Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead Arts Cafe,
Methodist Church Hall,
High Street,
Maidenhead,
Berkshire,
SL6 1EF.
Friday December 4th 2009

Currently on tour with his new album "Crooked Path", Simeon has for the past 20 years been performing around the world, playing over 20 instruments and delighting audiences.

As well as being an established and acclaimed flautist Simeon is regularly commissioned to write music for television both in the UK and America.

The cafe provides high quality entertainment in relaxed, informal surroundings. Events take place in the recently refurbished hall of the Methodist Church at the top of the High Street in Maidenhead. Drinks (Tea, Coffee, Cappuccino, J2O's, Coke etc) are available from our bar, along with various light snacks throughout the evening.

Entrance is by ticket (£5:00 available on the door, or in advance). Contact us on info@artscafe.org for details or tickets.

Maidenhead Arts Cafe

A man will appear in court in October charged with a number of sexual offences against Maidenhead boys.

Denham Gilbart-Smith, aged 62, of Buckinghamshire, is charged with five counts of buggery of boys under the age of 16, between July 1964 and December 1970; one count of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14, between 19 July 1964 and 19 July 1965; and seven counts of indecent assault on boys under the age of 14, between 1 January 1964 and 1 January 1971.

The charges relate to alleged incidents in Maidenhead, as well as locations in Kent and West Sussex.

Gilbart-Smith has been bailed to appear at Reading Crown Court on 29 October for a plea and case management hearing.

Thames Valley Police ~ Maidenhead

Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead: 6 September - 12 September 2009
Altwood Road
Maidenhead
SL6 4PF
01628 788997

6th September in Maidenhead

* Film
* 3:00 pm
Charles Dickens's England (U)
* 7:30 pm
Charles Dickens's England (U)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Traces: Odyssey

7th September in Maidenhead

No events planned

8th September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 8:00 pm
Cleansed by Sarah Kane
* Film
* 8:00 pm
Adam (12A)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

9th September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 8:00 pm
Cleansed by Sarah Kane
* Film
* 10:30 am
Adam (12A)
* 2:30 pm
Adam (12A)
* 8:00 pm
Adam (12A)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

10th September in Maidenhead

* Film
* 2:30 pm
Rudo y Cursi (Rudi and Cursi) (15)
* 8:00 pm
Rudo y Cursi (Rudi and Cursi) (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey
* 2:30 pm
Alexander Technique Workshop

11th September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 8:00 pm
Cleansed by Sarah Kane
* Film
* 2:30 pm
Public Enemies (15)
* 8:00 pm
Public Enemies (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

12th September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 8:00 pm
Jan Ravens: A funny look at impressions
* 8:00 pm
Cleansed by Sarah Kane
* Workshops and other events
* 9:30 am
Kathak Dance Advanced
* 10:00 am
Traces: Odyssey
* 10:30 am
Kathak Dance Intermediate
* 11:30 am
Kathak Dance Beginners

GCE A level students in the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough have notched up another year of excellent results and earned the praise of Cllr Eileen Quick, the council's lead member for children's services.

Performances at the eight Windsor and Maidenhead schools offering GCE A level courses improved on several fronts:
• nearly 70% of entries achieved A-C grades (a rise of almost 3% on 2008)
• the pass rate at with A-E grades rose to 97.5% (compared to last year's 95.7%)
• the percentage of entries at A grade increased from 17.8 to 20%.

Cllr Quick congratulated the students and said she was proud to lead a service in which students and their teachers worked hard to achieve such excellent results.

She said: "There is much speculation nationally about GCE A levels getting easier but I believe these results are a testimony to the dedication and commitment of everyone in our schools. We must not underestimate the sheer hard work needed to attain GCE A level standards.

"I am proud of our schools; proud of their continually improving results and proud of the students who deserve our warmest congratulations on their successes."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Eight out of ten people in the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough are satisfied with their local area as a place to live and believe that people from different backgrounds get on well together.

That's the headline result from the nationally-organised Place Survey, which looked at Windsor and Maidenhead residents' attitudes to the areas where they live and about the issues that matter most to them in their community.

Now the Windsor and Maidenhead council is keen to hear from even more local people who would like to contribute their views to help make services even better in the future.

Cllr David Burbage, council leader, said the Place Survey gave a helpful snapshot of residents' views but, given that it was conducted last November, it would be more interesting to find out if people still felt the same.

He said: "A lot has happened over the past nine months. We have been working hard to make council services even better and people in our community have been experiencing changes themselves, particularly in an increasingly harsh economic climate. That's why we need to update this information and we will be looking to carry out another survey across the borough in the autumn to ensure we have the most relevant information on which to base our plans for the year ahead."

The Place Survey of more than 1,300 residents revealed that the borough's refuse collection service topped the satisfaction poll at 88%, with parks and open spaces achieving 79%, doorstep recycling 77% and libraries 70%.

Some 60% of Windsor and Maidenhead respondents agreed local public services are working to make the area cleaner and greener, 55% to make the area a better place to live and more than 50% to make the area safer.

More than 50% said they were satisfied or fairly satisfied with the way the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough runs things.

Residents said that the level of crime is the most important factor in making somewhere a good place to live and more than 90% agreed they felt safe in their local area during the day (around half felt safe at night).

The two things that respondents believed were most in need of improvement were traffic congestion and road/pavement repairs.

Windsor and Maidenhead Cllr Burbage said: "No matter how hard we work we must always strive to do even better. That's why we need residents themselves to get involved in helping us to plan for the future. We want to hear from people willing to spare some time to take part in our residents' panel. It doesn't take a lot of time but the value to the council and the local community is immeasurable."

Called ViewPoint, the panel is made up of 1,000 Windsor and Maidenhead residents who are asked to take part in surveys and focus groups to give their views about council policies and services. Anyone interested in learning more should contact Anne Dackombe on 01628 796410 or email anne.dackombe@rbwm.gov.uk

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Windsor and Maidenhead Carers will soon be able to enjoy time out thanks to a new Free carers scheme to be introduced by the Royal Borough on 1 September.

The Windsor and Maidenhead Time Out scheme is an addition to the Advantage Card aimed at increasing opportunities and choice to carers - who give so much to society by providing unpaid care to an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner - thus enabling them to have a break from their caring role.

What is on offer?
Free access to swimming and gym activities during off peak times (6.30am - 4pm, Monday to Friday and all weekends) plus discounts at a range of attractions, retailers, restaurants, car parks and health / beauty facilities.

Young Windsor and Maidenhead carers will also be able to access other activities of interest to them such as children's summer holiday activities.

How do you qualify?
A carer will need to:

* be actively caring for someone and
* have completed a carer assessment through the Royal Borough adult services team.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead adult and community services, is encouraging carers to take full advantage of the scheme.

He said: "We know that carers are indispensable, providing unpaid care to so many people here in Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead who are ill, frail, disabled or affected by mental health or substance abuse issues. The impact this has on carers themselves can often be serious, affecting their finances, social activities and general wellbeing.

"The Time Out scheme has been designed to help overcome some of these difficulties by allowing carers to take a free break from their day-to-day caring role."
Existing Windsor and Maidenhead carers (and new carers) who wish to take advantage of the scheme should contact the adult services team on 01628 683744 or the Princess Royal Trust Carers Service on 01628 777217.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Residents are invited to a fun day at Shifford Crescent, Maidenhead, on Saturday 29 August, between 12noon and 4pm.

The day - organised by the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough's community wardens and the community safety partnership - is designed to bring all of the local community together and will have something on offer for all the family.

There will be a free barbecue - kindly provided by Toynbee (part of the One Housing Group) and Toynbee staff will be on hand to provide advice to their tenants. Maidenhead and District Housing Association is organising free face painting for children and will also be available to answer tenants' enquiries. It is a true partnership event with the police neighbourhood team and the fire service helping out on the day.

Local shops and businesses have donated raffle prizes, including a voucher for use at the Lemon Grass restaurant and a hair cut from local salon Finishing Touch.

Members of the borough's 13-19 programme will be providing activities for young people, including Sumo suits and speed trap.

Cllr Colin Rayner, cabinet member with responsibility for Windsor and Maidenhead community safety, said: "The day will be a great opportunity to get all members of the local community together, including local police officers, residents, PCSOs, community wardens and religious leaders to help foster a real sense of community spirit.

"I hope as many people as possible can come along on the day to meet their local community warden and neighbourhood police team to find out how we can all work together for a safer community. By working together, we can help the police catch the criminals who make all our lives a misery."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

The works on Albert Road, Windsor have been re-phased and will now take place in spring 2010.

A stretch of the A308 between Windsor and Old Windsor will be closed for four days at the beginning of September for essential maintenance and resurfacing work.

The work - on the A308 Albert Road between the Kings Road roundabout in Windsor and the Datchet Road roundabout in Old Windsor - is scheduled to start on Tuesday 1 September and be completed by the end of Friday 4 September.

The closure will be in force to ensure the safety of both the public and the working crews, and to enable the work to be carried out as quickly as possible. Contractors Balfour Beatty will dig up several lengths of the road and replace them with a new surface and white lines.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways and streetcare, said: "This work - which is being carried out on these dates to avoid any major events in Windsor - is absolutely essential in maintaining the condition of the carriageway along this very busy stretch of road between Windsor and Old Windsor.

"We know that this will cause some delays for residents and we would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience. Our contractors will work longer than usual hours to finish the work earlier if at all possible - and of course, weather permitting. If adverse weather is forecast for the period of the work, the scheme will be rescheduled for a later date.

"We hope the travelling public will understand that it is absolutely essential that we maintain the condition of our roads to ensure the safety of both motorists and pedestrians.

"A diversion route via other A roads will be clearly signposted, but please plan your journey to avoid the affected areas if at all possible and understand that the extra traffic will undoubtedly generate delays on other roads in the area for the duration of the work."

The diversion route will be clearly signed via the A332 and the A330 to Ascot, the A329 and A30 to Englefield Green and the A328 and A308 to Old Windsor.

Bus services between Windsor and Old Windsor will inevitably be disrupted during the road closure. Bus companies will publicise alternative timetables and routes at bus stops in advance of the start of the work.

Advance information signs have been put up this week warning motorists of the closure. Up-to-date information will be available on the council's website at www.rbwm.gov.uk. For further information contact the council's customer services on 01628 683868.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead: 1 September - 5 September 2009
Altwood Road
Maidenhead
SL6 4PF
01628 788997

1st September in Maidenhead

* Film
* 2:30 pm
Looking for Eric (15)
* 8:00 pm
Looking for Eric (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

2nd September in Maidenhead

* Film
* 10:30 am
Looking for Eric (15)
* 2:30 pm
Looking for Eric (15)
* 8:00 pm
Looking for Eric (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

3rd September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 7:30 pm
Summer Concert Series 3: Poom Prommarchart (piano)
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

4th September in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 8:00 pm
Between Two Worlds
* Workshops and other events
* 2:00 pm
Traces: Odyssey

5th September in Maidenhead

* Film
* 3:00 pm
Love Aaj Kal (Love Now and Then) (12A)
* 8:00 pm
Love Aaj Kal (Love Now and Then) (12A)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Traces: Odyssey

BAA's plans for a new rail link to connect Heathrow with the national network have been welcomed in principle by the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough - but with such strong reservations that Windsor MP Adam Afriyie is to be asked to lobby government ministers to address local concerns.

The Windsor and Maidenhead council is worried that Airtrack - operating to Reading, Guildford and London - will bring no benefits for the borough unless it stops at Ascot to provide a service for local people as well as catering for the large number of visitors to locally-based national attractions such as Windsor Castle, Legoland and Ascot Racecourse. Current proposals suggest the service would stop at Staines and Bracknell only.

There are also grave concerns about the impact on local Windsor and Maidenhead traffic caused in the main by the anticipated increased use of the London Road, Sunningdale, level crossing - likely to be in the down position for around 15 minutes in every hour. This would, the council believes, result in drivers trying to avoid long delays by turning local roads into rat runs, particularly the narrow Dry Arch Road and Charters Road which passes by Charters School.

The Windsor and Maidenhead council's proposed response to the latest BAA consultation, to be discussed by cabinet on Thursday 27 August, underlines fears that the half-hourly service from Windsor Riverside could be lost if the track becomes nothing more than a branch line with no direct link to Waterloo. There are also concerns that there is no proposed direct connection from T5 to Windsor, which would be possible by having a loop line on Staines Moor.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways and transport, said that while Airtrack had the potential to improve public transport - and not just for airport travellers - it raised very real concerns for local people.

He said: "Unless these potentially serious traffic issues are addressed by BAA we run the risk of turning Sunningdale into a car park at peak times. The additional level crossing downtime means the road will be blocked for around 15 minutes in every hour which will bring traffic to a halt, result in rat running through narrow local streets and cause traffic chaos.

"And, as it is currently proposed, Airtrack will be of absolutely no advantage to the borough because there is no stop planned to service Ascot and the surrounding area. Local residents would have all the hassle and none of the benefits.

"This is why we are proposing not only to express our concerns through the BAA consultation itself but also to ask our MP to lobby ministers so they are aware of the local situation and can take positive steps to address these very worrying issues."

Cabinet will also be asked to support the council's participation in a future public inquiry and to work with adjoining Runnymede Borough Council to take forward issues of joint concern.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

A Maidenhead shopkeeper has been fined a total of £1,215 for selling alcohol to an underage customer as part of a test purchase exercise.

Naranjan Singh Sahota, the owner of Bargain Booze of 71 St Marks Road, Maidenhead, pleaded guilty at Maidenhead magistrates' court on Friday (August 14) to selling a bottle of wine to an individual under the age of 18 under Section 146 of the Licensing Act 2003.

He was ordered to pay a fine of £700, plus £500 towards the council's costs and a £15 victim surcharge under a collection order to be issued by the court.

The court heard that the sale occurred during a test purchase exercise carried out on 11 July 2008 by the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough's trading standards and licensing teams and Thames Valley Police.

The defendant was seen by a police officer to sell a bottle of alcohol to a 14-year-old volunteer without challenging the young person for proof of age.

Cllr Phill Bicknell, lead member for public protection, said this week: "Joint test purchase operations are the only effective way to test whether traders are selling these products to underage young people.

"By carrying out these test purchases on a regular basis we are reinforcing our commitment to making sure that retailers take a responsible attitude to the problems of under-age drinking.

"It is important that all members of staff involved in sales of alcohol should always ask for proof of age when selling to young people - otherwise they could be personally liable for breaching the legal requirements."

Debie Pearmain, licensing officer for Thames Valley Police, said: "Police licensing and trading standards will continue to conduct joint test purchase operations and appropriate action will be taken against those who sell alcohol to under-age people. The simple rule is to ask for ID - if they cannot provide ID do not sell."

Windsor and Maidenhead Retailers are encouraged to keep a record of sales refusals - and magistrates in this case took into account that Mr Sahota had kept such a log.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Police are appealing for witnesses after two robberies in Kidwells Park, Maidenhead.

Both Maidenhead robberies took place on Tuesday (11/8).

At about 9pm, two teenage boys were walking through the Maidenhead park when they were approached by two black youths. One of the boys ran off, but the other, a 13-year-old, was pushed up against the door of a nearby hut and held there while the youths went through his pockets. They stole his keys and a mobile phone.

The 13-year-old was not injured.

One of the robbers is black, aged between 14 and 16, 5ft 6ins and of a slim build. He had short messy black hair, a clear complexion and a diamond stud in his left ear. He was wearing a light grey hooded top with the hood up and dark grey Nike tracksuit bottoms with the Nike logo on the hip.

The other youth is black, about 15 or 16, 5ft 9ins and muscular. He had short black hair with two stripes shaved into the left-hand side of his head above the ear and was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and dark bottoms. He wore a chunky silver chain around his neck and a diamond stud in his left ear.

At about 9.30pm, another two boys, aged 15 and 16, were walking through the Maidenhead park when they were approached by a man who threatened them with a knife before taking their mobile phones and an iPod.

The man is between 6ft and 6ft 2ins and skinny. He was wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up, dark trousers or jeans and a white bandana covering his face. There is no description of his age or race.

Police are keeping an open mind as to whether the incidents are linked.

Patrols are being stepped up in the park to reassure Maidenhead members of the public and act as a deterrent.

Anyone who witnessed the robberies, or has any information which may assist police with their investigations, is asked to contact Det Con Scott Jamieson via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Maidenhead

A stretch of the A308 between Windsor and Old Windsor will be closed for four days at the beginning of September for essential maintenance and resurfacing work.

The work - on the A308 Albert Road between the Kings Road roundabout in Windsor and the Datchet Road roundabout in Old Windsor - is scheduled to start on Tuesday 1 September and be completed by the end of Friday 4 September.

The closure will be in force to ensure the safety of both the public and the working crews, and to enable the work to be carried out as quickly as possible. Contractors Balfour Beatty will dig up several lengths of the road and replace them with a new surface and white lines.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways and streetcare, said: "This work - which is being carried out on these dates to avoid any major events in Windsor - is absolutely essential in maintaining the condition of the carriageway along this very busy stretch of road between Windsor and Old Windsor.

"We know that this will cause some delays for residents and we would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience. Our contractors will work longer than usual hours to finish the work earlier if at all possible - and of course, weather permitting. If adverse weather is forecast for the period of the work, the scheme will be rescheduled for a later date.

"We hope the travelling public will understand that it is absolutely essential that we maintain the condition of our roads to ensure the safety of both motorists and pedestrians.

"A diversion route via other A roads will be clearly signposted, but please plan your journey to avoid the affected areas if at all possible and understand that the extra traffic will undoubtedly generate delays on other roads in the area for the duration of the work."

The diversion route will be clearly signed via the A332 and the A330 to Ascot, the A329 and A30 to Englefield Green and the A328 and A308 to Old Windsor.

Bus services between Windsor and Old Windsor will inevitably be disrupted during the road closure. Bus companies will publicise alternative timetables and routes at bus stops in advance of the start of the work.

Advance information signs have been put up this week warning motorists of the closure. Up-to-date information will be available on the council's website at www.rbwm.gov.uk. For further information contact the council's customer services on 01628 683868.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Recycling will soon be saving money for even more Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough residents as the council's pioneering rewards pilot scheme is extended to include mixed recycling.

From next Monday (17 August) new Windsor and Maidenhead blue wheelie bins will be delivered to a pilot sample of 3,800 households across Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead. Starting on Monday 7 September residents in the pilot scheme will be asked to use the blue bin for all their recycling - cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and paper - and start earning rewards!

Working with waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services and RecycleBank, the Windsor and Maidenhead council is the first in the country to introduce the groundbreaking rewards scheme. Based on the concept of 'the more you recycle, the more you earn', it means residents can get RecycleBank reward Points for the amount they recycle and divert from landfill. The Points can then be used to buy goods and services from around 60 participating local and national shops and businesses or they can be donated to charity.

The Windsor and Maidenhead equipment needed to run the scheme has been tested since June using the subscribed green waste collection service and now the council is ready to launch phase 2, giving even more residents the opportunity to benefit.

Cllr Liam Maxwell, lead member for sustainability, said: "With the majority of green waste subscribers activating their RecycleBank accounts, we can see how popular the scheme is already and its potential for the future. The council is committed to rewarding people for their recycling, not imposing penalties, and we are delighted to be working with our partners to give even more residents the opportunity to benefit.

"By giving rewards we are encouraging more people to recycle and therefore reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill. The vouchers also support our local economy by promoting borough shops and businesses."

Matthew Tucker, President of RecycleBank, is delighted with the results. "We are thrilled to be entering phase 2 of the trials with mixed recycling. Phase 1 clearly showed us that UK residents are ready and eager to be rewarded for their recycling efforts. We are excited by the prospect of rewards based recycling gaining momentum and achieving mass participation across the country."

The new blue bins come equipped with special tags that are scanned by equipment in the Veolia Environmental Services collection vehicle. No personal identification is held - the scanner identifies the address, allocates a unique user number which is used by households to access, monitor and claim their reward Points.

Paul Levett, deputy chief executive of Veolia Environmental Services, said: "At Veolia Environmental Services our aim is to provide local authorities and businesses with the most innovative methods and technologies for sustainable living. This scheme is one of the ways we're working with our local authority partners to encourage environmental best practice."

Full details about the mixed recycling rewards pilot will be announced at the beginning of September.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

The Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough's drug and alcohol action team is encouraging parents to discuss sensible drinking with their teenage children before they get their exam results this month.

Waiting for results can be stressful and many Windsor and Maidenhead young people let off steam by going out drinking with their friends. Whether they are celebrating or drowning their sorrows, alcohol can often play a large part in an evening out.

However a night of heavy drinking can have serious negative consequences, warns the Windsor and Maidenhead drug and alcohol action team. They point out that drunken young people are more likely to have unplanned and unprotected sex, are at greater risk of having accidents - in particular road traffic accidents - and are more likely to be robbed. They are also more at risk of committing criminal damage and getting into fights.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead adult and community services, said: "We are aware that some of our young people may drink to celebrate or commiserate their exam results.

"Unfortunately, many young people take little notice of the amount of, or the strength of the alcohol they are drinking and are therefore more likely to behave in a way they might regret."

Cllr Dudley advised that Windsor and Maidenhead parents can help their teenagers to drink safely by openly and calmly discussing the following issues:

Pacing themselves:

* encourage them to eat before they go out
* suggest that they avoid strong brands and don't mix their drinks
* ask them to alternate alcoholic drinks with soft ones to keep hydrated.
Drink Safely:
* remind them not to take drinks from strangers and not to leave their drinks unattended.
Getting home:
* warn them not to walk home alone
* warn them not to take lifts from people they know to have been drinking
* remind them when taking a taxi to check it's a licensed cab and has a borough badge on its rear bumper.

Windsor and Maidenhead Cllr Dudley added: "Young people are less well equipped than adults to cope with the effects of alcohol, physically and emotionally. The same amount of alcohol will have a much greater effect on the body of a child or young person than on an adult, because their bodies are still growing and developing.

"Also, a young person doesn't have the experience needed to deal with the effects of alcohol on judgement and perception. Large quantities of alcohol can often lead you to do things that you'd never dream of doing when sober. By discussing the issues with your teenagers you can help them to stay safe."

Dave Wright, community safety sergeant for the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough, said: "Young people need to be reminded that there are alcohol free zones in our town centres and other parts of the Royal Borough. Also, police officers and PCSOs have the power to seize alcohol from young people under the age of 18 who are found drinking in public places. We take very seriously the issue of young people abusing alcohol due to the harm that they can do to themselves and to their communities."

The Windsor and Maidenhead Drug and Alcohol Action Team is offering residents two free leaflets: 'An Alcohol Guide for Young People' that was written and designed by young people in the borough (aimed at 11-16 year-olds) and 'A Big Night Out' (aimed at 17-25 year-olds). For a copy, contact the DAAT on 01628 796362 or email daat@rbwm.gov.uk

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Therapists charge between £5 - £15 so a bargain!! There is someone doing makeovers to teach you new looks, 2 amazing clairvoyants, nails, indian head, reflexology, hot stone massage (Its bliss!!!!), hopi ear candling, cranial sacral therapy, eyebrow threading and stalls including virgin vie makeup, healing crystals, joss sticks, tarot/angel cards, angel ornaments etc.

If anyone is interested in receiving or trying healing, I have two guys that do native american healing. They have a wonderful amazing energy! There is also a jewellery stand and its beautiful and really reasonable priced, most bracelets are £7.00.

The raffle is great, the therapists give free treatments etc, so you could win a massage or piece of jewellery. There are usually about 8 prizes. I do collections for friends of the earth also.

7 - 10 p.m. at St Lukes Hall, Maidenhead, SL6 7AT.

Janine 07901 938649 alisha100uk@hotmail.co.uk

Windsor is to be the setting for another state visit later this year.

Buckingham Palace announced last month that the Queen has invited Her Excellency Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India, to visit the United Kingdom. The official welcoming ceremony for the visit will be in Windsor on Tuesday 27 October.

No further details are available at this stage but Mayor of the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Cllr Jesse Grey said he was delighted that, yet again, Windsor would be the focus of world attention.

He said: "Windsor's international reputation is further enhanced when we have the spectacle of state visits that capture the attention and imagination of people across the globe. On this occasion we will be honoured to welcome the President of India and I am sure everyone in the borough - not least our residents whose families come from that country originally - will give her a warm and enthusiastic reception."

Cllr Grey said that, as usual, the Windsor and Maidenhead council would be working closely with Thames Valley Police to make arrangements for a successful event that not only allows spectators to enjoy the pageantry but also minimises disruption to the town.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead: 16 August - 17 August 2009
Altwood Road
Maidenhead
SL6 4PF
01628 788997

16th August in Maidenhead

* Film
* 3:00 pm
My Sister's Keeper (15)
* 7:30 pm
My Sister's Keeper (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Place; Memory and Dreams

Drivers in the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough will have more information to help them on their way thanks to two new mobile electronic message signs that will be on the road from next week.

The variable Windsor and Maidenhead message signs - like the permanent ones seen on motorways and main roads - will provide up-to-date traffic and parking information to help keep the borough on the move.

They will not only be used to display standard messages about accidents and road works but also be moved around the borough to provide valuable travel information at special events such as state visits in Windsor, Royal Ascot and even Christmas lights ceremonies.

Initially, one sign will be used on the Windsor and Eton Relief Road and the other on the A308 Albert Road. Both will provide travel information for the upcoming European Jumping and Dressage Championships at Windsor Castle on 25 to 30 August. Afterwards they will be left in place to help manage traffic and parking while the relief road major improvements scheme is underway (programmed to start early next year with completion in 2011).

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways and streetcare, said the new signs - agreed by the council as part of the Windsor parking strategy - would be a tremendous boon for the travelling public.

He said: "Our aim is to keep traffic moving around the borough so that people get to their destinations with the minimum of disruption and congestion. The mobile message signs give us the flexibility to deliver travel information where it is most needed and, once the relief road works have been completed, they will be available for use elsewhere. They will be of great benefit to both residents and visitors alike, giving advance warning of events and roadworks so that drivers can make choices about their routes and journey times.

"We have been experiencing higher than normal traffic volumes due to the popularity of events being held in Windsor. Also, the number of events can cause higher demands on the road network. By having these signs in place we can warn drivers in advance that it might be best to avoid travelling through Windsor during these busy times."

The signs can be programmed remotely by the council's highway services team in Maidenhead. They are also environmentally friendly - battery powered and fitted with solar panels so that they need charging only every three to six months.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Five Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough parks will be proudly flying the flag for excellence this summer after notching up successes in a prestigious national award.

The Windsor and Maidenhead five have all just been awarded the coveted Green Flag status, with Kidwells Park in Maidenhead retaining its status for the second year running.

The "first-timers" are Braywick, Desborough Park and Oaken Grove in Maidenhead and Home Park in Windsor, representing a 100% success rate for borough parks entered this year for the award.

The borough's "fabulous five" are among just over 1,000 parks across the country to receive the award which is presented annually to acknowledge and reward the best parks and green spaces in England and Wales.

The award recognises excellence in a number of areas including overall park management, safety, cleanliness and maintenance, sustainability, conservation and heritage, promotion of healthy living and community involvement.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead adult and community services, said: "This is really good news for the Royal Borough, and in particular for Kidwells Park which has successfully maintained its status after being the borough's first Green Flag park last year.

"Parks have to be reassessed every year to keep their flag status, which means they have to continue to strive to keep up their excellent standards. These awards serve to recognise the huge amount of hard work which has gone into this year's awards, and a great many people deserve to be congratulated.

"These are exciting times for all our parks, with over £1million of Section 106 developer contributions spent on improvements to Braywick Park, Maidenhead Town Moor, Grenfell Park, Alexandra Gardens and Home Park. We have also been awarded a grant of just over £1million from government to further improve 22 of our borough play areas over the next two years and will be starting work on these in the autumn."

The Green Flag Award scheme, launched in 1996, is managed by the Civic Trust on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Green Flag Advisory Board which comprises founders of the scheme, sponsors, winners and judges.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Drivers heading for Windsor over the next few weeks are being advised to leave extra time for their journeys because of the large numbers of people attending big special events in or near the town, particularly at weekends.

The additional volumes of traffic are on top of the normal summer visitors to the area, causing an almost unprecedented demand on the local roads network. This is resulting in long delays at key junctions and the council is urging drivers to take this into account when planning their travel times.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenheadhighways and streetcare, said: "Big events over recent weekends have attracted huge numbers of people to Windsor and, while we issue a warm welcome to visitors, we need to advise them to expect traffic delays.

"The good news is that for shoppers there is still room in the town's car parks but we want to discourge drivers who are not stopping off in the town from using Windsor roads as a rat run as they are just compounding the problem. Our local roads are under enormous strain and we need drivers to act responsibly by not clogging up the roads unnecessarily."

Cllr Rayner added that organisations and businesses planning big events in Windsor should get in touch with the council at the earliest opportunity so that experienced traffic officers can help them make effective travel arrangements.

Windsor's key junctions have been severely affected over the past few weekends, including at Imperial Road/St Leonards Road where there have been intermittent issues with the recently-installed traffic lights.

The council is working hard with the equipment suppliers to resolve the phasing problem and early next week the contractors will wipe the malfunctioning computer programme and completely reinstall the software.

In the meantime, staff from the contractors will be on site for two hours every morning and evening (9.30 -11.30am and 6 - 8pm) to monitor the situation and manually manipulate the lights if necessary to keep traffic on the move.

Cllr Rayner said: "When the traffic lights do what they are meant to they work very well. However, there have been intermittent problems and we are demanding that the contractors get this sorted as soon as possible so that we have a system that keeps traffic on the move, not slows it down.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

As developer Shanly Homes announced this week that the decontamination and remediation of Badnell's Pit will start early in the New Year, the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough has underlined its pledge on residents' safety.

Cllr Alison Knight, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead planning, development and property, said: "The council is adamant that the safety of local residents will be the top priority and we will be monitoring this scheme every inch of the way."

Residents living around or near the Maidenhead site are being urged to work in partnership with the council to help make sure that the clearance of the toxic site takes place safely and with the least possible disturbance.

Windsor and Maidenhead Cllr Knight said: "We want to hear from local people interested in representing themselves, their neighbours and other residents on the monitoring group that will keep a watch on this highly sensitive work. So far we have had a number of people telling us they would like to be part of this important work but we need to hear from even more so that we can be sure the group is representative of the surrounding communities."

She also urged everyone in the area to attend the developer's pre-start public meeting on Thursday 10 September in the Thames Hotel, Ray Mead Road (2 - 8pm).

Cllr Knight added: "This is another opportunity to find out exactly how Shanly Homes will decontaminate their site and it is vital as many people as possible are there to understand what is being proposed and to ask questions. As well as the overall safety aspects of the work, there are key areas of concern to residents and the council, including noise and disturbance.

"The council is also in discussions with Shanly Homes about the need to install a temporary haul route for site traffic across Town Moor to minimise disruption to the community. We believe strongly that this route is a necessity and we will be maintaining this position on behalf of local residents."

In the run-up to the start of this complex scheme, council officers from a wide range of specialisms have been meeting regularly to co-ordinate preparations - looking at a wide range of issues, such as noise, pollution, vibration, town planning and highway engineering.

The new Windsor and Maidenhead residents' monitoring group, which will be in operation before the decontamination starts, will not only represent local views but also help report back to their neighbours and communities about what is happening on the site.

The monitoring group will work with the Windsor and Maidenhead council to:

• help appoint an independent decontamination consultant to monitor the ongoing results of decontamination tests undertaken by the developer
• monitor and review the developer's test results
• keep the local community informed
• help ensure that disturbance is minimised during the development.

Anyone interested in being involved is asked to contact Windsor and Maidenhead council at badnells@rbwm.gov.uk or at the Town Hall, St Ives Road, giving their name, address and contact phone number. They are also asked to set out (in no more than 50 words) what they feel they can contribute to the group so that if there are many volunteers this information can be used to help residents select a representative group. In light of the Shanly Homes announcement, the council has extended the closing date for responses
until Friday 14 August.

Residents who want to receive all council updates on the decontamination scheme should send their details to badnells@rbwm.gov.uk. The council will also have special web pages and a telephone information line to ensure information is readily available to local people.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Street lighting across the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough is set to become even more energy efficient thanks to the council's successful grant bid to add dimming facilities to selected lights.

The £250,000 grant from Salix - the publicly funded company set up to increase public sector investment in energy efficiency technologies - means the Windsor and Maidenhead council will be able to complete several energy reduction projects including adding dimmers to up to 1,000 of the highest wattage units around the borough over the next year.

Other proposed projects include fitting energy efficient lamps in council offices, pool covers and more efficient electric motors for the leisure centres and dimming facilities in York House car park.

As many Windsor and Maidenhead units as possible will be changed over the summer and autumn in time for the long winter nights. The move will reduce energy consumption for these lights by half when dimming comes in between midnight and 5am - when traffic is at its lightest - leading to potential savings of £8,500 a year.

While the reduction in energy used is good news for both the environment and council taxpayers, the most visible change will be the dimmed street lighting on straight stretches of main roads.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead highways and streetcare, said: "We have decided to go for dimming rather than switching off - as some councils have done - because, while the cost is roughly the same, this way we avoid concerns about road safety and fear of crime, which residents have told us is very important to them.

"Lights will not be dimmed at sites such as roundabouts and intersections where visibility needs to remain high for the safety of motorists and pedestrians, which is of paramount importance to this council."

In addition to Salix's welcome boost, the Windsor and Maidenhead council follows an ongoing policy of replacing defunct lights with energy-efficient units. In the last financial year there were 700 new lamps installed and 400 more have already been planned for this year.

Future grant bids will hopefully mean more lamps can be changed in a rolling programme - of the borough's 14,000 lights, half would be suitable for this treatment.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead: 9 August - 15 August 2009
Altwood Road
Maidenhead
SL6 4PF
01628 788997

9th August in Maidenhead

* Film
* 3:00 pm
Everlasting Moments (15)
* 7:30 pm
Everlasting Moments (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Place; Memory and Dreams

10th August in Maidenhead

* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Summer Dance Week

11th August in Maidenhead

* Film
* 8:00 pm
Cheri (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Summer Dance Week
* 2:00 pm
Place; Memory and Dreams

12th August in Maidenhead

* Film
* 8:00 pm
Cheri (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Ink Marks
* 10:00 am
Summer Dance Week
* 1:30 pm
Ink Marks
* 2:00 pm
Place; Memory and Dreams

13th August in Maidenhead

* Performances
* 7:30 pm
Summer Concert Series 2: Eva Doroszkowska (piano)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Ink Marks
* 10:00 am
Summer Dance Week
* 1:30 pm
Ink Marks
* 2:00 pm
Place; Memory and Dreams

14th August in Maidenhead

* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Summer Dance Week
* 2:00 pm
Place; Memory and Dreams

15th August in Maidenhead

* Film
* 3:00 pm
My Sister's Keeper (15)
* 8:00 pm
My Sister's Keeper (15)
* Workshops and other events
* 10:00 am
Place; Memory and Dreams