Ruth Lucas

London, Reading

Local Democracy Reporter at The Reading Chronicle

Articles

Country park reveals major plans for events and live music

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst, Wokingham, has applied for a premises licence at Wokingham Borough Council. It comes after the authority recently announced the site was becoming a licensed wedding venue. Councillors are set to decide whether the licence can be granted after a neighbour objected to the scheme. Managers of the 350-acre site want to be open from 6am to 11pm, selling alcohol, playing live music, films, plays and dance performances from 10am.
Woodley and Earley MP celebrates falling NHS waiting lists

1 week ago | readingchronicle.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

New data shows that waiting lists have fallen by 35,201 compared to when Labour came into power. MP for Woodley and Earley Yuan Yang said the data showed 'a clear example of Labour delivering on their promises and the steps being taken to get the NHS working for patients once again'. Across the country, NHS waiting list figures show a drop in April for the first time in 17 years, excluding the first year of the pandemic. Data shows they have fallen to the lowest level in two years.
Glass recycling collection set to be rolled out in Autumn

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Local authorities across England will need to offer kerbside recycling collections for a wide range of products as part of Simpler Recycling, including glass and flexible plastics. A report published ahead of Bracknell Forest Council's cabinet meeting on June 24 said the introduction of kerbside glass collection service 'is a significant improvement for residents who have frequently requested this'. Residents already recycle around 75 per cent of glass used in the borough.
Government 'keen' for crumbling hospital to be rebuilt 'very quickly'

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey is among the first of hospitals to be rebuilt as part of Labour's revised new hospitals programme, with work to begin by 2030. It was exempted from the government's review in September along with other hospitals made with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Government officials have said work can begin quicker once a site is selected by project managers once a new site is selected and announced.
Reform apologise for using image 'from Texas' in by-election ad

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

The advert attacked 'Labour's neglect of our roads' in a post on Facebook and promoted the party's candidate for the upcoming Bracknell Town Council by-election for Harman's Water, Justin Bellhouse. The by-election was called after Labour borough councillor Cherise Welch stood down from the town council. Other candidates running are Labour's Chloe McDoughall, Conservative Christopher Martin and Jason Reardon from the Heritage Party.
Town centre flats plan thrown out over 'quality of living' concerns

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Bracknell Development Ltd wanted to demolish numbers 6 to 10 on High Street in Bracknell town centre. The Lloyds Bank and former Post Office would make way for a seven to eight storey building made up of retail, commercial and leisure space, along with 39 flats. Plans were first submitted in 2023 after the same developer withdrew earlier proposals for a 12 storey building of 58 apartments.
Wokingham: Bearwood Brewing applies for premises licence

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Bearwood Brewing Ltd is opening in Unit 11 Anglo Industrial Park in Fishponds Road, Wokingham. The company produces small batch craft beers alongside ‘some of the best beer produced in the UK’. But Wokingham Borough Councillors are set to decide whether the licence can be granted on June 26 after a neighbour objected to the proposal. The brewery is opening in a commercial unit, with an area intended to sell alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to be consumed both on and off the site.
Aviation Museum in Dinton Pastures to get parking charges

1 week ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Wokingham Borough Council has announced the charges could be introduced at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, situated in Dinton Pastures country park in Hurst. It currently costs £2.40 per hour for up to three hours, before a £9.60 charge for stays over four hours. The council said the charges at the aviation museum would bring it in line with the rest of the parking locations across the 350 acre site.
Petition against John Madejski Academy name change

1 week ago | readingchronicle.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Greenshaw Learning Trust, which took over the secondary school on Hartland Road in January, announced JMA would become Hartland High School from September. The academy was named after Sir John Madejski, former owner of Reading Football Club, when it opened in 2010. Madejski donated £3 million towards its opening and described the financing as 'his proudest achievement'. But it had been rated 'Inadequate' by Ofsted in 2023 and served a termination warning notice from the Department for Education.
Bracknell: 43 homes in Warfield flood scheme approved

2 weeks ago | bracknellnews.co.uk | Ruth Lucas

Work is well under way to build 43 homes on land between Crozier Lane and Warfield MOT and service centre on Forest Road, Warfield. Plans were approved back in November 2023 by Bracknell Forest Council's planning committee despite neighbours arguing that developers Redrow Homes were not doing enough to prevent the risk of flooding. Members decided to approve plans on the basis that they would approve the drainage proposals before works began.