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Elections next week

Elections for a new Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley, for Eton Town and Cookham Parish Council, as well as a referendum on the Windsor Neighbourhood Plan, are taking place on Thursday 6 May.

Due to the pandemic, we've made some small changes to the locations of some polling stations. So check your poll card carefully as it'll tell you with the name and address of your designated polling station.

If you're voting in-person, remember to wear a mask and bring your own pen or pencil. This will help to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm. To learn more, visit our website.

As part of our climate campaign, we’re encouraging you to reduce the amount of plastic you use.

Here are a few ideas on how to do this:

  1. Ditch the disposable coffee cup – seven million cups are used in the UK every day, but only one in 400 is recycled. Using a travel cup is a great way to reduce the amount of plastic you use, and some coffee shops may give you a discount for using one. Alternatively, you could invest in a reusable lid that fits most standard cups until travel cups are more widely accepted.
  2. Switch to shampoo bars – bathroom products use lots of plastic, but just one shampoo bar can last as long as three bottles. You can also get conditioner in bars.
  3. Face wipes – these are 75% plastic and often wash up on beaches, damaging the global ecosystem. Using a flannel instead, not only means you use less plastic but you spend less on buying the wipes.
 
There are some types of rubbish you may find difficult to recycle, but there are places in the Royal Borough where you can recycle them:

  • Crisp packets – Craft Coop in Maidenhead (not at the Windsor branch yet)
  • Medicine blister packs – Superdrug in Maidenhead or Windsor
  • Makeup packaging – Superdrug in Maidenhead, or Boots in Windsor

Thames Valley Farmers’ Market is on tomorrow (Saturday 1 May) at a new venue - Batchelors Acre in Windsor. Maidenhead Farmers’ Market is next week (Sunday 9 May) at Grove Road Car Park.

Farmers’ markets support local businesses, offer fresher produce, and they also use less plastic compared to supermarkets. To learn more about our climate campaign, read our press release.
Bank holiday pharmacy hours

Opening hours for pharmacies in the Royal Borough may be different this bank holiday (Monday 3 May):

  • Boots the Chemists in Maidenhead - 8.30am to 6pm
  • Boots the Chemists in Windsor - 11am to 5pm
  • Lloyds Pharmacy in Maidenhead Sainsbury’s - 10am to 4pm
  • Woodland Park Pharmacy in Maidenhead - 8.30am to 2pm

Learn more about local pharmacy bank holiday opening hours on the Frimley Health and Care website.

Royal Borough libraries will also be closed on Monday.
Get involved in town forum meetings

If you’d like to have your say on issues affecting Maidenhead and Windsor town centres, we want to hear from you.

You can suggest discussion topics for the Maidenhead Town Forum or Windsor Town Forum as well as attend and contribute to the meetings.

Agendas are published a week in advance, so you can see what councillors will be discussing, and get involved if there is a topic you’re interested in.

Your discussion suggestions will be added to a future agenda if appropriate.
The next Maidenhead Town Forum meeting is on Wednesday 18 May, and Windsor Town Forum is on Wednesday 26 May.

To learn about how to get involved, email mark.beeley@rbwm.gov.uk (for Maidenhead Town Forum) or fatima.rehman@rbwm.gov.uk (for Windsor Town Forum). You can watch the meetings live on our YouTube channel.
Youth matters

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, and Achieving for Children, are looking for young people to join our Youth Council.

The Youth Council supports young people to help them get involved in their communities, and ensure they have a say in decisions affecting them.

To join the Youth Council, you must be aged between 14 and 19, and either live, or go to school, in the Royal Borough.

For more details visit the Achieving for Children website, or email Elaine Keating, youth engagement officer, before Monday 31 May. You can also learn more in our press release.
Are you green-fingered and proud?

If your garden is something to boast about, and it’s visible from a public footpath or road, you can enter it into our annual Garden in Bloom competition.

Submit your entry on our website, email gib@rbwm.gov.uk, or post it to the Mayor’s Parlour at the Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead SL6 1RF. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 30 June.

Councillors will judge entries on a ward-by-ward basis, with rosettes awarded to the winner and runners up in each.

If you have a friend, family member, or neighbour with an enviable green-fingered garden, you can also nominate them on their behalf. To learn more, read our press release.
Set hearts racing with a Royal Ascot wedding

If you’re searching for your wedding venue, have you considered Royal Ascot?

Boasting 300 years of history, COVID-19 compliant indoor and outdoor spaces, and wedding packages to suit all party sizes, this could be your perfect venue.

Bookings with limited availability are now being taken from Monday 17 May.

To discuss bespoke wedding options, request a personalised event proposal, or if you have any questions, please email events@ascot.co.uk or call 0344 346 3611. To find out more, visit the Royal Ascot website.

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:


More information can be found on the consultations pages of our website. 
Keep in touch

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