• Recycling day coming soon
• The Great Wellness Exchange
• Last change to complete our social media survey
• Thames Valley Alert
• Community learning open day
• Replacement lighting at The Avenue car park
• Yom Kippur 2023
• International Day of Sign Languages
• Little changes, big impact

A new target to achieve net zero CO2 emissions as close to 2030 as possible, was agreed at Bracknell Forest’s full council meeting last night.

The council has been working towards the government set target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Following a successful year of climate change action in the borough, the council is committing to broaden and accelerate the climate change strategy to meet this target as close to 2030 as possible.

Last night also saw the 2022/2023 climate change progress report be shared with the full council.

Some of the council’s key actions in the report included:

• Energy efficiency improvements were made to many of the council’s buildings through Salix funding and to over 60 vulnerable households through the Warm, Safe and Well and Green Homes Grant schemes.
• An inaugural schools' climate change conference was hosted, accompanied by initial seed funding for in-school projects.
• Food waste collections expanded to an additional 640 flats across the borough.
• 1,300 new trees were planted across the borough.
• 32 new EV charging points were installed in council car parks.

To help achieve the new targets and involve all sectors of the community in the council’s climate change work, a new Joint Community Board has been formed. The board will work together on climate change projects to help the whole of Bracknell Forest reduce its carbon output and will be supported by several working groups representing different sectors of our community, such as schools, local businesses and community groups.

Cllr Mary Temperton, leader of Bracknell Forest Council and executive member for council strategy and climate change, said:

"We recognise that addressing climate change is an emergency, and our commitment to achieving net zero remains steadfast.

“The climate change summit in July reinforced the urgency of this issue, and we are taking concrete steps to accelerate our progress.

“This is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone can help. Please do your bit by recycling what you can, travelling in a greener way and making more sustainable choices."

For more information on the council’s climate change work, visit the council’s climate change page. (Link below)

Following the successful bid for funding to build a new autism spectrum disorder (ASD) school, the council’s executive will be discussing the proposed location for the new school next week.

A number of sites throughout the borough have been considered, taking into account suitability of the site and costs. The preferred location proposed for the new school is the site at Buckler’s Park in Crowthorne, where freehold land would be made available by Cala Homes.

The council’s decision-making executive will be asked to agree the site at its meeting on Tuesday, 19 September.

Other sites considered had previously been used for education, however they required the council to purchase the land at considerable cost. They also required considerable work to clear and ready the land for construction, which would create considerable delay to the opening of the school. The site at Buckler’s Park allows for construction to start as soon as planning and design has been finalised, making it the most time and cost-effective option.

Buckler’s Park has always had an education facility earmarked on the site – this was part of the agreed planning for the development. It was originally expected that a two-form entry primary school would be required. Since work started on the development, primary pupil numbers in mainstream education in the borough have reduced, while the number of children of all ages with SEND requirements has increased over time and is due to continue to rise.

The current special school provision in the borough is at capacity and local mainstream schools have sufficient places to accommodate children from the development. From the current data, the addition of a primary school on the site would have a detrimental impact on other local schools, by further increasing the number of pupil vacancies.

The majority of primary aged children living in Buckler’s Park attend one of two schools within a mile and a half, with others mainly attending one of the other four primary schools within two and a half miles. Families on the development have a choice of well-established and high quality local primary schools.

If a school is not built on the site, the land will go back to the developer.

The new ASD school will accommodate up to 100 pupils from reception to year 13, with the site providing indoor and outdoor teaching spaces.

Cllr Roy Bailey, executive member for children, young people and learning, said: “Improving services and opportunities for children and young people with SEND is a big priority and a new autistic spectrum disorder school will provide much needed provision.

“A number of sites were considered, and the proposed site at Buckler’s Park will be considered by the executive at its meeting next week.”

Grainne Siggins, executive director for people, said: “The Buckler’s Park site offers the best option for both cost and timings in respect of a new autistic spectrum disorder school.

If the executive agrees the location next week, construction work could start as soon as the design and planning stages have been completed with a prospective opening date of September 2026.”

Next month marks Cycle September, a campaign from Love to Ride, motivating people who live or work in the borough to saddle up and get cycling for better health and more active travel.

The challenge this year is simple, get on your bike and log as many rides as you can for the month of September. Rides only need to be 10 minutes long. The more rides you log, the more points you earn and the more entries into the prize draw you have. Prizes include:

• Electric Brompton C Line Explore Bike worth £2,995
• A holiday worth £4,000
• One-year Brompton bike hire subscription
• Cateye AMPP 100 light set
• Kryptonie U lock
• And lots of Love to Ride merchandise

Cycling has incredible benefits for your health, even a 10-minute bike ride can boost your immune system and cardiovascular health. It also promotes the release of endorphins and can reduce feelings of low mood and stress. The local environment can benefit too, with fewer cars on the road and more bikes, less CO2 is entering the atmosphere, plus environmentally harmful car idling reduces.

Cllr Guy Gillbe, executive member for planning and transport, said:

“At a time when saving money, improving our health and being more sustainable are key factors in our lives, there really is no better time to start cycling.

By swapping your regular car journeys for a bike ride you can reduce CO2 emissions, improve your own health, and save money on fuel.

Logging your journeys with Love to Ride all year round also has huge benefits. You can connect with an online community of cyclists, share your stories and be in with a chance of winning great prizes.”

It doesn’t matter if you ride every day or if you haven’t been on a bike in years, Love to Ride has helped over 690,000 people worldwide get into cycling. Love to Ride has lots of resources to help people cycle with confidence from top tips to quick courses.

Sign up to Love to Ride today and use the free online maps to start planning your cycling routes across the borough.

Are you thinking about getting solar panels, but not sure where to start?

Register for free today at https://solartogether.co.uk/bracknell-forest/home