The Environment Agency has issued Flood Alerts in the Royal Borough. This is the lowest level of warning, and residents are advised that in effected areas people should be prepared because flooding is possible.  Warnings are updated 24/7 on the EA website and its telephone floodline (0845 988 1188).

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/34678.aspx?page=4&type=Region&term=Southeast&Severity=3

Local areas effected include Hurley, Bisham and Cookham. More rain is forecast tomorrow (Saturday 24th November) in the afternoon.

Cookham Parish Council, like others across the borough, is checking its Community Flood Plan, to try and make sure it is ready to co-ordinate non-emergency support for residents and businesses. It’s disappointing then, that the borough has spent its time on a press release about new infrastructure funding, rather than catching up with the back log  of practical measures local people may need if the Flood Alerts are escalated to Warnings of actual flooding in the next few days.  Infrastructure improvements may well be needed in the longer term, but they won’t help us this winter.

Parish Councils have been asking for new flood warning signs, so residents get clear warnings on the roadside of the status of the flood warning.  It’s embarrassing to admit, but the flood signs the borough gave us disintegrate in the rain and are now illegible!  Requests for new signs were made over a month ago but nothing has happened.

Parish Councils have also been calling for the post of permanent Borough Emergency Planning Officer to be filled.  Trained officers are filling the role in turn, when they are available, but Parish Councillors across the borough feel that a single point of contact to deal with would be more effective, and the officer would be more pro-active at resolving problems. Parish Councillors are unpaid volunteers. It would be easier to build a working relationship with an officer focused on this important area of responsibility.

Throwing large amounts of our money at infrastructure may sound impressive, but it’s low cost practical help that will really make a difference now.

Forum members will be selling white ribbons to their own colleagues as well as there being a box of ribbons on the main reception desk at Maidenhead Town Hall, St Ives Road.

All proceeds from the sale of white ribbons (suggested donation £1) will go directly to Berkshire East & South Bucks Women’s Aid (BESBWA) and Kinara Domestic Abuse Services. Both organisations work across the borough offering advocacy and outreach services as well as refuge accommodation for both male and female victims of domestic abuse.

In 2011/12, 1,655 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to Thames Valley Police across the borough.

Simon Werner said: “Domestic abuse is a crime and is unacceptable. Victims should not feel they are alone – there is support and help available locally. Many victims are too scared to come forward and seek help, for a variety of reasons. It is vital that these victims get support and if they do not feel ready to approach the police.”

To report domestic abuse to Thames Valley Police. Call 999 in an emergency or 101 in a non-emergency. To speak to someone in confidence, call Berkshire East & South Bucks Women’s Aid on 01753 549865 or Kinara Domestic Abuse Services on 01753 592988.

For more information about domestic abuse, and a full list of national and local support agencies, please visit www.rbwmdvf.org.uk

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone in any relationship, regardless of social group, class, age, race, disability, sexuality or gender. It can occur at any time – in a new relationship or after many years, while still in a relationship, during separation or even after separation.

Simon Werner was brought up in Pinkneys Green and went to local schools – Furze Platt Infants and Juniors and Desborough School.

As a councillor previously he established a reputation for getting things done. He set up the Community Wardens, the graffiti removal team and the Street Care service as well as expanding the recycling scheme to include door step collection of glass.

With a young daughter, Simon knows the issues that face parents in Maidenhead – and has worked hard to improve Oaken Grove Park and create the playground at Punt Hill.

With an elderly father, also living in Pinkneys Green, Simon has an understanding of how important services for the elderly are – from a good bus service to elderly day centre facilities.

Simon said, “I love Pinkneys Green, I can’y think of anywhere I would rather bring up my daughter. I will do everything I can to protect and improve this area.”

John Howson knows a thing or two about crime. Businessman, Academic, Licensing Justice, and victim of crime, as well as a former government adviser.

As a long standing Justice of the Peace, John has served as a magistrate for 22 years, now sitting on the Oxfordshire Bench from which he has taken leave of absence to fight this election. His role as a Crime Fighter was recognized when he became a Vice President of the Magistrates’ Association.

Commenting on his selection, Professor John Howson said: “As a businessman and former university head of department, I am used to the scrutiny of budgets, and have written about concepts such as activity based costing.

“Policing in England is a matter of consent. Currently, too much crime is linked to addiction, whether drug or alcohol related. Helping to stop re-offending is the best way to keep down police spending in the future.

“As a victim of a classroom stabbing when a teacher, having experienced four burglaries in my adult life, and been involved in two road traffic accidents, I know the effects crimes can have not only on the direct victim, but also on others in the wider community.”

A resident of the Thames Valley for more than 30 years, he also knows the diversity of the Thames Valley police area having been involved with training teachers across the three counties for more than ten years.

Lib Dem Regional Chair and West Oxfordshire councillor, Liz Leffman, said: “We are delighted to have such an experienced campaigner, with an excellent knowledge of policing and crime, as our candidate for Thames Valley .”

A native of Scotland, Cllr Hendry had been a borough councillor since May 1991, representing residents in the Pinkneys Green ward first as a Liberal Democrat until 2010 and then as a Conservative.

Throughout his time on the council he served on many different panels and committees, particularly relating to planning, licensing and rights of way. He was chairman of the licensing panel from 2004 to 2007 and vice chairman of Maidenhead development control panel in 2003/04.

David Oram, interim chief executive, said: “On behalf of council staff I would like to express our sincere sympathy to Cllr Hendry’s wife and family. This is very distressing news for everyone who knew and worked with Wilson during his many years of local government service.”

Cllr Hendry is survived by his wife, Janet, and two grown up children.

Full details of the funeral arrangements will be released as soon as they are available.

The provisional results show the schools in this are have increased their GCSE pass rate at grades A* to C from 75% to 77%. Reports currently suggest that nationally there is a slight dip of 0.3% from 69.8%.

Highlights locally show:
• the percentage of students gaining five or more A* to Cs (including English and maths) has increased from 65% to 66% – well ahead of the latest available national figures (58% in 2011)
• the percentage of students gaining five or more A* to C grades has increased from 86% in 2011 to 88% this year (again ahead of the 2011 national figure of 80%)
• all students at borough schools gained at least one qualification.

The 2012 A level results showed no less than four schools improving their percentages of A*s and also outstanding performances at The Windsor Boys’ School where students took the International Baccalaureate for the first time.

The figures, which are provisional at this stage, were provided by the six schools that are under borough control. They do not include the results for the three academies which are collated separately.

In the current recession increasing numbers of people are facing financial difficulties. For many people living or working in the Borough, their real standard of living is falling as a result of current wage and benefit freezes and rising prices.

Community Savings and Loans (CSL), provides affordable loans to those who may find it difficult to get support from the high street providers because of low income or limited assets.

The Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) has recognised the work being done by CSL by awarding a grant to help raise awareness of the services available.

“We have been described as Berkshires best kept secret; with the valuable support of BCF we can increase our visibility with the people we are trying to reach. If we are going to help people avoid the clutches of doorstep lenders, loan sharks and high cost providers we need to get our message across before it is too late and this funding will help us make a difference.” Said Jim Coghill, Charman of CSL.

Andrew Middleton, Chief Executive, Berkshire Community Foundation, said “We are delighted to support this very important project. Whilst we are perceived as an affluent county, many people are struggling in these difficult economic times which makes this project even more essential.”

Saturday 6th October, 2012
Pinder Hall, Lower Road, Cookham
730pm for 8pm
£15 per person

For tickets and information contact Mandy Brar on 01628 523606 or call in at Hillcrest News, Hillcrest Avenue off Whyteladyes Lane.

NHS Berkshire has published its Shaping The Future programme, outlining proposed changes to how health services are provided in east Berkshire. It contains plans to sell parts of Heatherwood Hospital and relocate services to other hospitals, including Wexham Park, in Slough.

A series of roadshows took place in June and July, which saw more than 400 feedback responses and now NHS Berkshire is due to hold a public consultation into the Shaping The Future proposals in the autumn.

Please do make sure your voice is heard when the public consultation takes place.