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Communities, parishes and emergency services thanked for ongoing work and support as flood recovery starts

 

We're thanking communities, parish councils, flood wardens and emergency services for their ongoing work and support during the response to this week’s floods, as the clean-up and recovery phase begins in the Royal Borough.

 

We're also thanking the community volunteers, contractors and others, who worked alongside the council and were integral to the response to the flooding and supported residents while the situation evolved during the last week.

 

This multi-agency operation saw dedicated council teams working with colleagues, partners and communities on the ground and in co-ordination roles, to deal with various flood-related issues, including evacuating and supporting vulnerable residents in affected areas, closure of flooded roads and contingency arrangements.

 

With the floodwater continuing to recede, authorities and community groups are now turning their attention to the clean-up operation and getting the borough back to normal as quickly as possible. 


Please continue to be patient during the recovery process, as a number of services are likely to be disrupted due to local conditions.

 

Roads and street cleansing:

 

As flooded roads become clear of water, they are being inspected, cleaned, gritted and re-opened. Cookham Causeway has today (Friday) closed as floodwater fully receded overnight from Sutton Road, which has reopened to traffic. Remaining road closures can be seen on One Network. To report any council roads or pavements which need cleansing following the flooding, or if you think your bin has been missed (see below), please report these to us on our website here.

 

Bins:

 

Bin crews are continuing collections on scheduled days across the borough, so please leave bins out as normal. Crews will pick up as many bins as they can access safely. If your bin is not collected, this will likely be because of the flooding situation prohibiting access – please leave it out and it will be collected as soon as practically possible.

 

Parks and car parks:

 

We’re assessing the condition of our parks, other open spaces and car parks which were closed earlier this week due to flooding, and undertaking any work required to reopen them as soon as possible. Following inspection, Ray Mill Island and Guards Club are now open.

 

Property flooding:

 

If your property has been flooded, Government advice on next steps is available here and here. Please be cautious of anyone who cold calls you to offer their services for either waste collection or remedial works. Thames Water is responsible for cleaning up after sewage flooding – more information here.


Read more in our press release.

Cold Health Alert extended for the South East

 

Although the Amber Alert for the South East has been downgraded to Yellow, this is now due to last until midday next Thursday (18 January).

 

The Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency issue Yellow Alerts when daytime temperatures are expected to remain in low single figures for seven consecutive days, with nights also due to dip below freezing.

 

If you can, check in on relatives and loved ones aged 65 plus, or at any age if they’ve got underlying health conditions. But remember, all ages can be affected by this chilly weather.

 

Try to maintain the indoor temperature in your home at 18°c. And be aware that some healthcare services may be busier due to increased demand.

 

See advice on keeping warm, well, and safe in cold weather.


Supporting rough sleepers

 

Our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) remains in place due to the ongoing cold temperatures, meaning we’re providing emergency shelter to anyone found sleeping rough in the borough, irrespective of local connection and current circumstances.

 

See more about SWEP and how to advise us of any further rough sleepers on our website. 

Free domestic abuse awareness training


We’re offering free domestic abuse awareness training for those in the local hair and beauty industry.


This includes information on what domestic abuse is, how to spot signs, and what to do if a client says they're being abused.


For many victims of domestic abuse, hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons are safe spaces where they are at ease with the stylists they trust and can confide in. Therefore, salon professionals are in a unique position to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse in their clients. With proper training, salon professionals can become invaluable and influential community partners in reducing the impact of domestic abuse.


The next session will be held online on Wednesday 17 January from 6pm to 7pm. Book here.

Calling all jobseekers! Attend our jobs fair

 

A jobs fair will take place at Maidenhead Library on Tuesday 23 January from 10.30am to 1pm.

 

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet local employers and find out about their current vacancies. There’s no need to book, just turn up on the day.



Employers who wish to attend the event should contact maidenhead.library@rbwm.gov.uk or berks.employerteam@dwp.gov.uk

 

For more information, please visit our employment support webpage.

Free numeracy programme to improve lives - upcoming courses

 

If you find numbers a challenge, you can improve your numeracy skills and gain confidence to tackle everyday budgeting or get a new job, with our free maths programmes.

 

We and partner training providers have created the sessions for people aged 19 years and over who do not have GSCE maths at grade C or the equivalent.

 

Designed to help with everyday activities like shopping and cost of living issues, these sessions are designed to improve specific skills, like budgeting, helping children with homework or improving maths skills for work.

 

Upcoming courses include:


  • Cooking on a budget, main meals - Berkshire College of Agriculture on Monday 29 January
  • Cooking on a budget, desserts and treats - Berkshire College of Agriculture on Monday 5 February.

 

The government-funded Multiply programme is to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This adds to the council’s work supporting skills and employability. To view and register for courses, visit the website.

Reminder: Have your say on proposed extra support for disabled people to have home adaptions

 

There's still time to have your say on a draft policy which, if approved, would mean extra financial support for disabled people to have household adaptions, helping them to live safe and independent lives at home. 

 

Let us know your views on our draft Disabled Facilities Grant and Housing Assistance Policy, which would be used to decide applications for funding assistance for eligible works, including ramps, stair lifts, level access showers and door-widening.

 

Several additional packages of discretionary assistance are proposed, above and beyond the statutory support already offered to disabled people. This includes a new means-tested top-up on the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants for those in financial hardship, doubling the maximum available for eligible works to £60,000.

 

The consultation runs until Friday 2 February 2024. Take part on our website and read more in our press release.

New year, new you - Join one of the Royal Borough's leisure centres

 

Whether you’re a first timer, or you’ve stopped going, January is a great time to sign up to your local gym.


Our leisure centres have a range of facilities and classes to suit your needs and help you keep fit and healthy.


Visit the Leisure Focus website for information about the facilities and classes at your local leisure centre.


The gym at Windsor Leisure Centre in Stovell Road has undergone a £500,000 refurbishment. Called The Windsor Club, it boasts the very latest in cardio and resistance equipment in training zones, and has a dedicated recovery and rehabilitation area.


The Windsor Club is throwing open its doors for an open weekend on Saturday 13 January and Sunday 14 January where you'll be able to trial the new equipment. For full details and booking information, visit here.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight


Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough:


  • The Quince Players pantomime - Ba Ba Land (Show dates - Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 January and Thursday 18 to Saturday 20 January). The Cordes Hall, Sunninghill. The not-for-profit, local am-dram society is pleased to announce the world premiere of a brand new pantomime, Ba Ba Land, written by local authors David and Fiona Barker. With nursery rhyme characters such as Bo Beep, Old Mother Hubbard and the Big Bad Wolf, you can expect all the classic elements of a panto. Entertainment for all the family. For more information and tickets, visit, the website.


  • Clarice Cliff: The Doyenne of Art Deco (Monday 15 January, 11.30am) - Baylis Theatre, Braywick Leisure Centre, Maidenhead, SL6 1BN. The Arts Society Maidenhead’s lecture explores the art and life of this wonderful artist, who was born 125 years ago this month. Her talent was recognized when she was still a teenager and she went on to produce designs that keyed into the cutting edge trends of the period, setting the bar for ceramics as a commercial art form. For more information, visit the website. To join contact maidenhead@theartsociety.org.


  • Wednesday night is GoodGym night (Wednesday 17 January, 6.45pm to 8.30pm). Every Wednesday evening the group runs or walks to somewhere in Maidenhead where help is needed with a practical task. Typical tasks are things like gardening, painting, litter picking and helping move boxes. Beneficiaries include local charities, schools and community projects and venues. Everyone is welcome. You can choose whether you run or walk and no specific skills or experience are needed for the task - just a willingness to pitch in. Many hands make light work and the group always has a sociable time. For more information, visit the website.


  • Marlow Community Choir presents Rossini - Petite messe solennelle (Saturday 20 January 2024, 7pm) - St Luke’s Church Maidenhead. For more information, visit the website.


  • Tesco Dedworth volunteer network meeting (Friday 2 February, 11am to 12.30pm) - Meeting room, Tesco, Dedworth. Customers who would like to get involved in the community but who are unsure of how they might add value are invited to come and hear from our Tesco Heroes about the projects that they get involved in. For more information, visit the website. Register online or at Customer Services.


  • I Love Windsor's directory of Windsor community groups and charities. The group is putting together a directory for 2024. It will feature your community group and charity in Windsor on its website. For more information and application form, visit the website. The deadline for completion is the end of January.


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.


To see further volunteering opportunities in the borough, or for another way for community organisations to promote volunteering opportunities, please visit RBWM Together.

Our consultations - 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.


Our current consultations are:

Local Travel Updates


Rail - engineering work


Planned engineering works are taking place on the South Western Railway network from Saturday 13 to Monday 15 January.


The lines in the Staines area will be closed all day inclusive from Saturday to Monday due to maintenance work. Buses will run between Hounslow and Windsor & Eton Riverside, via Staines, on Saturday and Sunday and between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside on Monday. For full details, visit the SWR website.


Council highways works


For details of further council works on highways, visit our website. For full local roadwork details, including work by utility firms, please visit the One Network website.

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