Wokingham Borough Council initiative – Homes for the Future

Wokingham Borough Council has recently delivered its Homes for the Future leaflet to every household in the borough. The leaflet is about the current Local Plan Update (LPU) consultation and is the beginning of a new Local Plan to set out how the borough will grow in the future.

This updated Local Plan will guide where and how growth will take place in the borough in the years up to 2036. The Borough Council is aware it needs to plan for more housing, which is always a complex and controversial subject. It also needs to plan for new employment, schools, roads, parks, shops and community facilities necessary to create places people want to live, work and do business.

One of the key reasons for needing the LPU is that the Government has recently updated the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the supporting guidance. This includes a new, standard approach for calculating the number of homes each local authority must plan for.

What’s the timetable?

The timetable for the Local Plan Update has been reviewed and agreed by the Council’s Executive on 25 October 2018. It is expected that the LPU will be completed (‘adopted’) in Spring 2022. The newly updated Local Development Scheme shows more information on the timetable. Please see: Local Development Scheme WBC

Get involved

The Borough Council is currently consulting on the LPU, and is asking local residents their views on how development should be managed across the borough and where development should take place.

Most residents should have received the Council’s Homes for the Future leaflet. Please see: Homes for the future FINAL

To have your say, please complete the Borough Council’s Survey HERE

Public events

Wokingham Borough Council will be holding a number of events over the next few months. All events run from 19.00-21.00 and are at the following places:

• Winnersh Community Centre, New Road, RG41 5DU – Tuesday 4 December 2018
• Wokingham Without St. Sebastian’s Memorial Hall, Nile Mile Ride, RG40 3BA –Monday 7 January 2019
• Twyford Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road, RG10 9JA – Thursday 10 January 2019
• Wokingham Town Hall, Market Place, RG40 1AS – Wednesday 16 January 2019
• Shinfield Ryeish Green Sports Centre, Hyde End Road, RG7 1EP – Tuesday 22 January 2019
• Arborfield Henry Street Garden Centre, Swallowfield Road, RG2 9JY – Wednesday 30 January 2019
• Earley Trinity Church, Chalfont Close, RG6 5HZ – Wednesday 6 February 2019
• Woodley Oakwood Centre, Headley Road, RG5 4JZ – Tuesday 12 February 2019

To stay up to date, please sign up HERE

Woodley Town Council is very proud of the two new flag poles in Woodford Park by the War Memorial.

Woodley Town Council flag flying high

Woodford Park Woodley, Green Flag flying high

Woodley Town Council Mayor presents Community Grants to recipients

 At the Full Council meeting held on 11 November at the Oakwood Centre, Woodley Town Mayor, Sam Rahmouni, presented community grants to several charities and individuals.

The community grant recipients included seven community organisations and two individuals.

• Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre received a grant to help fund a range of treatments.
• Home-Start Wokingham District received a grant to help towards the cost of running a 10-week training course for at least 12 new volunteers.
• Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice received a grant towards the cost of providing palliative care either at the hospice or at the patient’s home.
• Wokingham Job Support Centre received a grant towards the cost of providing internet access, training and support on how to find and apply for jobs.
• Wokingham Volunteer Centre received a grant for its ‘Green n’ Tidy’ gardening service, which tends the gardens of 26 vulnerable elderly Woodley residents, as well as finding volunteers for several local charities.
• Woodley Adopt A Street Project (WASP) received a grant to purchase equipment for the volunteers to use.
• Woodley and North Earley Community Forum received a grant towards the cost of producing and distributing information leaflets, particularly aimed at local vulnerable and elderly residents.

The individual grants were awarded to two Woodley-based young gymnasts.

• William Cowen, a gymnast in the GB Tumbling Squad, received a grant to help purchase a GB kit and fund travel and accommodation costs for the World Championships in Russia.
• Rosie Cowen, tumbling gymnast, received a grant to help the cost of attending regional training through the year and the cost of squad kit.

(L-R TOP): vice-chair Mike Evans and chair, Mary Bather, of Woodley and North Earley Community Forum, Shelagh Flower from WASP and Emma Roberts from Home-Start (L-R BOTTOM): Rosie Cowen, Steven Polak from Wokingham Job Centre, Woodley Town Mayor, Sam Rahmouni, Laura Kell from Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice and William Cowen

Photos and coverage of Woodley’s 22nd Christmas Extravaganza from The Wokingham Paper.

The play area on the Memorial Ground (to the rear of the Oakwood Centre) was closed during the weekend of 1-3 December, while essential repairs and replacement of steps and panels was being carried out.

It is now re-open, while the play area near the leisure centre is also open as usual.

Footage from the day

Woodley Town Council is delighted to present footage of the Centenary Memorial on 11th November 2018.

Please follow this LINK to view it.

Photos from the day

Our official photographer, Nick Martin, has a link to download free copies of the photos of the day. Please follow this LINK to access the photos.

For photos and coverage of Woodley Town’s Christmas Lights Switch-on from The Wokingham Paper

Update on the public toilet in Woodley Town Centre

Woodley Town Council is aware of the delay installing the public toilet in Woodley town centre and apologises for the delay.

A highways application for the works to install the public toilet has been sent to Wokingham Borough Council. Once the Borough Council agrees a date and time when the work can be carried out, a Temporary Traffic Order/Road Closure will be submitted.

Following the installation of the public toilet, electricity, water and sewer connections will be arranged for a mutually agreeable date.

All dates and progress will be listed on the Town Council website: www.woodley.gov.uk and its social media pages @WoodleyCouncil (Facebook & Twitter)

Woodley and north Earley Community Forum

Meetings and Minutes

The minutes of the last meeting of the Woodley and North Earley Community Forum, whose remit is to work with the police to identify and address issues in the area, are available HERE.

The next meetings of the forum will be held on Wednesday 5 December 2018 and Wednesday 6 February 2019 at 19.30 at the Oakwood Centre, Headley Road.

All local residents are very welcome to attend.

Further information can also be found on the Forum’s website.