This
project is financed by the LSC, SEEDA and
the European Social Fund
LOCAL
NEWS
BERKSHIRE-WIDE
Local Election Results
Elections were held in all six unitary authorities in
the Berkshire area on Thursday 3 May.
Bracknell Forest remained in Conservative control after
election of all seats. Seats in the council now are distributed
as follows: 39 Conservative; and 3 Labour.
Reading was held by Labour, after a third of seats were
elected. Seats in the council are now distributed as
follows: 25 Labour; 13 Conservative; and 8 Liberal Democrat.
Royal Windsor and Maidenhead was taken from the Liberal
Democrats by the Conservatives, after all seats were
elected. The seats are now distributed thus: 36 Conservative;
16 Liberal Democrat; 3 Independent; and 2 Respect.
Slough remained in No Overall Control, after the election
of a third of seats. The seats in the council are now
distributed as follows: 19 Labour; 7 Conservative; 4
Liberal Democrat; 4 Respect; 3 Independent; 1 UKIP.
West Berkshire was held by the Conservatives, after
election of all seats. Seats in the council are now distributed
as follows: 36 Conservative; and 16 Liberal Democrat.
Wokingham was held by the Conservatives after election
of all seats. The council is now comprised thus: 43 Conservative;
and 11 Liberal Democrat.
Source: The Guardian, 5th May 2007
Queen’s
Awards for Berkshire Companies
The winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise
were announced on the Queen’s birthday, 21 April.
Nationally, 119 awards were made to businesses, of which
27 were in the South East. There are three categories
of award:
International Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Development.
Winners in Berkshire were:
International Trade
Kronsten & Co, Twyford: a micro enterprise with 3
employees, exporting aviation supplies and equipment
mainly to Russia and the former Soviet Union. The company
increased its exports by 130% to £2.7 million per
year.
Innovation
UPM Machinery Sales Ltd, Slough: is an SME with 21 employees
that designs and manufactures an infra-red drum dryer
for plastics processing. The drum is more efficient,
quicker drying and using less energy than conventional
dryer systems.
Sustainable Development
Benchmark Woodworking Ltd, Hungerford: is a furniture
manufacturer employing 46 people. The company maximises
the sustainability of its manufacturing processes and
products.
Yell Ltd, Reading: employs 3848 people. The directory
services company has developed a management and leadership
system to promote and implement sustainable development.
The deadline for applications for the 2008 Awards is
31 October 2007. For more information or to apply, visit:
http://www.queensawards.org.uk
Source: GNN, 21st April 2007
Thames Valley
Police Seize £3m
of Drugs
Thames Valley Police have seized their biggest ever
haul of drugs. Police from the Organised Crime Group
(OCG)
found 600 kilograms of cannabis skunk and resin in
Winterton, North Lincolnshire, packed among barbeques,
with an estimated street value of £3 million.
The investigation had begun in East Berkshire before
moving to Lincolnshire.
Source: icberkshire website, 20th April 2007
CRB Checks Still to be Completed by Schools
Ofsted inspectors have discovered serious flaws in schools’ recordkeeping
relating to criminal records checked. Across the country
staff are now being rechecked. The government’s
deadline of 1st April has been missed by many, including
Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire. In Berkshire,
only Bracknell Forest had no missing records and Wokingham
could confirm it had filled in all gaps.
Source: BBC Online, 13th April 2007
Berkshire Autistic Society Finds Services And Support
Are 'Sub-Standard'
A membership poll by the Berkshire Autistic Society found
that 89% of its members believe that autistic children
and adults do not receive sufficient support from their
local councils. There were 61 respondents, two thirds
of whom live in West Berkshire. The respondents believed
that autistic children are not understood by schools
and that there are inadequate facilities for autistic
adults.
Source: icberkshire website, 26th April 2007
As Terminal 5 Moves to Completion, BAA Plans Another
Terminal
The British Airport Authority (BAA) is already planning
a second terminal building along similar lines to the
new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airports.
It is planned that Terminal 5 will be open to passengers
from March 2008. In the meantime, BAA has submitted new
plans for a building the same size as Terminal 5 to replace
Terminals 1 and 2. Proving trials will begin on Terminal
5 from September 2007.
The airport currently caters
for 68 million passengers. It is expected that Terminal
5 will cater for 30 million.
BAA plans to have redeveloped Heathrow’s existing
facilities by 2012.
T5 was designed by the 2005
Stirling Prize winning Richard Rogers Partnership at
a cost of £4.3 billion.
Facts about Terminal 5:
T5 is the biggest free-standing building in the
UK. The main terminal is 40m high, 396m long and
176m wide.
The T5 baggage system is the biggest baggage handling
system in a single terminal in Europe.
T5 incorporates its own railway station with six
platforms.
£1.7m Football
Complex To Be Built At School
Planners have given the go-ahead to build a £1.72
million football complex at Bulmershe School. Football
company Powerleague is working with the school to build
10 five-a-side pitches and two seven-a-side pitches.
The development also includes a pavilion, floodlights
and a car park with 140 spaces. Work should begin later
this year.
The pitches will be used exclusively by the school until
6pm daily, and then open to the public on weekdays until
10pm. On Saturdays the complex will be open from 9am-9pm,
and on Sundays 9am-7pm.
Source: icberkshire, 3rd May 2007
Wokingham Council Halts Plans to expand Madesjki stadium
Wokingham Borough Council has lodged an objection to
increasing the capacity of the Madejski Stadium by
14,000, due to concerns about traffic congestion. The
move has led to conflict between Reading and Wokingham
Councils.
Source: icberkshire website, 3rd May 2007
Mental Health Centre Faces Closure
Resource, a centre for mental health sufferers is facing
closure due to lack of funding. The centre has 1,400
users who will have nowhere else to go and has been
open in Reading and Newbury over a seven year period.
The centre is currently funded by Berkshire West PCT,
Reading Borough Council, Berkshire Health Trust and
the European Social Fund. However, the European Social
fund will no longer be available from March 2008, leaving
a gap of £200,000.
Source: icberkshire website, 26th April 2007
Prudential Sees Drop in UK Sales
UK sales for Prudential’s fell by 23% to £187m
in the first quarter of 2007. An increase in its US and
Asia revenues helped to offset the drop in UK sales.
The news follows Prudential’s announcement of increased
cost-cutting in the UK to £195m in March. The savings
will be made through internal cost-cutting and offshoring
or outsourcing 3,000 jobs.
Prudential's life and pensions business employs about
6,000 people, including 1,900 in Reading.
Source: BBC online, 19th April 2007
Reading Considers Hosting the Tour of Britain Cycle
Race
Reading council is considering hosting a stage of the
Tour of Britain cycle race, at a cost of £50,000.
The council is assessing the costs and benefits after
it was asked by SEEDA to be the location for starting
one of the stages of the race. The council has approached
local businesses for sponsorship to help fund the event
The race begins 9 September in London and ends on 15
September in Glasgow.
Source: BBC online, 13th April 2007
Council to
Save Water – and
Money
In May, Reading Council plans to install flush controls
in its buildings, saving 10 million litres of water
and £16,000 per year. The action is in response
to an audit by Thames Water. Installing the controls
will cost just £7,000.
Source: BBC Online, 13th April 2007
CRB Checks Still to be Completed by Schools
Ofsted inspectors have discovered serious flaws in schools’ recordkeeping
relating to criminal records checked. Across the country
staff are now being rechecked. The government’s
deadline of 1st April has been missed by many, including
Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire. In Berkshire,
only Bracknell Forest had no missing records and Wokingham
could confirm it had filled in all gaps.
Source: BBC Online, 13th April 2007
Reading House Prices Soar
First-time buyers are finding it difficult to afford
houses in Reading. As interest rates rise, there have
also been a record number of repossessions and insolvencies.
Average house prices have almost
trebled in 10 years, from £81,377 in 1997 to £198,851.
Meanwhile, repossession orders issued in Reading borough
have increased
by 19% since 2005 to 528, with individual insolvencies
rising 14% to 735.
Source: icberkshire website, 5th April 2007
Children To Teach Adults Respect
As part of the Government’s Respect agenda, competitions
are being run in schools across the South East, including
Reading, to help children challenge anti-social behaviour.
Winners will then become the ‘voice’ of the
Talking CCTV for their town. In Reading a competition
has been launched in local schools, churches and youth
service, inviting young people to send in "raps" about
behaviour.
Source: GNN, 4th April 2007
Hospital's £1.4m
'fix' just to meet Whitehall targets
To meet the Government’s waiting list targets the
Royal Berkshire Hospital is planning to build a temporary,
two-storey extension for just 19 months, at a cost of £1.4m.
The plans are for a temporary 22 bed ward with two operating
theatres and recovery rooms. 35 new staff will work there
once the extension is completed.
Source: icberkshire website, 5th April 2007
Reading University Unveils Plans for New Developments
Plans to build a 151-bed hotel and conference centre
on Reading University’s campus are seen as vital
to the university’s future by its deputy vice-chancellor,
Tony Downs. The project will be funded through a partnership
with a hotel company. Other new developments to the
university include new and improved halls of residence,
a new student services centre and theatre performance
space and television studios. There are also plans
for a privately-financed enterprise centre for companies
working with university departments. The capital projects
will cost £130m over 6 years.
Local residents are concerned about the effects on traffic
and parking of the proposed hotel development.
Source: icberkshire website, 5th April 2007
Reading Has Highest Rate of Teenage Pregnancy in South
East
Reading has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in
the South East. In 2004, 13.3 girls per 1000 aged 13-15
got pregnant. The borough was the 11th worst in England.
While Slough has only 4.9 pregnancies per 1000 and Bracknell
has only 3.5 per 1000, Reading Borough Council figures
for 2005 show there were 60.2 conceptions per 1,000 girls
aged 15-17 in Reading.
Children's services leader
Pete Ruhemann said: "I'm
sure there are a lot of different factors involved and
we need now to tackle it with our partners in health
care and schools on a comprehensive basis."
He said: "Some of it,
but not all, is because of relatively high levels of
drug abuse in Reading. That
is one of the factors.
"Reading is also a very
mixed community and there will be different pressures
in different communities
that will lead to young women becoming pregnant."
The council is working with schools, youth leaders and
the NHS to reduce teen pregnancy rates.
Source: icberkshire website, 5th April 2007
Coutts Moves to Reading
Coutts Bank plans to open its 19th office at Abbey Gardens
later in 2007. The Bank already has more than 1000
clients in the Reading area, and the town is seen as
a haven for entrepreneurs. The bank identified around
8,000 potential millionaires in the Reading area, with
a higher than average number of entrepreneurs. The
town has also seen rapid growth in the IT and financial
services sectors.
Source: icberkshire website, 1st April 2007
Ofsted Commends Services For Children And Young People
In Bracknell Forest
Bracknell Forest Council’s work to ensure that
vulnerable young people have access to appropriate housing
has been highlighted as effective practice in an Ofsted
report, Narrowing the gap: the inspection of children's
services.
In Bracknell Forest, joint working between children's
services and housing services has reduced use of bed
and breakfast accommodation for young people, and increased
local knowledge of issues leading to homelessness.
Success has been achieved through a number of different
initiatives:
Setting up a young person's group as a sub-group
of the homelessness strategy group, chaired by a
senior manager from children's social care and involving
both housing officers and social workers.
Developing a joint assessment form.
Setting up a resource panel including team managers
from housing, children's and adult services to allocate
the available resources
Children's social care is willing to share 50/50
with housing where vulnerable young people require
finance for accommodation, where benefits are insufficient
and where leaving care budgets are not applicable.
Housing and children's social care share a joint
service level agreement with a voluntary sector provider,
who assists in the support of young people in accommodation,
including care leavers.
Source: GNN, 11th April 2007
Council Tenant Vote Yes to Privatise Council Homes
In April, 76% of Bracknell Forest tenants voted to transfer
council housing to a new housing association, Bracknell
Forest Homes. The tenants have been promised £61m
in improvements to their homes over a five year period
as a result of the transfer, which will take place
in 9 to 12 months’ time.
The new housing association will be run by a management
board, including four tenant representatives, four councillors
and four independent people.
Improvements promised by Bracknell Forest Homes include:
3,300 new kitchens.
3,500 new bathrooms.
New double glazed windows for 1,560 homes.
Upgraded central heating in 3,600 homes.
New external doors for 2,700 homes.
£400,000 per year for five years to clear
backlog of outstanding work.
£2 million over 10 years for parking, fencing
and landscaping.
A new neighbourhood estate action team to help
keep estates safe and tidy.
A new antisocial behaviour officer.
An improved day-to-day repairs service.
A free handyman service for elderly or vulnerable
tenants
Source: icberkshire website, 12th
April 2007
Foster Carers From Ethnic Minorities Needed
In April, the Bracknell Forest Family Placement Team
launched an appeal to people from the African community
to become foster carers for children from ethnic minorities.
The team would like to hear from people from Ghana,
Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe who could
provide temporary homes to children from similar ethnic
or cultural backgrounds.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer should
contact the Bracknell Forest Family Placement Team on
01344 351582 or http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/fostering.
Source: icberkshire website, 5th April 2007
BDIN Closes as Funding is Cut
Funding cuts have meant that The Berkshire Disability
Information Network (BDIN) charity, based at Brakenhale
School, Bracknell, has closed. All six unitary councils
in Berkshire withdrew their funding from BDIN. In its
place, Dis:Course, supported by the Ark Trust will
offer services to people with disabilities in Bracknell
and the surrounding area. For more information, see
http://www.discourse.org.uk/
Source: icberkshire website, 22nd March 2007
Wokingham Council Halts Plans to expand Madesjki stadium
Wokingham Borough Council has lodged an objection to
increasing the capacity of the Madejski Stadium by
14,000, due to concerns about traffic congestion. The
move has led to conflict between Reading and Wokingham
Councils.
Source: icberkshire website, 3rd May 2007
Street Art Workshop at Wokingham Youth Centre
Young people aged 11-15 from Winnersh learned about street
art at Wokingham Youth Centre during the Easter Break.
They learned about the difference between graffiti
and street art and how to create street art. The workshop
was run by Mike Bennett, youth worker for Wokingham
Council, and Callum Kirkland a street artist from Kreative
design, which is a company of young people setting
up DJ and music workshops.
For more information on activities available for young
people in Winnersh contact Mike Bennett at Wokingham
Youth Centre on (0118) 978 3610.
Source: Wokingham Council website, 24th April 2007
Free Training Seminar for Estate Agents in June
Wokingham, Bracknell Forest and Reading Borough councils
are offering free training and advice for estate agency
staff at 9.15am and 12noon on June 5 at the civic offices
in Shute End, Wokingham.
Speakers on the day will be:
Roger Young of the Office of Fair Trading Estate Agents
Enforcement Team, Lucia
Smeraldi of the Trading Standards’ Institute and
the Ombudsman for Estate Agents Christopher Hamer.
There will also be an update on Home Information Packs
(HIPs) which are soon to be introduced.
For further information, phone support officer Kim Bridger
on (0118) 974 6311.
Source: Wokingham Council Website, 19th April 2007
'Families First' Event for Support with Substance Misuse
The Council’s drug action team (DAT) is running
a free drop-in event ‘Families First’ at
Wokingham Methodist Centre, Rose Street, Wokingham for
people affected by another person’s substance misuse.
The event is taking place on Monday May 21 between 10am
and 4pm and will include overdose training, workshops
on addiction awareness and a family’s cycle of
change. There will also be an opportunity to find out
about local services and support groups and meet professionals
and others affected by substance misuse.
For further information, contact DAT officer Laura Fairbairn
on (0118) 974 3795 or 07799 348283.
Source: Wokingham Council Website, 18th April 2007
Libraries
Offer Events for Children
In May and June, there will be free baby bounce and rhyme
sessions for babies and toddlers up to 18 months in
libraries across Wokingham borough:
June 5, 10.15am to 10.45am at Wokingham Library
May 14 and June 11 between 10.30am and 11am at
Woodley Library
May 15 and June 19 between 10.30am and 11am at
Lower Earley Library from 10.30am to 11am on Tuesday
April 17, May 15 and June 19.
Targeting under fives, there will be free weekly storytime
sessions followed by a craft activity. Between April
to June there will be sessions from 2.15pm to 3pm on
Tuesdays at Wokingham Library; on Thursdays from 2.15pm
to 3pm at Woodley Library; on Thursdays from 2.30pm to
3.15pm at Lower Earley Library and on Mondays from 4pm
to 4.45pm at Spencers Wood Library. Other libraries in
the borough are holding monthly storytime sessions: Maiden
Erlegh from 2.15pm to 3pm on May 19 and June 19; Winnersh
Library from 10.15am to 11am on May 19 and June 16; Twyford
Library from 2.15pm to 3pm on May 15 and June 19; and
Wargrave Library from 1.45pm to 2.30pm on May 21 and
June 18.
The Get Arty! craft club will also run monthly from
11am to 12pm at libraries in the borough: May 19 and
June 16 at Wokingham Library; June 23 at Woodley Library
and Lower Earley Library. The sessions are free and aimed
at children five to 11 years old.
For further information, contact
children’s librarian
Elizabeth McDonald on 0118 969 9847.
Source: Wokingham Council Website, 11th April 2007
£720,000
Funding Given to Local Charities
West Berkshire Council and The Greenham Common Trust
have allocated £720,000 of funds to West Berkshire
charities. Half a million in funding is being contributed
by the council and the remainder by the trust.
Grants from the Trust are being given to: Newbury's
Corn Exchange cinema, Kingsclere Village Club, Team Kennet,
The 1st Hungerford Scout group, Greenham Ladies Football
Club, Berkshire RIGS (Regionally Important Geological
and Geomorphological Group) Morrell Room Management Committee
and the Volunteer Centre West Berkshire.
West Berkshire council funding is contributing to community
safety. The money will pay for:
A Police Community Support Officer to support the
West Berkshire Business Community.
A Prolific and Priority Offender Scheme Worker.
Money for RESOLVE to enhance the Mediation Service.
Funding for the fire service and Volunteer Centre’s
campaign to help counter fires in the home.
Money to raise awareness of issues surrounding
domestic violence.
Source: Newbury Today website, 3rd
May 2007
Number of People Claiming Unemployment Benefit Static
In West Berkshire the number of people claiming unemployment
benefit remained stable between January and March,
at 1% of the working population, which is the same
level for the whole of the past year. This is below
the national level of 2.6%.
Source: Newbury Today website, 19th April 2007
Incentives for Children to Walk to School
West Berkshire Council is planning to offer free leisure
activities to children who walk to school.
The authority has been awarded
an £18,000 government
grant to fund "walk to school co-ordinators" who
will oversee up to 14 ‘walking buses’ at
primary schools district-wide. Adults are already leading
groups of children along set routes to school at Curridge
and St Paul’s schools. In addition, children will
be awarded stamps every time they walk to school, which
can then be exchanged for activities at local leisure
centres. This ‘Go Kinetic’ initiative has
already been adopted by 15 schools and will soon run
in another 7.
Source: Newbury Today website, 7th April 2007
Retail Units Replace Car Wash
Land on the corner of Faraday Road and London Road previously
used for a hand car wash will be developed into four
retail units. Plans for use of the site are not yet
fully confirmed.
Source: Newbury Today Website, 5th April 2007
Greenham Court School Changes Name
Greenham Court primary school became The Willows Primary
School after the Easter break. The school is one of
50 nationwide to receive funds under the Government’s ‘fresh
start’ programme for improvements. The school
has had new staff and a new headteacher, Karen Claxton,
since October 2006. It has also had built a new all-weather
sports pitch, as well as a new cycle path, footpath
and pedestrian crossing funded by developer contributions.
Source: Newbury Today website, 5th April 2007
Tories win Royal Borough control
The Conservatives have taken control of the Royal Borough
of Windsor and Maidenhead from the Liberal Democrats.
The Lib Dems lost 18 seats to the Conservatives, who
now have 36 compared with 16 seats for the Liberal
Democrats. Mary Rose Glicksten, Lib Dem council leader,
lost her seat as did the Lib Dem mayor, Margaret Cubley.
Source: BBC online, 4th May 2007
MPs Dissatisfied with Rail Improvements
First Great Western (FGW) has announced planned improvements
additional to the £200m worth of improvements
already promised. They are intending to have additional
rolling stock, more staff, improvements to timetables
and better customer services. Peak and off-peak services
between Oxford and London, which will include Maidenhead,
have also been set as a development priority for the
December 2007 timetable.
However, Slough MP Fiona Mactaggart pointed out that
Slough will not benefit from these improvements, and
that the only improvement to the Oxford and London service
is to have more seats on fast trains from Oxford and
Reading.
Maidenhead MP Theresa May,
said: "FGW seem to be
doing things to pretend that there are improvements to
our service when they are not any - the service is still
not what it should be."
Source: icberkshire website, April 26th 2007
Schools Gain National Healthy School Status
14 schools in the Royal Borough have gained National
Healthy School status, meaning that almost half of
the schools in the Borough now have the status.
The award focuses on four themes:
personal, social and health education, healthy eating,
physical activity,
and emotional health and wellbeing. Of the 60 eligible
schools and pupil referral units under the borough’s
wing, 29 now have Healthy School status.
The 14 schools that to have gained Healthy School status
are:
Maidenhead: All Saints CE Junior, Holyport Manor,
Newlands Girls', Oldfield Primary, St Edmund Campion
Catholic Primary, St Mary’s Catholic Primary
and Waltham St Lawrence Primary,
Windsor: Alexander First, Dedworth Green First,
Oakfield First, St Edward's Royal Free Ecumenical
Middle and Windsor Girls',
Ascot: Cheapside CE Primary, Wraysbury: Wraysbury
Primary.
Schools
already with Healthy School status are: Alwyn Infant,
Boyne Hill CE Infant,
Burchetts Green CE First,
Courthouse Junior, Datchet St Mary’s CE, Furze
Platt Infant, Furze Platt Junior, Hilltop First, Homer
First, Knowl Hill CE Primary, Lowbrook, Royal (Crown
Aided) School, St Edward’s Catholic First, St Francis
Catholic Primary and White Waltham Primary.
Source: Windsor and Maidenhead Council website, 24th
April 2007
Rising House Prices Affect Key workers
Ascot has been ranked 10 out of 517 least affordable
towns in Britain for key public sector workers. The
average house price in Ascot now stands at £469,037.
Windsor, ranked 19th on the
list, now has an average house price of £370,396, and Maidenhead, an average
price of £361,511. Slough was 109 on the list,
but its average house price is still £249,213.
Tim Crawford, Group Economist
at Halifax, said: "Housing
affordability continues to deteriorate for key workers
across Great Britain and it is now clearly not a problem
confined to the south of England."
He added: "The Government
key worker schemes are providing some relief but given
recent trends there would
clearly be benefits from broadening their reach."
Source: icberkshire website, 20th April 2007
CRB Checks Still to be Completed by Schools
Ofsted inspectors have discovered serious flaws in schools’ recordkeeping
relating to criminal records checked. Across the country
staff are now being rechecked. The government’s
deadline of 1st April has been missed by many, including
Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire. In Berkshire,
only Bracknell Forest had no missing records and Wokingham
could confirm it had filled in all gaps.
Source: BBC Online, 13th April 2007
Council Offers Support to Business about Smokefree Laws
New legislation to make workplaces smokefree is coming
into force from 1 July. Environmental Health Officers
with the Royal Borough Council are encouraging businesses
to contact them for any information or advice about
the new legislation.
Smokefree England has been set up by the government
to co-ordinate nationally, but local environmental health
officers will be overseeing the application of the law
locally.
Gillian Taylor, environmental
health manager, said: “Full
guidance packs are being sent out in April to all employing,
actively trading businesses. If any business hasn’t
received the pack by early May, they should contact either
the environmental health team or Smokefree England.”
From July 1, it will be illegal to
smoke in almost all enclosed public places and workplaces
in
England. The
law covers all workplaces with more than one person or
where members of the public visit, including any accommodation
with a ceiling or roof, including tents, marquees, conservatories
and vehicles.
For further information, ring the council on 01628 683820
or Smokefree England on 0800 169 1697 or visit http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk.
Source: Windsor and Maidenhead Council website, 4th April
2007
Windsor Campus Opened by the Queen
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened
East Berkshire College’s new campus building
on St Leonard’s Rd on 22nd March.
The Royal Party toured around the new building and met
staff, students and college officials. The Queen then
unveiled a plaque.
Source: East Berkshire College website, 23rd March 2007
Grammar School Places Given to Children Outside the
Borough
More than half of the places at Slough’s grammar
schools go to young people outside the Borough. Children
from Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey and Richmond are
taking the places. The Langley-based Corporate Social
Responsibility Foundation (CSRF) believes that this is
a form of ‘educational apartheid’.
A study by the CSRF showed that nearly two thirds of
students at St Bernards came from other local authorities.
Langley Grammar also has around two thirds of youngsters
from London boroughs. Slough Grammar took more than half
of their pupils from London Boroughs and Hampshire; while
Herschel takes 36% of its students from boroughs including
Bracknell Forest, Hounslow, and Reading.
Source: icberkshire website, 26th April 2007
MPs Dissatisfied with Rail Improvements
First Great Western (FGW) has announced planned improvements
additional to the £200m worth of improvements
already promised. They are intending to have additional
rolling stock, more staff, improvements to timetables
and better customer services. Peak and off-peak services
between Oxford and London, which will include Maidenhead,
have also been set as a development priority for the
December 2007 timetable.
However, Slough MP Fiona Mactaggart pointed out that
Slough will not benefit from these improvements, and
that the only improvement to the Oxford and London service
is to have more seats on fast trains from Oxford and
Reading.
Maidenhead MP Theresa May,
said: "FGW seem to be
doing things to pretend that there are improvements to
our service when they are not any - the service is still
not what it should be."
Source: icberkshire website, April 26th 2007
‘Improved’ Population
Figures are 'not fit for purpose'
Slough Council believes that ‘improved’ government
statistics are still ‘not fit for purpose’ with
regards to the scale of migration to Slough. The council
is concerned it will not be given enough resources to
cope with the actual population it supports.
The new government figures
still only estimate the number of migrants to Slough
to be 300 annually, while the council
believes that 10,000 Polish migrants have come to the
town since 2004, without including migrants from other
countries. Currently, Government figures estimate Slough’s
population to be 119,000 while the council estimates
it is 125,000.
The council is arguing that
the statistics are not good enough to be used to calculate
the distribution of local
government grants. The Government will be making its
three year settlements later in 2007. The council wants
to discuss the population figures with the Government
before then. If there is no change in the estimates,
the council stands to lose up to £15m up to the
next census in 2011.
Source: icberkshire website, 26th April 2007
Controversial Housing Plan to Proceed
300 extra homes will be developed on the Cippenham Green
Wedge, councillors have agreed by a slight majority.
The property developer, Barratt Homes will ensure that
just under half of the homes will be ‘affordable
homes’ for first time buyers. The decision is
controversial as the housing will be built on a green
field site.
Source: icberkshire website, 25th April 2007
Rising House Prices Affect Key workers
Ascot has been ranked 10 out of 517 least affordable
towns in Britain for key public sector workers. The
average house price in Ascot now stands at £469,037.
Windsor, ranked 19th on the
list, now has an average house price of £370,396, and Maidenhead, an average
price of £361,511. Slough was 109 on the list,
but its average house price is still £249,213.
Tim Crawford, Group Economist
at Halifax, said: "Housing
affordability continues to deteriorate for key workers
across Great Britain and it is now clearly not a problem
confined to the south of England."
He added: "The Government
key worker schemes are providing some relief but given
recent trends there would
clearly be benefits from broadening their reach."
Source: icberkshire website, 20th April 2007
Waste Energy Plant In Operation from 2008
From 2008 household waste will be generating energy at
a plant in Colnbrook, near Slough. The 25-year deal
means that 50,000 tonnes of household waste each year
will be sent from South Wiltshire to the new energy-from-waste
plant in Berkshire. 8 lorry loads of rubbish will be
burned each day, to generate about 37 megawatts of
energy, sufficient for over 50,000 homes.
Source: BBC Online, 13th April 2007
As Terminal 5 Moves to Completion, BAA Plans Another
Terminal
The British Airport Authority (BAA) is already planning
a second terminal building along similar lines to the
new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airports.
It is planned that Terminal 5 will be open to passengers
from March 2008. In the meantime, BAA has submitted new
plans for a building the same size as Terminal 5 to replace
Terminals 1 and 2. Proving trials will begin on Terminal
5 from September 2007.
The airport currently caters
for 68 million passengers. It is expected that Terminal
5 will cater for 30 million.
BAA plans to have redeveloped Heathrow’s existing
facilities by 2012.
T5 was designed by the 2005
Stirling Prize winning Richard Rogers Partnership at
a cost of £4.3 billion.
Facts about Terminal 5:
T5 is the biggest free-standing building in the
UK. The main terminal is 40m high, 396m long and
176m wide.
The T5 baggage system is the biggest baggage handling
system in a single terminal in Europe.
T5 incorporates its own railway station with six
platforms.
Source: icberkshire website, 30th March 2007
Police Throng to Learn Polish
Over 100 police officers from Berkshire East Basic Command
Unit have signed up for lessons in Polish, with the
aim of communicating better with migrants to the area.
Since the lessons have proved so
popular, the original plan to run a single course for
12 has been increased
to two courses for 30 people, each running for 6 weeks.
Source: icberkshire website, 30th March 2007
