Latest news with #BerkshireCouncil
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Flood repair work list drawn up by West Berkshire Council
Areas hit hard by flooding last year should be prioritised for prevention work, a council has been Berkshire Council said it had worked with consultants and other agencies to determine 10 potential improvements following flooding last summer, which was the third wettest in the county since 1918.A resident whose home near Reading flooded in January 2024 said she wanted authorities to act more councillor in charge of the authority's flood prevention work said more money needed to be invested by the government to help mitigate problems. Felicity Becker was forced to put furniture on the ground floor on breeze blocks when her home was inundated in January said flood water reached about 1ft (30cm) high in her house, kitchen units were ruined and there was also damage caused to her garden. But she said the flooding also caused emotional turmoil. "Once the flood has gone, when we get heavy rain - and there are massive puddles on the roads because the drains haven't been sorted - then the kids get anxious, as do we all, thinking 'is this our house next?'" she added. She said it took more than a year to arrange a meeting involving the various agencies involved and the local community to discuss potential measures. From early January to late March, West Berkshire was badly affected by flooding when it was hit by Storms Henk, Isha and Jocelyn. West Berkshire Council said it had liaised with Thames Water, the Environment Agency (EA), dozens of landowners as well as other groups, including the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, to get a clearer picture of where the main problems WSP submitted recommendations to the council following the flooding, including looking into who is responsible for keeping ditches in Pingewood clear of should also be upgrades to some of the roads on the Membury Industrial Estate, they entire section of surface water drainage in Paices Hill, between Aldermaston and Baughurst, must be replaced after a failure which caused flooding for residents and businesses. Stuart Gourley, the council's executive portfolio holder for environment and highways, said authorities could only "mitigate as much as possible". "There will always be that risk because this area is in the highest flood risk zone that there is for ground and for river flooding," he said. Thames Water spokesperson said responding to flooding required "a multi-agency approach across a range of organisations" and it would continue to work with others EA was approached to comment. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
West Berkshire gets £1.2m for Housing Support Fund
Funding of more than £1.2m will help support pensioners hit by the loss of the winter fuel payment or struggling to pay bills, a council has Berkshire Council has been awarded an extra £1,224,650 for its Household Support can also use the funding to help those where the existing housing support does not cover their April 2024 and March this year, 2,715 applications were made to the council for support - a "significant increase" on the previous year, the authority said. For the same period during the previous year 1,781 applications were made.A number of concerns have been reported to officers by the voluntary sector, including a demand for replacement appliances, mattresses and food by charities, West Berkshire Council has also been an increase in number of people in emergency accommodation and complex mental health issues being identified that require significant individuals and families are struggling with day-to-day living costs, with the voluntary sector reporting ongoing high running costs due to energy, transport and wages, the authority is also set to increase due to the recently announced increase in the living assistance to pensioners has been a priority for delivery of the fund in previous the period April 2024 to March 2025 only 68 applications from pensioners were supported with financial assistance through the grant will also be used to support those who are not in receipt of pension credit or other means tested benefits, the council added. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
A4 Bath Road near Newbury to close for six weeks
A busy road is set to close for six weeks, causing long diversions for traffic in the A4 Bath Road at Speen, near Newbury, Berkshire, will shut from 28 April to allow work to provide services to 118 new homes, as part of the Lapwing Green development, close to the junction with the living nearby have voiced concerns about parking and access to their Berkshire Council said a "quicker means of working, such as drilling, isn't possible due to the likelihood of service strikes" because of the number of pipes and cables already in the ground at the site. One man, who lives nearby, said: "There are 12 houses in this little lane here... many have got two vehicles, nobody knows what's going to happen."Other residents were concerned about access to their homes, with one worried about roofers being able to get in and out of her planned diversion will take traffic four miles around the area to the Chievley interchange of the Berkshire Council said: "There is a significant amount of apparatus to install... to provide services to the new development. "Due to the location of the services, there is not enough remaining road width to keep the road open under any other form of traffic management."It has been approached for further comment in response to issues raised by local residents. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
West Berkshire Council takes part in government Minute AI trial
A council has been selected to take part in a scheme trialling the use of artificial Berkshire Council is one of 25 local authorities selected to trial Minute, an AI transcription and summary tool workers can use in was developed by the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, part of the Government Digital Service, which is within the Department for Science, Innovation and Poole, portfolio holder for transformation and corporate programme, said she was "delighted" the council was part of the trial. "If used securely and ethically, artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise how the public sector works," she Incubator for Artificial Intelligence is responsible for prototyping and deploying AI tools for use across the public sectorIt is working with the Local Government Association and other organisations to give authorities trial access to Minute, and gather evidence on public sector transcription trial will conclude in July, at which point it will publish a summary of the Poole said AI would not be used to make decisions or create final versions of reports."Everything will be created by an officer but helped by using Minute," she said. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
09-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Newbury to extended pedestrianisation hours under trial
Pedestrianisation hours in a town centre will be extended by six hours, on a trial basis, a council has Berkshire Council said the Department for Transport (DfT) had approved its application for Newbury Town Centre from 19 May. Northbrook Street, Bridge Street, Bartholomew Street (north), Mansion House Street, Wharf Street and Market Place currently close to traffic from 10:00 to 17:00. This will be extended until 23: council said it would run a formal consultation, gathering feedback for the first six months of the trial, which will remain in place until a decision is made. This follows a pre-trial public consultation between September and November council received 2,487 responses to the survey - 36.7% of which supported the proposed trial the response had been "mixed", the authority said it believed "this now presents a valuable opportunity for the public to engage and share their views whilst a trial is carried out". Stuart Gourley, executive member for the environment and highways, said the initiative was "important" for Newbury."Extending pedestrianisation has the potential to create a safer, greener, more vibrant town centre while supporting local businesses and promoting sustainability," he continued."This trial allows us to test the benefits, listen to residents and businesses and shape the future of our town centre together." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
