Newsletter

• Three new playgrounds open in Reading

  22 September 2023

  News from: Reading Borough Council

  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 ensuring Reading’s neighbourhood playgrounds are providing accessible opportunities for all for local children to enjoy for years to come.

  The new play area at Lulworth Road, Whitley, is designed for younger children and includes a multi-unit, play house, spring rides and play panels. The project also redesigned the approach to Lulworth Road bin store to deter fly-tipping, with new paths to the rear and front. There are more improvements to come, with the Council working with an artist to further improve the look and appeal of the area.

  South Whitley Recreation Ground’s new toddlers play area at Farmers Close includes swings, multi units, a toddler trim trail and slides – all on a safety surface. The much-loved concrete animals have benefited from a repaint and have had a new safety surface installed. Additional improvements in the park include re-surfacing of the ball court with new goal ends with sports markings for football or basketball, and new paths into the park. This work is in addition to the community orchard that was planted early this year.

  In Coley local residents helped choose the design of the popular Coley Recreation Ground play area. It includes an exciting mix of equipment, including equipment accessible to all ages and mobility levels. The refurbished play area also has a new surface to enable access for children and carers using mobility aids. Equipment offers challenges for children of all abilities include swings, a toddler and junior multi play units, play panels, an accessible see-saw and a Base Climb play unit.

  Reading Borough Council’s investment for these exciting projects comes through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding – which is from the contribution paid by developers as part of the conditions attached to the granting of new planning permissions.

• Saying Thank You on BBC Radio Berkshire

  22 September 2023

  BBC Radio Berkshire wants your help.

  They are creating a brand-new afternoon show which will cover both Berkshire and Oxfordshire. This will be featuring a segment offering thanks to a person or people who have made a difference in someone else’s life. If you would like to thank someone who has inspired/impacted your life, and would like to talk about it on air then please get involved as BBC Radio Berkshire would love to hear from you.

  If you are interested in taking part please email Natalie Harris, Assistant Producer, at natalie.harris01@bbc.co.uk.

• Household Support Fund

  22 September 2023

  News from Reading Borough Council

  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.

  To find out more about eligibility and what information you will need to provide, go to the council’s Household Support Fund page, and if you wish to apply you can do so through the online application portal.

  The deadline for the first phase of applications is the end of November, with a second phase starting in December and running until the end of March 2024 (households can apply in both phases). Households whose applications are successful will receive an initial payment of £125, although please be aware this figure may change depending on take-up.

  Whether you are eligible or not, remember that the council’s Money Matters web pages bring together useful advice and resources on coping with the cost-of-living crisis, from dealing with your housing and utility bills to looking after your welfare and mental health.

   

• Help make Reading greener – sponsor a new tree

  23 August 2023

  News from: Reading Borough Council

  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. The Council hopes it will be welcomed by residents, especially those who don’t have their own garden.

  The one-off fee to sponsor a tree is £395, or £295 if the residents commit to watering the tree.

  The process is simple:

  1. Visit www.treesforstreets.org/reading to request a location for a new tree, answer a few simple questions, and submit your sponsorship details.
  2. The Council will survey the location to check for suitability.
  3. If acceptable, an ‘instant-impact’ tree (normally 5-7 years old and 3-4 metres high) will be planted, during the November to April planting season.

  Since the Tree Strategy was published in 2021, Reading Borough Council has been on a positive drive forward to achieve the planting of 3,000 trees on Council land by 2030. This is part of an ongoing commitment to increase tree canopy cover and make Reading greener.

  Reading’s Tree Strategy, adopted in 2021, sits alongside the Council’s Climate Emergency Strategy and plays an important role in responding to the climate crisis. The Council is aiming to achieve overall canopy cover of at least 25% across the borough and at least 12% in each ward. It is particularly keen to plant trees in Abbey, Katesgrove, Whitley and Battle wards, where canopy cover is below the target.

  Trees help to absorb carbon dioxide from the air, as the Council works towards achieving net zero carbon by 2030. Street trees act as natural air conditioners, providing shade on hot days and cooling the air through a process called evapotranspiration, helping to combat rising summer temperatures. They also protect from flooding, as their roots absorb huge amounts of water, and their leaves and branches collect rainwater as it falls.

  Trees tackle noise and air pollution and improve wildlife habitats, as well as greatly improving the character and colour of the town, making neighbourhoods greener, more attractive and more welcoming.

  They offer many benefits for health and wellbeing too, making people feel better, encouraging exercise, and bringing communities together.

  The Council is delighted to have this new opportunity to work alongside communities to improve the town through this initiative.

  To sponsor a tree or for more information, visit www.treesforstreets.org/reading

• Caversham Court Gardens wins Green Flag award

  23 August 2023

  News from: Reading Borough Council

  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.

  The Green Heritage Accreditation is for parks that have conserved their historical features to a high standard and maintained their historic character and appearance. Green Heritage Accreditation is made to sites that have particular local or national historic interest, and only 17 were awarded in the South East this year.

  In the wake of national Love Parks Week (28 July – 6 August), Reading Borough Council is encouraging residents to get out and explore the award-winning Caversham Court Gardens and the borough’s 50+ other parks and open spaces, which it continues to invest millions of pounds each year on preserving and improving.

  At Easter the Council opened Prospect Park’s new £530,000 playground, boasting facilities that cater for children of all ages and abilities, complementing the new Ranger Station there which provides mini golf, a climbing wall and Sky Tykes low ropes activity centre.

  Residents are also being asked to play their part in keeping Reading’s parks and open spaces in award-winning shape, by using the waste bins provided or taking their rubbish home with them.

  Those keen to play a bigger role in keeping Reading clean and tidy can do so by taking part in the popular Reading Adopt Your Street (RAYS) programme. This enables individuals, community groups or groups of friends, companies or organisations to select a street, open space, footpath, park or shopping area to keep tidy through regular clean-ups. The Council supports volunteers by providing them with equipment such as litter pickers, gloves, hi-vis jackets and recycled bags. You can find out more about how to join RAYS here: www.reading.gov.uk/about-reading/improving-your-community/reading-adopt-your-street-rays

• Revealed! The names of Reading’s new waste trucks

  22 August 2023

  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.

  The naming was shared between residents and schools, with the winners announced as:
  -Boom Boom (Hannah Niazi, Alfred Sutton Primary School)
  -Dusty Binfield (Antoine Ifill, The Lodge Day Nursery)
  -Bincent Van Gone (Edward Day)
  -John MaWasteSki (Emlyn Jones)
  -Bin There, Done That (suggested by Erin Gray)

  Reading led the way in introducing Berkshire’s first electric bin lorry in 2021 and has since built on that by increasing numbers to five fully electric vehicles amongst its fleet, plus a sixth for trade waste. This is another way that the Council continues to look to lead by example in pushing Reading towards its target of being carbon net zero by 2030.

  The contest follows a successful competition last year to name Reading’s food waste trucks, which now sees Ricky Gerwaste, Waster Taster, the Bindalorian, Hungry Hippo, Trashosaurus and Bin Truck McBinFace collecting food waste around the borough.

  Reading boasts the 4th largest cut in its carbon footprint of all 374 local authority areas in the UK, and the transition of the Council’s fleet from fossil fuel to electric, particularly waste collection vehicles, is a key element of the Council’s Carbon Plan 2020-25. The switch from diesel to electric collection vehicles saves 32,200kg of greenhouse gas emissions.

Got a story or event for us? You can send it in by email to info@rgneighbours.net.
Visit our website at www.rgneighbours.net to keep up to date with the latest news.