Note: from Thursday 14 July, this post will be replaced by Burghfield & Area Weekly News. This will cover exactly the same area as does this one. Please click here to be re-directed to it.

Thursday 7 July 2022

This week we look at what should be the last planning hurdle to crossed for Burghfield’s proposed café (despite some rather strange objections to it) and have the latest on the new Castle@Theale school. We also have our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and local councils information

This week’s news

Theale C of E Primary School Summer Fete will be this Saturday 9 July from 11am to 2pm. Covid disrupted children’s education across the county, but it also stopped celebrations like the annual Fete from taking place as well. This Saturday will see the return of this community celebration for the first time since 2019 and offers a variety of attractions to entertain old and young alike. There will be a bouncy castle, a variety of stalls, sporting competitions and excitingly, a Bake Off competition to enjoy with all the family. A day to celebrate  community again, and it looks like the weather is going to be kind as well. There will also be guided tours around the school, should you be looking for a suitable school for your little one. Click here for more details.

• There will be an open sports day on Burghfield Common on Sunday 10 July between noon and 3pm for those that may want to get fitter this summer. With a whole host of different activities, it’s definitely worth having a look. See here for those interested.

• Free, weekly Craft and Care classes at Theale Library continue until Tuesday 26 July as part of the Corn Exchange’s Link to Thrive programme for mental health. You can drop in on a weekly basis to learn a variety of craft techniques offering new skills and an opportunity to share progress with others in a supportive and relaxed environment.. See details here for how to self-refer or be referred to the classes by your GP or Social Prescriber.

• Free, weekly Creating Journalling classes at Mortimer Library also continue until Thursday 28 July as part of the same programme offering a chance to reflect and explore using mixed media, mindfulness and lots of creative fun techniques to produce a private journal just for you. See details here for how to self-refer or be referred to the classes by your GP or Social Prescriber.

Newly opened eco-friendly St Birinus House in Theale is an example of sustainability in action and the proud home of staff from the Diocese of Reading. Featuring a green roof, an air source heat pump, fabric first insulation and water saving appliances, the electric car charging points in the grounds signal that the church is leading by example in the war over climate change. Ecology and biodiversity is at the heart of the project, offering a safe haven for local wildlife from bugs to bats to birds, and thought has even been taken about recycling or repurposing the building in the future.

• The Holy Trinity Church of Theale is offering a two-morning summer club for children in years one to six at Theale Primary School on 27 and 28 of July. To book a slot, you can visit here and also here to find out more information.

• We reported a few weeks ago about the closing of a footpath between Graham Court and Station Road due to a dangerous fence panel; after a review, this footpath has been reported as fixed and the footpath is now reopened.

• West Berkshire Council have extended their Bus Improvement Plan survey deadline. It is vital they hear from passengers and potential passengers to ensure they are meeting needs. If you would like your views heard regarding Berkshires bus services, then take the survey before midnight on Sunday 31 July.

• Theale Parish Council has urged residents to take part in your Patient Participation Group, which aims to support and improve the way services are delivered by your GP Practice. See more here on the goals and how to join.

• Theale Parish Council has released a list of projects currently being funded by the Greenham Trust. Click here to see the work being done.

• The Mortimer West End and District Annual Show has been announced, taking place on 27 August 2022. The full schedule and details are available here, boasting vegetables, flowers, handicrafts, artwork and more.

• The latest edition of the Englefield Parish Magazine is available to read here.

• Ditto here with the latest Padworth Village Newsletter.

• Holy Trinity Church has posted an updated list of necessities for the Foodbank which you can view here.

• For the latest news from theBenefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton which covers updates and events across Theale area please visit its website and click on Letters, Notices & Magazine.

• Latest news from Aldermaston Parish Council can also be found on the website aldermaston.co.uk and this month includes the celebration of a new florist and children’s nursery in the village.

Café D-day

As mentioned last week, the application for the temporary café in Burghfield has now all but completed its journey through the protracted obstacle course that is the English planning system. The final hurdle that needs to be crossed will take place on 13 July when it will be considered by the Eastern Area Planning Committee. I have previously looked at both these issues in detail – see the archive section below (link at the foot of the post) and search for “café” or “EAPC”.

The agenda for the meeting can be seen here. The event will be live-streamed and will also be available for viewing afterwards. The café is currently the first item on the agenda so the discussion will start soon after the 6.30 kick off.

The letter sent to interested parties by WBC confirms that “Any comments that have been made will be summarised in the Officer’s Report, will be taken into account in the determination of the application, and therefore do not need to be restated. However, this Council does allow applicants, agents, parish/town council representatives, objectors and supporters to speak on applications being considered by the planning committees; details of the procedure which explains the scheme and provides some advice may be found overleaf. It is not obligatory for you to attend or speak and, if you choose not to do so your previously submitted observations will be available for inspection by the committee, and will be summarised in the report to the Planning Committee. If you do wish to speak at the meeting, please let us know by 4pm on the working day before the meeting by sending an email to [email protected] (please do not email individual officers). It is not possible to agree to requests to speak after this time.”

“If,” the letter goes on, “If you wish to speak at the meeting via Zoom (strongly recommended), please advise so when you submit your request to speak, and include an email address and telephone number. Zoom invites will be sent to your email address in advance of the meeting. If you wish to speak at the meeting in person, please advise so when you submit your request to speak, and include an email address and telephone number.”

Barring an appeal, the decision of the EAPC on the matter will be the final word. Of course, assuming the application is passed, one more thing then remains to be done – building the café. Projects like this often take less time to construct than they do secure the permission. This was was validated in early March, so has gone through the system at lightening speed by the standards of the planning system. If successful, the applicants (Burghfield Parish Council) may also want to get cracking as soon as possible as material costs are rising pretty much by the day.

You can click here to see the view of the planning officer, which is to refuse the application. Why is this? On the grounds of character and appearance, highways, amenity, noise, public rights of way, green infrastructure, the rural economy, ecology and flooding and drainage the application is in accordance with WBC’s policies. On grounds of sustainable construction it is accepted that the BREEAM regulations do not apply. All of these, however, are trumped by the fact that it fails to accord with the DEPZ and emergency planning requirements due to the site’s proximity to AWE Burghfield. The officer’s reason for refusal (the only one) is worth quoting in full:

“The site is located within the AWE Burghfield Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ). The temporary prefabricated structure would not afford sufficient protection to the public in the case on an emergency event. Additionally, there is also concerned with regard to the building ability to provide sufficient level of welfare for customers and staff for a period of 48 hours. Thus, it has been identified that the proposal would compromise local public health in the event of an emergency evacuation in the locality. Furthermore, the submission fails to provide adequate assurance that the proposed development can be accommodated within off-site emergency planning arrangements. This is contrary to policy CS8 of West Berkshire Core Strategy (2006-2026).”

Given this verdict, it seems amazing that the entire parish of Burghfield has not been permanently evacuated: it’s clearly a very dangerous place. The park, being in the open air, should certainly by this logic be closed. I wonder how many other public buildings, including at the local schools, would afford a suitable level of protection. At least the café would have some food and drink, and a toilet.

This document summarises the 100-odd objections under 17 headings. The DEPZ  issue is one of these but all the others seem either to have been dealt with by the officer’s summary or else are not planning matters at all. None of the comments I’ve seen about this on social media refer to the existential DEPZ threat but instead to vaguer concerns and preoccupations that perhaps have more to do with past disputes than with this application.

The applicant is Burghfield Parish Council: perhaps that may have something to do with it. My enquiries into local issues over the last few months suggest that in some matters it could have communicated better. However, communication works both ways: any resident can also ask BPC, and not rush onto social media until there’s been a reply or a decent interval allowed for one. I know of at least one case where accusations were made without BPC having been contacted at all.

Hungerford, on the west of the district, is a town of about the same size as Burghfield and one I know far better. It has six pubs, about ten cafés and about six restaurants. Several of these are quite new. Yes, the town has problems of littering and anti-social behaviour but nothing that has caused any of these applications to have been refused or subsequently regretted. True, it isn’t in a DEPZ zone: but that doesn’t seem to be the real issue in the minds of some of Burghfield’s objectors. I’m an outsider, so forgive my ignorance – but what social cataclysm is this café expected to unleash on the community? I genuinely don’t get it. Please email [email protected] if you have any thoughts on this (I’ve received several already, anonymously or otherwise).

In conclusion, the reasons suggested by the planning officer seem to me, if carried to their logical conclusion, to forbid more or less any public building from operating and are therefore perverse. Planning committees exist to review and re-consider the views decisions of officers – which must be based on the policy implications of the application – and also to apply some common sense. It will be interesting to see how things go on 13 July.

Building the Castle

Construction of a new provision for secondary aged children with Social Emotional and Mental Health needs at the site of the old Theale Primary School is “well underway,” according to West Berkshire Council and it will be known as The Castle@Theale.

“The setting will take its first cohort of 12 children in September 2022 and will eventually accommodate 42 children. The multi-million pound project is a significant investment which will provide a boost in facilities for pupils with special educational needs Demolition and site clearance has already taken place on site and work is now underway to establish a new multi-use games area and car park. In addition, planned refurbishment of a modular building has nearly been completed. Further work is planned to refurbish the main school site, old school house and to build a new horticulture and design technology block for pupils.”

Community notices

• West Berkshire Library Service is appealing for local volunteers at Mortimer and Burghfield Common libraries. Please see this post on Facebook, call 01635 519533 or email [email protected] for further information.

• More local hosts are needed for people escaping the war in Ukraine. If you could consider hosting a Ukrainian refugee or family, please get in contact with the local support group or visit westberks.gov.uk/homesforukraine.

• For how to avoid scams and what to do if you unluckily get caught, please see important advice here from Citizen’s Advice.

Local events and activities

For more information on events and activities across the Penny Post area, see the website calendar.

• Dates for the diary

Sun 10 Jul Open Sports Day at Burghfield Common.

Fri 22 Jul Heritage Live at Englefield House

• Regular events

• Holy Trinity Church is seeking donations for the Foodbank that is open on Sundays and Wednesdays from 9am to 6pm. With another rise in people’s need for foodbank support, you can find out what has been requested each week by clicking here.

 Theale Library hosts in-person events for people of all ages. To find out more information on future clubs and events click here to visit the West Berkshire Library Facebook page or email Theale Library at [email protected].

Mortimer Library also host regular events, such as their Rhymetime group who meet every Tuesday (during school term time) at 2.30pm.

Walking for Health meet every Tuesday at the community centre car park opposite the Horse & Groom, Mortimer. There are three walk lengths to chose from As mentioned on mortimervillage.org.uk,

 Holy Trinity Church, Theale is open for West Berks Food Bank donations on Sundays and Wednesdays from 10.30am to 6pm. Please see the church’s website for regularly updated lists of what is most needed at the food bank.

• Beenham Art Group every Tuesday from 10am to noon at Victory Hall, Beenham. More details in The Benefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton Magazine (February edition, p 16).

• Aldermaston Coffee Club meet at the cafe at Rosebourne, Aldermaston between 10am to 11.30am on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Further details in The Benefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton Magazine (February edition, p 8)

 Aldermaston & Wasing Ladies Group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 2pm at Aldermaston Parish Hall, please see Padworth Parish Council Newsletter (p 3, February 2022 ) for further information.

Padworth and Aldermaston WI meets at Padworth Village Hall on the third Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm. Further information on the group can be found in Padworth Parish Council Newsletter (No 155 February 2022 Edition p 3).

Holy Trinity Church, Theale free choir group rehearses on Thursdays between 7pm to 8pm and performs at Sunday services from 10.30am. All are welcome to join. Send enquiries to [email protected].

News from your local council

Note: “the most recent meeting” refers to the most recent one for which minutes (in some cases draft) or some other summary is available. Other meetings may have taken place since. Some councils publish minutes more promptly than do others.

• The most recent meeting of Englefield Parish Council took place on 21 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: financial matters; donations to Citizens Advice West Berkshire and the Standby Volunteer Group; a councillor vacancy; and planning matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Aldermaston Parish Council took place on 14 June and the minutes will be available here in due course. Items covered included: a planning application from AWE Aldermaston for its major “hub” development (to which APC did not object but concerning which it requested “several conditions to minimise our concerns, including restrictions on working hours and funding of parish projects”); an objection to the Lidl site on the Tadley border; the problem of large lorries going to and from Padworth Sawmills; speeding; news of a meeting with the preferred supplier for the skateboard ramp; an update on APC’s refurbishment projects; and questions about whether WBC is committing sufficient resources to its Conservation Area appraisal. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Burghfield Parish Council took place on 9 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: the co-option of two new councillors; the May Fair; a possible youth group in the village; committee reports; financial matters; and first-aid training. You can also click here to see a report on the annual parish meeting on 12 May.  To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council took place on 9 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: an address by WBC’s CEO Nigel Lynn; the co-option of two new councillors; reports from committees and working parties; the neighbourhood development plan; the jubilee; financial matters; tree works; Windmill Common; planning matters; and repair and maintenance work around the parish. To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. See this page on Stratfield Mortimer PC’s website for more information on the refresh of its neighbourhood development plan.

• The most recent meeting of Bradfield Parish Council took place on 7 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: the jubilee; the Village Hall (the minutes report a number of questions and concerns regarding the revised business plan as a result of which BPC maintained its “position of no support for the current project. Everyone wants a new hall, but it has to be supported by the community and sustainable for the future.”); planning matters; a report from ward member Ross Mackinnon; picnic benches; Ukrainian refugees; highway issues; tree preservation orders; and financial matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here for 2021 and here for 2022.

• The most recent meeting of Theale Parish Council took place on 6 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: a presentation from green ham trust; a report from ward member Alan Macro; the public toilets (see also above); village infrastructure (see alas above); planning matters; and financial matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Beenham Parish Council took place on 6 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: a review of the jubilee; a typo corrected; two councillor vacancies; planning matters; the agreement that BPC “should closely monitor the proposed development to the north east of Thatcham”; rights of way; the Recreation Ground; speeding; various repairs and maintenance issues; a grant to Citizens Advice West Berkshire; financial matters; and vandalism at the school. To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here for 2021 and here for 2022.  Click here for details of Beenham’s Community Plan.

• The most recent meeting of Padworth Parish Council took place on 14 March and you can read the minutes here. The annual parish assembly took place on 16 May and you can read the minutes hereTo see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.

• Theale area council contacts

Parishes: Theale Parish CouncilAldermaston Parish CouncilPadworth Parish CouncilStratfield Mortimer Parish Council, Englefield Parish CouncilBeenham Parish CouncilBradfield Parish Council and Burghfield Parish Council.

West Berkshire Council: click here to visit the website.

News from other areas

Penny Post area – please see the following separate sections: Hungerford area; Lambourn ValleyNewbury area; Thatcham area; Compton & DownlandsWantage area; Marlborougharea; Swindon area.

News and views from across the area and beyond: please see the most recent Weekly News with Brian column.

Thursday 30 June 2022

This week we highlight an important diary date for Burghfield’s proposed café and look back to an article explaining the work of the Eastern Area Planning Committee (which will decide this). We also have our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• The Holy Trinity Church of Theale is offering a two-morning summer club for children in years one to six at Theale Primary School on 27 and 28 of July. To book a slot, you can visit here and also here to find out more information.

• We reported a few weeks ago about the closing of a footpath between Graham Court and Station Road due to a dangerous fence panel; after a review, this footpath has been reported as fixed and the footpath is now reopened.

• There will be an open sports day on Burghfield Common on Sunday 10 July between noon and 3pm for those that may want to get fitter this summer. With a whole host of different activities, it’s definitely worth having a look. See here for those interested.

• Theale Parish Council has urged residents to take part in your Patient Participation Group, which aims to support and improve the way services are delivered by your GP Practice. See more here on the goals and how to join.

• Theale Parish Council has released a list of projects currently being funded by the Greenham Trust. Click here to see the work being done.

• Another a reason to celebrate this Saturday will be West Berkshire’s first Pride march starting at Victoria Park in Newbury at 1pm. Visit the Newbury Pride website or FaceBook page for more information about the event or read more in our article here. A new exhibit ‘Hope and Pride’ is also launching at West Berkshire Museum on Saturday and running for the rest of 2022, looking at the history of Pride in the UK, as well as contributions from our local LGBTQIA+ community. See here for museum opening times.

• West Berkshire Council has received funding from the Government to help improve bus services for the next three years. Your views are being sought on how the service can be improved. The survey is running until Sunday 3 July and you can find more about it here and the survey can be found here.

• West Berkshire Council’s June Business news includes recruitment support for employers, low carbon workspace grants to save on energy bills, online networking and an appeal to eco-conscious independent cafes, restaurants and pubs to be part of a sustainable eateries campaign. Click here to read more.

• The Mortimer West End and District Annual Show has been announced, taking place on 27 August 2022. The full schedule and details are available here, boasting vegetables, flowers, handicrafts, artwork and more.

• The latest edition of the Englefield Parish Magazine is available to read here.

• Ditto here with the latest Padworth Village Newsletter.

• Holy Trinity Church has posted an updated list of necessities for the Foodbank which you can view here.

Click here for a report on Burghfield’s annual parish meeting on 12 May (many thanks to David Gregory of Burghfield Community FB Group and Cally Morris of Burghfield Parish Council for providing the main part of this.)

• For the latest news from theBenefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton which covers updates and events across Theale area please visit its website and click on Letters, Notices & Magazine.

• Latest news from Aldermaston Parish Council can also be found on the website aldermaston.co.uk and this month includes the celebration of a new florist and children’s nursery in the village.

A date for the café

As mentioned in this column several times before, there is an application pending by Burghfield Parish Council for “the rection of a temporary cafe (prefabricated unit) at the Recreation Ground, Recreation Road, Burghfield Common. I have previous looked at the several aspects of this – see the archive section below (link at the foot of the post) and search for “café”.

This mention isn’t to add to any of these observations but simply to confirm somer information recently received: the matter will be decided by the Eastern Area Planning Committee (whose activities I have also described: again, see below, 28 April) on 13 July, as the usual prelude to which there will be a site meeting at 6.30pm on 6 July. The official communication from WBC has this to say on the subject of the site visit:

“The purpose of the visit, which you may wish to attend, is for the Committee to inspect the site. The site visit is not a forum to discuss the merits of the application. Furthermore, members of the public need to be aware that access to the site is at the discretion of the land owner or their representative, who may refuse permission for third parties to enter a site. Members of the public do have the right to speak, for or against an application, at the relevant Planning Committee.

“If you choose to be at the site visit with the intention of pointing out any features you think the Committee Members should observe, you should wait in a public area close to the site access and make yourself known when the group arrives. No special arrangements can be made in advance. Interested parties may request that the Committee view a site from adjoining land or buildings but it is entirely up to the discretion of the Chairman to decide whether it is necessary. Please note that if such a visit is agreed to by the Chairman, before entering the adjoining site/property, the Chairman and Planning Officer will first establish with the owner/occupier of the property/site being entered that there are no issues of Covid-19 present. Particular access to that adjoining site is also at the discretion of that landowner.”

Except in exceptional circumstances, which seem unlikely in this case, and unless there is an appeal, the EAPC’s decision on the night will be the final word on the matter (though there’s nothing to stop a separate application being lodged if this one is refused). More information on the EAPC and this meeting can be found here. The agenda when published should include the link to the live-stream of the event which will also be able to be viewed later. I shall be watching it in this way, at the time or shortly after, and will write about this in this column as soon as possible thereafter.

Community notices

• West Berkshire Library Service is appealing for local volunteers at Mortimer and Burghfield Common libraries. Please see this post on Facebook, call 01635 519533 or email [email protected] for further information.

• Free Craft and Care classes at Theale Library on Tuesdays as part of the Corn Exchange’s Link to Thrive programme for mental health. You can drop in on a weekly basis to learn a variety of craft techniques offering new skills and an opportunity to share progress with others in a supportive and relaxed environment.. See details here for how to self-refer or be referred to the classes by your GP or Social Prescriber.

• Free Creating Journalling classes at Mortimer Library on Thursdays as part of the Corn Exchange’s Link to Thrive programme for mental health. You can drop in on a weekly basis for a chance to reflect and explore using mixed media, mindfulness and lots of creative fun techniques to produce a private journal just for you. See details here for how to self-refer or be referred to the classes by your GP or Social Prescriber.

• More local hosts are needed for people escaping the war in Ukraine. If you could consider hosting a Ukrainian refugee or family, please get in contact with the local support group or visit westberks.gov.uk/homesforukraine.

• For how to avoid scams and what to do if you unluckily get caught, please see important advice here from Citizen’s Advice.

Local events and activities

For more information on events and activities across the Penny Post area, see the website calendar.

• Dates for the diary

Sun 10 Jul Open Sports Day at Burghfield Common.

Fri 22 Jul Heritage Live at Englefield House

• Regular events

• Holy Trinity Church is seeking donations for the Foodbank that is open on Sundays and Wednesdays from 9am to 6pm. With another rise in people’s need for foodbank support, you can find out what has been requested each week by clicking here.

 Theale Library hosts in-person events for people of all ages. To find out more information on future clubs and events click here to visit the West Berkshire Library Facebook page or email Theale Library at [email protected].

Mortimer Library also host regular events, such as their Rhymetime group who meet every Tuesday (during school term time) at 2.30pm.

Walking for Health meet every Tuesday at the community centre car park opposite the Horse & Groom, Mortimer. There are three walk lengths to chose from As mentioned on mortimervillage.org.uk,

 Holy Trinity Church, Theale is open for West Berks Food Bank donations on Sundays and Wednesdays from 10.30am to 6pm. Please see the church’s website for regularly updated lists of what is most needed at the food bank.

• Beenham Art Group every Tuesday from 10am to noon at Victory Hall, Beenham. More details in The Benefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton Magazine (February edition, p 16).

• Aldermaston Coffee Club meet at the cafe at Rosebourne, Aldermaston between 10am to 11.30am on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Further details in The Benefice of Aldermaston and Woolhampton Magazine (February edition, p 8)

 Aldermaston & Wasing Ladies Group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 2pm at Aldermaston Parish Hall, please see Padworth Parish Council Newsletter (p 3, February 2022 ) for further information.

Padworth and Aldermaston WI meets at Padworth Village Hall on the third Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm. Further information on the group can be found in Padworth Parish Council Newsletter (No 155 February 2022 Edition p 3).

Holy Trinity Church, Theale free choir group rehearses on Thursdays between 7pm to 8pm and performs at Sunday services from 10.30am. All are welcome to join. Send enquiries to [email protected].

News from your local council

Note: “the most recent meeting” refers to the most recent one for which minutes (in some cases draft) or some other summary is available. Other meetings may have taken place since. Some councils publish minutes more promptly than do others.

• The most recent meeting of Aldermaston Parish Council took place on 14 June and the minutes will be available here in due course. Items covered included: a planning application from AWE Aldermaston for its major “hub” development (to which APC did not object but concerning which it requested “several conditions to minimise our concerns, including restrictions on working hours and funding of parish projects”); an objection to the Lidl site on the Tadley border; the problem of large lorries going to and from Padworth Sawmills; speeding; news of a meeting with the preferred supplier for the skateboard ramp; an update on APC’s refurbishment projects; and questions about whether WBC is committing sufficient resources to its Conservation Area appraisal. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Theale Parish Council took place on 6 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: a presentation from green ham trust; a report from ward member Alan Macro; the public toilets (see also above); village infrastructure (see alas above); planning matters; and financial matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Burghfield Parish Council took place on 9 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: the co-option of two new councillors; the May Fair; a possible youth group in the village; committee reports; financial matters; and first-aid training. You can also click here to see a report on the annual parish meeting on 12 May.  To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council took place on 9 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: an address by WBC’s CEO Nigel Lynn; the co-option of two new councillors; reports from committees and working parties; the neighbourhood development plan; the jubilee; financial matters; tree works; Windmill Common; planning matters; and repair and maintenance work around the parish. To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. See this page on Stratfield Mortimer PC’s website for more information on the refresh of its neighbourhood development plan.

• The most recent meeting of Bradfield Parish Council took place on 7 June and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: the jubilee; the Village Hall (the minutes report a number of questions and concerns regarding the revised business plan as a result of which BPC maintained its “position of no support for the current project. Everyone wants a new hall, but it has to be supported by the community and sustainable for the future.”); planning matters; a report from ward member Ross Mackinnon; picnic benches; Ukrainian refugees; highway issues; tree preservation orders; and financial matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here for 2021 and here for 2022.

• The most recent meeting of Englefield Parish Council took place on 19 May and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: the election of the Chair; a councillor vacancy; financial matters; and formal matters. To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here.

• The most recent meeting of Beenham Parish Council took place on 9 May and you can read the minutes hereTo see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here for 2021 and here for 2022.  Click here for details of Beenham’s Community Plan.

• The most recent meeting of Padworth Parish Council took place on 14 March and you can read the minutes here. The annual parish assembly took place on 16 May and you can read the minutes hereTo see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.

• Theale area council contacts

Parishes: Theale Parish CouncilAldermaston Parish CouncilPadworth Parish CouncilStratfield Mortimer Parish Council, Englefield Parish CouncilBeenham Parish CouncilBradfield Parish Council and Burghfield Parish Council.

West Berkshire Council: click here to visit the website.

News from other areas

Penny Post area – please see the following separate sections: Hungerford area; Lambourn ValleyNewbury area; Thatcham area; Compton & DownlandsWantage area; Marlborougharea; Swindon area.

News and views from across the area and beyond: please see the most recent Weekly News with Brian column.

Archives

For earlier Theale Area Weekly News columns, please click here.

 

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