Have Your Say

Wokingham Borough Council is encouraging all residents and interested parties to contribute to the latest Community Governance Review (CGR).

The process ensures people are represented appropriately and effectively through the arrangements for the towns and parishes in the borough.

This includes reviewing electoral arrangements, such as the number of councillors that represent each area and the ward boundaries of existing towns and parishes.

The council is looking to get feedback on the current arrangements to identify any potential changes, which would take effect at future elections.

Public Consultation

A public consultation will run for 12 weeks from Friday 31 January to Friday 25 April, on the Council’s Engage Wokingham Borough platform.

Andrew Moulton, the service director for governance at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “Our towns and parishes are the first tier of local government and they play an important role in ensuring people’s views are represented. Through the Community Governance Review, we can assess how well the current arrangements are working and use local knowledge to make any changes that are needed.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to read and complete the survey, as we strive to develop something that represents the identity of our towns and parishes as accurately as possible.”

Purpose of the review

A CGR must be carried out every ten to 15 years and the council’s last review was done in 2016.

It is a legal requirement and the review must be completed within 12 months from when the terms of reference is published.

The review is required to take into account:

• The impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion
• The size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish

Following the deadline for initial suggestions, the Council will consider feedback and prepare a draft report of recommendations, which will go out for further consultation later this year.

Woodley Town Council set up a Youth Grant Scheme during 2023/24 to fund specific grant requests for organisations supporting children and young people in Woodley. During the past 18 months, ten organisations have been supported with a grant. Now that the funds have been allocated, the scheme is closed.

Grants awarded

• Chattertots – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Loddon District Scout Council – Towards the cost of building new headquarters at Paddicks Pitch, Waingels Road, Woodley.

• Me2 Club – To pay towards running the Me2 Club Teen W&RD project in 2024.

• Berkshire Renegades – To pay towards pitch hire for matches and training; providing rookie days, controlled scrimmages, advertising and publicity; purchasing equipment; paying for transport to / from games.

• ARC Youth Counselling – To pay towards the cost of providing ARC’s youth counselling service in schools.              

• Promise Inclusion Limited – To support the service, providing support for children and adults with learning disabilities and / or autism.

• First Days’ Children’s Charity – To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• Home-Start Wokingham District -To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• Parenting Special Children – To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• ABC to Read – To pay towards recruiting three new volunteers to assist nine children in Woodley to read.

Our commitment

“We are committed to supporting the youth of Woodley, with a particular focus on reaching those who are disadvantaged or traditionally harder to engage. The Youth Grant Scheme was set up to specifically for Woodley’s young people and this demonstrates Woodley Town Council’s continued leadership in youth support. I’m very proud to see these important organisations receive funding to enable them to continue to provide essential services,” said Cllr Keith Baker, Woodley Town Council Leader. 

Our Grants

More information about our grants, including full guidelines and application forms, can be found on our Grants Page.

We are delighted to continue to provide funding to local organisations that deliver essential community support services in Woodley, through our grant award scheme. 

Leisure Services

Five grants were approved at the recent Leisure Services Committee Meeting:

• Chattertots – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Loddon District Scout Council – Towards the cost of building new headquarters at Paddicks Pitch, Waingels Road, Woodley.

• ARC Youth Counselling – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• First Days’ Children’s Charity – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Home-Start Wokingham District – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

“We’re proud to continue investing in Woodley’s community through our grant award scheme,” said Cllr Darren Smith, Chairman of the Leisure Services Committee. “These grants enable local organisations to provide essential support services to our residents when they need it most. By supporting these services, we are helping to support those most in need in Woodley.”

Strategy & Resources

Meanwhile, at the recent S&R Committee, a grant was approved to Me2 Club for the organisation to recruit and screen five new volunteers within Woodley who can be matched with five Woodley children waiting for support from the charity. If you, or someone you know, would like to volunteer for Me2, please visit their website to find out more. 

Our Grants

More information about our grants, including full guidelines and application forms, can be found on our Grants Page.