COP28 in Wokingham Borough

This year’s United Nations’ Climate Change Conference, COP28, will run from 30 November to 12 December at the Expo City in Dubai. The conference aims to bring the world together to tackle climate change. The annual event will take place in the United Arab Emirates and will deliver an ambitious agenda. 

As part of COP28 week, Wokingham Borough Council is running two events at Wokingham Library at Carnival Hub which will focus on its ambitious Climate Emergency Plan (CEAP), the work that the Council is doing to tackle the climate emergency locally and how you can help to play your part.

The climate emergency talks will be hosted by Executive Member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services Cllr Sarah Kerr and take place on: 

• 7 December, 5.30pm to 6.30pm 
• 12 December, 10.30am to 11.30am

Sign up online using the links above or call Wokingham Library on (0118) 978 1368.

Professor Ellie Highwood from the University of Reading and Royal Meteorological Society will be giving a free talk at Wokingham Library on Wednesday 29 November, from 10.30am to 11.30am. In the run-up to these important international discussions at COP28, come and hear the latest evidence for climate change and its impacts, learn how to spot misinformation and find out the most useful things you can do to play your part.

Places must be booked in advance and can be done by clicking HERE.

Competition for youngsters to design a climate poster

Wokingham Borough Council is inviting young people in the borough to design a footprint poster to inspire the community and highlight ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint to help tackle climate change. The winner for each age category will win a £20 book voucher. 

 The age categories include: 

• Four to seven-years-old 
• Eight to 11-years-old 
• 12+ years-old

You can be as creative as you like, for example you could draw around the biggest foot in your household and design a poster to show all the different ways in how we can all play our part.

To take part, you will need to design your poster on an A4 piece of paper and drop it into your local Wokingham Borough library, with your name, age and parent’s email address by Friday 15 December.

Alternatively, on Saturday 9 December, you can pop into Wokingham, Lower Earley or Woodley libraries where you can create your poster. The Council will judge the entries along with its Libraries Team and winners will be notified by email.

Mock COP28 to be held at Holme Grange School

Holme Grange School in Wokingham will be holding a mock COP28 event on 5 December.

Students in nursery, early years and education system (EYES), Pre-Prep and Prep school will take part in a range of activities that are being discussed at this year’s COP28 Climate Change Conference. The school will address sustainable development goals, education, leadership, skills, competency and empowerment. 

Holme Grange School’s mock event will follow the same format of the actual COP28 conference and will include secondary students from a number of schools, including St Crispins School in Wokingham.

The students will be put into small groups to represent a particular country and discuss climate issues, share ideas and actions in helping to tackle climate change. Executive Member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services Cllr Sarah Kerr will also be attending the event.

Free webinar for businesses looking to go electric

As part of COP28 and Wokingham Borough Council’s CEAP, businesses and non-profit organisations in the borough are invited to attend a free, zero-emission vehicle webinar hosted by The Energy Saving Trust, which is an independent organisation, working to address the climate emergency and we are pleased to be working with them. 

The webinar takes place on 6 December at 8.30am to 9.30am and aims to provide information on how your business can go electric. Topics include: 

• Outlining where electric vehicles fit into the sustainable transport hierarchy
• Information about electric vehicles, including types, charging options and costs
• Benefits of choosing a zero-emission vehicle.

Please book your place HERE.

Climate change workshop to be held at CLASP

Wokingham Borough Council is working in partnership with The University of Reading Institute of Education, to run a climate change workshop for CLASP on 8 December. 

CLASP is a self-advocacy group for people with learning disabilities in Wokingham Borough. The workshop will raise awareness about climate change and extreme weather events, with an opportunity for CLASP members to create a flood and heatwave resistant eco home model.

Make a planet pledge for COP28

Wokingham Borough Council is asking all residents who live in the borough to make a planet pledge for COP28.  

A planet pledge is a solemn promise an individual chooses and delivers over the course of the year to tackle the climate emergency.

If you’re stuck for ideas, you could pledge to: 

• Shop more responsibly at local stores
• Re-use old textiles for cleaning purposes (cloths)
• Heat the rooms you spend time in, to save on electricity bills 
• Freeze left over food to prevent food waste.

There are lots of great pledges residents have already shared on the Council’s Engage Wokingham Borough platform. 

Submit yours HERE.

Woodley Town Council

We continue to stand by our commitment to climate change and details of our Climate Emergency Action Plan can be found HERE.

Wokingham Borough Council needs your help!

Wokingham Borough Council needs your feedback to help it understand how the places you live supports, or does not support, you in being active and eating well and how different factors affect the decisions you make.

Please fill in its short five-minute survey asking about your eating and activity habits, what has and hasn’t worked for you before and your ideas on what might encourage you to eat healthier and be more active in the future.

All results will be completely confidential and will be used to help shape services on offer in the borough.

Complete the Eat Well, Get Active survey before Sunday 26 November 2023. You can also request a paper copy of the survey by emailing CEM@wokingham.gov.uk or calling (0118) 974 6000.

Please follow the link to complete the survey: Eat Well, Get Active Engage page

Woodley Christmas Carol Concert

Please join our community to watch the Christmas lights switch on in Woodley Town Centre on Saturday 25th November, 4.30pm – 5.30pm. The winners of the Christmas Extravaganza poster competition will turn on the lights with Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel. 

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Woodley Christmas Extravaganza

The Christmas Extravaganza is on Sunday 3rd December, 10am-3pm. There’ll be lots of stalls and entertainment throughout the day.

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Woodley Town Centre Manager

As usual, both events are run by the Town Centre Manager so please contact Brian Fennelly for any further information:

📧 tcm@woodley.gov.uk

📞 07506741591

💻 Woodley Town Centre website

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FREE bus travel & parking

There will be free bus travel within Wokingham Borough on any Saturday between 18 November and 23 December on certain routes and free parking on Sunday 3rd December in Wokingham Borough Council car parks in Woodley for the Extravaganza.

Find out more about which buses and car parks are free.

Wokingham Borough Council installs new vehicle chargers across the borough

Electric vehicle charge points are now available in 18 more locations thanks to a £173,500 contribution from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV).

The Council has installed them in residential streets and car parks – and Flowbird, the supplier, is also helping towards the cost, to ensure there is no net expense to taxpayers.

They work on using Flowbird’s pay-as-you-go smartphone app, which is free and easy to use, and are available around the clock.

Locations

• Wokingham – William Heelas Way, Pigott Road, St Paul’s Gate and Rose Street, Denmark Street and Cockpit Path car parks
• Twyford – Station Road, Polehampton Close (East) permit holders’ car park
• Earley – Westminster Way, Maiden Place, Station Road car park
• Winnersh – Chatsworth Avenue
• Woodley – Wheble Drive, Pitford Road and Headley Road car parks
• Arborfield – Bramshill Close
• Finchampstead – Roycroft Lane
• Wargrave – Braybrooke Road

Wokingham Borough Council is grateful to Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) and Volker Highways for supporting the installation works.

Apply for one on your street

Wokingham Borough Council is applying for more OZEV funding soon, so if you think your street could benefit then let Wokingham Borough Council know.

If you board a bus within Wokingham Borough on any Saturday between 18 November and 23 December, you won’t need to pay

Travel free by bus

If you’re travelling outside the borough, you will need to pay for your return journey, unless a similar scheme is in place in the area where you board.

This will only be on local buses, operated by Reading Buses and Thames Valley Buses and won’t be provided on services such as park and rides or football specials.

Find out more, including the routes HERE.

Free bus travel to Woodley Extravaganza & Wokingham Winter Carnival

Additionally, the Lion 4/X4 will be free on 26 November for the Wokingham Winter Carnival and the Orange 13/14 on 3 December for Woodley Christmas Extravaganza.  

Free parking for Woodley Extravaganza & Wokingham Winter Carnival

Free parking will be available for visitors to Wokingham and Woodley town centres for their festive events to help support local businesses and stallholders, many of whom are charities.

Wokingham Winter Carnival takes place on Sunday 26 November, and on this date all council owned Wokingham town centre car parks will be free to use.

The weekend after, Sunday 3 December, the Woodley Town Christmas Extravaganza takes place and on this date all council owned car parks in Woodley town centre will be free to use.

More information is available HERE, however, please note the ticket machines and RingGo will not be changed on these dates, and you will not need to enter a registration or purchase a ticket. If you do purchase a ticket, regrettably refunds will not be available. Notices will be on display in the car parks on these dates.

For any further information regarding this, please contact Wokingham Borough Council.

Woodley Christmas Carol Concert & Extravaganza

Please join our community to watch the Christmas lights switch on in Woodley Town Centre on Saturday 25th November, 4.30pm – 5.30pm. The winners of the Christmas Extravaganza poster competition will turn on the lights with Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel.

The Christmas Extravaganza is on Sunday 3rd December, 10am-3pm. There’ll be lots of stalls and entertainment throughout the day.

As usual, both events are run by the Town Centre Manager so please contact Brian Fennelly for any further information:

📧 tcm@woodley.gov.uk

☎ 07506741591

💻 Woodley Town Centre website

Thank you for your patience while we made renovations to Malone Park. The works are now completed and the play area is open to use.

Before…

After…

Waste & recycling

We have installed a new waste bin with a general waste and recycling area. These bins will be installed in our other parks in due course.

You can check which parks we manage in Woodley HERE.

We will remember…

Armistice Day 11th November 2023

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Armistice Day and those who laid a wreath.

Our particular thanks go to Pat Jackson, Chairman of the Winnersh and District Royal British Legion, who read the Exhortation to the Fallen and recited the Kohima Epitaph. We also thank him for his help to organise the event. 

Our thanks also go to Rosemary Edgington of the Winnersh and District Royal British Legion Women’s Section and Vice Chairman of The Royal County of Berkshire and the Vale of the White Horse Royal British Legion for her help in organising the event.

Thank you also to Woodley Town Deputy Mayor, Cllr Juliet Anderson, for her moving words, summarising the importance of Armistice Day.

“As we stand here in peace and safety, I would like to thank you for joining Woodley Town Council and the Winnersh and District Royal British Legion to pay our respects and remember all of those who have fallen; all of the wounded; and all who have served in conflicts and wars.

Our thoughts are particularly with those currently in conflict and we hope for peace for all. 

Remembrance Day is the day we all remember the brave who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought and died for our freedom.

As Woodley Town Deputy Mayor, I am honoured to represent the residents of Woodley today to pay our respects and I wear my poppy with pride as a symbol of remembrance and hope for a positive future and peaceful world. Thank you.”

You can watch video footage of the event on our YouTube channel HERE.

Woodley Schools Remembrance event 10th November 2023

All of the Woodley schools took part in a Remembrance event at the War Memorial in Woodford Park on Friday 10th November.

The Exhortation was read by students from Waingels College and The Bulmershe School; the Last Post and Reveille were played by a student from Waingels College.

The Kohima Epitaph was read by a pupil from St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School. 

Proceedings were led by Mr Hickey, Head of Highwood Primary School, and the schools were very pleased to be joined by The Mayor of Woodley, Cllr Janet Sartorel, Pat Jackson, Chairman of Winnersh Royal British Legion and Rosemary Edgington, of the Winnersh and District Royal British Legion Women’s Section and Vice Chairman of The Royal County of Berkshire and the Vale of the White Horse Royal British Legion.

(School photos by Waingels College)

Woodley Memorial Remembrance Sunday 12th November 2023

A separate event was held by the Woodley Memorial Remembrance Sunday Community group at the War Memorial in Woodford Park on Sunday 12th November. The group also decorated the side of the Miles Suite at the Oakwood Centre and one of the trees in Woodford Park with stunning poppy waterfall displays.

We would like to thank everyone for attending the events and paying their respects.

Woodley Town Council has adopted the following statement as its Strategy for Cycling to work towards improving an infrastructure for, and promoting cycling within the area.

“The Town Council’s strategy is to increase the number of cycling journeys in Woodley, both to support our commitment to climate change, and to promote health and wellbeing in the town. We will do this by a programme of communication, collaboration and education in the local community aimed at improving conditions for cyclists, facilitating access to cycles, and encouraging more people to get on bikes. And we’ll provide a forum for experienced, new, and Woodley cyclists to have their say on what’s needed to improve cycling in Woodley.”

More details will be released in due course.

Wokingham Borough Council is updating its Statement of Licensing Policy to reflect changes in legislation and best practice since it was last reviewed.

Have your say on the proposed changes

The Council would like to hear from you whether you agree with some of the changes it has made.

Wokingham Borough Council as the licensing authority must have a Statement of Licensing Policy. All businesses and organisations that undertake licensable activities on a permanent basis must have a premises licence from their local authority. These include:

• Selling alcohol, such as in supermarkets, pubs and bars, cinemas and village and community halls.
• Hot food and drink served between 11pm and 5am
• Regulated entertainment, such as live music, boxing, indoor sporting events and performing a play

The licensing policy will be used as a guide when making decisions about licensing matters, such as reviewing applications for a new premises licence or a variation to an existing licence. 

Click HERE to find out more and take the Survey

Waste collections are changing – get ready for a greener future

Residents are urged to recycle as much as possible as Wokingham Borough Council prepares to change how it collects household waste in summer 2024

Residents are urged to play their part in driving up Wokingham Borough’s recycling rates as the council prepares to change how it collects most people’s domestic waste in August 2024.

These changes offer an opportunity for the borough to become one of the best in the country for recycling while meeting, and hopefully exceeding, the Government’s future targets.

From next summer, most households will be putting their rubbish out in a 180-litre black wheeled bin which will be emptied fortnightly, replacing the current weekly blue bag collections.

The wheeled bins will be rolled out to these properties from May onwards, and enough additional blue bags will be issued to cover the period until collections start.

Recycling will still be collected from green sacks, which are free and with no limits on how many are put out, but this is also changing to fortnightly collections on weeks when rubbish isn’t taken.

The weekly food waste collections and optional fortnightly garden waste collections are unaffected and will continue at the same frequency, and from the same containers.

Stay up to date with the changes

More information about collection dates, including any changes to existing collection days, will be available well in advance and will be widely publicised.

To help residents prepare for the changes, the council has created a detailed online guide. This will be regularly updated as the changes get nearer and more information becomes available.

Not all properties are suitable for wheeled bins, so alternative arrangements will be made in some cases, like flats or properties that don’t have any space to store them. The council is also reviewing the needs of larger households and those that produce medical waste.

Find out more:

https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/news/2023/waste-collections-are-changing-get-ready-greener-future

Woodley Town Council has received the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel appointed to review the allowances paid to councillors of Wokingham Borough’s Parish and Town Councils for 2023/24.

This report has provided recommendations from the parish remuneration panel in relation to allowances.

These recommendations are for an allowance for elected members of up to 5.1% of the Wokingham Borough Council’s Basic Allowance, or £400 per year and an allowance for the Chair of the Council of up to 15.4% of Wokingham Borough Council’s Basic Allowance, or £1200, in addition to the basic members allowance.  

Copies of the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel are available from the Town Council in electronic format or in printed format at a cost of £1 per copy, by request to the Town Clerk:

townclerk@woodley.gov.uk or 0118 9690356