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Citizens' Portal launched to highlight performance in delivering Corporate Plan goals

A new Citizens’ Portal has been developed showing data and milestones to improve transparency about the council’s performance and progress in delivering the Corporate Plan.

Councillor Andrew Johnson, the council leader said: "Our new Citizens' Portal enables residents to view our performance and progress against our goals for 2021-26 - as published in our Corporate Plan.

"It has been developed to improve transparency and accountability by providing easy access to a wide range of information."

The Corporate Plan was adopted in November 2021. We consulted with you on the Plan last year, with your feedback helping to shape the 50 goals within it.

The Corporate Plan sets out our overarching vision of ‘Creating a sustainable borough of innovation and opportunity’ and is framed around three key objectives, into which all the goals feed:

  • Thriving Communities: Where families and individuals are empowered to achieve their ambitions and fulfil their potential
  • Inspiring Places: Supporting the borough’s future prosperity and sustainability
  • A Council trusted to deliver its promises

We’ll add more information to the Citizens’ Portal over time, and keep it updated as new information is available.

The Citizens’ Portal is part of a new approach to performance management, which was agreed at Cabinet in December last year.
Reminder: Check out your Easter bin collection days

Please remember that your waste and recycling collection day will change temporarily over the Easter period. Please put your bins out by 7am on your revised collection day and ensure all rubbish and recycling is contained within your bin. 

Remember, Easter egg foil and the cardboard and plastic packaging can be recycled in your blue bin.

Collections on Good Friday (15 April) will be carried out as normal. Normal collections will resume on Monday 25 April.

See our website for full details.

You can check your bin collection day on our waste webpage.

Please be aware that temporary staffing issues may affect garden waste collections tomorrow in some streets in Cookham, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead and Bisham.

We hope to be able to collect these as normal, so please put your bins out ready. However, if your garden waste isn’t collected tomorrow please leave your bins at the kerbside so they can be emptied on Saturday. For a list of the roads affected, visit the webpage above.

Our customer contact centre will be closed for the duration of the bank holiday weekend. Libraries in the Royal Borough will also be open for different hours. Visit our library webpage for the Easter opening times of your local library.
Watch our South West Maidenhead online sessions

Thank you to everyone who attend our series of online events to help inform plans for a major development area in South West Maidenhead, which will bring forward new homes, community facilities, infrastructure, employment space and improved public access to green space.

Our online events for the community to help inform the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the area have focussed around the key considerations of Sustainability and the Environment, Connectivity, and Community Needs.

Most public questions asked at these sessions were answered live during the events themselves and we are adding further FAQs to our website answering the rest. You can still submit comments on our website as part of this stage of the SPD process until Wednesday 27 April 2022.

If you were not able to attend one or more of these events, please do visit the above website where you will shortly be able to watch back all three of the online events. Links to watch the first two sessions are already live.
Healthy Environment, Healthy You

Our environmental sustainability campaign, Healthy Environment, Healthy You, is running this month across our communications channels.
 
We’re highlighting the wide range of ongoing council work which supports sustainability across our service areas - in line with our Environment and Climate Strategy and Climate Emergency Declaration – as well as the simple and positive changes you can make to live more sustainably.
 
The campaign has already covered the health benefits of taking part in environmentally-friendly activities and the strong link between your environment and your physical and mental wellbeing. We covered the benefits of walking and cycling in the borough, as well as volunteering opportunities to enhance biodiversity and keep the borough looking smart. 
 
This week we’ve been providing tips on how to reduce your waste by shopping smart to reduce packaging and only buying what you need. We’ve also covered what can be placed in your recycling and food bins and how the energy produced from your food waste is used.
 
The next phase of the campaign will highlight some of our initiatives to tackle climate change and how you can get involved. Keep an eye out for our campaign posts on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Reminder: Easter Bank Holiday pharmacy opening hours

This Easter Bank Holiday (Friday 15 to Monday 18 April), please be aware that the opening hours may change for your local pharmacy.

To access a list of local pharmacy opening hours, please visit the Frimley Health and Care website.

If you do become unwell over the Bank Holiday, you can call NHS 111 or visit the 111 website at any time.
Nominate your local hero for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2023

Nominations for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2023 are now open.
The award is part of the Honours system and is specifically for local volunteer groups that are well run, making a significant difference to local people's lives and, importantly, have volunteers (rather than paid staff) in the lead.

Anyone can nominate a voluntary group for an award, as long as they are completely independent from it (i.e. not a volunteer, member of staff or otherwise directly involved).

To learn more, and make a nomination before the Thursday 15 September closing day, please visit the award website.
Reminder: Take part in the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan Public consultation

The Datchet Neighbourhood Plan team has been working with other local people to create a set of planning policies for Datchet which address the issues raised.

The Plan has now been published for a public consultation which is open until midnight on Sunday 15 May 2022. Don’t miss your opportunity to comment and help to shape future development in Datchet.

You can view the plan and find out how to comment on the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan website or during normal opening hours at Datchet Parish Council Office, Datchet Library and The Bridge café.

You can also come along to the remaining drop-in sessions:


For further information, please visit the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan website.

The Datchet Neighbourhood Plan is being produced by a Steering Group made up of local residents who are producing the plan on behalf of the Parish Council.
How do you use your home internet and mobile data?

The Berkshire Digital Infrastructure Group invites you to take part in a survey to help it understand how you use your home internet and mobile data.

The group is working with local authorities across the county to improve our digital infrastructure and create a joined-up approach to make sure that post-pandemic businesses and residents can continue to connect with people across all platforms.

Take part online before the extended deadline of Sunday 24 April.

To learn more, visit the West Berks council website.
Author David Palin to host writing event at Maidenhead Library

Prolific crime and thriller author David Palin will visit Maidenhead Library as part of the World Book Night activities on Saturday 23 April.

Readers and budding authors are invited to join the local author to consider how the spark of an idea can become a novel, examine the creative process, delve into what makes characters tick, and discuss – ‘Does the plot drive the characters, or do the characters drive the plot?’

Entry is free and attendees will be invited to take part in a bit of creative activity, so bring a pen and paper.

Learn more on the Eventbrite webpage.
Get involved in local town forum meetings

If you want to get involved and suggest topics for future town forum meetings which discuss issues affecting Maidenhead and Windsor towns, please email your ideas to the council.

You can suggest topics for future meetings of the Maidenhead Town Forum and Windsor Town Forum as well as attend the virtual meeting and contribute to the discussions. Agendas are published a week in advance so you can see what councillors will be discussing and get involved if there is something you are interested in.

Your suggestions for discussion will be considered by members of the two meetings and then added to a future agenda if appropriate.

The next meeting of Maidenhead Town Forum is on Thursday 12 May and the Windsor Town Forum takes place on Tuesday 17 May.

To find out more about how to get involved, including how to attend and speak at a meeting, email mark.beeley@rbwm.gov.uk (for Maidenhead Town Forum) or oran.norris-browne@rbwm.gov.uk (for Windsor Town Forum). Anyone can watch the meetings live on the council’s YouTube channel.
Applications open for summer internship at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is seeking motivated young people from ethnic backgrounds that are currently under-represented within the workforce, to take part in the Chairman’s Internship Scheme.

Applicants must live in Berkshire, be between the ages of 16 and 18, and come from an ethnic group that is under-represented in Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

To learn more about the internship, the eligibility criteria or how to apply, visit the portal on their website.
Royal Borough community spotlight

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

  • Running for absolute beginners (7pm on Mondays from 9 May to 20 June) – Home Park, Windsor. Local women-only running group, Windsor Running Sisters, are holding a beginner’s course to take you from couch to 5K. You'll be supported and encouraged at every step by our women members, including some graduates of the course! More information is available on the Running Sisters website

  • Furze Platt War Memorial Hall Centenary Open Day (10am to 2pm Saturday 23 April) - Furze Platt War Memorial Hall is celebrating its Centenary by holding an open day. It is an opportunity to see the Hall and meet some of the organizations that use the Hall each week. There will be displays or information from the local groups including 1st Furze Platt Brownies and Rainbow, Elite Academy of Dance, and Kazuko Ju Jitsu. More information is available on the Royal Borough website

  • Fundraising Concert for Ukraine – (6.45pm Thursday 28 April) – Windsor Parish Church. St George’s School Windsor Castle are holding a fundraising concert to raise money for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. The event will begin with a champagne and canapé reception followed by a performance of Fauré Requiem by the Chamber Choir, accompanied by a professional music ensemble. Tickets are priced at £35 (Under 16s go free) and can be booked on the Eventbrite page

  • 13th Maidenhead Scouts and 4th Maidenhead Brownies and Guides ‘Gang Show’ (2pm and 6pm Saturday 21 May) – High Street Methodist Church, Maidenhead. Prepare to be transported to “Bookshop on Reader Street” featuring hilarious sketches performed by 4th Maidenhead Brownies and Guides and 13th Maidenhead Scouts. Tickets to the show are £10 each. There will also be a raffle to raise money in aid of Ukraine. Please email boxoffice@methodistmaidenhead.org.uk to book your tickets

  • Sign up for ‘Crafty Workshops’ – Craft Coop Windsor is offering a range of workshops across April and May in their Windsor Yards workshop space including painting and Easter hare in watercolour, beginners’ sewing or cross stitch, recycled glass-painting and jewellery making. There are also free Open Craft Circles for anyone who wants to bring their own crafts and meet other makers. Visit their Facebook page to learn more

  • Take part in community litter picking– If you are interested in looking after your community and would like to get involved in a community litter pick, then you should check out RBWM Together’s Clean Up Operations. The page aims to support and promote those in the community who do their bit to create a cleaner environment. You can also see when a local litter pick is happening near you. You can also share your litter picking stories and pictures. Visit the RBWM Together website to learn more

If you have an upcoming not-for-profit community event or activity 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 over 19,000 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.
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:

More information can be found on the consultations pages of our website. 
Local travel updates

Planned railway engineering works are taking place this weekend (Friday 15 to Monday 18 April). These works will impact rail services in the Ascot area, with replacement bus services running between Ascot and Aldershot on certain days. Visit the South Western Railway website for further information.

The M4 is due to be closed in both directions between Junctions 6 (Slough-Windsor) and 8/9 (Maidenhead) from 10pm on Friday 22 April until 6am on Monday 25 April.

The M4 is also due to be closed between Junctions 6 and 8/9 from 10pm on Friday 6 May until 6am on Monday 9 May.

Visit the Highways England website for more details on the M4 smart motorway scheme.

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.
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