Reading Borough Council, together with The Heights Academy Trust, have agreed on a temporary location for The Heights Primary School which will open in September this year.
Offer letters for parents of children who will be starting primary school in September this year are issued on April 16th. The Council’s agreement with The Trust now means parents offered places at The Heights will have certainty about where their child will be going to school in September 2014.
The old Caversham Nursery site is currently empty but its former use means that it can be easily adapted into an effective and suitable learning environment for young children, with a large amount of open space for play. The Council will additionally be providing the new school with resources for the temporary site to ensure that pupils attending the school have a great start to their education in Reading.
The Heights Primary School is a new conventional two form entry Primary School which will be opening in September 2014. The school is being set up by The Heights Primary School Academy Trust, in partnership with Reading Borough Council and funded by the Department for Education, as a Free School. It will grow organically, opening with two classes of 25 children in reception, and one each for year one and three.
The school will serve the Caversham Heights area to complement Caversham’s existing primary schools, relieving the pressure for school places in the area. It will be regulated by Ofsted, teach the national curriculum and employ fully qualified teachers.
April 6, 2014 | editor
Reading Councilis considering proposals to lease out a largely unused corner of Hills Meadow car park for the operation of a hand car wash business, which will also provide toilets for free public use and improved security at the car park.
The small gravelled area is situated immediately behind and to the side of the recycling banks at Hills Meadow and is frequently used as a dumping ground for flytipped waste.
Reading Borough Council has received an approach from an established local businessman who wants to use the space to operate a hand car wash business. As part of the proposal, the business would provide staff and customer toilets which will be made available for free, general public use during opening hours. There are currently no toilet facilities at the site to cater for the significant level of leisure use of the site.
There are also currently no surveillance cameras at Hills Meadow car park and the proposals would see the installation of CCTV cameras to protect the business. Hills Meadow regularly experiences problems with anti-social behaviour, including ‘boy racer’ activity, graffiti and flytipping. It is anticipated that the presence of the CCTV would help to deter this behaviour. A catering kiosk for waiting car wash customers would also be an additional amenity for users, including young people who use the neighbouring BMX and skate facilities.
The proposal still requires planning permission from Reading Borough Council’s Planning Applications Committee. Any planning application would therefore be subject to public consultation and the opportunity for residents to comment. Opening hours of the car wash business would also have to be agreed as part of the planning process.
April 6, 2014 | editor
Reading Borough Council is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends campaign as part its ongoing commitment to making Reading a dementia friendly town.
With the goal of creating a million Dementia Friends across England by 2015, the initiative aims to give people a better understanding of the condition and suggest ways in which we can all support people with dementia.
Two councillors joined 31 staff – from departments including highways and transport, libraries, environmental health, and finance as well as social care – for voluntary Dementia Friends training. They learnt how dementia is not part of the natural ageing process but is caused by diseases of the brain; that it is not just about losing your memory and that there is more to the person than just the dementia; and that it is possible to live well with dementia.
Attendees were encouraged to sign up to individual actions by registering on the Dementia Friends website www.dementiafriends.org.uk.
Dementia actions can include:
• behaving patiently with someone showing the signs of dementia
• spending more time with, helping or supporting a friend or relative affected by dementia
• signposting people affected by dementia to more information and support
• volunteering with an organisation to support people with dementia
• fundraising for a dementia-related cause
• helping your workplace to be more dementia friendly
• spreading the word about Dementia Friends
April 2, 2014 | editor
Now in its 6th year, Reading Arts & Music Week remains the town’s only open entry exhibition, showcasing works in all styles and media and open to everyone.
Reading residents are being asked to submit art to be displayed at this year’s exhibition, being held at the Novotel Hotel in Friar Street on 21st and 22nd June.
Submitting work into Reading Arts & Music Week is open to anyone over the age of 16 living or working in the greater Reading area. Work from amateur artists is particularly welcomed and can include paintings, music, sculpture, photography, textiles, ceramics, furniture, glass, mosaics, jewellery and digital art.
You can submit a maximum of two works for a supporting fee of £18.00. There is no charge for those who are currently studying on a full or part time course in the Reading area. Deadline for submissions is 23:59 on Sunday 1st June 2014.
To submit up to two pieces, visit www.reading.gov.uk/artsmusicweek. Submissions will be added to the festival’s Facebook page and Twitter feed as they are entered.
March 26, 2014 | editor
Reading Borough Council is teaming up with Safer Roads to host the stall outside M&S in Broad Street on Wednesday 16 April, between 10.30am and 3.30pm.
The event is being held in response to the Reading Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) survey carried out last summer. Results revealed one of the main concerns listed by people who responded to the survey was ‘cycling on the footpath’.
The Council wants to encourage increased cycling in the town and a variety of initiatives are being delivered across Reading including a new bike hire scheme and a shared-use pedestrian and cycle bridge, both being delivered through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. A number of improvements are also being implemented through the Council’s recently adopted new Cycling Strategy.
In direct response to the results of the NAG survey, the Council and Safer Roads are now teaming up to provide an information service to encourage both pedestrians, cyclists and other road users about considerate road use, personal and cycle safety and bike security.
Among the highlights at the event are:
• high visibility wristbands for pedestrians and for cyclists to wear to increase their personal safety
• advice to cyclists about safe cycling, including appropriate clothing, correct lights to use and tips on hazards and junctions
• advice to pedestrians to ensure they know how to report incidents
• information on cycle routes and considerate cycling
• free bike checks by a qualified mechanic
• bike marking and security information for cyclists
• a competition to win a ‘D’ lock or a £10 voucher
• Cycling on a smoothie maker
March 20, 2014 | editor
