Bracknell

Bracknell police failed to heed their own advice last week and left valuables on display in a parked car. But their apparent carelessness was in fact a deliberate tactic to educate the public in how to avoid becoming a victim of auto crime.

Working in partnership with town centre retailers, crime reduction advisers John Oblein and Everett Bentley from Bracknell police station hired a plain car and parked it in Princess Square on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 October.

Inside the car they placed 20 items that could tempt a thief to break in. They then spoke to passers-by about auto crime and invited them to take part in a quiz. Equipped with an answer sheet and clipboard, participants were asked to identify the items, with the chance to win a prize.

Crime reduction adviser John Oblein said: “Over the two days, 128 answer sheets were submitted. From the correct entries we will select four winners, each of whom will receive a prize donated by Homebase in Bracknell.”

The 20 items left in the car included a sat nav cradle on the windscreen; an empty laptop bag in the footwell; a mobile phone, keys and wallet between the front seats and a camera on the floor. On the back seat were a leather jacket, an MP3 player and a CD case.

“Even seemingly worthless items can encourage a thief to break into your vehicle,” said John. “To highlight this, we placed a credit card receipt, an electricity bill, a cigarette packet and a bag of sweets alongside the obvious valuables in the car.”

Last week’s exercise was the third time that Bracknell police have used the quiz in their ongoing auto crime prevention campaign. The novel tactic, which was devised by Neighbourhood Insp Simon Bowden, has been judged a successful method of getting the message across to the public.

“The incentive of winning a prize was a great help in encouraging people to take part, and we are very grateful to Homebase for their generosity,” said crime reduction adviser Everett Bentley. “The four prizes donated by Homebase – two shed alarms and two electronic timers – fit in with seasonal crime prevention advice from police.

“We always advise householders to step up their home security when the clocks go back, as the dark winter evenings provide cover for burglars, so these prizes are very appropriate.”

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Police search Bracknell for three men

Police are appealing for help in catching three men who carried out a robbery at a shop in Bracknell on Tuesday (24/10).

The offenders went into Daily Foodstore, Bullbrook Row, Bullbrook, at around 6.35pm, and demanded money.

They got away with a quantity of cash and cigarettes.

All three of the men are white, and were wearing woollen masks with eye and mouth holes. They were also wearing black nylon jackets, blue jeans and black fingerless gloves.

One offender was 6ft, slim and possibly around 30 years old, with another being approximately 5ft 9in, heavy and around 25 years old.

The third man was around 5ft 9in, of medium build, and about 25 years old.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Bracknell Det Con Wendy Gilkes via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. Those who do not want to talk to police or leave their name can call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Police hunt man after Bracknell assault

Police are appealing for information following an incident in Bracknell last week.

At approximately 2.30pm on Monday 23 October, a woman was walking through the underpass on Ringmead, Birch Hill, when she was approached by a man who inappropriately touched her before running off. It happened near to the Sainsbury’s Store, by Bagshot Road, Bracknell.

The woman was with her child who was in a pushchair.

The offender is white, approximately 15 to 18 years old, about 5ft 5in, and thin. He has short straight hair, which is a dark blond colour.

He was wearing a white polo shirt, which had a red band around both sleeves, and dark tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information is urged to get in touch with Bracknell PC Philip Appleby via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. People who do not want to talk to police or leave their name can call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Police search for group after theft at Bracknell church

Police are hunting four people who stole lettering from a church in Bracknell on Sunday 22 October.

The incident involved three of the group – two men and a girl – climbing on to the roof of St Josephs Catholic Church, Stanley Walk, at about 1.25am.

A fourth offender, a man, remained on a footpath while the other members of the group took the letters ‘C’, ‘L’ and ‘P’ from the side of the Bracknell church.

The letters are white, thin and approximately eight inches long. The offenders attempted but failed to remove most of the other letters from the building.

The man who remained on the footpath is white, 18 to 20 years old and clean-shaven. He was wearing a beige long-sleeve top and blue jeans.

The girl is white, approximately 16 years old, and of small build. She has long blonde hair, and was wearing a black long-sleeve top and blue jeans.

The two other men are white and aged around 18 years old. One is stocky and has shoulder-length hair with a centre parting. He was clean-shaven, and was wearing dark clothing which may have been jeans and a jacket. The other man was also clean-shaven, has short dark hair, and was wearing blue jeans and a dark jumper.

Bracknell Police have obtained CCTV footage, which captured the offenders running into an underpass towards Mount Pleasant, and this forms part of the investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact PC Marius York via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. Those who do not want to speak to police or leave their name can call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Easthampstead Park School, Bracknell is performing satisfactorily in most areas according to a report published by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) this week.

In the report, which follows a two-day inspection of the Bracknell school in September, the Ofsted inspectors say the school's performance is satisfactory in terms of pupils' achievement and standards, personal development and wellbeing, teaching and learning, curriculum, care, guidance and support and leadership and management.

The report goes on to say:

* Standards are rising in tests at age 14 and 16
* The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and teachers plan their work satisfactorily employing good strategies for managing pupil's behaviour
* The school has pursued its policy for improving pupils' behaviour energetically
* Pupils feel safe and say isolated incidences of bullying are dealt with effectively citing the school's new behaviour policy as a reason for this improvement
* The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for pupils in Years 7 to 11 and the range of options available in years 10 and 11 has been extended
* There are robust child protection procedures in place
* Pupils identified as having learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress
* Pupils make a good contribution to the community and have a good understanding of healthy living issues
* There is an active school council that is involved in school matters and pupils feel that their views are increasingly taken into account
* Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are satisfactory
* Pupils do consistently well in religious education and art

The report describes the leadership and management of the school as satisfactory with a supportive governing body and good support from Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the local education authority.

The inspectors also make recommendations for further improvement in the way teachers use assessment data to plan lessons, the curriculum for the sixth form, the quality of teaching in mathematics and the progress of the most able pupils in years 7 and 9. As a result Ofsted has issued the school with a notice to improve.

The inspectors praise the work of the new sixth form managers who were appointed this term and who are already having an impact.

They say the quality of teaching in the Bracknell sixth form is satisfactory and note improvements including fresh procedures for monitoring pupils' progress and better private study facilities that have been introduced for all sixth formers.

The inspectors recognise the difficulty the school has had in recruiting mathematics teachers over the past two years and cite this as a reason for disappointing results in the subject.

A full team of maths teachers was recruited for the start of this term. The inspectors also note improvements in pupils' maths tests taken earlier this summer.

Changes in the headship are named by the inspectors as a cause of inconsistent leadership over the past three years.

The school's governors and new headteacher, Gordon Cunningham who took up his post this term, are now drawing up an action plan with Bracknell Forest Borough Council to address each of these areas.

Commenting on the report Mr Cunningham said: "This report offers a fair appraisal of the school and the areas that need to be improved.

"We now need to work with our governors and the Council to tackle our weaknesses and deliver the improvements that are needed.

"I have a team of dedicated staff and supportive governors who are committed to making the changes that will make Easthampstead Park a better school. I hope all of our pupils and parents will lend their support to the effort too.

"I am looking forward to the challenge."

Tony Eccleston, Director of Bracknell Education, Children's Services and Libraries, said: "Under its new leadership and with our support Easthampstead Park has good capacity to improve.

"The action plan we are working on with the school will set out how we will build on and develop the work already under way and address the inspectors recommendations head on."

Cllr Alan Ward, Executive Member for Bracknell Education and Libraries, said: "Clearly the school needs to improve in some important areas.

"I visited the school last week and was impressed with the enthusiasm with which they intend to address the challenges before them.

"I have every confidence in the new headteacher and we will support him, his staff and the governors every step of the way."

Ofsted will visit Easthampstead Park School again in the autumn term of next year.

For more information about the school visit www.epschool.bracknell-forest.sch.uk

For a copy of the full inspection report visit www.ofsted.gov.uk

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Continental Market stalls from all over Europe and beyond came together to give shoppers in Bracknell Town Centre a taste of the exotic last weekend.

Shoppers were able to taste the delights, take in the sights and sounds, and were transported to the Continent during this sumptuous four-day market.

The event follows on from the success of the French Market and the Malaysian Festival both organised by the Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP), the Continental Market marks their continued commitment to bring diverse events and unique experiences into Bracknell Town Centre.

Graham Mountford, Town Centre Manager, Bracknell Forest Borough Council said: People really enjoyed the variety of goods on offer; from home-made Brittany biscuits to German sausages, this really was a special event that everyone could enjoy.”

For more information on town centre events, visit www.bracknell.com

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

An annual challenge to see which Bracknell Forest businesses and organisations can encourage the most staff to get to work without their cars was won by Sharp Telecommunications of Europe Ltd.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council laid down the challenge to see who could get the most members of staff to ditch their cars and travel to work using other methods on European Car Free Day, which was held last month.

Sharp Telecommunications encouraged a third of their staff to change their journey to work, narrowly-beating fellow competitors Siemens Group and last year’s winners Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

The challenge is part of a Council initiative which encourages all businesses to develop travel plans aimed at staff using greener, cleaner travel choices, and reducing reliance on the car.

Paula Meekins, Sharp Telecommunications of Europe’s HR Manager, said: Our employees were quick to embrace the challenge and, despite the poor weather, we had staff walking, cycling and coming by train.

”We are very pleased to have won, and look forward to defending our title next year."

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and the Environment, said: "I have been extremely impressed with the results of the car-free challenge.

This challenge is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable travel choices and we hope it encourage local businesses to introduce their own travel plans."

For more information about travel plans, please contact the Council’s travel plan co-ordinator Phillip Burke on 01344 351266.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council has been included on the list of councils which will be allowed to transfer ownership and management of their housing to a housing association if tenants vote in favour of transfer.

The Council applied to join the programme following its decision in July 2006 that a transfer of the Council's housing stock to a new, local housing association is in the best interests of the tenants, leaseholders and the wider community.

The transfer will only take place if it receives the support of Bracknell Forest tenants in a ballot planned for next spring.

The transfer programme is part of the Government’s drive to increase spending on social housing to bring all homes into a decent condition by 2010.

At the moment, Bracknell Council is £15 million short of the money needed to meet the Government’s basic Decent Homes Standard.

The Council also pays £9 million each year – nearly half of all tenants’ rents – to the Government, which is then redistributed to other areas considered to be in more need. A housing association would not have to pay this money to Government, instead keeping it in Bracknell Forest.

Linda Wells, Project Director for Your Homes, Your Choice, said: "I am pleased that Bracknell Forest has been accepted on the Department for Communities and Local Government’s housing transfer programme.

"We are working hard to ensure all tenants have the full facts about how they would be affected by the proposed transfer. Staff are currently visiting as many tenants as possible in their homes to answer any questions and concerns.

"Another round of home visits will be carried out in the New Year after full details of the proposed transfer are sent to all tenants."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member responsible for Bracknell housing, said: "We cannot meet Government’s basic Decent Homes Standard of improvements to homes, and cannot afford the additional improvements our tenants have told us they want.

"Both main political parties see a new, Bracknell Forest housing association as the best way of safeguarding a good housing service for local tenants and delivering a higher level of improvements to their homes, while also keeping rents at exactly the same levels the Council would charge."

Tenants will decide whether the transfer goes ahead. The Council will proceed with this change only if a majority of tenants who take part in the ballot vote “yes” to the transfer.

For more information, Bracknell Forest tenants can call the Council’s freephone number 0800 692 3000 or the independent tenant advisor freephone 0800 085 5492.

Visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/yourhomes

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s parks and countryside rangers will be working with volunteers to clear up a pond and woodland around Allsmoor Lane in Martins Heron.

The volunteers - from Allsmoor Action Group, Bracknell Urban Wildlife Group and Take Pride - will take part in a litter pick, brook clearance and general tidy-up of the area.

Parks and countryside rangers regularly support local conservation groups and will be supplying the equipment to help the volunteers safely clean and tidy the area.

Take Pride is a campaign run by the Council and Thames Valley Police, and encourages residents to volunteer and improve their communities. The Council can supply a wide range of equipment to residents including litter pickers, graffiti wipes and even speed indication devices.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: Conservation volunteers across Bracknell Forest make a huge difference in ensuring our open spaces can be enjoyed by residents and provide valuable habitats for local wildlife.

I would like to thank these volunteers for their continuing hard work and dedication to the upkeep of our borough.”

For more details about Take Pride, visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/takepride or call 01344 352995.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is supporting a number of events which are part of the annual Northern Parishes Arts Week.

The events include a performance of Puss in Boots - a magical adaptation of the classic story by theatre group Dynamic New Animation - and The Big Draw, where amateur artists can practice and learn with professional artists as part of the national campaign for drawing.

There are also Bracknell Council-sponsored street dance workshops, Irish and Caribbean storytelling duo Spud and Yam, and a DJ workshop.

They join a varied mix of arts events taking place in the parishes of Binfield, Winkfield and Warfield between October 23-28.

Other events planned include art exhibitions, poetry workshops, a drama production by the Binfield Bards, sporting events and a wide range of craft workshops.

One of the organisers Susie Haskell said: "There really is something for all ages this year in the arts week. Whether you like rugby or poetry, please find an event which interests you and come along."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: The Council is pleased to continue to support the excellent work of the Northern Parishes Arts Week.

There will be a superb mix of events taking place and I urge everyone to have a look at what’s going on.”

For more details and booking information, visit www.artsweeknp.org.uk

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Cypress Technologies
P.O. Box 41447
Bakersfield, CA 93384-1447
http://www.cypressnet.com

Message Parse v3.18 – Email Processor Released by Cypress Technologies

A data extraction tool designed to capture information from email messages for use in other programs.

Bakersfield, CA September 7, 2006 -- Cypress Technologies announces a new release of their Windows application, Message Parse. Message Parse makes it easy to transfer data from your email messages to other applications such as databases, spreadsheets, accounting packages, email marketing tools, etc.

Message Parse extracts data from email messages based on user defined templates. The template tells the program what data you want, where to find the data, and where to put the data. MsgParse can write directly to database programs such as Access and SQL. It also supports any database program that has an ODBC connection. Message Parse can also write to delimited text file which can be imported to other programs.

With an intuitive, easy-to-use interface Message Parse is a convenient and cost-effective way to automatically process incoming email. Message Parse can be used to collect email addresses for a mailing list or newsletters, processing online orders, collecting vital information from prospective clients, Compiling data from web site forms filled by your visitors. Using Message Parse will enhance productivity, save time and eliminate typing errors.

Message Parse email processor runs under Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/2003. The program works with POP3 accounts, Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, and Netscape. Version 3 added the ability to pull data from any folder in Outlook and Outlook Express. This allows the user a great deal of flexibility. The cost of the product is $79.95 for a single user license. Registered users are entitled to free updates and technical support for 1 year. As with all Cypress Technologies products, a free fully functional 15-day trial version is available for download at the company website http://www.cypressnet.com/Products/msgparse/msgparse.htm

About Cypress Technologies:
Cypress Technologies has been a leading developer of automation software since 1997. Founded by a group of innovative developers Cypress Technologies is recognized for its expertise in automation software. Because of the necessity to accommodate to frequently shifting needs, Cypress Technologies develops, markets, and supports innovative user-friendly applications at the most affordable prices. For more information on our company, products or the email address extractor for Microsoft Outlook, please contact:

Contact: James Hall
Title: President
Company: Cypress Technologies
Tel: 661-831-1836
Product Info: http://www.cypressnet.com/Products/msgparse/msgparse.htm

Bracknell Forest residents have responded exceptionally well to the waste and recycling challenge facing the borough. Their efforts have meant levels of recycling have increased enormously since the introduction of Alternate Bin Collection (ABC).

New figures show 37.76 tonnes of plastic and cans have been recycled at the kerbside between the start of ABC on October 2 and October 13. This marks an increase of 109 per cent in comparison to October 3 to October 14 last year, when 17.6 tonnes were collected.

Over the same period, card and paper recycling has increased by 65 per cent from 138.78 to 229.18 tonnes and garden waste has gone up by 125 per cent from 51.08 to 114.88 tonnes.

It follows the news that the Bracknell borough’s overall recycling rate has already increased this year to 31 per cent as residents prepared for the introduction of ABC.

Last year, residents recycled 27 per cent of their waste; the Council’s overall target for this year is 34 per cent.

In a bid to increase recycling, Bracknell Forest residents have their recycling and garden waste collections one week, while the following week landfill waste is collected from the green wheelie bin.

Bracknell Council has introduced the new collections for both environmental and financial reasons. If we continue to recycle at 2005 levels, the increased costs in additional Government charges and fines could be as high as £7.7million to Bracknell Forest tax payers over the next five years and even more in future years.

Borough residents have now ordered 22,600 blue bins for plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans; 6,900 brown bins for garden waste; and 14,500 kerbside boxes for paper and card or plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans.

Vincent Paliczka, Director of Environment and Leisure, said: We are really grateful for the effort Bracknell Forest residents are making to increase the amount of waste they recycle.”

Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: The change in recycling levels in Bracknell Forest shows how important it is to our residents. I would like to praise them for doing all they can to look after the environment for years to come.”

To order the new blue or brown wheelie bins or kerbside boxes, or to request a home visit to learn more about ABC, please call 01344 352000.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

New measures to support Bracknell residents suffering emotional or physical abuse through domestic violence are due to be approved by Bracknell Forest Borough Council next week.

More and more victims suffering abuse are reaching out for support and advice according to statistics - which show 564 people called for help in 2005/06 compared to 493 the previous year.

At the same time, the number of people arrested for domestic violence offences has risen by 25 per cent in the past year alone.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council and its partner agencies have drafted a strategy to offer even more advice and help, raise awareness of the crime and offer more effective solutions to victims.

The 2006 to 2009 strategy has been drafted by the Bracknell Forest Domestic Violence Forum - part of the Safer Communities Strategic partnership and will be formally adopted by the Council if members of the Executive vote in favour of it on Tuesday, October 17.

As well as encouraging victims to get advice and reinforcing the message that domestic violence is unacceptable it will also offer young people and children help, provide training for professionals who may deal with victims, and support the Crown Prosecution Service in treating domestic violence cases as a top priority.

Plans to make perpetrators question their actions are also earmarked in the strategy as are ways to stop children who witness domestic violence and other victims from becoming violent themselves.

Bracknell Council has always sought to address domestic violence and the strategy is the next step in providing help and care for victims of abuse while sending out the message it will not be tolerated in Bracknell Forest.

Daphne Obang, Director of Social Services and Housing, said: "We are committed to ensuring that Bracknell Forest is a safe place to live and work and that includes helping people who are trapped within an abusive or violent relationships at home.

"Abuse and domestic violence does happen within Bracknell Forest but any abuse or violence is totally unacceptable and this strategy seeks to offer help and advice to victims as well as supporting our partners in arresting and reprimanding perpetrators."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: "Domestic violence is an appalling crime whether it is physical, mental or emotional abuse.

"We want everyone who lives in Bracknell Forest to be able to go home and not fear they are going to be abused which is why a strategy like this is so important."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Music lovers can have some foot-tapping fun at an autumn concert to raise funds for the Mayor's chosen charity later this month.

Jazz music will fill Licensed Victuallers School in Ascot when The Chosen Few Orchestra and Singers play a charity concert on Sunday, October 22, in aid of Age Concern Bracknell Forest - the chosen charity of Bracknell Forest Mayor Cllr Clifton Thompson.

Proceeds from the top brass fundraiser will go to the local Bracknell branch of the charity - which provides help, support, care and advice for some of the borough's most vulnerable residents.

Bracknell Cllr Thompson said: "The concert will be a most enjoyable event and will not only give music lovers a treat but will also raise some much needed funds for Age Concern Bracknell Forest.

"Anyone who likes jazz or enjoys listening to music will have a wonderful time at the concert - which will raise money for this very worthy charity at the same time."

Nina Wilmott, Chief Officer of Age Concern Bracknell Forest, said: "The Age Concern Bracknell Forest Autumn Concert is a very popular annual event and we are pleased to have the Mayor on board this year.

"It promises to be a very pleasant afternoon for all music-lovers."

Proceeds from the concert will go to Age Concern Bracknell Forest which helps and cares for elderly people in the borough and runs a day centre in Worlds End Hill, Forest park.

Tickets cost £10 each or £8 for concessions and are available by calling the charity on 01344 428074.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A long term Bracknell strategy to help minimise the effects of building new houses near the habitats of protected birds is to be discussed by Bracknell Forest Borough Council's Executive.

The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area is internationally designated to protect three species of ground-nesting birds - woodlark, nightjar, and dartford warbler. The designation covers 8,000 hectares in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire - 1,300 hectares are in Bracknell Forest.

European laws require councils to minimise the impact of new residential development on the rare species because increases in human population might add to the number of people using the land for recreation. Activities such as walking dogs or cycling have been known to be harmful to the bird population.

The Bracknell Council has written a long-term strategy to work alongside its 20-year plan for future development in the borough. Rather than writing a short-term plan for specific developments, it is hoped the strategy will be adopted by the Council for the next 20 years in consultation with English Nature - the Government’s advisors on nature conservation. Once the proposals in the strategy are in place, new development which comply with the plan and would not harm the important habitats could be allowed.

It is also hoped the strategy will prevent the need for every Bracknell residential planning application to carry out its own SPA impact assessment.

Measures in the mitigation strategy include:

• Enhancing existing and providing new open spaces to provide alternative recreational areas to the SPA, which can be used by residents without harming the protected heathlands. It is proposed there should be 12 hectares of new open space for every 1,000 additional residents.

• Ensure any visitors to the SPA are effectively managed to prevent damage to the heathlands, for example encouraging owners to keep their dogs on leads.

• Employing wardens to manage visitor impact on the SPA.

• Requiring developers to provide detailed impact assessments of proposed residential property within 400 metres of the SPA.

• Improved educational information, such as notice boards and leaflets.

The Council hopes to use funding from developers to cover any additional costs.

Bev Hindle, Head of Bracknell Planning and Transport Policy, said: "We have written a wide-ranging report which we believe provides the best way to meet the pressures of building new homes which do not harm these important bird species.

”The benefit of this will be a continuing vibrant community with improved access to open spaces and the countryside.”

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and the Environment, said: "This report has been designed to ensure our long-term residential and economic needs are balanced with the importance of protecting wildlife habitats for protected species.

"I am confident our partners will agree Bracknell Forest’s long-term approach is the most practical way to ensure the ongoing prosperity of everyone and everything which lives and thrives in our borough."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A key document outlining how development will be addressed in Bracknell Forest over the next 20 years is to be discussed by the Council’s Executive.

The policies in the Core Strategy document outline how the borough will accommodate the needs of a growing population while protecting against over-development and maintaining a high quality of life. The main themes of the document include sustainable development, environment, transport and locations of future housing, employment and shopping.

If agreed by the Bracknell Executive on Tuesday, October 17, the Core Strategy and its supporting papers will go to a special meeting of full council on Wednesday, October 25. Once agreed by councillors, it will be submitted to a Government inspector and subject to a final six-week consultation during November and December. All residents are invited to take part. The Core Strategy and supporting papers will be available from the Council’s website and offices.

The draft Core Strategy is a crucial part of the Local Development Framework, a wide-ranging set of planning documents which will take over from the Bracknell Forest Local Plan and run until 2026.

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Planning and the Environment, said: This process replaces the old local plan. The aim of every page of every document is to guard the quality of life of all our residents for now and in the future and protect our borough against over-development."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s trading standards, Thames Valley Police and the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service are jointly holding a free two-day electric blanket safety test and home safety advice event.

While the blankets are being tested, there is the opportunity to meet with a police crime reduction adviser, and visit the home fire risk van for fire safety advice.

The free testing is taking place on October 19 and 20 and is by appointment only.

Rob Sexton, Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s Head of Trading Standards and Services, said: "Electric blankets can pose a very real and serious risk of fire, which increases as they age. Past failure rates have been in excess of 50 per cent which highlights the importance of these events.”

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Public Protection and Services, said: "Everything wears out over time and this is also true for electric blankets. A worn out blanket is dangerous. If in doubt either don’t use it or have it tested before the cold weather arrives so you can sleep safely.

"If you cannot get to this free event in person, ask a friend to go for you.”

Anyone who would like an appointment for a free expert check of their electric blanket or have other questions should call 01344 352583.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

School children across Bracknell Forest put their best foot forward last week, as part of International Walk to School Week.

Activities during the fun filled week included dressing up or using specially-donated pedometers as they got to school on foot.

Promotion of the week was aided by a poster designed by Bracknell Harmans Water Primary School pupil Lucy Spencer, nine, who has been presented with a special framed version by Bracknell Council’s travel plan co-ordinator Phillip Burke.

At College Town Infant and Junior Schools, pupils were encouraged to ‘park and stride’. The scheme means children who live too far away to walk all the way to school can be dropped off at a safe place - Sandhurst Sports Centre - so they can walk part of the way.

As it was also book week at Holly Spring Infant School, on Wednesday children walked to school dressed as characters from their favourite book. Each child was given a special bookmark on a walk to school theme.

Bracknell Holly Spring headteacher Ann Cowley said: "We are currently developing our School Travel Plan which aims to encourage more children to walk to school on a regular basis.

"Walk to School week is a great opportunity to encourage children to walk, and because its also book week, this is an excellent way to combine the two.”

Health visitors from Bracknell Forest PCT also helped 30 pre-schools take part in the walking campaign.

Pupils from Uplands Primary School counted their steps as they walked to school, thanks to special educational packs of pedometers donated by ICS Communications from Ascot.

The packs, which can be loaned to schools, include 32 step-counters and a workbook with lesson ideas.

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and the Environment, said: "Walking to school is a really easy way to take regular exercise part of a daily routine, as well as reducing traffic on our roads and benefiting the environment.

"The step counters can help children understand more about the physical activity they take, and brings the subject of walking into the classroom."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The number of drug addicts in Bracknell Forest getting help to fight their addition has soared and exceeds Government targets.

New figures released by the NHS show that 182 people entered treatment for substance misuse in Bracknell Forest in 2005/06 - when the borough's target was 121.

And 55 per cent of service users stayed in treatment for 12 weeks or more which is important because users who stay and complete treatment programmes are more likely to beat their addictions altogether.

More and more people have been asking for help since New Hope, Bracknell's only drug drop-in centre, opened in July 2005.

The joint venture between Bracknell Forest Borough Council and other health, safety and drug agencies provides a much wider range of services on the door-step for people battling with both drink and drug addictions.

Previously addicts had to travel to Reading or Slough or receive a limited service in Bracknell.

Services commissioned by the borough's Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) based at New Hope include day-care programmes, criminal justice interventions, community and specialist prescribing services, housing help and support and a full range of aftercare support services.

Daphne Obang, Director of Social Services and Housing, said: "New Hope's central location and the wide range of services available there has encouraged more people to get help.

"The hard work and dedication of staff at New Hope has also contributed to the number of people seeking help which is reflected by more addicts staying in treatment for more than 12 weeks."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: "I'm very pleased to see that more and more people in the borough are getting help for their drug addictions.

"While we don't have a big substance misuse problem in Bracknell Forest we do have a dedicated team of staff and full treatment package available for those who do have a drug addiction.

"Staff at New Hope work extremely hard to provide a first-rate service to substance misusers in Bracknell Forest and these statistics reflect that dedication."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A Bracknell couple who have built up almost 35 years' experience of providing foster care to young people have decided it's finally time to retire.

Graham and Daphne Annetts are preparing to go into full-time retirement this month and Bracknell Forest Borough Council is now looking for new foster carers to replace the pair.

The couple were first approved as Bracknell foster carers in 1972 and since then have looked after nearly 40 young people, mainly teenagers. For many of them, Graham and Daphne remain their unofficial parents to this day.

Graham says they wanted to become foster carers to help young people: "People forget what an awful time being a teenager can be. They are so easily overlooked as everyone assumes they can look after themselves.

"It's often forgotten they are children going through major changes physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Some youngsters would come into our home with the weight of the world on their shoulders. As well as the regular pressures of growing up, some would have problems at home, at school and be easily swayed by peer pressure.

"Often their relationships with almost everyone around them would be shaky, school would be suffering and they would feel they were locked in a cycle they couldn’t seem to break out of. It’s hardly surprising they acted up sometimes.

"Some of the young people we cared for were real characters and many found it hard to express true emotion at first. It was lovely to be there when they did."

Asked what makes a successful foster carer Graham suggests: "Patience, understanding, clear boundaries and mutual respect are all important.

"It’s not a one-way experience - we learned a lot too. If people can try to understand where young people are coming from, respect them as individuals and build trust and confidence they will be doing the right things.

"Foster caring isn't always easy but we retire with wonderful memories and smiles on our faces thanks to all the young people."

Juliette Thomas, Family Placement Team Manager, said: "Graham and Daphne are a great couple who have been a bedrock of care for teenagers for a long time.

"They are well known and highly respected for the work they have done as foster carers. They have helped young people build self-respect, respect for others and to take pride in their achievements, be they large or small.

"We shall miss them a lot and I hope the wonderful things they have done will inspire others to come forward to pick up where they leave off.

Graham and Daphne Annetts were presented with an award for long service from the Council and a certificate signed by Cllr Clifton Thompson, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest and Timothy Wheadon, Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

The presentation, attended by Director of Education, Libraries and Children's Services Tony Eccleston, was made on September 7 at Portman Close, the hub for services to teenagers and young people while in care.

And as an extra thank you staff in the Family Placement Team contributed £100 towards a gift for Graham and Daphne to enjoy their retirement.

Cllr Clifton Thompson, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, said: "Graham and Daphne have provide an invaluable service and they will be sorely missed by the Family Placement Team.

"They have provided care, support and strength to many teenagers in the borough for 35 years. I wish them all the best and hope they have a very happy retirement."

Anyone can apply to be a foster carer - contact the Bracknell Forest Family Placement Team on 01344 351582 or complete an no-commitment online Expression of Interest form at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/fostering.

Alternatively, drop in to a foster carers open evening on Thursday, October 12, at the Bracknell Family Centre in Warfield Road from 7pm to 9pm.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Help will be on hand in Bracknell Forest for anyone wanting more information on how to cope with mental illness on World Mental Health Day.

East Berkshire Mind will be hosting an information event at Bracknell Sports and Leisure Centre on Friday, October 13 to mark the day and provide a wealth of support and advice.

The Mayor of Bracknell Forest, Cllr Clifton Thompson, will be in attendance while members of Bracknell Forest Borough Council's social services team will be available to offer information and support throughout the event.

The theme of this year's event is suicide prevention, recently highlighted by entertainer Stephen Fry's experiences.

Cllr Thompson, said: "Mental health is a very important issue and I'm pleased to see that the residents of Bracknell Forest are being given the opportunity to reach out and get help if they feel they need it.

"East Berkshire Mind provides a valuable service to people living in Bracknell Forest and this event will provide information, advice and support to those who need help."

East Berkshire Mind's Mental Health Promotions Team and members of the New Horizons group will be available to offer advice while mental health-care professionals and information officers from Samaritans, Youth line, Step Forward, social services and PACT will also be on hand.

Members of New Horizons will also be putting on a display of their recent work while aromatherapy, arts and craft and knitting sessions will also be on offer.

The event starts at 9.30am at Bracknell Sports and Leisure Centre in Bagshot Road.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s approved trader network - has been nationally recognised as a flagship scheme.

The Trading Standards Service and Office of Fair Trading have acknowledged the benefits of Bracknell Buy With Confidence, which provides residents with a list of traders who have been vetted by trading standards for reliability and trustworthiness.

The scheme - run by nine councils across the South East - covers businesses from architects to window cleaners and has nearly 1,000 members.

On applying to be a member, businesses receive a full assessment by trading standards to ensure they operate in a legal, honest and fair way and that they offer a customer friendly service.

Once approved, the businesses are expected to abide by the scheme's code of practice.

It is one of only three schemes which have become members of the new Local Authority Assured Trader Scheme Network (LAATSN).

Colin Brown, Chair of the LAATSN National Standards and Support Committee, said: "We’re very pleased to welcome Buy With Confidence as a member of the network. It’s a good example of partnership in action between local authority trading standards services and demonstrates how such schemes can help a wide range of local businesses to understand consumer law and raise their levels of customer service.”

Rob Sexton, Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s Head of Trading Standards and Services, said: "The national recognition of Buy With Confidence shows the importance of these schemes to the consumer.

"If you are looking for a reputable trader, or want to join up yourself, please do get in touch.

"We are also keen for consumers to tell us about reputable traders who they would like to recommend for the scheme."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The amount of rubbish being recycled in Bracknell Forest has increased to 31 per cent this year as residents prepared for the introduction of Alternate Bin Collection.

Last year, Bracknell residents recycled 27 per cent of their waste, but are now using their new blue and brown wheelie bins and kerbside boxes to reduce the amount of waste being sent to harmful landfill sites. More than 41,000 new recycling containers have been ordered since April.

From today (October 2), Bracknell Forest residents will have their recycling and garden waste collections one week, while the following week landfill waste will be collected from the green wheelie bin.

The Council has introduced the new collections for both environmental and financial reasons. If we continue as we are today, the increased costs in additional Government charges and fines could be as high as £7.7million to Bracknell Forest tax payers over the next five years and even more in future years.

Information leaflets have been delivered to every home in the borough to explain which containers should be left at the kerbside on your usual collection day.

Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: "I would like to thank residents for all their hard work already. It will protect our environment for years to come, and we will continue to help our residents to recycle even more with the new scheme in the future."

Vincent Paliczka, Director of Environment and Leisure, said: "Dramatically reducing the waste we send to landfill sites will benefit everybody in Bracknell Forest, both environmentally and financially, for future years."

Households who need extra support to make ABC work for them can still request a home visit from a recycling officer, or attend an ABC roadshow to have their questions answered. Roadshows are being held on the following dates:

4th October: 3:00-5:00pm: Owlsmoor shops, Victoria Road

6th October: 3:00-5:00pm: Bullbrook Shops

10th October: 3:00-5:00pm: Coffee Spot, York Town Road

12th October: 3:00-5:00pm: Forest Park shops

To order the new blue or brown wheelie bins or kerbside boxes, or to request a home visit, please call 01344 352000.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The latest round of Neighbourhood Forums start in October, to hear what community action residents in Bracknell Forest’s 14 neighbourhoods would like to focus on - with the support of the Bracknell Police and Council.

It will be the third time the forums are held across the borough. Residents will find out what has happened as a result of the previous meetings as well as being able to discuss what they would like to happen in the year ahead.

In the past, Bracknell residents asked for joint community action to be taken on issues such as motorbikes, anti-social behaviour, litter, parking and speeding.

The first meeting will be on Monday, October 9, at Crown Wood Primary School for Crown Wood and Forest Park residents.

The forums are run by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Thames Valley Police, as well as other public sector organisations responsible for delivering services to residents.

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "The previous rounds of Neighbourhood Forums were valuable as they helped identify the things that people are most concerned about. This information was used by the Police and the Council to focus their work in each area. We will now use the forums to update local people about the progress that has been made to date but also to ask if there is anything else that now needs particular attention.

"This is not the only way we learn what is important to local residents but the forums have proven to be a very valuable way of uncovering things that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. I would encourage you to try them is you want action in your area.”

Insp Andy Harris, responsible for neighbourhood policing in the South of Bracknell, said: "Neighbourhood Forums are an important chance for members of the community to tell the Police, Council and other partners what is affecting their quality of life. Every neighbourhood in Bracknell Forest has one scheduled, so I would encourage people to come and have their say.

"It’s also a great opportunity to hear how local people can help in solving local problems such as speeding".

For more details of when meetings are taking visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/neighbourhoodforums or look out for posters in your area.

If you would like to speak to a member of your neighbourhood policing team, please contact 0845 8 505 505.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Residents can still take part in the Bracknell Forest Garden Wildlife Survey 2006, by recording which creatures have visited your garden over the last year.

The survey will provide an up to date picture of how wildlife is faring in the Bracknell borough, and will be compared to the previous survey which took place in 2002. The Council is particularly keen for people who took part in the original survey to enter again.

Wildlife to look out for includes amphibians like frogs and newts, or birds like swifts and bullfinches. The survey also coincides with the Great Stag Hunt III, which is run by the People's Trust for Endangered Species and monitors numbers of the endangered stag beetle - which is predominantly found in the south east.

Gardens are an important habitat for many local wildlife species because they provide places for them to breed and feed.

The research will help protect 24 species and their habitats across the borough, and also have a beneficial knock-on effect on other species through the Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: We enjoy a rich diversity of wildlife here in Bracknell Forest due to a wide range of habitats.

"Taking part in the survey is a great - and fun - way to learn more about the world around us while at the same time providing valuable information with which we can seek to protect our wildlife.”

Responses to the survey can be made online at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/leis-biodiversity

Bracknell Forest Borough Council