THE BIGGEST WHAT’S ON GUIDE FOR WOKINGHAM – INSIDE COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS
THE WOKINGHAMPAPER
www.wokingham.today
N E WS W I T H A H E A R T F O R T H E B O R O U G H
Thursday, March 9, 2017 No. 98
Rejection on cards for school expansion plans
ANOTHER BIG EXCLUSIVE
Bin & gone?
EXCLUSIVE
By GEMMA DAVIDSON gdavidson@wokinghampaper.co.uk
Council canvasses residents for views on fortnightly Sweet work, brothers! rubbish collections George, nine, and Ben Rosenthal, 12, gave up sweets to raise money for Comic Relief
By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk STICKING with weekly bin collections would add 2% a year on to the borough’s council tax bills. That is the message that residents have been hearing when their views are canvassed in a phone poll. And there are fears that the survey is a Trojan horse to allow the council to introduce
fortnightly refuse collections. But the council has told The Wokingham Paper that no decisions have yet been made regarding the future of the current blue bag scheme. Woodley resident Michael Lacey was one such reader to be contacted. He said that the researcher introduced themselves as calling “on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council”. Continued on page 3
60p
TWO schoolboys from Winnersh made a huge sacrifice in February by giving up sweets, cakes and biscuits for the entire month. Brothers Ben, 12, and George Rosenthal, nine, who attend The Forest School and Emmbrook Junior School respectively, forewent sweets, biscuits and cakes for the entire month of February to raise more than £100 for Comic Relief. Proud mum Deborah said the boys found it very difficult, especially when it came to school puddings and birthday parties. She said: “The boys heard Chris Evans on Radio 2 was giving up sugar for February.
“They wanted to raise money for a good cause at the same time. “George found it very hard especially at school dinner time, he kept telling me how nice the puddings looked every day. He went to a friend’s disco in the first week and brought home his cake to pop in the freezer until March. “Both boys went to pancake days at cubs and scouts, which was a real test for them, but George took cheese to go on his while Ben took a lemon. I’m amazed at how they just got on with it and didn’t really complain. “They completed the challenge, raising £101 and celebrated by tucking into pancakes a day late!”
CONTROVERSIAL plans to expand an Earley primary school are recommended to be REJECTED by the council’s executive, despite the planning committee giving the plans the go-ahead last week. At an Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive scheduled to take place next Wednesday, members are urged to not progress with the expansion of Aldryngton Primary School, in Silverdale Road, as the number of applications for Reception places has not increased as projected. Council officers will recommend that members subject the plans to further consultation, including a consideration of alternative options for growth at the school. The executive are recommended to agree to the permanent expansion of Loddon Primary School to 630 places from September 2018, an increase of 210 places; the permanent expansion of Beechwood Primary School by 105 places to 420 from September 2018; and the permanent expansion of Highwood Primary School to 420 places from September 2018, an increase of 210 places. The plans fall under the council’s Primary Strategy School Organisation programme, which seeks to find additional places for the projected growing population of Earley over the coming years. Objections to the plans for the Aldryngton expansion, which would see an additional 105 places, include concerns over parking, traffic, and the proposed loss of the school’s swimming pool, as well as scepticism over the projected number of new applicants. Continued on page 3; more on page 4
Take the stress away from property management – call the experts • Recommended family-run firm • Established for more than 20 years • Local knowledge • Customer-focused
Cleaver Property Management Limited
• Unbiased advice • Project management • Financial accounting • Servicing and maintenance
0844 499 3411 www.cleaverproperty.co.uk