West Berkshire Energy Switch Spring Auction - registration now open

West Berkshire Energy Switch Spring Auction - registration now open

West Berkshire Council is encouraging residents to see if they can get a better deal by signing up to the West Berkshire Energy Switch.

According to OfGem around 20 million energy customers in Britain are on standard variable tariffs and likely to be over paying for their energy. Supplier’s standard tariffs are usually their most expensive, and in recent weeks many suppliers have announced headline price rises for these tariffs. 

Latest figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show that 67% of electricity customers, and 66% of gas customers are on standard tariffs. These customers are paying on average £117 more annually for their electricity and £134 more annually for their gas, than those on fixed tariffs.

Customers on a fixed tariff are urged to check their fix end date, as once this ends they too will be moved to a standard tariff. 

If your fixed deal is coming to an end shortly, you will usually be able to switch without penalty during the last 42-49 days of a fixed tariff. Check with your supplier in the first instance as this will vary between suppliers. Customers on a very good fixed deal, looking to fix now, will likely find that they have to pay more for their energy.

In the past year, the West Berkshire Energy Switch has saved switchers over £59,132. Those residents registering and switching in the recent February auction still saved an average of £128.66 on their annual energy bills, despite a rising energy market. 

The West Berkshire Energy Switch is a free to join scheme which gives residents the chance to make savings on their fuel bills by registering to take part. A one day reverse auction will then held on the 23rd May, where suppliers compete with their best offers, the winning supplier/s then sends registrants their personalised offer for consideration. There is no obligation to switch, sign up and see if you can save. To register or find out more, visit www.westberks.gov.uk/communityswitch

You will need to have your latest energy bill to hand, as you’ll need the details during the registration process. Registration is open to all, register by midnight on Monday 22nd May 17 to be sure of taking part (additionally West Berkshire residents will have approximately 4 additional weeks to sign up after this, subject to the winning suppliers’ agreement).

West Berkshire residents without internet access can contact 01635 503267 to register - remember to have your energy bill or annual statement to hand when you call.

CCB Training for RBWM Neighbourhood Planning Groups

On  the 19th of April at Maidenhead Town Hall Windsor and Maidenhead Neighbourhood Planning groups had the benefit of a free training session run by RBWM to help them get through the hurdles they are currently facing preparing their Neighbourhood Plans..

The training, organised by Robert Paddison from the RBWM Planning Team, brought together Arlene Kersley from the Community Council of Berkshire (CCB) who provided a process overview, with Jed Griffiths from Griffiths Environmental Planning, a veteran planner from Hertfordshire who spoke specifically about writing policies appropriate in the Green Belt.

Cllr. Christine Bateson introduced the session with an update on the current progress of the Neighbourhood Plan Groups in the Borough.  The Borough was a vanguard for Neighbourhood Planning back in 2012.

Ascot and the Sunnings was one of the very first Neighbourhood Plans to be adopted in the country.

Hurley and the Walthams has now passed examination and is awaiting referendum.  Arlene Kersley from CCB has been a member of the Steering Group and the chair of the Housing Task Group, in addition to providing support getting the plan through submission. Arlene is also a Locality Neighbourhood Planning Champion.

Several other plans are nearly at the point of examination. Including Horton and Wraysbury, and Bray, with the Windsor plans following close behind.

The training was particularly aimed at helping the groups who are still at the early stages of the process to understand the importance of writing clear and meaningful policies that will stand up to examination and will serve their community long into the future.  In addition all the groups were given an idea of what the processes are to get to the point of submission of a plan and what to expect from an Examination report.

With the end of this event comes the end of an era, as this will be Arlene's last training event with CCB.  Arlene will be retiring from CCB from Monday 24th of April.

Volunteer for Berkshire Community Foundation

Berkshire Community Foundation are looking for two volunteers to join our busy team, the role details are below and the adverts we are using are attached. 

Role Title: Administration Volunteer

Role Description: Berkshire Community Foundation is looking for an administration volunteer to help with tasks such as:

• ·         Database updates
• ·         Assisting with event organisation
• ·         Marketing assistance including social media
• ·         General correspondence and producing letters and reports

Requirements:

• ·         Between 6 and 12 hours per week
• ·         Good Microsoft skills
• ·         Attention to detail

Contract type: Part-time Volunteer

Location: Green Park, Reading

Contact: Rosanne Hall, PA/Office Manager

Main contact telephone: 0118 930 3021

Email: info@berkshirecf.org

How to apply: Email us or call us to discuss your experience and the hours you can offer.

Role Title: Marketing & Events Volunteer

Role Description: 

Berkshire Community Foundation is looking for a Marketing & Events Volunteer help with the following duties:

• ·         Assist with the production of the newsletter, Impact Report and general BCF publications
• ·         Event Management assistance
• ·         Project Management assistance
• ·         Source and promote fundraising challenges/events
• ·         Develop local media relationships
• ·         Assist with social media content and scheduling
• ·         Copy-writing for case studies

Requirements:

• ·         Between 6 and 12 hours per week
• ·         Good Microsoft skills
• ·         Attention to detail

Contract type: Part-time Volunteer

Location: Green Park, Reading

Contact: Rosanne Hall, PA/Office Manager

Main contact telephone: 0118 930 3021

Email: info@berkshirecf.org

How to apply: Email us or call us to discuss your experience and the hours you can offer.

West Berkshire Leaner Achievement Awards now open for nominations

The Learner Achievement Awards are now open for nominations.

These annual awards celebrate the success of post 19 education and training across West Berkshire. Nominations can cover individual learners, tutors, learner groups and volunteers who have excelled in a learning environment in the last 12 months. Post 19 education includes a range of courses including professional, vocational education and apprenticeships, health and wellbeing, life skills, leisure, family learning and community development. #

During the last financial year CCB has delivered training to over 270 adult learners in West Berkshire on courses like; How to Use Social Media, Be a Better Trustee, Start a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Rural Housing in 2017, Defibrillator Training, Arts in Village Halls and many more. If you would like to nominate CCB as a learning provider or indeed one of our tutors please click here. The deadline for all nominations is 5pm on  Friday, 28th April 2017.

Each award winner receives a certificate, a cash price (£100 for individual awards and £250 for the group award) and are invited to the awards ceremony at Shaw House, Newbury on Friday, 9th June 2017 from 5:30 to 7:00pm.

For more information please click here or contact the community learning team on aclteam@westberks.gov.uk or 01635 519060.

2016-17 Rural Housing Enabler Report - last blog from CCB's RHE Arlene

CCB Rural Housing

The year was characterised by uncertainty with regards to waiting for changes in the National Policy Planning Framework – which are not now expected until autumn 2017.   Brexit created turmoil in legislative terms which has stalled government from putting in place anticipated legislation clarifying affordable housing. Some good news came when Gavin Barwell announced there would be ne flexibility with regards to tenures and the HCA is now permitting some grant funding for affordable rents, although there is no specific amount allocated.

There remained during the beginning half of the year little parish interest in having either housing need surveys or sites appraised, however there has been a sudden increase in activity and interest across the board and demand for housing need surveys and site appraisals.  This is mirrored with Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) projects around the country.

What activity there has been of late has been largely landowner, agent or, developer led, which has led to much frustration on the part of the RHE who has found two key issues:
1 .Motivations for demand are largely financial, without any true understanding of the principle of rural exception sites.
2. Costs need to be charged back to private landowners/developers, which is fine, but often they are simply on the receiving end of free consultation and information before any actual costs kick in.

So with a heavy heart in December 2016, I decided that the time had come for me to leave the RHE Project in Berkshire.  A special meeting was called with the funding partners, who seemed surprised but relieved as ongoing funding may have been problematic.

The intractable problems of affordable housing shortages have not gone away.  Myself and Tim have been putting in considerable effort to ensure the RHE project can (and should) continue to operate across Berkshire and possibly the wider region as RHE coverage is diminishing beyond Berkshire borders as well.   The issue of affordable housing in rural communities should not be forgotten.  What is clear from housing survey evidence, is that really affluent communities in the area are already at tipping point.  Too unaffordable to have existing affordable housing, and therefore all the less interested in having any developed.   These communities are the most at risk as they will become victims of unsustainability in the future, particularly as they age.

Successes / Outcomes 2016-17

Housing Need Surveys 
In West Berkshire one Housing Need Survey took place during the year in Compton which was delivered in December 2016. The survey was in part funded directly by Compton Parish Council who took on the cost of printing, delivery and freepost costs of returns. 

CCB also undertook a survey on behalf of Community Impact Berkshire during the year as they no longer have a funded RHE.  The survey was funded directly by a local landowner.  We hope that this will form the basis of a longer term partnership relationship with CIB in delivering rural housing outcomes.

Neighbourhood Plans and Rural Housing
In February the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) approved the Hurley and the Walthams Neighbourhood Plan, which passed examination in January.  The plan will go to referendum shortly.  The Plan includes a policy written by myself  in support of rural exception site and since its publication I have seen an increased interest from landowners in the area in making land available for affordable housing.  2 site appraisals have taken place to date as a result.

Community Led Housing Fund
I was named as key contact for the Community Led Housing Fund and along with Tom Archer from the CLT Org. met with the RBWM Regeneration Group in February to discuss the RBWM options for putting this fund to best use.  This work will be ongoing and hopefully CCB will be able to help with the Community Engagement aspects of the RBWM project.
Training Activity
2 CCB/RHE led training events took place in during the year:
• Introduction to Affordable Housing at Calcot in February
• Housing Need Survey Training for RCCs in March 2017

National Activity
In the absence of local activity I continued to be a strong voice for rural housing at national forums and events. In February I relinquished her representation of the RHE Network on the Rural Housing Network and handed over the Chairmanship of the RHE Network to Mark Deas from Cambridgeshire ACRE.  The Network is in good hands and with activity picking up by the end of the year, the short-term future at least is secure.

CCB Neighbourhood Planning

Hurley and the Walthams NP
The year has been devoted to bringing the Hurley and the Walthams Neighbourhood Plan to final draft, getting it through its Regulation 16 consultation, and in November it finally went to examination.  In January the Plan passed examination but with the loss of 7 of the policies that were specific to the individual parishes.  However what did get through was an Exception Site policy that includes specific criteria for cross-subsidy.  At a meeting in February the group voted to accept the Plan as modified by the Examiner and it is expected that the Plan will go to Referendum later in 2017. During the year I attended and facilitated not less than 7 NP meetings, as well as editing and compiling all of the submission documents.

That brings a close to the RHE activity for the year in Berkshire, and heralds the start of a new Programme for the future.

CCB and myself in particular wish to thank all of the Partners for their longstanding commitment to the project. I have been very happy to have been a part of this project for the past 11+ years.

By Arlene Kersley, CCB Rural Housing Enabler
April 2017

Resilient Communities Fund

Villages and towns across central southern England are benefiting from life-saving equipment for their communities thanks to funding from their electricity distributor, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

The Resilient Communities Fund run by SSEN has awarded almost £250,000 in its latest round of funding, with several applicants using the scheme to equip their community with a public access defibrillator.

While the defibrillators carry clear instructions for use, training residents in life-saving techniques such as CPR is also essential in communities, particularly those that are more remote or have the possibility of being affected and cut off by flooding during adverse weather.

Through SSEN’s Resilient Communities Fund, the Community Council for Berkshire has been awarded over £1,600 to deliver defibrillator training in the Woolhampton and Beech Hill areas; funding that has enabled over 50 residents to be trained through the British Heart Foundation’s Heartstart courses.

Austin Cobb is Scottish and Southern Electricity Network’s Head of Region covering the Woolhampton and Beech Hill areas. He said: “We’re delighted to have been able to provide the funding that has enabled so many people to learn life-saving skills. The Resilient Communities Fund is there to help communities, rural or urban, to prepare for times when they can be affected by adverse weather than can lead to power cuts or flooding.

“While I hope that these skills never need to be used, I know the reassurance that having life-saving equipment in these villages - and the skills to use it - is priceless, and I hope that we’ll be able to assist even more communities in this way in the very near future.”

Wendy Dacey from the Community Council for Berkshire applied for the funding to run the training courses. She said: “A colleague told me about the Resilient Communities Fund and I thought it would be a good idea to apply for a funding in order to help the volunteers who run village halls across Berkshire. 

“Those already with defibrillators can use them with even greater confidence and those who have halls without defibrillators now know how to apply for the funding that can help them purchase and install one. It’s vital that communities learn life-saving skills, so if bad weather strikes and emergency services are delayed in getting access to villages, there are local people who are able to administer CPR, first aid or use a defibrillator and help save a life.”

You can watch their short video featuring the HeartStart training courses and Wendy’s experience of applying for funding by clicking here.