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Waste Less, Recycle More This month, we’re supporting Food Waste Action week by encouraging people to reduce the amount of food they throw away and to recycle any food that does get wasted, using a food waste caddy. Did you know that throwing away food is one of the biggest contributors to climate change?   Ideally, there wouldn’t be any food waste but in reality, there will always be peelings, scraps, eggshells, teabags etc, that need to be recycled. We can all reduce the amount of food that we waste and make sure that we’re recycling any food that does get wasted. Did you know that in 2020 we collected 2,635 tonnes of food waste in the Royal Borough? If you don’t already have one, a food waste caddy is a good way to ensure that your food waste is put to good use. Recycled food waste from the Royal Borough is turned into renewable energy used to power local homes and businesses, and into nutrient-rich digestate fertiliser which is used on local farmland.  You can order a food waste caddy on our website. Did you know that the food waste collected in the Royal Borough in 2020 helped generate enough energy to boil 12.3 million kettles? You can read more about why and how to recycle your food waste by reading our handy guide.

Your 2021/22 Council Tax bill Council Tax bills for 2021/22 were posted out from Thursday 11 March 2021. The bill is made up of contributions to fire, police and the adult social care precept as well as other council services. Some areas of the borough will also include a parish precept or special expenses. Your money helps us to invest in a range of local services including supporting our most vulnerable people and continuing to invest in the borough to support the local economy. We have also published our 2021/22 Council Tax leaflet. It breaks down how your tax has changed this year and how it will be spent in the borough. You can read the guide on our website. To learn more about your Council Tax, visit our website.

Grants available for non-profit voluntary groups If you, or someone you know, are involved with a non-profit community or voluntary group in the Royal Borough, you can now apply for our 2021/22 community grants scheme.  The deadline to apply is Thursday 1 April 2021. For more information and to apply, visit our website or read our press release.

Maidenhead roundabout works Work on Castle Hill roundabout in Maidenhead begins on Monday 15 March and will run from 9am to 3.30pm on weekdays until Friday 7 May. During this time, some of the roundabout lanes will be closed, but access to the roundabout from all junctions will be maintained. The works include reducing the central roundabout island to create a new dedicated right turn only lane from the Frascati Way junction across to Bad Godesberg Way. The aim of the improvements is to reduce queuing at the roundabout and provide easier access to the A4 Bridge Road.  The works are part of a £6m road improvement scheme in the Royal Borough aimed at improving six key roundabouts in Maidenhead. To learn more about the scheme please visit our website.

Stafferton Way Household Waste and Recycling Centre If you are planning on visiting Stafferton Way Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Maidenhead, please be aware that social distancing measures are still in-place. This means that you may need to queue for longer if you visit at peak times so please consider visiting the site earlier in the morning or on a weekday when it’s likely to be less busy. The centre is currently open from 8am to 4.15pm, seven days a week. You can learn more on our website.

Volunteers needed to support Berkshire children’s reading Could you help a child learn how to read and make a lasting difference to their life? Become a virtual reading volunteer with ‘ABC (Assisting Berkshire Children) to read’ and you can do just that. Some children may have fallen behind with their reading during the school closures, but as a volunteer you’ll receive training and support to help children catch up and build their skills and confidence. To find out more, or to apply to be a volunteer, visit the ‘ABC to read’ website or email info@abctoread.org.uk.

Respond to September 2021 school place offer You must respond to your child’s secondary, middle or upper school place offer by Monday 15 March 2021. If we do not hear from you by Monday 15 March 2021, your offer may be withdrawn and the place may be offered to another child. To learn more, visit our website.

Mayor and Mayoress showcase the Royal Borough to the Big Apple A group of adults from New York with learning disabilities discovered more about the Royal Borough thanks to our Mayor and Mayoress. Councillor John Story and his wife Barbara recently participated in a virtual meeting with members of Community Connections Life, an organisation which helps adults with learning disabilities. The group hope to visit the borough later this year, COVID-19 restrictions allowing. You can read more on our website.

Is your smoke alarm working? Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is encouraging people to test their smoke alarms more regularly with their ‘Test It Tuesday’ campaign. Smoke alarms are a crucial part of protecting you and your family from the dangers of house fires, but only if they are working properly. You can find out more about their campaign and how to ensure your alarms are working correctly on the RBFRS website.

Have your say We regularly hold consultations to get your views on proposals within the Royal Borough. Responding to our consultations and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard. Our current consultations are:  Proposed library service transformation strategy – deadline Friday 30 April 2021

Upcoming Windsor rail line closures The Windsor rail line between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside will be closed until 5am on Saturday 13 March, due to engineering works. Rail services from London to Windsor will terminate at Staines and a rail replacement bus service will be in operation. To learn more, visit the Network Rail website.

M4 closures The M4 will be closed in both directions between junctions 6 (Slough) and 7 (Cippenham) from 8pm on Friday 12 March to 6am on Monday 15 March 2021.  Visit the Highways England website for more details on the M4 smart motorway works.

Keep in touch Keep up to date with news and information from the council by signing up to Nextdoor and following us on Twitter and Facebook. Other accounts you may be interested in: Royal Borough official tourism web page.   Libraries on Facebook and Twitter. Windsor & Royal Borough Museum web page. MyRoyalBorough on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Make Maidenhead on Twitter and Facebook.