Wokingham Borough Council has announced its office opening hours for the Christmas and New Year period

The general out-of-hours telephone number for emergencies during the holiday period is (0800) 212 111. Social services emergencies out-of-hours telephone number is (01344) 786 543.

The telephone number for reporting out-of-hours repairs to council properties is (0800) 515 287 for general repairs and (0800) 389 8789 for heating repairs and gas servicing. The calls will be managed by the council’s out-of-hours call centre and passed to the appropriate contractor.

The community mental health team based at The Old Forge in Wokingham will be open as listed above, and out-of-hours the mental health urgent care service will be available on (0300) 365 9999.

Libraries

All Wokingham Borough Libraries will be closed on Wednesday 25 December, Thursday 26 December and Wednesday 1 January.

On Tuesday 24 December and Tuesday 31 December, Wokingham Library and Lower Earley Library will be open 09.30-15.00, Woodley Library will be open 09.00-15.00, while Twyford library will be open 10.00-13.00. Other libraries in the borough will be closed on both dates.

Finchampstead Library will be closed from Tuesday 24 December to Wednesday 1 January inclusive. During the rest of the festive period all other libraries will be open normal branch hours, details are available online at www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries.

For more information on each instance of roadworks, please click the link in the road name or contact the responsible organisation.

A4 London Road, Earley, Wokingham

17 December — 19 December 

Delays possible – Some carriageway incursion

Works location: 394, LONDON ROAD, EARLEY, READING, RG6 1BA

Works description: B Box Exchange <33mm Fway in Footway.

Responsibility for works: THAMES WATER

Shackleton Way, Woodley, Wokingham

17 December — 19 December

Delays unlikely – Some carriageway incursion 

Works location: O/S 23

Works description: RECTIFY DEFECTEX

Responsibility for works: Scottish and Southern Power Distribution

Update from Wokingham:

The below works have been postponed due to weather conditions, further updates to come in due course.

“A road closure will be in place the Loddon Bridge interchange, Winnersh, southbound, Wharfedale Road and the Showcase roundabout, 16-20 Dec, 8pm-6am, to allow resurfacing work to take place.”

PIC BY STEWART TURKINGTON
www.stphotos.co.uk

More than 100 tonnes of food waste is now being recycled by residents of Wokingham Borough each week

Eight months on from the launch of the landmark scheme 3,343 tonnes of food waste have been collected and processed into energy or reused in other ways, the equivalent of 30 blue whales, the heaviest animal on earth.

The collections were introduced in April to help Wokingham Borough Council reach its statutory 50% recycling target by 2020.

Based on current patterns the Council looks set to achieve a seven% increase in its recycling rate compared to April 2019, helping it towards its goal.

Once food waste is collected it is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant, which captures the methane created by the waste to produce energy and fertiliser.

Almost all food waste can go into the caddies for collection including all cooked and uncooked food, tea bags and coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, cooking oil in a sealed plastic bottle and pet food.

The introduction of food waste recycling has had wider-reaching effects, with recycling of paper, plastic and appropriate metals increasing by more than 731 tonnes compared to the same period last year.

Weekly collections of food waste, blue bag and black box recycling take place across the borough thanks to bespoke vehicles the Council’s contractor Veolia uses to collect all three at the same time.

Both the Council and recycling incentive scheme GreenRedeem helped launch the programme by running targeted campaigns and activities to help get the service running smoothly.

“We would like to thank all our residents who have taken to food waste recycling with real enthusiasm and are helping us towards our recycling target,” said Parry Batth, executive member for environment.

“The public are doing their bit to ensure their waste stops going to landfill and instead is being utilised as renewable energy for homes and natural fertiliser for agriculture.

“The festive period is a prime opportunity to make the most of our food waste recycling service with many people enjoying bountiful meals with their families, so make sure bones, peelings and other food waste goes into the right bin and is recycled.”

Residents are able to collect more food waste bags, free of charge, from Woodley Town Council offices, the main Borough Council offices at Shute End or from libraries across the borough.

For more information on the service, or to get a caddy if you do not have one, visit www.wokingham.gov.uk and search ‘food waste collections’.

At the Full Council Meeting held at the Oakwood Centre on Tuesday 10 December, nine organisations benefitted from community grants awarded by Woodley Town Council, while five individuals were also awarded grants

Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder presented Community Grants to the following organisations:

Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre – £250 towards the cost of providing a range of treatments and therapies.

Kick Twist Cheerleading – £200 to purchase additional safety mats.

The Link Visiting Scheme – £250 towards the transport costs of visiting Woodley members in their homes and running community activities. The grant was collected by Marguerite Risby.

Ward and Wickham Ensemble – £200 towards the cost of providing free weekly performing arts classes for Woodley children. The grant was collected by Georgia Ward and Leoni Wickham.

Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association – £100 towards the cost of replacing IT and audio visual equipment. The grant was collected by Linda Martin.

Wokingham Job Support Centre – £200 towards the cost of providing internet access, training and support for job seekers. The grant was collected by Steven Polak.

Wokingham Volunteer Centre – £250 towards the cost of providing the ‘Green n Tidy’ gardening service and finding volunteers for many charities in Woodley. The grant was collected by Geraldine Durrant and Graham Powell.

Woodley Adopt a Street Project (WASP) – £200 to purchase additional equipment for the volunteers to use. The award was collected by Shelagh Flower.

Woodley Photographic Club – £200 towards the cost of a new, larger projector screen. The grant was collected by Mary Nash.

Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder also presented Community Grants to the following individuals:

William Cowen (Gymnastics – GB Tumbling Squad) – £100 towards the cost of GB kit, travel and accommodation for the World Championships in Tokyo. William’s father, Tim Cowen, collected his grant on his behalf as William was travelling back from Tokyo where he was awarded Gold, becoming World Champion in the 15-16 age group for Gymnastics: Tumbling.

Chelsea Allong (Kick Twist Cheerleading) – £100 towards the cost of travel and accommodation for the European Cheerleading Championships in Paris.

Amber Burman (Kick Twist Cheerleading) – £100 towards the cost of travel and accommodation for the European Cheerleading Championships in Paris.

Ellena Burman (Kick Twist Cheerleading) – £100 towards the cost of travel and accommodation for the European Cheerleading Championships in Paris.

Summer Close (Kick Twist Cheerleading) – £100 towards the cost of travel and accommodation for the European Cheerleading Championships in Paris.

Woodley Community Grant recipients Back Row L-R: Tim Cowen, Graham Powell, Steven Polak Middle Row L-R: Geraldine Durrant, Amber Burman, Ellena Burman, Chelsea Allong, Summer Close, Shelagh Flower, Marguerite Risby Front Row (seated) L-R: Georgia Ward, Linda Martin, Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder, Mary Nash, Leoni Wickham  

William Cowen with his Gold Medal at the 2019 Trampoline, Tumbling & DMT World Age Group Championships in Tokyo

Wokingham Borough residents can now choose to receive their Council Tax bills and/or benefit notifications online, instead of in the post

“Save time, do it online on your mobile, tablet or computer,” said Sarah Hollamby, the council’s director of locality and customer services. “You have instant access to your Council Tax details and can do a host of things 24/7 at a time that suits you. Online means you can action things instantaneously, do less damage to the environment because less paper is involved, and it gives you greater control on how you manage your financial affairs.”

Residents with an online Council Tax ‘My Account’ can:

• Switch to paperless billing
• Check their balance, see due instalments and payments received
• View bills online and print them if they wish
• Access issued reminders, final notices and summons
• See Council Tax Reduction claim information
• Update their personal details
• Tell us they are moving
• Set up a direct debit
• Apply for discounts and exemptions
• If they are a landlord, tell us about tenancy changes
• Search their Council Tax band
• Make a payment.

To sign up for an account, or opt-in to paperless e-billing for those already with an account, visit: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-payments/access-my-account/

Residents already receiving Housing Benefit/Council Tax reduction can:

• View their Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction notifications as soon as they are available and keep a copy on file
• Still have the choice to download and print their notifications
• Redistribute copies of their notifications quickly and electronically
• Avoid notifications being delayed in the post.

To sign up to receive e-notifications please visitwww.wokingham.gov.uk/benefits/housing-benefit/paperless-housing-benefit-and-council-tax-reduction-notifications/ and follow the instructions on how to register.

For more information on each instance of roadworks, please click the link in the road name or contact the responsible organisation.

Hilltop Road, Earley, Wokingham

13 December — 14 December 

Delays likely – Road closure 

Works location: LONDON ROAD ROAD TO SPUR 

Works description: Plane and resurfacing works to carriageway

Responsibility for works: Wokingham Borough Council

Loddon Bridge Road, Woodley, Wokingham

16 December — 20 December

Delays likely – Road closure

Works location: from the bridge to Colemans more Road

Works description: Maintenance – drainage works and bridge safety inspections

Responsibility for works: Wokingham

Miles Way, Woodley, Wokingham

13 December — 20 December 

Delays likely – Traffic control (multi-way signals) 

Works location: OPP JCN HAWKER WAY TO R/O 55 MITCHELL WAY, MILES WAY 

Works description: Install 195m of 1 way poly duct in Verge, Access existing infrastructure

Responsibility for works: Openreach

Nightingale Road, Woodley, Wokingham

13 December — 17 December 

Delays possible – Some carriageway incursion

Works location: 84

Works description: Serv Pipe Relay Inc Fitting Sz P Fway in Footway. 

Responsibility for works: THAMES WATER

Whitegates Lane, Earley, Wokingham

13 December — 17 December

Delays possible – Some carriageway incursion 

Works location: 8

Works description: CUSTOMER SIDE LEAKAGE SUPPLY PIPE REPLACEMEN–WORKS INTENDED TO INCLUDE FIRST TIME PERMANENT REINSTATEMENT WITHIN SAME PHASE 

Responsibility for works: THAMES WATER

Arundel Road, Woodley, Wokingham

16 December — 18 December

Delays unlikely – Traffic control (give & take)

Works location: os 73

Works description: Installation of a new dropped crossing 

Responsibility for works: Wokingham

Duncan Road, Woodley, Wokingham

11 December — 19 December

Delays unlikely – Some carriageway incursion 

Works location: O/S NO 27

Works description: TO EXCAVATE JOINTHOLE IN FOOTWAY LAY 1PHASE SERVICE

Responsibility for works: Scottish and Southern Power Distribution

Selsdon Avenue, Woodley, Wokingham

16 December — 23 December

Delays unlikely – Traffic control (give & take)

Works location: OPP NO 43 

Works description: SGN TO LAY NEW SERVICE FROM F.S F/W TO CONTINUE FURTHER INTO THE PRIVATE.

Responsibility for works: SGN

Update from Wokingham:

“A road closure will be in place the Loddon Bridge interchange, Winnersh, southbound, Wharfedale Road and the Showcase roundabout, 16-20 Dec, 8pm-6am, to allow resurfacing work to take place.”

Volunteering opportunities with Wokingham Borough Libraries

Volunteers help deliver storytimes, rhymetimes and children’s activities in libraries. 

We are recruiting Storytime and Rhymetime, Lego Club and Creative Writing volunteers at the following libraries:

• Wokingham Library
• Woodley Library
• Lower Earley Library
• Finchampstead Library
• Winnersh Library
• Twyford Library

For more details and to apply contact, the volunteer service co-ordinator by e-mail: volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk or call on 0118 974 6263

Wokingham Borough Council is now offering appointments to assist residents who require additional help applying for UK immigration status through the EU Settlement Scheme.

EU citizens and their family members living in the UK need to apply to retain their right to live here, work here and access public services such as healthcare, education and benefits. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, it is important residents apply if they wish to continue living here after 31 December 2020.

The majority of applicants should be able to use the EU Exit: ID Document app to complete the ID verification stage of the EU Settlement Scheme application using their smart phone, without any further assistance.

Individuals who might require extra support, or who don’t have access to a smart phone, may wish to book a one-to-one appointment at the Borough Council’s Register office. Appointments are being offered Tuesday to Thursday each week, between 10am to midday and cost £14 per applicant.

Customers can make an appointment by calling 0118 974 6000 and selecting option 3, and then 3 again to speak to someone in the Registers office.

EU Citizens attending an appointment will be required to bring a valid passport, whilst non-EU citizens are asked to bring their UK-issued biometric resident card. This service does not accept national identity cards.

Once applications have been reviewed, EU citizens will be granted either ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status. Which status they get depends on how long they’ve been living in the UK when they apply.