In line with UK government guidance regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, all Wokingham Borough Council and Woodley Town Council owned play areas are now closed.
Gates have been secured and signage erected. Please observe the Government instruction NOT to use these play areas.
We appreciate your support with this matter and encourage our residents to stay home and stay safe, following the UK Government guidelines.
re3 Recycling Centres in Bracknell and Reading are now closed following new guidelines of strict restrictions on movement and to help reduce the Covid-19 spread.
Statement from the facilities:
This decision has not been taken lightly but we must now all play our part and stay home to save lives and protect the vulnerable, elderly and the NHS.
Please maximise your kerbside collections and hold on to any inert waste you may have. We’ll be reviewing this decision after the initial three-week period of lockdown.
We are grateful for your understanding and please keep follow us for any further updates, check the updates via re3cyclopedia app or on the website www.re3.org.uk
“We are living in the shadow of Covid-19, an unprecedented international, national and local emergency.
Already many people are suffering from Coronavirus and people have died across the country. Tragically, this will increase significantly over the coming weeks. We must face that reality without self-deception: this is the greatest challenge the country has faced since the Second World War.
However, it is a challenge for which we have prepared. We have well established emergency plans in place with our Public Health colleagues. Our technology is robust; our staff are resilient and determined to provide the services people rely on. We are meeting daily to oversee response and are working closely with our partners and providers.
Our response will be defined by kindness, professionalism and robustness. It will be focussed on those who most need our support and on providing the essential services that nobody else can offer. We are fortunate in Wokingham Borough that we have communities that will, with our support, take care of each other and it has been inspiring (although I would say not surprising) to see how people have rallied to support neighbours and to join community and voluntary sector groups to help.
The situation is moving quickly but the two constants we have kept are to follow expert advice and to fulfil the duty of care we have to all in our communities.
Our statutory duties are wide-ranging, from the children we look after as a corporate parent, to older people in care homes, and from maintaining safe highways to collecting your waste and recycling. My commitment is that, while the way we fulfil these duties will change in the months ahead, and we may have to reduce some in order to prioritise others, we will always be here for those most in need and will continue to serve you with all our endeavours.
So, today, I am setting out our eight-point pledge to residents:
1. We will deliver our statutory health responsibilities for all: With our partners, we will do all we can within our joint resources to protect the health and wellbeing of everybody living and working in the borough.
2. We will target our efforts on those who are at greater risk from coronavirus: By careful planning and through redeploying resources when necessary, we will support high risk groups (such as the elderly, those with pre-existing long term conditions and pregnant women). This will include working with our local hospitals to support transfers of care, by supporting providers of social care, and ensuring other vulnerable groups are assisted through our social care services.
3. We will be there for other key vulnerable groups to reduce inequalities: Self-isolation and the inevitable disruption to lives that Coronavirus is bringing will lead to an increase in safeguarding and vulnerability issues. We are aware of those at risk (including the homeless, those who use food banks, those at risk of domestic abuse and those with existing multiple and complex needs) and are working closely with providers and voluntary organisations to be vigilant and mitigate the threats.
4. We will co-ordinate the community’s response: Our people are strong, compassionate and keen to help and our hundreds of voluntary groups are committed to supporting all communities.What they need is coordination, which is what we can provide. We are bringing together our community organisation partners to offer a joined up way for people to volunteer and a single point of contact for those who need help. Our teams will continue to work in communities, in partnership with the police, other providers and the voluntary sector to maintain community safety.
5. We will support our businesses: This pandemic will hit our economy just as it will all those around the globe. We await details of the Government’s financial support package but welcome its unprecedented scope and will play our role in administrating and communicating to businesses. Furthermore we will consider what measures can be put in place for those who are clearly struggling. We will work with business groups, our business tenants and the Local Enterprise Partnership on the best way to shield them from the shock waves Coronavirus is spreading.
6. We will care for our staff and continue to serve the community: We are implementing carefully made plans to deliver home working across all services thanks to our robust IT systems. Services will be delivered differently and some will be reduced in order to prioritise. But the council is here for you.
7. Capture financial and organisational impact: Wewillcollate financial impact of additional burdens and loss of income for services to reduce organisational risk, and the impact of decisions taken by other organisations such as transport providers.
8. We will keep you informed: We have a comprehensive and regularly updated webpage www.wokingham.gov.uk/coronavirus and will use social media and other channels to issue very regular updates on this plan and our delivery of it.
In practice, all this will mean difficult decisions. We have already taken some, such as the decision to postpone those public council meetings that cannot go ahead in alternative formats until suitable arrangements can be made. We are seeking technological solutions as swiftly as possible because democracy must continue.
I know there will be people struggling at this time – either with the strain of self-isolation or illness, or through the financial problems it is creating. Please do not suffer in silence: we have worked with the voluntary sector to create a single point of contact for all those in need of community support. This is through the CAB and can be reached on 0300 330 1189 (if prompted enter 0118 978 7258) or by emailing admin@citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk .
I would like to end with a note of optimism, a vital commodity even in these difficult times. We have had an unprecedented response from people wanting to volunteer. The most basic thing we can do is to look after each other – if there are people self-isolating or vulnerable groups living near you, put a note through their door to offer help. Or, if you are fit and well and have any time to spare, please contact one of our community and voluntary sector groups that we are working with to provide support.
If you want to help but don’t know where to go, contact the Wokingham Volunteer Centre at www.volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk”.
In response to the latest UK government advice regarding Coronavirus, the Woodley Town Centre Manager,Brian Fennelly has issued a statement:
“Woodley Town Centre Management has been actively reviewing all their planned events. As a result we have cancelled a number of events including the Classic Car Show. The VE 75th anniversary and the Children’s Fun Day.
After carefully considering the Government advice on social distancing and in view of the fact that the Car Boot Sale normally attracts a relatively small number of people I decided to let the Car Boot Sale go ahead.
However, with the situation changing daily I have now taken the decision to cancel all future Car Boot Sales until further notice.”
To stay up to date with the Town Centre, please click HERE.
Vacancies for lay members of the Joint Independent Audit Committee
Do you want to help scrutinise the way your policing finances operate? Could you offer a strong and independent voice on corporate governance affairs?
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley and the Chief Constable are looking for citizens with a good understanding and experience of public sector legislation and guidance, who are politically neutral, to sit as independent members of the Joint Independent Audit Committee.
The Committee will review and scrutinise the affairs of both organisations, looking at issues such as risk management, internal control, change programmes and corporate governance as well as overseeing audit arrangements and reviewing financial statements.
Two members have already been appointed and we are now looking to appoint a further three. The appointments will be for a four-year period to July 2024.
Candidates are required to be over the age of 18, live or work in the Thames Valley area and be able to attend meetings at Police Headquarters, Kidlington during the working day. The volunteers will be subject to a police vetting check. Serving police officers or police staff are not eligible for this role.
The successful applicants will receive training and a daily allowance including expenses for travelling to Police Headquarters. The current schedule is based on five meetings each year.
The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 2nd March 2020.
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 24th March.
To find out more about the role of committee members, including the Committee’s operating principles, role description, and individual member competencies, personal skills and qualities please see the candidate pack, application form and diversity monitoring form.
For more information, please contact Ian Thompson (CFO) on 01865 541959 or Paul Hammond (Chief Executive) on 01865 541960
The funds, which follow on the back of the council’s new strategy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, will allow the council to set up a street outreach programme to provide support for rough sleepers in the borough.
The new programme will provide a holistic first line of support to rough sleepers, with outreach workers on the streets to identify rough sleepers and provide them with accommodation where appropriate, signposting access to health professionals, benefits advisors and any necessary drug/alcohol dependency support. The outreach workers will provide links to the next level of support.
The council will commission a voluntary sector partner with expertise in tackling rough sleeping to partner on this project. The new service will build on the excellent work already being carried out by voluntary sector partners and other organisations in the borough.
The council identified ten rough sleepers in the borough in November 2019 as part of an annual estimate and understands there may be more.
Further support for rough sleepers in the borough is the pilot of a night shelter, running in January and February 2020. The shelter, being run by Pilgrim Hearts, is accessed through the council’s housing team and other organisations (contact information below) and is located at a number of churches across Wokingham town.
“Having a home should be a basic human right. That’s why we at the council prioritise so highly tackling homelessness and ending rough sleeping.” said John Kaiser, executive member for finance and housing. “Homelessness can have long term consequences for those affected. As a result, reducing homelessness and rough sleeping is a key priority for the council.
“Receiving this award is excellent news! It will help fund our new rough sleeping initiative for a full year and we will have the opportunity to apply again for next year.
“The impacts of homelessness can be devastating for individuals and families. Homelessness can affect everything — health, education and employment. This programme is another step towards ending rough sleeping and homelessness in Wokingham borough.”
For information on how to get advice if you or someone you know is or may become homeless, visit our website at www.wokingham.gov.uk and search ‘homelessness’.
To contact the council for help on homelessness, phone 0118 974 6000 during office hours or 01344 786 543 after hours, via email at housing.needs@wokingham.gov.uk or by visiting the council offices at Shute End, Wokingham.
If you are aware of someone sleeping rough in the borough, let the council know by sending an alert to StreetLink. The details you provide will be sent to the council, who will use the information to find the individual, offer them support, and explore ways to find them accommodation.
© Woodley Town Council 2024
