmed

Today, Monday 17 May 21, Step 3 of the roadmap out of lockdown will go ahead. The main changes are:

• People will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors
• Up to six people, or two households, will be able to meet indoors
• Domestic overnight stays will be allowed with people not in your household or bubble
• Pupils and students will no longer need to wear masks in the classroom or communal areas
• Pubs, restaurants, and other hospitality venues will be able to seat customers indoors
• Indoor entertainment such as cinemas and museums will be able to open
• Hotels, hostels and B&Bs will be able to reopen
• Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes will be able to restart
• Performances and sporting events in indoor and outdoor venues will be able to resume with capacity limits
• Up to 30 people will be able to attend significant life events such as wedding ceremonies, receptions, and christenings
• The legal limit on the numbers of mourners at funerals will be lifted, though legal limits will be set by venues based on capacity.

Visit the Government website for a full overview of how the rules will change on 17 May.

Woodley Town Council

Woodley Town Council offices remain closed. Waste bags can be collected from other local collection points. Please see HERE for where to collect and how to order.

The Oakwood Centre

The Oakwood Centre continues to take bookings in line with Covid 19 restrictions and rules. Please email: bookings@woodley.gov.uk for further information. 

Brown Bag Cafe

Brown Bag Café opens today (17 May) and the public toilets in the Oakwood Centre will also be open during the café’s operating hours. Monday – Saturday: 08.00 – 17.00; Sunday: 09.00 – 16.00. 

Woodley Town Council election results

Robert Horskins, was voted Conservative councillor for Coronation East Ward.

Wokingham Borough Council election results for Woodley

Anne Chadwick, was voted Conservative Wokingham Borough Council councillor for Loddon ward.

Shahid Younis, was voted Conservative Wokingham Borough Council councillor for Bulmershe & Whitegates.

We are delighted to announce that Cllr Janet Sartorel has been elected to Woodley Town Mayor and Cllr Kay Gilder to Woodley Deputy Town Mayor for the year 2021-22.

This is Cllr Sartorel’s first Mayorship and will be Cllr Gilder’s fifth time as Deputy Mayor.

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A new fun, friendly and free event is now available from Sport in Mind at our Reading Rd allotment site.

It’s aimed at people experiencing mental health issues to promote physical health and mental wellbeing. Sport in Mind are also running events at other local parks.

Please contact Sport in Mind for further information (this is not a Woodley Town Council event). info@sportinmind.org / 07341267740

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Please download the latest Friendship Alliance Newsletter HERE, with links to all of the activities.

If you have any enquires, please contact Jayne Streak: 07464 834949 | 0118 979 8019 | jayne@linkvisiting.org.

At the recent Strategy & Resources Committee meeting, held virtually on Tuesday 27^th April, the following community grants were awarded: 

• First Days Children’s £250 – to fund the set-up costs for a new school uniform ‘hub’ in Woodley
  Friends of Woodford Park £250 – to purchase plants for the annual planting of the beds in the Memorial Ground
• Me2 Club £250 – to recruit and screen five new volunteers who can be matched to children in Woodley requiring support
• Promise Inclusion Ltd £250 – to help towards the costs of running a Youth Group at Addington School for young people with learning disabilities/autism 
• Woodley Festival of Music £250 & Arts – to help towards the costs of running a virtual music and arts festival, providing young people in Woodley with the opportunity to perform and entertain
• South Lake Primary School £250 – to help towards the costs of purchasing new PTFA reading books for the school which reflect an improved level of diversity
• Individual – Holly Smith (Ballet) – £100 Towards the cost of new pointe and ballet shoes to ensure attendance at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. 

Woodley Junior Parkrun returns to Woodford Park this Sunday – 25th April 2021

Parkrun Woodley for adults hopes to return on Saturday 5th June, in line with government Covid 19 guidelines.

For more information, please visit the Woodley Parkrun website or email: woodley@parkrun.com.

Woodley Town Centre community garden planting to start this summer

We are pleased to announce that we have drafted a visual and sensory design for the planting in the new walled garden area in the town centre. 

However, this is unfortunately unable to start until Wokingham Borough Council carries out crown lifting works to the trees in early summer, which is the best time for these particular trees to be cut. This is necessary before any planting begins as it will allow more light into the area and stimulate better plant growth. 

We are still waiting for a confirmed date from Wokingham Borough Council. 

Planting

Central planting of a selection of shade growing shrubs such as hydranga, japonicas, hellebore, ornamental grass, hosta, vibernam and ferns will form part of the design. Along with peripheral planting of crocus, snowdrops, bluebells and wood anemone. 

This will provide a good mix of planting in terms of appearance, height, colour and scent. Some larger shrubs will also be considered to provide a focal point along with smaller shrubs and ground cover. 

The design has been planned to be adapted and added to as the garden develops. 

Community involvement 

We want the garden to be an on-going project with scope for community involvement from individuals and local groups and organisations. We have already received many offers of assistance and involvement that can be accommodated and encouraged in different ways. There may be an opportunity for volunteers to be involved in the initial planting and maintenance during the first season, under the direction of the Grounds Maintenance Manager. 

There will also be opportunities for groups to become more involved, such as local schools. 

This forms part of a larger plan to arrange volunteer planting days, under the supervision of the Grounds Maintenance Manager, across many of our parks and green spaces. 

Please note that, at this stage, it is subject to the health and safety guidelines during the Covid 19 pandemic. 

Town Council Leader Cllr Keith Baker is eager to get the planting started and is delighted with the initial garden design and potential community involvement. 

“We originally had two options for the design of the planting and chose the one that was the most visually stimulating, ensuring that the walled garden area becomes a stunning focal point in the town centre. 

We will also be considering additional accessible seating and will be discussing options for the type, quantity and location of any seating in future committee meetings, with public consultation.”

Can we please remind people to not put any rubbish in the garden area. Thank you.