As of Wednesday 19 January, the government no longer asked people to work from home.

As of today, 27 January, the lifting of Plan B means:

• mandatory COVID-19 certification will end, but venues may choose to use the NHS COVID Pass voluntarily;
• face coverings will not be required by law in indoor venues;
• local directors of public health are still able to recommend face coverings in communal areas only in education settings within their area, but only where the department and public health experts judge the measures to be proportionate – this is a temporary measure;
• infection prevention control guidance continues to require face coverings be worn in health and care settings, including primary care and pharmacies;
• it is suggested that people wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces where they might come into contact with people they do not normally meet; and
• it is still a legal requirement for those with COVID-19 to self-isolate for 10 days with the option to end self-isolation after 5 full days following two negative LFD tests.

For more information, please visit the UK Government website.

Please note that we will continue to encourage visitors to wear a mask if they can. Thank you.

Wokingham Borough Active Travel Fund – Woodley to Reading Active Travel Route

Wokingham Borough Council is working to improve the cycle and walking connection between Woodley town centre and Reading borough boundary at Palmer Park. 

The Council has launched a consultation to help them make the decision about whether to progress the project. An independent executive member decision (IEMD) earlier agreed the Council should continue work on the project to develop the detailed designs. 

The scheme includes local measures that prioritise active travel and provide facilities that are safe, attractive and inclusive for all. ​The Council’s aim is to provide a transport system that connects people and places and supports a sustainable, inclusive and carbon neutral Borough.

The second public consultation begins today on 24 January 2022 and close on Monday 21 February 2022.

Please click HERE for more information and to participate in the consultation.

Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr Kay Gilder, was delighted to open a new supermarket in Woodley town centre yesterday. 

HK Superstore, managed by Suyashi Prrasad and owned by Harbal Singh and Kashif Asghar, has a huge range of fresh and exotic produce, such as miniature pineapples, okra and a large selection of fresh chillies. Not to mention an extensive range of spices, meats, sweets and many other traditional Indian foods. 

Cllr Gilder was given an extensive tour of the shop, as well as information on how some of the ingredients are used in traditional Indian cooking across different regions. 

“It was fascinating to see so many different fruits and vegetables, many of which I have never seen before. The staff were so helpful and told us about the different regions across India and how the ingredients were used in different ways. 

“It’s wonderful to welcome a new shop to the precinct and bring more variety to our wonderful town,” commented Cllr Gilder. 

Let’s Talk Climate

Wokingham Borough Council is launching its Let’s Talk Climate project, inviting interested parties across the area to take part in peer groups and e-panels on climate change.

Let’s Talk Climate is a community deliberative process, bringing together groups of people and presenting evidence and ideas on climate change, which are then discussed by the group and a consensus reached. 

Peer groups will take place from February, led by experienced facilitators, to discuss the council’s climate emergency action plan and come up with new ways to reduce the borough’s carbon footprint.

How to get involved

Expressions of interest to join a peer group open on 6 January, and interested people can find out more and sign up via Engage Wokingham Borough. Sign up now and as a thank you for your time, the Council will enter you in a draw for a voucher.

Once the recommendations have been reviewed, in May e-panels will take place where a wider number of community members can discuss the recommendations and share further thoughts and ideas. Information on how to join these will be released nearer the time.

Councillor Gregory Murray, executive member for resident services, communications and emissions, said: “Let’s Talk Climate is the next stage in developing our climate emergency action plan, ensuring that people with an interest in the borough, through work, school, home or other interest, are able to have their say on our plans. 

“We want to hear from lots of different voices, whether you are already engaged in climate emergency or not yet sure. It’s important for us to understand the thoughts and feelings of a cross-section of community members across the borough.” 

New ‘Destination’ play area for Woodford Park coming in 2022

Woodley Town Council is delighted to announce the long awaited ‘destination’ play area project for Woodford Park, which will be delivered in 2022. 

Following a successful public consultation with over 700 responses, Proludic were selected from seven tendering contractors to deliver this exciting project. 

Multiple facilities

The new play area will replace the old one to the rear of the Oakwood Centre. It has been designed specifically with ‘inclusivity’ in mind, and will offer a stimulating, exciting play experience for children of all abilities. 

It will include a double cableway, a sensory area, a wheelchair accessible play mound, an agility trail, a 7m tall canopy trail, seven types of swings and much more. Please see the artist’s impression of the design for more information. 

This first class play area is being funded from £200,000 developers’ contributions via Wokingham Borough Council, with £57,000 additional funding from Woodley Town Council. 

We’ll be updating you soon with a date for the work to start and of course, the grand opening date.

Old park closing 10th January

The old, existing play area will be closed from today, 10^th January, in preparation for removal of the old equipment, fencing and tarmac. The play area near the leisure centre will remain open.

Watch this space for more information… 

Update: new Covid-19 testing rules 

From 11 January, asymptomatic people who test positive on a lateral flow test (LFT) will no longer need to confirm this result by taking an additional PCR test.

If you receive a positive lateral flow test you are advised to report the result on the Gov.uk website. 

www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result

And remember you’ll need to self-isolate for 10 days (unless you have no symptoms and test negative on your day 6 and 7 LFTs).

It’s that time of year again when we want to honour and celebrate the unsung heroes of Woodley.

Last year’s Citizens’ Awards were cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but we are hoping once again to be able to host our annual Citizens’ Awards to honour the unsung heroes who significantly support our community.

There are many people whose care and support work goes unrecognised, and we want to make sure they get the recognition they deserve for supporting our community.

Nominate your local hero

If you know someone, young or old, who you feel is deserving of recognition, we want you to let us know. 

Perhaps you know someone involved in caring for children, the elderly, sick or disabled; or someone who went above and beyond in supporting others during the Covid 19 pandemic, when the people of Woodley particularly pulled together to support each other.

Nominations are open until Friday 21st January 2022 and a ceremony will take place on Friday 1st April (subject to Covid 19 regulations).

 Further information on who can be nominated and how, including the relevant forms to download, can be found on our website or forms can be collected from our offices at the Oakwood Centre. 

Please contact Matthew Filmore for more information: Matthew.filmore@woodley.gov.uk.

Self-isolation for COVID-19 cases reduced from 10 to 7 days following negative LFD tests

From today, new guidance enables the 10-day self-isolation period for people who have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) to be reduced to 7 days, in most cases.

People who receive negative LFD results on day 6 and day 7 of their self-isolation period – with tests taken 24 hours apart – will no longer have to self-isolate for the full 10 days. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period.

Those who leave self-isolation on or after day 7 are strongly advised to limit close contact with other people in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home and minimise contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID- 19.

There is no change to the guidance for unvaccinated contacts of positive COVID-19 cases, who are still required to self-isolate for 10 full days after their date of exposure to the virus.

For more information please click HERE.

Out of hours help and opening hours

During the festive break Wokingham Borough Council’s main Shute End offices will be closed on bank holidays and operating reduced hours on some other days:

• Friday 24 December – 9am to 3pm 
• Saturday 25 December (Christmas Day) – Closed
• Sunday 26 December  (Boxing Day) – Closed
• Monday 27 December (Bank holiday – Christmas Day substitute day) – Closed
• Tuesday 28 December (Bank Holiday – Boxing Day substitute day) – Closed
• Wednesday 29 December – Normal opening hours  (9am to 5pm)
• Thursday 30 December – Normal opening hours (9am to 5pm)
• Friday 31 December (New Year’s Eve)- 9am to 3pm
• Saturday 1 January 2022 (New Year’s Day) – Closed
• Sunday 2 January 2022 – Closed
• Monday 3 January 2022 (Bank holiday – New Year’s Day substitute day) – Closed
• Tuesday 4 January 2022 – Normal opening hours (9am to 5pm)

If you need Wokingham Borough Council outside these times, please use these emergency out of hours numbers for certain matters.

• Emergency out of hours – 0800 212 111
• Social services emergencies out of hours – 01344 351999
• Council properties, out of ours repairs (general repairs) – 0800 515287
• Council properties, heating repairs and gas repairs – 0800 3898789
• Community mental health crisis team – 0300 365 9999

Library opening times

All Wokingham Borough Libraries will be closed on 25 December to 28th December and 1 January to 3 January 2022.

On Friday 24 December and Friday 31 December, there will be early closure of 1pm at Twyford Library and early closure of 3pm at Wokingham, Lower Earley, Winnersh and Woodley Libraries. Wargrave Library will be closed on both dates.

Finchampstead Library will be closed from 1pm on 24 December to 3 January inclusive.

Read the Council’s find a library webpage for more details on when your nearest one is open.

Have your say on bus services

Bus routes in Wokingham town could be extended to serve new housing under a proposal that is part of a review of bus routes across Wokingham borough.

Wokingham Borough Council subsidises most of the services it is reviewing. The Council is now seeking resident’s views on the proposed new bus routes, along with changes to some existing services, because existing contracts end in May so new ones must be drawn up soon.

The survey, launched last week, reviews the existing bus service across the borough to look at what is currently working for residents and what might need changing. The Council is already proposing several changes to better serve residents.

Proposed changes

The council suggests extending a circular section of Thames Valley Buses’ 121 route, which covers the Norreys estate off London Road, to serve new homes off Diamond Jubilee Way and Oak Drive.

A new route, bus 126 is proposed that could be funded by companies building new homes in the council’s North Wokingham major development. The new route 126 would form a loop serving the Norreys estate via Binfield Road. This would return to the town centre via Toutley Road, Matthewgreen Road, Milton Road, Holt Lane and Reading Road, stopping at both The Emmbrook School and The Holt School on the way.

The existing 122/123 routes from the town centre to Woosehill, extending to Emmbrook in the off-peak, would be unchanged, as would the 128/129 route from Reading to Wokingham town via Twyford. However, the latter’s Saturday service between Twyford and Maidenhead could be reviewed.

Minor changes are proposed to the 125/A/B routes to ensure consistency while the 124, an off-peak service covering London Road and Easthampstead Road, could be withdrawn as it has only one or two passengers daily and might be better served by voluntary groups.

Reading Buses’ Leopard services 3, 8 and 9 from Reading to Shinfield, Arborfield, Finchampstead and Wokingham would be mostly unchanged, although it might be possible to run buses between Arborfield and Wokingham twice per hour instead of hourly.

Again, this could be funded by housebuilders working in the council’s major development at the former Arborfield Garrison.  Routes 8 & 9 may also be changed with funding available from the Shinfield and Spencers Wood developments.

The consultation is open until 16 January and residents can respond via the Engage Wokingham Borough platform. For anyone needing help with the survey, please contact Wokingham Borough Council by calling 0118 974 6000 or emailing myjourney@wokingham.gov.uk.