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Have your say on proposal to reduce fire risk and environmental harm from barbecues in our parks and open spaces
We're
consulting on a proposal intended to reduce fire risk and environmental
harm caused by barbecues and fires in council parks and other open
spaces.
Cooking
on a barbecue or other fire is already not allowed in these popular
green spaces, as it poses a fire risk, can cause damage to grass and
wildlife, and often leads to littering of food packaging, spent charcoal
and disposable barbecues.
While
most people always follow this simple rule and respect local parks,
every summer there are those who light barbecues in parks, ignoring the
signage and the Community Wardens, thereby causing a fire hazard and
environmental harm.
The
proposal is to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which
will allow this rule to be enforced in parks and open spaces owned and
managed by the Royal Borough. This means the Community Wardens or other
authorised officers will have the option to issue a £100 fixed penalty
notice to those who refuse to comply.
We are holding a five-week consultation on the proposed order until midnight on Wednesday 19 July. If approved by Full Council, it will run for an initial three-year period. For more information and how to respond, see our press release.
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Consultation: Proposal to help tackle anti-social behaviour related to drinking alcohol
We're
consulting on a proposal to continue legal powers to help authorities
with tackling anti-social behaviour related to the drinking of alcohol
in public spaces.
Over
the years, many streets, car parks and other public areas in the
borough have been covered by bylaws helping authorities address problem
drinking, with the most recent legislation being a Public Spaces
Protection Order (PSPO) dating from 2019.
With PSPOs lasting a limited time before needing review, we are holding a five-week consultation, until midnight on Wednesday 19 July, on our proposal to continue these same powers under a new PSPO to run for three years.
If
approved by Full Council, the PSPO will allow police or other
authorised officers to continue to be able to ask someone causing
anti-social behaviour to stop drinking or hand over their alcohol,
including any unopened cans and bottles. If that person does not comply,
they could then be issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice.
For more information and to respond, read our press release.
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Helping Royal Ascot to run smoothly for everyone
Royal
Ascot is next week and we’re once again providing support to help this
large and prestigious event in our borough to run smoothly. We’re
working closely with organisers at the racecourse, Thames Valley Police
and other partners to help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable
time, and the impact on our wider community is appropriately managed.
Taking place from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 June,
the horse racing festival will bring thousands of visitors to Ascot
Racecourse over the five days. If you’re in the Ascot area next week,
please be aware that event organisers will have temporary traffic
management in place from Tuesday to Saturday. Visit the Ascot website for details.
If
you live in the Ascot area, please put out your bin for collection on
Monday as usual. If you live at one of those few properties in Ascot
that have a Tuesday collection, please put out your bin by 5am as those
collections will start slightly earlier next week due to Royal Ascot.
Our
Community Wardens will be focussing on tackling the ticket touts,
liaising with our CCTV operators and the police to help keep everyone
safe. The CCTV operators will be monitoring for criminal activity and
suspicious behaviour, welfare and safety issues, and crowd control
issues.
Our
Trading Standards team will be doing test purchasing to ensure accurate
alcohol measures are served at bars. They’ll also check traders are
following other trading rules in place to protect customers and the
public, such as tobacco regulations, accurate food labelling and logging
refusals of underage sales.
Our
Environmental Health team will be inspecting a range of food outlets,
from celebrity chef kitchens to food trucks, looking at food standards,
food handling, facilities and food safety management. Meanwhile, the
Licensing team will be monitoring the taxi rank, working alongside the
police to ensure its authorised use, and monitoring licensable activity
at bars.
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Household Support Fund - funding to help residents in severe financial hardship
If you're struggling financially and having to make difficult decisions, help is available.
The Department for Work and Pensions Household
Support Fund aims to help households in need to deal with the rising
cost of living. If you're facing financial difficulties and are at risk
of problems escalating, you may be able to receive a £145 cash payment.
If you’re not already in contact with one of our delivery partners, please contact Citizens Advice East Berkshire (CAEB) for help with applying for the scheme. Email CAEB as this is the best and quickest way to request support.
CAEB also have a drop-in service at its office at 4
Marlow Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7YR on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10am
and midday. For more information about the Household Support Fund,
visit our website.
For further support around the cost of living, please visit our Here to Help webpage. You can also call 01628 683800, or visit your library for more information and support.
Please be aware that the Household Support Fund is
a discretionary scheme, allocated on a case-by-case basis, to mitigate
serious financial hardship and prevent crises. Our partners have
responsibility for identifying households to the scheme and will provide
residents with a unique reference number, which is needed to make an
application. Residents are not able to apply to the council directly.
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Come and find out about a career with the Royal Borough and our partners
We're
holding a special jobs fair with our adult social care partner Optalis
and children's services partner Achieving for Children, at Maidenhead
Library on Tuesday 27 June between 10am and 2pm.
The event
will showcase the breadth of roles and services at the council and its
partners and a chance to discover what a role as an officer is like from
people who already work there.
We're one of
the biggest employers in the Royal Borough and there will also be the
opportunity to see what vacancies are currently available at the three
organisations.
Representatives
from the Royal Borough, Optalis, and Achieving for Children, will be at
the event to discuss what skills are needed, or how to transfer skills
into various roles.
A wide remit
of representatives from a variety of business services will be present
including from human resources, IT, and finance, as well as members from
our tree team and facilities.
For more information, and links to current vacancies, see our press release.
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Questionnaire on Royal Borough’s highways and transport services
A sample of residents are being asked for their views on highways and transport services in the Royal Borough.
The National Highways and Transport Network Public
Satisfaction Survey is being delivered to random sample of at least
3,300 residents from today. We are a member of the network, and the
questionnaire asks for your views on areas such as the condition of
roads and footpaths, to the quality of cycling facilities.
Recipients will have until Monday 10 July to complete and return the questionnaire, with the results set to be published in late October.
Read more in our press release.
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Armed Forces Day - Attend our flag raising ceremony
It's Armed Forces Day on Saturday 24 June, and to show our support for the men and women in our armed forces community, we'll be holding a flag raising ceremony on Monday 19 June.
This will take place outside Maidenhead Town Hall in St Ives Road from 9.50am. The
Mayor, Councillor Neil Knowles, will make a short speech before the
Armed Forces Day flag is raised at 10am. This will remain in place for
the week.
You're welcome to join us and watch this brief ceremony.
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Do you have Wombles memorabilia for library display?
We’re getting ready to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of Maidenhead Library next month – and our Library Service
is organising an exciting week of free activities for all ages.
Look out for more details in next week’s
Residents’ Newsletter. In the meantime, did you know that 1973 was also
the year that The Wombles launched on TV?
As part of the library’s golden anniversary
celebrations, the library will be looking back at how people had fun in
1973, and we are hoping to gather a collection of Wombles memorabilia to
display at the library.
If you have anything Wombles-related and would be happy for the library to display it temporarily and securely, please email Maidenhead Library or speak to a member of staff.
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Could solar panels be an option for your home?
A
scheme to help you and your business generate renewable energy through
solar panels, cutting energy costs and carbon footprint, has reopened in
the Royal Borough.
We
have joined forces with neighbouring unitary authorities to group bid
for cheaper installation of solar panels through Solar Together.
Residents and businesses, with permission from the property owner to install the panels, can register now.
The
applications are grouped together, and reputable installation companies
then bid to carry out the work through a reverse auction overseen by a
company called iChoosr.
The four simple steps to join the scheme are:
- Register
online to become part of the group for free and without obligation. The
more registrations, the better the deal should be
- Pre-vetted solar installers will bid for the work in a reverse ‘auction’
- After
the auction, those registered will be emailed a personal
recommendation, including the costs and specifications for their
property
- If
the recommendation is accepted, the installation details will be
confirmed with a technical survey after which a date can be set for the
installation.
When the initiative first launched last year, 1,200 Royal Borough residents registered for the scheme.
There is dedicated Solar Together assistance for you to discuss options. Either email Solar Together or call 0800 092 0332 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
More information is available on our website.
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Are you a good cause keen to boost your fundraising?
There’s still time for
charities, sports clubs, schools/PTAs, social enterprises, and
community groups/buildings operating in the Royal Borough to sign up as
beneficiaries in our new Windsor & Maidenhead Community Lottery.
Registration via our community lottery website is easy and free. So far, 35 local causes across the Royal Borough have signed up. From every £1 lottery ticket bought by the public, 60p benefits good causes. Draws will be held weekly on Saturdays.
Public tickets go on sale on Tuesday 4 July
for the first lottery draw, also via the above website. Players choose
which local good cause they want their ticket sale to benefit when they
buy their tickets. Cash prizes up for grabs range from £25,000 to £25.
For the first lottery draw on 29 July, and thanks
to the generosity of local businesses, there are two additional prizes
to win including a sumptuous afternoon tea/spa session, and an overnight
stay at a luxury hotel. There’ll also be a prize for the purchaser of
the first lottery ticket.
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Sign up to become a Community Information Champion
Do you live in the Royal Borough? If so, you could be a Community Information Champion.
Our Community Information Champions share valuable information in their communities and organisations, reaching those who need to know.
As a Champion, you will join a network of
like-minded individuals who are making a real difference in the
community. Champions receive monthly emails from the council to share
with their networks. These cover a range of topics from health advice,
community events and deadlines, to help and support. Champions can
choose to share this information in a variety of ways – the aim is to
reach as many people as possible.
Find out more on RBWM Together and sign up to become a Community Information Champion via email.
As a Community Champion, you'll receive a new magazine which includes
information to share with your networks, including how the council
works, spotlights on community groups and local success stories,
interviews with council staff, a monthly prize draw, and much more.
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Braywick Nature Centre hosts dementia support group
Pond dipping at Braywick Nature Centre brought
happy memories for members of the Out & About Service, a service
delivered by the local charity, Alzheimer's Dementia Support.
Several members of the group were handed nets
which they could use in the pond. The contents were then emptied into
inspection trays for their finds to be examined.
The visit was part of the Out & About
programme, delivering days out to enrich the lives of people with
dementia, providing their carer with respite.
During the visit one member recalled spending his
childhood holidays pond dipping while another who normally struggles to
communicate, freely chatted away. This is because engaging with nature
can be therapeutic for people challenged with dementia.
The group extended their time at Braywick due to the success of the visit with one visitor declaring it was the “best day out”.
Out and About is planning to return and Braywick Nature Centre which welcomes other community groups. Email the centre or call 01628 777440 to enquire about a visit.
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Royal Borough Community Spotlight
Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough:
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Bazaar & Coffee Morning
(17 June, 10am to 11.30am) - St Marks Crescent Methodist Church,,
Allenby Rd, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. Stalls with many items on sale,
including home baked cakes, stationery, books, CDs, DVDs and
bric-a-brac with many items for gifts or home. Raffle with
prizes. All welcome - free entry. All proceeds for St Marks
Crescent Church Fund. Email the church for more details.
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St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Summer Fair (Saturday 17 June,
2pm to 5pm) – Cookham Road, Maidenhead. A great family event, lots of
great games and lovely crafts, a bouncy castle, a bar, food & lots
more. Entry is free.
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Maidenhead Lions Duck Derby
(Sunday 18 June, 1pm to 5pm) - Ray Mill Island on the Thames below
Boulters Lock. This popular event has a wide variety of stalls and local
organisations offering goods for sale and games of chance. Activities
will include face painting, storytelling for children and the Lions fun
train, giving rides around the island. The duck race will be
started by the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead at
4.30pm. Tickets for the duck race will be on sale on the day at £1 each
with a top cash prize of £250.
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Girls' Rugby Taster Day
(Sunday 25 June, 11am to 1pm) Maidenhead Rugby Club's Girls' Squad
always welcomes new players of all abilities and invites girls in year 6
through to 13 to join its rugby taster day. For details please
visit the website.
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Voices Anon concert
(Thursday 13 July, 7.45pm) – Taplow Court, Cliveden Road, Taplow SL6
0ER. Bring a picnic from 5pm and explore the grounds. Ample parking and
free entry. A collection will be taken for Thames Valley Adventure
Playground. Visit the Voices Anon website for more information.
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Indoor short mat bowls club
(every Thursday, 7pm) – Braywick Leisure Centre, Maidenhead. New
members who have never tried their hands at bowls before, but would like
to give it a go, are welcome. Short mat bowls is a game that can be
played by anyone of any age or any ability. As a starter you can try the
game using the club's bowls. Experienced players who are looking to
join a new or additional club are also welcome. For more information
contact Tony on 07985 583295 or just come along and watch.
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Enter the Wildlife Gardens Awards
– Open until July 31 2023. Anyone can enter for free, whether you have a
balcony, courtyard, private garden, or allotment. Groups can also
create space for wildlife in communal spaces at work, school, or home.
To learn more and enter, visit the Wildlife Garden Awards website
If you have
an upcoming not-for-profit community event or appeal for volunteers
you’d like to promote in this newsletter, simply send basic information
about your event to communications@rbwm.gov.uk and it could be shared with more than 21,000 local residents.
You just
need to include a brief description, when and where it takes place, and a
link to a website/social media page/contact where people can find out
more.
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Have your say
We regularly hold consultations and surveys to get your views on proposals within the Royal Borough.
Participating, sharing ideas, and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard.
We are consulting on two proposed Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to address:
- Barbecues and fires in our parks and open spaces
- Alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.
Both consultations close on Wednesday 19 July.
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Local Travel Updates
Planned engineering works are taking place on the South Western Railway network this weekend, Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June.
The lines in the Staines area will be closed all day on Sunday. London
Waterloo to Windsor services will be diverted
after Twickenham and will terminate at Hounslow.
Buses will run between Hounslow and Windsor via Staines. For more information, please visit the SWR website.
For details of council works on highways, visit our website. For full local roadwork details, including work by utility firms, please visit the One Network website.
Consultation: Heathrow Airport Noise Action Plan
Heathrow
Airport has launched a public consultation on new proposals for its next
Noise Action Plan. The closing date for responses is Monday 17 July. For full details and to take part, visit the airport's website.
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