Category Archives: Featured

As part of the council’s Household Support Fund scheme this year, any Reading borough resident can now apply for financial support. Priority will go to low-income households who are struggling financially. That primarily means those in receipt of low-income benefits or other related state benefits, and residents who are not in receipt of those benefits but have specific circumstances that have negatively impacted their overall cost of living, such as unexpected or increased expenditure. Continue reading Household Support Fund→

The University of Reading is currently undertaking a research study looking at changes in memory and thinking in healthy older adults. They are interested in subjective cognitive impairment, which is defined as the self-reported experience on worsening cognitive abilities e.g., worsening memory and thinking, without any difficulties being evident on objective tests of memory and thinking. The University want to investigate the most useful way to ask someone about changes in their everyday memory and thinking. Continue reading Recruiting for University of Reading Psychology Research Study→

Are your household details up to date? Reading Borough Council has been sending annual canvass forms to households in order to keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered and encouraging them to do so as soon as possible. In addition to responding to the annual canvass form, if you are not registered to vote the easiest way to register is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, by calling 0118 937 3717 or emailing elections@reading.gov.uk. Continue reading Are you registered to vote?→

Reading Council’s ongoing major investment in children’s play areas continues to deliver for communities across Reading: -Lulworth Road Playground -South Whitley Recreation Ground -Coley Recreation Ground Play Area. Playgrounds are an important part of our communities and Reading Borough Council is committed to a widespread programme of improvements. Outdoor play is vital for children’s health and wellbeing and high-quality equipment accessible as possible for all children and their carers is a key priority. Continue reading Three new playgrounds open in Reading→

Residents can now help to make Reading greener by sponsoring the planting of a tree in the street of their choice. Reading Borough Council has teamed up with charitable enterprise Trees for Streets to work with residents either individually or in a group, so anyone can apply to have a tree planted on their behalf as close as possible to their chosen location. The initiative comes in response to frequent requests from people wanting trees planted near where they live. Continue reading Help make Reading greener – sponsor a new tree→

Caversham Court Gardens has been confirmed amongst the best parks and open spaces in the country by being awarded a prestigious Green Flag award and Green Heritage Accreditation for 2023. The Green Flag award recognises high-quality maintenance and excellent wildlife and climate-friendly practices, with winners having to demonstrate that standards are being maintained and continuous improvements are being achieved. Continue reading Caversham Court Gardens wins Green Flag award→

News from: Reading Borough Council – Five electric bin lorries will be cleaning up Reading emblazoned with new names given to them by residents after a borough-wide competition. The competition, launched in June, celebrated yet another milestone in the Council’s ongoing commitment to tackling the Climate Emergency by letting residents name the Council’s first five electric bin lorries, otherwise known as electric refuse collection vehicles. Continue reading Revealed! The names of Reading’s new waste trucks→

A new secondary school, River Academy, is under construction in Richfield Avenue, near the Rivermead leisure complex. The school is due to open for Year 7 students in autumn 2024. When full, River Academy will cater for 1500 students between the ages of 11 and 18, of all abilities and backgrounds. The school will be an academy run by the Maiden Erlegh Trust, which already runs schools to the east of Reading. Continue reading New secondary school to open in 2024→

The council is required to review its licensing policy every five years, and this is the latest draft: Draft Statement of Licensing Policy. A consultation is now running for this new draft of the licensing policy and will expire on 12 September 2023. In addition, where an authority is concerned about the number of licensed premises in an area and its effect, it needs to publish a Cumulative Impact Assessment. Continue reading Have your say: alcohol licensing→

News from: Reading Voluntary Action – The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) have released the latest report in the Time Well Spent series. Exploring what volunteer participation and experience looks like in 2023, against a backdrop of five years of significant external change, there is a lot to interest anyone seeking to involve volunteers in their work. Continue reading NCVO Time Well Spent 2023 report released→