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LOCAL
NEWS - Jan 2008
BERKSHIRE-WIDE
South East Employers Encouraged to Enter Apprenticeship Awards 2008
Employers from across the South East region are being encouraged to enter the apprenticeship awards 2008 run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The awards seek to highlight and congratulate the work of apprentices who have improved themselves and their organisation’s performance as well as employers for trying to combat skills shortages. Employers of all sizes can enter the regional awards which will be held on May 22nd 2008 at Ascot Racecourse. The regional winners will then be considered for a place at the national awards which will take place on July 10th. Entries must be in by February 29th 2008. For more information, call 0800 954 8896 or visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/awards.
Source: Kent Messenger, 3rd Jan 2008
Over Half of South East Residents in Post-Christmas Debt
A survey of 5,000 visitors to the Jobcentre Plus website in November and December reveals that 52% of South East residents will struggle to pay their bills after Christmas.
Bob King, Chief Executive of West Berkshire Citizen’s Advice Bureau said: “Last year we handled £4.4million worth of debt with clients asking for help. I anticipate this year it will be higher than that. Every January sees an increase in the percentage of clients that we see that have debt problems. I do not anticipate that this January will be any different."
There is a JobCentre Plus helpline for people who are worried about money: 0800 012 16562.
Source: Newbury Today website, 9th January 2007
Berkshire Connexions Gains Matrix Quality Standard Award
Connexions Berkshire has been accredited with the Matrix Quality standard for providing information, advice and guidance to young people in Berkshire. Having gained the accreditation, Connexions Berkshire can use the matrix quality mark on its literature. The organisation is based in six centres and schools and colleges across Berkshire.
Source: Windsor and Slough Observer, 27th December 2007
Heathrow’s Third Runway Scheme Sparks Controversy
In response to objections being raised to the proposed new third runway at Heathrow, the Chief Executive of British Airways, Willie Walsh, believes that if the airport does not grow BA may need to base themselves in another country. He believes that other European and Middle Eastern airports will overtake Heathrow unless it is allowed to expand. He also thinks that the airport expansion will bring job opportunities to the region.
He said: "Heathrow has already brought tens of thousands of jobs to this region through overseas investment. An expanded Heathrow would bring many more as international companies look to locate near a global gateway. I want to see those jobs go to local people. Councils near Heathrow should promote their development sites to attract inward investors while ensuring that young people have the skills the new employers want.”
A group of 12 local authorities, including some Berkshire authorities have formed the 2M Group to lobby about the proposed development. The group includes London Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth. Authorities outside London include Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne and Windsor and Maidenhead. Recently, the 2M Group has sent a list of 20 questions about the Heathrow expansion to Ruth Kelly at the Department for Transport.
The Adding Capacity at Heathrow consultation ends on February 27. It sets out plans for adding another 222,000 flights per year at the airport by 2030 – the equivalent of building a new airport the size of Gatwick. To see the consultation document, visit http://www.dft.gov.uk/heathrowconsultation. Responses can be emailed to: heathrowconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk. For more information about the 2M group, visit http://www.2MGroup.org.uk
Sources: icberkshire website, various dates; Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council website, 7th January 2008
Berkshire Organisations Win Network Awards
Four Berkshire organisations and one Oxfordshire company have been awarded a share of £50,000 of professional services in the first year of the Signature Network Business Aid Programme, run by Signature Network (a joint venture marketing group) in partnership with Business Review and Thames Valley Chamber. The award evening was held at Westgate School (Business and Enterprise special status school) in Slough, which was also one of the winners. Other winners were, Gardeneer Services in Wokingham; MD Construction in Oxford; Kenworth Services in Theale; and ASLAN Business Systems in Finchampstead
Since November 2007, the winners worked on a specific issue with the network and were then interviewed by media studies students from Westgate School. The students will produce a DVD of the event.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
New Years Honours for People in Berkshire
Several Berkshire residents were given New Years Honours. The Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Philip Lavallin Wroughton was made a Knight Commander of the Victorian Order in recognition of his services as the Queen’s representative in the county.
Restaurateur Bob Walton received an MBE for his services to the hospitality industry. He is the Chair of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain. Mr Walton began as a chef in London’s Savoy Hotel and later owned Trunkwell House and the Elm Tree Inn in Beech Hill and co-owned the Tamarind Tree in Lower Basildon.
Power systems manager Michael Lee received an MBE for his role in keeping the electricity supply stable from the National Grid control centre in Wokingham while a major Gloucestershire sub-station was in danger during last summer’s floods. Mr Lee initially thought the envelope containing notice of his MBE was a speeding ticket, so he got a nice surprise when he opened it.
Source: icberkshire website, 3rd January 2008
Rail Commuters Face Above-Inflation Rises
For rail travellers, the New Year began with above-inflation price rises of up to 11%. There is an average rise of 4.8% for regulated fares, that include most season tickets, while unregulated fares are due to rise more. Rail consumer groups believe the rises are excessive.
The Director-General of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), George Muir believes the rises to be necessary to finance investment in the rail network that benefit passengers.
Proposed changes from 2 Jan 2008
Chiltern Railways
4.8% (ave reg rise) 5.1% (ave unreg rise)
CrossCountry
4.8% (ave reg rise) 7.0% (ave unreg rise)
First Great Western
4.8% (ave reg rise) 6.1% (ave unreg rise)
Southeastern
6.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Southern
4.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Virgin Trains
4.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Average for all rail companies:
4.8% (ave reg rise) 5.4% (ave unreg rise)
Source: ATOC
Green party protesters were at Reading station to get people to sign a petition. According to the most recent figures 17% of FGW trains are arriving late. The company has said that the rises will help to pay for increased capacity and better stations and customer services and to reduce their trains carbon emissions.
Sources: BBC online, 3rd January 2008; icberkshire website, January 8th 2008
Berkshire Toolkit Is Highly Commended
A toolkit produced by nextstep Berkshire and AimHigher Berkshire has been highly commended at the ICG National Careers Awards. The Progression to HE Toolkit; Getting through the maze was short listed for the Working with Adults award and aims to support practitioners who are helping clients aged up to 30, who want to return to HE study. The toolkit offers a guide to the wealth of information available about entering HE and helps people make an informed decision about their preferred route into HE.
Source: ICG website, January 3rd 2008
Rail Commuters Face Above-Inflation Rises
For rail travellers, the New Year began with above-inflation price rises of up to 11%. There is an average rise of 4.8% for regulated fares, that include most season tickets, while unregulated fares are due to rise more. Rail consumer groups believe the rises are excessive.
The Director-General of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), George Muir believes the rises to be necessary to finance investment in the rail network that benefit passengers.
Proposed changes from 2 Jan 2008
Chiltern Railways
4.8% (ave reg rise) 5.1% (ave unreg rise)
CrossCountry
4.8% (ave reg rise) 7.0% (ave unreg rise)
First Great Western
4.8% (ave reg rise) 6.1% (ave unreg rise)
Southeastern
6.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Southern
4.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Virgin Trains
4.8% (ave reg rise) 4.8% (ave unreg rise)
Average for all rail companies:
4.8% (ave reg rise) 5.4% (ave unreg rise)
Source: ATOC
Green party protesters were at Reading station to get people to sign a petition. According to the most recent figures 17% of FGW trains are arriving late. The company has said that the rises will help to pay for increased capacity and better stations and customer services and to reduce their trains carbon emissions.
Sources: BBC online, 3rd January 2008; icberkshire website, January 8th 2008
Green Guide for Businesses is Launched
Connect Reading has published a Go4Green guide to help businesses reduce their greenhouse gases. The guide uses a traffic light system to move companies from Red, where they have not adopted money-saving sustainability measures, to Green where they have implemented them. There are simple suggestions in the guide such as turning off printers and copiers when not in use and buying recycled products. For more information, visit http://www.connectreading.co.uk
Connect Reading is also running a forum about Reading’s Future Development on 13 February 2008 from 8am -11am at the Regus Office on Green Park. To find out more about Connect Reading, ring 0118 959 1236.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Winnersh Development Approved
The redevelopment of the Winnersh Triangle business park has been given planning consent. Phase One begins in January with the construction of 385,000 sq ft of offices, a restaurant and retail area and a 168-bed hotel with leisure facilities. Over the next decade, two million sq ft of offices will be built for between 10 and 20 thousand staff. The green development will have 40% lower carbon emissions than average. Harris Systems a current tenant on the industrial estate has already signed up to move to the new offices. For more information, visit http:// www.winnershtriangle.co.uk
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
GCS Achieves Financial Success
IT recruitment company, GCS, based in Reading has achieved its best ever financial results for the half year. The firm’s average turnover is £14.54m. The results mean that the company has risen to 31 in the Recruitment International Top 100. GCS will be opening a new office in Birmingham in 2008 and is planning to open further offices in other regions of England and also abroad.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Avocent Moves to Reading
Avocent, a US owned firm providing hardware and software to help businesses manage their data centres remotely, has just brought its three offices and 50 staff together to Davidson House in Reading. The firm took over Cyclade and LANDesk in the last 18 months and wanted a central location that was convenient as they did not want to lose any staff who were working at their offices in Theale, Bracknell and High Wycombe. Avocent’s sales and marketing, technical support and training will now be based in Davidson House. The company says they were impressed with the Forbury Square site because of its location, proximity to the railway station and flexibility of the building. The skills available locally meant Avocent only considered the Thames Valley.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
GreenPark Half Way to New Rail Station
The first privately-built railway station in southern England for 50 years has got half way towards the planning approval it needs to go ahead. Reading Borough Council unanimously approved the plan and the next step will be to get approval from West Berkshire Council as the station falls within both council areas. As well as serving the GreenPark office park when it opens at the end of 2008, the station will also serve the Madejski Stadium and nearby homes. Services from the new station will run to Reading and Basingstoke every half an hour and extra services will run on match days. GreenPark, owned by Prudential, has launched many green initiatives, including the landmark wind turbine visible from the M4 and its fleet of eco-buses. Prudential is also involved with a nearby 60-acre housing development to the west of the office park, due to go before Reading Council for planning approval shortly. This will include more than 700 houses, a new primary school, shops, restaurants and sports facilities.
Source: icberkshire website, 11th December 2007
Day Centre Questions Lottery Decision
Sandhurst Day Centre, turned down for lottery funding to buy a van, is demanding an explanation for the decision. Its chairman, Cllr Alan Ward, has written to the Big Lottery Fund to find out more information about successful applications to understand why the centre’s application did not qualify for an award under the reaching communities fund.
A Big Lottery Fund spokesman said: "The Sandhurst Day Centre applied for funding through BIG's Reaching Communities programme, which is heavily over-subscribed. This means difficult decisions have to be made and some good projects will inevitably be turned down. Information about which projects we have chosen to fund will be publicly available on Tuesday, January 15."
Source: icberkshire website, 10th January 2008
725 Homes Plan ‘Acceptable’
A planning inspector has deemed acceptable Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s plans for 725 houses, offices and possibly a train station on land near Binfield at Amen Corner. Neighbouring Wokingham Borough Council has supported some aspects of the Amen Corner Action Plan but had asked for improved transport and education provision to cope with the expected increase in population from the proposed development. They want to ensure that a sustainable and viable community is created at Amen Corner with suitable infrastructure. Wokingham Council also wants to ensure that a buffer of land is retained so that each town can maintain its own identity, and asked for more housing and less office content for the site.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council is now looking at the feedback received from the first phase of consultation on the action plan before preferred options go out for further consultation next summer.
Source: icberkshire website, 20th December 2007
New Facilities for Diploma Courses
A state of the art learning centre has been approved at Prospect School to handle the Government's new diploma courses. The £3.7 million building in Cockney Hill, Tilehurst will cater for 14-19 year old students. The new building is expected to be ready for use by early 2009 and will include a radio station complete with an editing suite, an audio-visual studio and various workshops and classrooms for pupils studying the new diplomas.
Three of the five new diplomas, creative and media, engineering and construction and the built environment, will be taught at the school from September 2008, and the other two diplomas will follow. Reading Borough Council is the only authority in the South East, and one of only 10 authorities out of 145, to win the Government approval needed to launch all five diplomas.
Source: icberkshire website, 18th December 2007
Local Exam Results
2007 GCSE and A Level exam results statistics were released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in January.
For GCSEs, or Key Stage 3, Bracknell Forest scored 48.4% for the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C GCSEs (including English and Maths), up from 47.2% in 2006. Wokingham was 57.6% this year and 57.7% last year. The English average was 46.7% this year and 45.8% last year.
The percentage of Bracknell Forest pupils achieving five or more GCSEs was 59.7% this year and 59.8% last year. Wokingham was 66.4% this year and 64.5% last year. The English average was 62% this year and 59.2% last year.
Source: icberkshire website, 9th January 2008
John Lewis Bucks Christmas Trend
Whilst many other retailers have reported poor trading over Christmas, John Lewis and Bracknell-based Waitrose had strong festive sales. Department store John Lewis said total spending across its outlets and website division hit £70.2m in the week to 29 December, compared with £65m a year earlier. Online sales were up 67.5% compared with a year ago. Christmas sales at Waitrose were up 28.5%. The business is run as a partnership owned by its staff.
The owner of Currys and PC World, DSG International, have issued profit warnings, and fashion retailer Next saw a drop in ‘same store’ sales in the run-up to Christmas. Land of Leather also reported in January that its profit for the current financial year would be ‘significantly’ below last year’s figure.
Source: BBC Online, 8th January 2007
Berkshire Organisations Win Network Awards
Four Berkshire organisations and one Oxfordshire company have been awarded a share of £50,000 of professional services in the first year of the Signature Network Business Aid Programme, run by Signature Network (a joint venture marketing group) in partnership with Business Review and Thames Valley Chamber. The award evening was held at Westgate School (Business and Enterprise special status school) in Slough, which was also one of the winners. Other winners were, Gardeneer Services in Wokingham; MD Construction in Oxford; Kenworth Services in Theale; and ASLAN Business Systems in Finchampstead
Since November 2007, the winners worked on a specific issue with the network and were then interviewed by media studies students from Westgate School. The students will produce a DVD of the event.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Local Exam Results
2007 GCSE and A Level exam results statistics were released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in January.
For GCSEs, or Key Stage 3, Bracknell Forest scored 48.4% for the percentage of pupils achieving five more A*-C GCSEs (including English and Maths), up from 47.2% in 2006. Wokingham was 57.6% this year and 57.7% last year. The English average was 46.7% this year and 45.8% last year.
The percentage of Bracknell Forest pupils achieving five or more GCSEs was 59.7% this year and 59.8% last year. Wokingham was 66.4% this year and 64.5% last year. The English average was 62% this year and 59.2% last year.
Source: icberkshire website, 9th January 2008
Winnersh Development Approved
The redevelopment of the Winnersh Triangle business park has been given planning consent. Phase One begins in January with the construction of 385,000 sq ft of offices, a restaurant and retail area and a 168-bed hotel with leisure facilities. Over the next decade, two million sq ft of offices will be built for between 10 and 20 thousand staff. The green development will have 40% lower carbon emissions than average. Harris Systems a current tenant on the industrial estate has already signed up to move to the new offices. For more information, visit
http://www.winnershtriangle.co.uk
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
725 Homes Plan ‘Acceptable’
A planning inspector has deemed acceptable Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s plans for 725 houses, offices and possibly a train station on land near Binfield at Amen Corner. Neighbouring Wokingham Borough Council has supported some aspects of the Amen Corner Action Plan but had asked for improved transport and education provision to cope with the expected increase in population from the proposed development. They want to ensure that a sustainable and viable community is created at Amen Corner with suitable infrastructure. Wokingham Council also wants to ensure that a buffer of land is retained so that each town can maintain its own identity, and asked for more housing and less office content for the site.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council is now looking at the feedback received from the first phase of consultation on the action plan before preferred options go out for further consultation next summer.
Source: icberkshire website, 20th December 2007
Poster Competition Spreads Anti-Bullying Message
Wokingham Borough Council praised 10 competition finalists for their efforts in creating posters to help spread the word that bullying is unacceptable. All young people across the borough were invited to design a poster for Anti-Bullying Week presenting the key message: Safer Together, Safer Wherever. The winning posters, which were chosen from over 500 entries, will be printed as postcards with important anti-bullying information printed on the reverse. The cards will be distributed to schools, youth centres and other venues in the borough. Some 70 youngsters took part in the shortlisting of the posters by voting for their favourites at a special event at Twyford Youth and Community Centre.
Source: Wokingham Council website, 21st December 2007
Boxing Club Comes to Winnersh
Rainbow Park now has its own boxing club which has been set up on the estate, to offer boys the opportunity to learn, through boxing, self-control and self-respect. The club, which is for those aged nine and over, is being run by fully-qualified professional coach George Coston, who already runs Bulmershe Boxing Club. At present, the club is for boys only but if girls are keen to join in, the organisers will find a coach qualified to work with them. For more information, contact Wokingham Borough Council’s community development worker Jacqueline Riddles on 0118 989 4280. Jacqueline would also like to hear from anybody qualified to coach girls and keen to get involved in the club.
Source: Wokingham Council website, 21st December 2007
Social Care in ‘Worst Ten’ Nationwide
Despite Wokingham's social care budget for older people and adults with learning disabilities being above average compared with other similar local authorities, its service has been labelled one of the worst in the country. A Government inspection report on Wokingham Borough Council’s social care services has revealed service users are not receiving the same care they would at similar local authorities.
Source: getwokingham website, 5th December 2007
Berkshire Organisations Win Network Awards
Four Berkshire organisations and one Oxfordshire company have been awarded a share of £50,000 of professional services in the first year of the Signature Network Business Aid Programme, run by Signature Network (a joint venture marketing group) in partnership with Business Review and Thames Valley Chamber. The award evening was held at Westgate School (Business and Enterprise special status school) in Slough, which was also one of the winners. Other winners were, Gardeneer Services in Wokingham; MD Construction in Oxford; Kenworth Services in Theale; and ASLAN Business Systems in Finchampstead
Since November 2007, the winners worked on a specific issue with the network and were then interviewed by media studies students from Westgate School. The students will produce a DVD of the event.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Over Half of South East Residents in Post-Christmas Debt
A survey of 5,000 visitors to the Jobcentre Plus website in November and December reveals that 52% of South East residents will struggle to pay their bills after Christmas.
Bob King, Chief Executive of West Berkshire Citizen’s Advice Bureau said: “Last year we handled £4.4million worth of debt with clients asking for help. I anticipate this year it will be higher than that. Every January sees an increase in the percentage of clients that we see that have debt problems. I do not anticipate that this January will be any different."
There is a JobCentre Plus helpline for people who are worried about money: 0800 012 16562.
Source: Newbury Today website, 9th January 2007
New Private Arts Academy Opens
A new arts academy recently opened its doors in Newbury town centre.
The private Berkshire Creative Arts Academy (BECCA) offers a variety of courses to all age groups. During the launch day in the week before Christmas, over 150 people visited the Bartholomew Street academy. Director, Donna Lewis, said that enrolments have been received in large numbers and most courses are at least half full, although class sizes are limited to 12 students, to ensure that ‘the quality of teaching always remains high’. The academy was founded by three artists with backgrounds in various mediums. Courses in life drawing, creative writing, book making, photography and painting will be on offer from the second week in January. The academy offers vocational and recreational courses. Discounts are available for students from low income households and those on benefits.
Source: Newbury Today website, 2nd January 2008
Overhaul Promised for Youth Services
Following an Ofsted inspection of youth services in West Berkshire which concluded that services are just 'adequate', the council has promised a ‘complete overhaul’ of the service. The report was one of three into services provided for children and young people across the district. The youth service report also said that a third of full time youth work posts are vacant and that staff shortages had caused the closure of one youth centre when inspectors visited it.
District councillor Barbara Alexander, who has recently assumed responsibility for the youth service, said: “The youth service is going to be completely overhauled. We realise it could be better. Although it’s actually quite good, it’s not good enough for us.”
Meanwhile two other reports largely praised West Berkshire’s youth offending team and children’s services, awarding them three out of a possible four stars, or “good”, ratings.
Source: Newbury Today website, 29th December 2007
Vodafone Marketing Team Move
Vodafone has confirmed that they plan to move their entire global brand marketing team to Dublin to join Vodafone Ireland Marketing Ltd and that the move will have positive tax implications for the company. The telecommunications giant is still in talks with the 20 or so people who will be affected, and who have not yet agreed to move to Ireland.
Source: Newbury Today, 28th and 29th December 2007
West Berkshire Council in Top Ten Per Cent
The Audit Commission has rated West Berkshire Council as being in the top ten per cent of councils. The council received a grading of three for capacity, prioritisations, ambition, achievement and performance management, scores rating it as the third best unitary council in the country.
The commission found that the council works well with partner organisation and engages effectively with local residents.
In addition, Ofsted has recently given the council’s Children’s Services department a “good” rating. West Berkshire’s Youth Offending Team was also found to be one of the best in the country by an earlier inspection.
Source: Newbury Today website, 23rd December 2007
Houses to be Built In Place of Shopping Centre
Plans to build houses on the site of the Calcot shopping centre have been approved. The new development will include 65 flats and 82 car parking spaces, as well as room for a doctor’s surgery and a shop.
Source: icberkshire website, 12th December 2007
Heathrow’s Third Runway Scheme Sparks Controversy
In response to objections being raised to the proposed new third runway at Heathrow, the Chief Executive of British Airways, Willie Walsh, believes that if the airport does not grow BA may need to base themselves in another country. He believes that other European and Middle Eastern airports will overtake Heathrow unless it is allowed to expand. He also thinks that the airport expansion will bring job opportunities to the region.
He said: "Heathrow has already brought tens of thousands of jobs to this region through overseas investment. An expanded Heathrow would bring many more as international companies look to locate near a global gateway. I want to see those jobs go to local people. Councils near Heathrow should promote their development sites to attract inward investors while ensuring that young people have the skills the new employers want.”
A group of 12 local authorities, including some Berkshire authorities have formed the 2M Group to lobby about the proposed development. The group includes London Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth. Authorities outside London include Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne and Windsor and Maidenhead. Recently, the 2M Group has sent a list of 20 questions about the Heathrow expansion to Ruth Kelly at the Department for Transport.
The Adding Capacity at Heathrow consultation ends on February 27. It sets out plans for adding another 222,000 flights per year at the airport by 2030 – the equivalent of building a new airport the size of Gatwick. To see the consultation document, visit http://www.dft.gov.uk/heathrowconsultation. Responses can be emailed to: heathrowconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk. For more information about the 2M group, visit http://www.2MGroup.org.uk
Sources: icberkshire website, various dates; Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council website, 7th January 2008
New Youth and Community Centre Ready
A new youth and community centre building in Marlow Street was completed in December. The facility will replace Castle Hill Youth and Community Centre in High Town Road in Maidenhead. The building is due to open in the late spring and will have a café, dance studio, games hall, meeting rooms and youth club facilities. The centre will also house Relate, Citizens Advice Bureau, Connexions and the No 22 youth counselling service.
The development was funded by the sale of the Castle Hill site.
Source: icberkshire website, 20th December 2007
Windsor Arts Centre Closes
In December, Windsor Arts Centre closed and went into administration with immediate effect. 12 staff and 18 volunteers have been affected by the situation, which has been caused by lack of funding. The crisis was precipitated by the resignation of the centre’s director. The centre had required £100,000 to prevent the closure.
The Council is currently looking for parties interested in the Arts Centre, and in principle would still like it to be a performing arts venue. Interest has been shown by the Friends of the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum Group as a location for a town museum. The Council says that they are looking at all possible options.
Sources: icberkshire website and Windsor and Slough Observer, various dates
History Grocery Chain Comes to an End
Darville’s, a chain of grocers that has been running for over 100 years, is to close its last shop in Eton Wick. In the past there were up to 17 shops in Windsor, Maidenhead and Slough. The first shop was founded in the 1860s. However, in recent years, the shops have lost trade to the supermarkets. The company will continue to sell Darville’s teas and has also diversified into property.
Source: icberkshire website, 4th January 2007
Berkshire Organisations Win Network Awards
Four Berkshire organisations and one Oxfordshire company have been awarded a share of £50,000 of professional services in the first year of the Signature Network Business Aid Programme, run by Signature Network (a joint venture marketing group) in partnership with Business Review and Thames Valley Chamber. The award evening was held at Westgate School (Business and Enterprise special status school) in Slough, which was also one of the winners. Other winners were, Gardeneer Services in Wokingham; MD Construction in Oxford; Kenworth Services in Theale; and ASLAN Business Systems in Finchampstead
Since November 2007, the winners worked on a specific issue with the network and were then interviewed by media studies students from Westgate School. The students will produce a DVD of the event.
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Heathrow’s Third Runway Scheme Sparks Controversy
In response to objections being raised to the proposed new third runway at Heathrow, the Chief Executive of British Airways, Willie Walsh, believes that if the airport does not grow BA may need to base themselves in another country. He believes that other European and Middle Eastern airports will overtake Heathrow unless it is allowed to expand. He also thinks that the airport expansion will bring job opportunities to the region.
He said: "Heathrow has already brought tens of thousands of jobs to this region through overseas investment. An expanded Heathrow would bring many more as international companies look to locate near a global gateway. I want to see those jobs go to local people. Councils near Heathrow should promote their development sites to attract inward investors while ensuring that young people have the skills the new employers want.”
A group of 12 local authorities, including some Berkshire authorities have formed the 2M Group to lobby about the proposed development. The group includes London Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth. Authorities outside London include Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne and Windsor and Maidenhead. Recently, the 2M Group has sent a list of 20 questions about the Heathrow expansion to Ruth Kelly at the Department for Transport.
The Adding Capacity at Heathrow consultation ends on February 27. It sets out plans for adding another 222,000 flights per year at the airport by 2030 – the equivalent of building a new airport the size of Gatwick. To see the consultation document, visit http://www.dft.gov.uk/heathrowconsultation. Responses can be emailed to: heathrowconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk. For more information about the 2M group, visit http://www.2MGroup.org.uk
Sources: icberkshire website, various dates; Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council website, 7th January 2008
Shopping Centre to Get Face Lift
The Queensmere Observatory shopping centre could receive a facelift if planners give approval to create a new mezzanine floor. The proposal would add 3,019 sq. m. of floor space. The centre is struggling to compete with Windsor and Uxbridge and so needs to be made more attractive to customers.
Source: icberkshire website, 11th January 2008
Volunteers Needed to Inspect Immigration Centre
The Independent Monitoring Board for the Immigration Removal Services is seeking volunteers to inspect the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre near Slough. The Centre has more than 300 detainees.
Chairman of the board, Anna Thomas-Betts, said: “Volunteers who are on the board have to spend time going in and talking to detainees and looking at the conditions they are being kept in. They also have to listen to people’s complaints and help try and sort them out.”
Volunteers are needed for about six hours a week. To find out more, contact Mrs Thomas-Betts on 01753 822013.
Source: Windsor and Slough Observer, 10th January 2008
Business Support in Slough for Women Entrepreneurs
Aurat Enterprise offers business support to women from ethnic minority backgrounds in Slough. The organisation is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund and offers support especially to women at risk from domestic violence, with low self esteem or who have recently arrived in Britain.
Roselin D’Costa was helped by a confidence-building course and then a business start-up course provided by Aurat. She has now set up her own catering company, Shantana’s. She said: "If I hadn't done the personal development course or the start-up course, my business would have failed. In fact I would not have had the confidence to do anything at all."
Urusa Ahmed was taught how to be a minibus driver and how to manage a payroll,
which enabled her to run her company Community Multiservices, providing mobile crèche services and minibuses as well as identifying the kind of communities she wanted to reach.
Trevor Phillips, Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has praised the council-run project for 'helping to make the UK a fairer more equal society.'
Source: icberkshire website, 14th December 2007
Slough MP Urges Residents to Bid for Youth Funding
Fiona Mactaggart, MP for Slough has urged community groups, parents and young people to bid for funding announced as part of the Children’s Plan to build and improve new play areas and youth clubs. She said:
“I plan to work with parents and young people to protect our play areas and improve youth facilities and win funds for Slough people.”
Source: Windsor and Slough Observer, 15th December 2007
First Slough Skills Summit
Towards the end of 2007, the first Slough Skills Summit was held, attended by around 100 Slough-based providers and employers, with the aim of boosting the competitiveness of organisations based in the town. The event looked at skills gaps in and around Slough and explored ways that these could be met. The keynote speaker at the event was John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
O2 and Wexham Park Hospital also gave presentations about the ways they have developed skills among their staff.
The Summit was organised/sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council, SEEDA, Fiona Mactaggart MP, Slough Borough Council, SEGRO, Slough Business Community Partnership, Business Link, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, East Berkshire College, RIM, Thames Valley Enterprise, Thames Valley University, O2, Ipsen, Logicalis, John Crane and Equinix.
Source: Slough Council website, 10th January 2008
Slough’s YOT Gives Awards
The Youth Offending Team (YOT) for Slough Borough Council held an awards ceremony on January 9th to reward the young people who have worked hard with the team. Certificates were awarded to young people for art competitions, successfully completing anger management courses, and for leadership.
Source: Slough Council website, 8th January 2008
Free New Year Courses for Families
The Council is offering courses for adults and families at Slough’s main library. Most of the courses provide a crèche. Courses available in January and February are: Making Stories Fun (Thursday mornings); Saturday Computer Workshops for Families (Saturday afternoons). From the end of February and through March, there is a Healthy Living course on Thursday mornings, giving tips about child development, stress and food.
Source: Slough Council website, 8th January 2008
