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Demolition to begin of closed Broadway car park in Maidenhead

 

Work to demolish the closed Broadway multi-storey car park in Maidenhead will start later this month.


The demolition will begin on Monday 29 January and is expected to take around 12 weeks – quicker than originally envisaged. We've waited until after the crucial Christmas trading period to start this work following safety hoarding going up around the building at the end of last year.


The demolition will be carried out from east to west with the spiral ramp and staircase tower being the last part of the car park to be removed.


A full road closure of Broadway will be required for several days towards the end of the work, in order to enable the safe demolition of the staircase tower, and dates and timings will be publicised in advance once confirmed.


Before this, a partial lane closure on Broadway will be needed to ensure a safe distance is maintained from the demolition works for passing traffic and pedestrians while the spiral ramp is demolished. This will involve the closure of the current vehicle lane, and the opening up of the right-hand lane to enable traffic to continue to access the town centre, and these dates will also be publicised soon. Read more in our press release.

Businesses: Sign the Armed Forces Covenant to pledge your mutual support for those who serve

 

Our Mayor is encouraging businesses and other organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant to pledge their mutual support for the armed forces community.

 

Councillor Neil Knowles, himself an Army veteran and the borough’s official Armed Forces Champion, is encouraging more organisations to get in touch to see how they could play their part and sign up.

 

The Armed Forces Covenant, a national scheme, is a pledge to acknowledge and understand that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the community, economy and society. We're a long-standing signatory, providing support and guidance in a number of areas, such as housing, benefits provision and employment.


There's no cost to organisations to sign the Covenant. For more information, see our press release. Interested organisations can contact Councillor Knowles personally via Cllr.Knowles@RBWM.gov.uk or via armed.forces@rbwm.gov.uk.

Our library service partners with National Careers Service to offer employment advice and support

 

Information and advice is available for jobseekers in the borough thanks to a partnership between our library service and the National Careers Service.

 

The service offers free personalised careers information, advice, guidance services, as well as webinars, to help you make decisions about careers, courses and work. Whatever stage you've reached in your career, its qualified careers advisers are available to help.

 

Advisers can help you understand the local job market, develop or enhance your CV, and assist with interview skills.


Appointments are now being held every other Friday and Tuesday at Maidenhead Library, 9.30am until 1.30pm. To book an appointment, please email ncsberkshire@adviza.org.uk clearly stating you would like to see an adviser at Maidenhead Library. Read more in our press release.


Attend our next jobs fair


Our next 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

Sustainable road repair technology used to tackle wear and tear in more roads in the Royal Borough

 

We're using a sustainable and efficient way of repairing wear and tear in roads, including potholes, on more streets in the borough.


The value of the work programme is £350,000, which is fully funded by government grants.


A specialist thermal infrared heater, specifically designed to be used on highways, is used to quickly heat up the existing asphalt surface in need of repair. It is then easily reworked using hand tools before a rejuvenator and fresh material is added to the heated asphalt. The area is then reprofiled level with the surrounding road surface and compacted.


This latest work follows an expanded trial in the summer where repairs were carried out on sections of road in Maidenhead, as well as villages in the borough. Find out more, including the latest locations where our highways contractor, VolkerHighways, will be working in our press release.

Final reminder: Share your views on Royal Borough’s proposed 2024/25 budget

 

Thank you to everyone who has so far taken part in the consultation on our draft budget. The consultation first opened on 15 December and continues until Monday 22 January 2024, so there’s still time for residents, community groups and businesses to take part.

 

At this stage, the budget proposals provisionally set out a balanced position for 2024/25 and work will continue ahead of the final budget being presented to Full Council in February.

 

To take part in the consultation, visit RBWM Together. Read more in our press release.

Gritting key routes across the borough


With freezing temperatures continuing this week, our gritters have been out and about treating key routes in the borough to keep roads safe for motorists.


From November to March, our gritting team is ready to go when road surface temperatures are forecast to freeze, and during a single 24-hour period could cover nearly 200 miles.


Watch this short video to find out more about their work.

Cold Health Alert extended for the South East

 

The Amber Alert for the South East has been extended until midday tomorrow (Saturday 20 January).

 

If you can, check in on relatives and loved ones aged 65 plus, or those of any age with 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.

Update: Cookham Bridge essential maintenance


Alongside our emergency response to the recent flooding, we’ve continued to prioritise the essential maintenance works to Cookham Bridge as we know this is important to the community.


Work continues on schedule for completion of the project as planned. Despite significant flooding in the Cookham area, work has been able to continue on the topside of the bridge.


Following detailed exploratory work on site, replacement bearings, due to be installed last month, will now be installed next month, but the project remains on schedule. Waterproofing work was completed before Christmas, and the next phase of the project will be to begin the resurfacing of the bridge deck. 


The bridge closed in October for approximately 20 weeks while work is carried out. While shut to motor vehicles, pedestrian access remains. Cyclists need to dismount before crossing the bridge.


Businesses in Cookham and the High Street are open as usual and we'd encourage you to continue to support them during the closure period. For project updates, visit our website.

Reminder: Grant funding available to create community orchards in the Royal Borough

 

Community groups, schools, landowners and residents still have time to apply for funding available to create their very own community orchards and give a boost to nature in the Royal Borough.

 

Our Sustainability Team has successfully secured £27,000 from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affair’s Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

 

The fund celebrates the Coronation of King Charles III and was specifically established to support local tree planting initiatives. Applications are open until Wednesday 24 January. Grants of up to £6,000 are available. To apply, please visit RBWM Together. Read more in our press release.

Calling all community groups! Be part of our new Community Information Hub

 

We're turning our current Public Listings calendar and map into a brand new Community Information Hub that will become a one-stop-shop for all community information for residents and visitors, including community events over the following 12 months.


The hub will include an interactive map showing the location of groups and events, as well as listing everything in calendar form – all on the same page. This will allow for greater accessibility, ease of use and the ability to print off a full calendar of events.


However, to do this we need your help. We need as many groups and events added to the current listings page as possible, so we can make sure that our new hub functions as we need it to. The Community Information Hub is being created following feedback from the many voluntary and community groups and partners we have worked with over the last year.

 

This is an easy way to publicise your group or organisation, or your upcoming event. Click here to add to our listings and be part of the Community Information Hub.

Changes to voting in UK Parliament elections from overseas


Do you have friends or family living abroad who are British citizens? Let them know they can now vote in UK Parliament elections even if they’ve lived outside the UK for more than 15 years.


They will need to have previously lived or been registered to vote in the UK at some point in their life.


They can now also register to vote online and their overseas declaration is now valid for three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect.


These changes apply to UK Parliament general elections, by-elections and recall petitions. For more information, visit the Electoral Commission website.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight


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


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


  • Monday Friends (Monday 22 January, 10.30am to midday) - St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Road, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. This is a new event and each month there will be a different theme. For January, the group would like you to bring along a favourite poem, or extract and share what it means to you. If you cannot contribute, please come along and enjoy what others have to share. The meeting will include refreshments and is very informal with a short time for a prayer. This is a morning for all in the community, especially those who are alone, and would like to make friends and get to know others. For more information email info@stmarksmaidenhead.org.uk or call 07714 892599. The next meeting is Monday 19 February, if you cannot get to the January event.


  • The Arts Society Windsor January lecture - 'Art and the Circus: Painting The Ups and Downs' (Wednesday 24 January, 1.30pm) - Old Windsor Memorial Hall, SL4 2RN. The lecture will be presented by Raymond Warburton. New members also welcome. Further details on the website.


  • Friends of RBWM Libraries Annual General Meeting (Thursday 15 February, 7.30pm) – Dedworth Library, Smiths Lane, Windsor SL4 5PE. The Friends of Royal Borough Libraries is a registered charity that helps to heighten awareness of the work in our public libraries across the borough, as well as support with fundraising initiatives. It encourages passionate public library users to become a Friend of Royal Borough Libraries. As a Friend you will be able to share your ideas, actively engage in our library activities, and help raise funds for projects that will benefit learning and reading communities across the borough. RSVP here.


  • Royal Reminiscence, dementia-friendly mornings (Last Wednesday of each month from 10.30am) - Pug Yard Learning Centre (please use the entrance on St Alban's Street). If you know someone in the borough living with dementia, or awaiting a dementia diagnosis, join on the last Wednesday of the month at Windsor Castle to talk all things royal. Sessions are free, informal and include refreshments. Come along to hear and share stories about the Castle. For more information, visit the website, or call Amy on 07860 612393.


  • GoodGym is now in Windsor (Thursday evenings, 6.15pm to 8pm). It’s fun fitness and it’s free. As a group it runs, walks or cycles (you choose) to a community project/organisation in Windsor where help is needed with a practical task. Typical tasks are things like gardening, painting, moving items and litter picking. Beneficiaries include local charities, schools and community projects and venues. Everyone and every fitness level is welcome (aged 18 and over). For more information, visit the website. 


  • Be part of our new Community Information Hub. We're turning our current Public Listings calendar and map into a new Community Information Hub that will become a one-stop-shop for all community information, for residents and visitors, including community events over the following 12 months. Click here to add to our listings


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 - industrial action


The ASLEF union has announced industrial action, taking place between Tuesday 30 January and Monday 5 February. This includes strike action on the SWR network on Tuesday 30 January and action affecting the GWR network on Monday 5 February. Visit the SWR and GWR websites for updates.


Rail - engineering work


From Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 February planned improvements will close lines in the Wokingham area. Rail replacement bus services will operate between Ascot, Bracknell and Reading. Please check before you travel. For more information, 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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