Wraysbury Baptist
Church
Wednesday 9th December
Candlelit Christmas Carol Evening 7.30 pm
Wraysbury Jazz
Club
Sunday 6th December
Staines Brass Band Christmas
Concert - Village Hall, open to all - tickets £7 - 7:00pm
News
from the Borough Council
Free Home Energy
Survey
The
Council’s Environment Services are offering a Free Home Energy Survey.
The Royal Borough’s Energy Awareness Officer will visit your home –
about half an hour – and show you ways to reduce your energy bills. The
Officer will explain the discounts and grants available for insulation
measures, boilers and electrical items and provide you with a score
showing the efficiency of your home PLUS give you 2 free low energy long
life light bulbs. For a leaflet or to request a ‘FREE Home Energy
Survey’ please contact RBWM Customer Service Centre on 01628 683820.
New
Utilities Partnership Proposal to keep Borough on the move
Fewer
traffic hold-ups and better travel information. That's the aim of a new
council initiative that will bring about better co-ordination of roadworks
and more information for residents, visitors, businesses and the
travelling public.
The
Royal Borough wants all the utility companies to work more closely
together and with the council to schedule roadworks effectively so that if
one organisation plans to dig for repairs or installations, others can
take the opportunity to do their works at the same time.
This
'joined up working' would be achieved through the council's proposal for a
Joint Royal Borough/Utlilty Partnership Charter, which is now being
developed and would aim to:
·
maximise forward planning
·
minimise disruption
·
increase information for the public and
·
make sure that roads and footways are reinstated to the correct standard.
"We
appreciate utilities have to do repairs and installations, but the council
wants to work in close co-operation with them so they get it right first
time. Council roadworks also have to be done so we must make sure we are
all working closely closely together. The needs of our residents come
first at all times."
Council
officers will now develop the charter for utility companies to comment on.
It is hoped the new charter will be in operation by the autumn.
Phase
2: Mixed recycling pilot to launch in September
Recycling
will soon be saving money for even more Royal Borough residents as the
council's pioneering rewards pilot scheme is extended to include mixed
recycling.
Starting
on Monday 7 September residents in the pilot scheme were be asked
to use the blue bin for all their recycling – cans, glass bottles and
jars, plastic bottles and paper – and start earning rewards!
Working
with waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services and RecycleBank, the
council is the first in the country to introduce the groundbreaking
rewards scheme. Based on the concept of ‘the more you recycle, the more
you earn’, it means residents can get RecycleBank reward Points for the
amount they recycle and divert from landfill. The Points can then be used
to buy goods and services from around 60 participating local and national
shops and businesses or they can be donated to charity.
"By
giving rewards instead of imposing penalties, we are encouraging more
people to recycle and therefore reduce the amount of waste we send to
landfill. The vouchers also support our local economy by promoting borough
shops and businesses."
The
new blue bins come equipped with special tags that are scanned by
equipment in the Veolia Environmental Services collection vehicle. No
personal identification is held – the scanner identifies the address,
allocates a unique user number which is used by households to access,
monitor and claim their reward Points. Full details about the mixed
recycling rewards pilot will be announced.
If
the pilot study us successful, and present indications are that it will,
it is intended to extend it across the Borough
For
more information about the rewards for recycling scheme visit www.RecycleBank.com,
www.veolia.co.uk or www.rbwm.gov.uk/recyclebank
Flooding
Many
Residents will have visited and been disappointed by the Environment
Agency exhibition on the proposed flood relief channels around Wraysbury.
Naturally it is disappointing that the project is 20 years or so in the
future, but much more serious is the suggestion that the channel around
Wraysbury, arguably the village most at risk from flooding, could be
dropped if cost pressures are too great. The whole scheme – all 3
projects – is estimated to cost about £200m (that means about £1,000m
on past experience of central government costing). Even this latter total
however pales into insignificance compared to the £12,000m or so
estimated cost of providing facilities for the two weeks of 2012 Olympics.
Clearly someone has got his priorities wrong!
Your
Councillors will be expressing, via the Royal Borough, both for the
Wraysbury channel to be kept as high priority and for the project to be
accelerated.
When
your Councillors visited the Exhibition they found, as did many of the
residents they spoke to, that the organisers were quite unable to answer
detailed questions about the engineering and safety of the project. Both
of your Councillors are demanding that the Environment Agency returns to
the village to give a proper presentation on this matter.
Your
Councillors are also pursuing the question of reinstating dredging (even
if this would upset the fish as claimed by the Environment Agency. So in
early October, Cllr Rayner met with the Chairman of the Environment Agency
to ask if they would start dredging of the River Thames again. Lord Smith
said that dredging was been considered at the Staines Reach of the River
Thames.
Councillor
Colin Rayner email: cllr.rayner@rbwm.gov.uk
Councillor
John Lenton email: cllr.lenton@rbwm.gov.uk
Neighbourhood
Watch
Many
of you are aware of the Thames Valley Police Messaging service you can
receive by email. Updates on crimes are received about twice a week and it
is a very helpful service. Also the Police have Neighbourhood Action
Groups (NAG) for each area. Residents who wish to become involved by
working with the police and attending a meeting every couple of months,
can highlight any problems in the area.
To
receive the TVP messaging service: maidenhead@tvpcommunitymessaging.org
and if you wish to get involved with the NAG please contact Cllr John
Lenton or Cllr Colin Rayner.
Wraysbury
Container & Horton Mobile Library
The
Container is open at Wraysbury on Wednesdays 2pm – 7pm and Saturdays
10am – 1pm. These times can be found on the website at http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/libraries_container.htm
The
Mobile is at the Crown Pub in Horton every third Tuesday from 11.45-12
noon. These dates and any changes to the schedule can be found on the
website at http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/libraries_mobile.htm
Angela
Gallacher Business Performance Manager
LIHAS Maidenhead
Library
Tel
01628 685641 email Angela.Gallacher@RBWM.gov.uk
Royal
Borough saves Horton Woodland
The
Royal Borough has stepped in to rescue an area of woodland next to a
nature reserve from being put up for auction. The Borough's swift action
means the land alongside Arthur Jacob Nature Reserve in Stanwell Road,
Horton – which had attracted the interest of several potential buyers
– can now be used to increase the size of the nature reserve and create
an even more attractive walking area in the south of the borough.
When
the 15-acre Poyle Poplars Woodland, owned by
Thames Water, was advertised to be auctioned, there were concerns from
many in the local community that this valuable amenity might be lost.
The
Royal Borough – which has a 20-year lease on a small part of the land,
used as a car park – contacted Thames Water on 1 October asking to buy
the land. The move was supported by Horton Parish Council, local
residents, MP Adam Afriyie and adjacent landowners. Thames Water readily
agreed to the request and the borough is now buying the land.
Cllr
Alison Knight, lead member for planning, development and property,
said: "Thanks to the fast action of councillors and officers and the
cooperation of Thames Water, we have been able to rescue this land for the
borough. If we hadn't stepped in, the woodland's new owners could
have closed the land to the local community."
Cllr
Simon Dudley, lead member for adult and community services, added:
"This woodland area is a very welcome addition to the borough's
collection of parks, open spaces and nature reserves.
"A
2006 survey identified a lack of natural and semi-natural public open
space in the southern wards, including Horton
and Wraysbury, so it is particularly good news that this imbalance can be
redressed and that residents in this part of the borough can look forward
to many pleasant strolls around this diverse natural area."
The
council plans to incorporate the woodland and car park into the nature
reserve by creating a circular walking route with signage, path
improvements, fencing and woodland management. Sponsorship
will be sought to help fund the work.
Arthur
Jacob Nature Reserve, named after a former borough mayor, was officially
opened in 1996, having been created from a series of derelict sewage
sludge lagoons. Under Royal Borough care the reserve rapidly developed
into a haven for wildlife and was designated a Local Nature Reserve in
1999. The reserve runs alongside the Colne Brook and includes areas of
reedbed, woodland and meadows as well as tree and shrub planting. The
addition of this area of woodland will complement the reserve by offering
a larger area and additional interest for visitors, allowing the creation
of the circular route and contributing to local biodiversity by providing
additional habitats for wildlife.
When
I first saw information that Arthur Jacobs Nature Reserve goes on sale, I
wrote to the Thames Water Chief Executive, Mr. David Owens asking him to
remove the land from auction! I then had a meeting with David Oram, the
deputy Chief Executive of the RBWM Council and the Leader of the Council,
Cllr David Burbage to see if the Borough could purchase the land for the
residents of Horton and Wraysbury. Much to my surprise they said yes!
I
have been in the council for only 4 years now and I was very pleased to
see that when the council needs to do something in a hurry it does happen!
I would also thank all the residents from Horton and Wraysbury who offered
their help, support and even money to buy the land especially Debbie Keen
and Fr Simon Douglas Lane. I think the sale has now been completed. The
hard work now begins as we have to maintain the site and keep it open to
public use and free from vandalism, fly tipping, and illegal occupation.
Our
both villages must work together to protect this lovely woodland that
brings us so much pleasure. It is also true that these trees absorb
hundreds of tonnes of carbon monoxide each and produce even more oxygen!
Thank
you to the RBWM for buying this land!
Cllr
Colin Rayner
Macmillan Cancer Support
Saturday 28th November
Wraysbury Village Hall, 10 am til noon. Stalls include Christmas gifts & cards,
candles, greeting cards, jewellery, soft toys, cakes, books, good quality clothes, bric-a-brac & of course a
raffle.
Wraysbury Orchid
Event
Saturday, 7th November 2009
Wraysbury Orchid Event, incorporating Orchid Society of Great
Britain are having their annual Autumn Orchid Show at Wraysbury
Village Hall from 10:30am - 4:00pm. Contact: plestedorchids@gmail.com
St
Andrew’s
Sunday
4th October 2009
Harvest Festival
11.00am: morning praise/informal communion by extension
6.30pm: harvest supper in the annex
‘CREATURES
OF THE NIGHT’
Friday
7th August 2009
Discover
the fascinating world of Bats with the Surrey Bat Group and the National
Trust wardens. We’ll set off as night falls over the Ankerwycke estate
and search for these mysterious creatures as they hunt for food. Bring a
torch and a bat detector if you have one. The walk is approx 1.5 miles and
lasts about 2 hours. Dry and sturdy footwear recommended. Sorry no dogs
allowed for this walk.
Meet
8.20pm at Ankerwycke Farm, Magna Carta Lane, Wraysbury.
Adults
£5; Senior Citizens £4; Children £1
BOOKING
ESSENTIAL as places limited Please call 01784 432891
News
from the Borough Councillors
The 1.9% increase in Council Tax is even
lower than last year, is the lowest increase in the history of this
Borough and is also the lowest of the 388 Councils
in the country outside London.
The
Council is maintaining and improving services. Spending on our roads is
being doubled. £8 million is to be spent on safeguarding the most vulnerable children. We
are employing more PCSOs and Community Wardens and installing more CCTV
cameras around the borough. Two CCTVs in Wraysbury have recently become
operational. 73 bureaucrat posts
have been cut and 22 new
frontline posts created.
Pilot
Waste Incentive Scheme
Landfill
Tax is increased every year and we are determined to avoid as much of this
tax as possible. But we intend to remain a "Clean Borough" by
continuing weekly refuse collections.
Instead of fining Residents who make mistakes by putting out the
wrong type of refuse or putting it out at the wrong time, we are
introducing a pilot scheme to reward Residents who reduce collection
costs.
We will
use wheelie bins fitted with devices to identify the bin and the various
waste stream(s) collected.
The refuse
vehicle will have an automatic reader connected to on-board weighing
equipment which will read and weigh the bin. The data will be stored and
points, calculated from the weight of recycled material collected, will be
allocated to the household. These points will give Residents
"rewards" that they can use in local shops and businesses. This
is a voluntary scheme and nobody will be forced to collect these
"rewards".
To take
part please contact Larry Wolfe, waste and environmental protection
manager on 01628 683598. www.recyclebank.com
Taxis
The
Council have rejected plans to raise taxi fares across the Borough - Good
news in these difficult economic times. This follows the abolition of the
three Taxi Zones of Windsor, Maidenhead and "Other". The
Borough's taxis can ply for trade anywhere in the Borough and not waste
money travelling empty from one zone to another.
Local
Roads
We are
continuing to improve our roads after years of neglect. Much resurfacing
was undertaken last year and Coppermill Road is to be resurfaced this
year.
Windsor
Fire Station
After
losing the judicial review the Royal Borough is now considering
withdrawing from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service and starting its own
with 24 hour cover in Windsor. This is at very early stages. We hope that
Berkshire Fire Service will back off from closing the Windsor Night Shift.
General
We meet
residents every day as we go about our daily lives in the two villages and
would like to thank everybody who has helped us in our work as Ward
Councillors.
Each month
one or both of us attend the following meetings to represent the views of
the two villages:
•
Wraysbury and Horton Parish Council meetings,
•
Windsor Development Control Panel (which covers every planning
application in this Ward).
•
Crime and Disorder Forum (where Councillors meet with the local
Inspector of Police and discuss problems they may have in their ward).
•
Full Council (which meets bi-monthly), where we ask questions at
every meeting relating to matters that are of concern to local residents.
By taking this action, we have made things happen in the ward.
•
Cabinet -which usually meets once a month
Councillor
Surgeries
We have
found that Residents would like more convenient and private consultations
than is possible with formal surgeries. If you need our help please `phone
or write to arrange a private appointment. All Residents of Horton and
Wraysbury are welcome to seek our help.
Councillor
Colin Rayner
e-mail
cllr.rayner@rbwm.gov.uk
Councillor
John Lenton
e-mail
cllr.lenton@rbwm.gov.uk
Wraysbury Entertains
St Georges Day Celebration Dinner Dance - Saturday
25th April 2009, Tickets at £23 need to be paid for by 1st April
2009. For further information contact Ray and Pam rapam6265@aol.com
or Len and Avril lenavlen@btinternet.com
Born to Jive
Free Dance Night
26th January , Wraysbury Village Halls -
FREE dance night. Fun jive lessons7:30pm - 8:00pm and Freestyle
dancing 8:30pm - 10:30pm. Any dance style is welcome but the music will be
aimed at jivers (still a wide range though, from Sinatra to Madonna)
Wraysbury Players
Puss in Boots
Its Pantomime time on the 22th, 23th and 24th
January with the Wraysbury Players and Puss in Boots by Doris Hilliard. Curtain up 7:30pm. Tickets £7.00 from
Pennyfields Stores or e-mail boxoffice@wraysburyplayers.com
.
Bi-Annual
Wraysbury News
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