Recent Posts

There have been electricity cuts off and on since around 4.30am this morning. SSE say this should be sorted out by 4.30pm.

Saturday's Maidenhead Regatta has been cancelled due to expected strong winds this weekend.

Maidenhead Rowing Club said that the regatta committee made the decision in the interests of 'safety and well being of all competitors, spectators and volunteers'.

Full refunds have been offered for entry fees and a barbecue has been scheduled instead.

"We are very sorry to have to advise you that the 2019 Maidenhead Regatta has had to be cancelled on the basis of the current weather forecast where strong winds are expected across the region," the club said.

[COOKHAM]

A VERY GOOD 48 HOURS !
 
NO BURGLARIES
 
AND
 
NO CARS BROKEN INTO !
 
Well done everyone.
 
CRIME
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
7/8  Wednesday 11 a.m. / 5 p.m.  Choseley Road.  Pellet fired through a fence, ending up in a pool.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
7/8 - 8/8  Wednesday 10 p.m. / Thursday 10.25 a.m.  Woodlands park Avenue.  Garage break.  Tyres have been stolen from bike inside.
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 

We should all say a big thank you to Billy the Gardener, particularly the residents of Worster Road and Broom Hill. Billy saw that the path way to Broom Hill was difficult to get through due to overgrown bushes and has cut it back for us all. I am not sure whose responsibility it would normally be.

Due to adverse weather conditions, the Thames Valley Police Force Open Day is cancelled.

This was due to take place on Saturday 10 August from 10am-4pm at our training centre in Sulhamstead.

The event relies heavily on a significant amount of temporary structures and due to the weather forecast in respect of strong winds on Saturday it would not be safe or practical to hold the event.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to all those who were looking forward to the Open Day as much as we were.
Message Sent By
Alexandra Cross (Police, Communications, Thames Valley)

A handbag belonging to a Miss I Piddiu is at Pizza Dreams.

I think this service starts in September/October when Serco take over the waste collections.  Details are in the current around the borough magazine.

From Wild Cookham

We are seeking your help in commenting on the plans submitted by the Royal Borough for the future of Battlemead, the land acquired by the council last year.  There is now a planning application which seeks to redesignate the land from agricultural (which it has been for many decades, indeed centuries) to a classification called D2 which makes the site a public amenity.  You can see the application and maps on the RBWM planning portal: the application number is 19/00972.
This note is to invite you to send comments to the Council before the deadline this Friday, 9th August.  They will take later comments but the sooner you get this done the better.  Details of how to comment are at the end of this email.

We have one principal objection.  The Council should not apply for change of use of the land until decisions on its future use have been reached by proper process. The Council formed the Friends of Battlemead to advise on this and there is yet to be any decision from this.  The Council is applying urgency to this precious piece of land when it does not need to.  Only when there is a clear plan should they submit their plans for the future use of the land which may or may not require a D2 designation.  You can send in a comment in your own words based on this one reason and that would be great: the key thing is to comment.

Some further reasons for objection are set out below.  Please feel free to draw on them and/or to make your own comments to the Council.  Superficially there may seem to be no harm in having the land turned into a public amenity: however we are concerned that, if this plan goes through, it will be very difficult to have a meaningful discussion about the true wildlife potential of the land.

In summary the plans allow for a new car park with space for 30 cars, a criss-cross of footpaths across two of the fields and extensive fencing.   One large field will be closed off to public access for the time being.  The plans have been through changes since first submitted due to errors in the plans and to changes made following objections by various bodies including WildCookham and Wild Maidenhead.   Our concerns include:
The special quality of the land, so close to a centre of population, offers an exceptional wildlife and wild habitat asset to the local population, at a time when the Council and many authorities are emphasising the Environment and Climate Emergency we face (the Council itself voted unanimously to declare such an Emergency in June), when farmland bird populations have  fallen by around 60% in the past 40 years and insect populations have plummeted by up to 75% in a shorter period, and wildflower meadows have reduced by 97% in the past 70 years.
There is scope to make the whole area a reserve for nature which can still be enjoyed by local people.  But allowing this application, and the immediate use of the land for public walking, including dogs, is likely to make discussion about this option impossible.
The plans for footpaths across two of the three fields will allow people and dogs (including professional dog walkers) to disturb existing wildlife and make any efforts to encourage more wildlife impossible.     The environmental damage will be done to the ‘public access’ part of the site with likely knock-on impacts on the restricted field alongside the Thames.
There is plenty of open space for walkers and dog walkers nearby – across Widbrook Common to the Green Way and along the Thames Path.
The current application includes a variety of paths across the fields which meet the criteria for designation of the land as a SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace).  However, Natural England, which makes these designations, has stated that this will not be happening so why does the plan still assume this?
The Council, under its own planning policy guidelines (NR3) has to show a net biodiversity gain for such a development.  We have seen no evidence of any metric-based assessment of the likely biodiversity impact undertaken by the Council.
Be aware that WildCookham is not objecting to the creation of a footpath along the Battlemead perimeter linking the Thames Path to Widbrook Common and the network of paths from there: the path following the northern perimeter was, in fact, suggested by WildCookham and Wild Maidenhead.

If you wish to comment on the plan you can do so on their website via this link .  Click on the Comments tab on the page for this application and you will see how to make a comment.  Or you can send an email to  planning@rbwm.gov.uk, quoting the application number (19/00972).  But you need to move fast - and we're sorry that this is coming to you at such short notice.

Thanks for any support you can give to this.

Roger you'll be lucky, I cannot see this happening, I have tried several times to get my Textile Recycling bag picked up. I have complained on 3 occasions and have been assured that left out it would be picked up, will just have to take it down to the main depot.

[COOKHAM]

First:  I have had a series of three videos made, using a team of local actors - my grateful thanks.  They deal with three of our common scams.
 
The first is now available - it deals with Courier Scams - where a delivery company phones you to say they are delivering a package - but it is not for you.  It is too late though to take it off the van.  When it is delivered, can you accept delivery and sign for it.  A courier will then arrive to collect the package and deliver it to the correct person !
 
The video is nearly complete, there is a piece to add at the end - The Area Commander Supt. Colin Hudson, talking about these horrendous crimes.  It will be added shortly, to make it complete - but I thought you might like to see it in the meantime.
 
The person in the video is an actor, but the facts she delivers, are from a recent case.
 
https://youtu.be/Ss3KY29vyeo
 
DON’T LET IT BE YOU.
 
NEXT: I have just received this request from Sgt. Ryan Powell who heads up our Problem Solving Team:
 
Hi
 
There were 12 Burglaries in the past 7 days across RBWM.  80% were through windows left open !
 
Please emphasise the crime prevention advice again. You could also share  that 2 people were charged with Burglary last week ! We are doing our bit, but we need the public's help!
 
This is why we are carrying out our ‘Summer Burglary campaign’.  Can I please ask everyone to lock up their houses at night.  Windows can only be left open, if you are in the room !
 
NEXT: A warning re a current telephone scam:
 
Hi - can you circulate please ?
 
We have received a call from Leslie Dunne House (sheltered housing).  One of the residents received a telephone call from a scammer stating they needed to draw £600 from her Visa account.  Could she please press 1, on her mobile phone to start the transaction.
 
Luckily the lady put the phone down and contacted the bank.
 
On this occasion, nothing was taken from the lady’s account due to her being quick to stop this in its tracks, however - another person, may not be quite as alert.
 
I was asked if I could make you aware of this.
 
With kind regards
 
Deb Beasley
Community Safety Technical Officer
 
CRIME
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
5/8 - 6/8  Monday 6.30 p.m. / Tuesday 7.45 a.m.  Hotel car park, Ray Mead Road X 2.  1. Van passenger window smashed - LAPTOP STOLEN.  2.  Car driver’s side window smashed - grey & whit Michael Kors handbag and a Ted baker purse stolen.
5/8 - 6/8  Monday 9 a.m. / Tuesday 6 p.m.  Wayside mews.  Car rear index plate stolen.
5/8  Monday 8.15 p.m. / 8.30 p.m.  Grenfell Place.  Locked up bike stolen from a bike rack.  A dark blue & yellow, Voodoo cycles Limba racing bike - WITH FRAME NUMBER.
5/8  Monday 4 p.m. / 9 p.m.  Moorbridge Road.  Bike locked in storage area stolen.  A red & black, Scott Aspect 940 mountian bike.
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
2/8 - 5/8  Choseley Road, Knowl hill.  Front and rear car index plates stolen.
6/8  Tuesday 1 a.m. / 5 a.m.  A404, Bisham.  Diesel drained from a vehicle parked up in a layby.  300 litres taken.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
 COMMENTS:
 
The Lions Club of Windsor
 
WINDSOR LIONS REACH ‘THE PITS’ FOR THAMES VALLEY ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
 
Windsor Lions, the leading local community service club, enjoyed a celebratory fish supper with their friends at Thames Valley Adventure Playground (TVAP) recently after presenting them with a cheque for £3,000 to refurbish and extend their sand pit.
 
The work, which was funded by the Lions and carried out by volunteers from local businesses, was done to commemorate a founding member of the club, Lion John Peters.  John, who sadly passed away last year, had been heavily involved with TVAP, along with his wife Rosie since its foundation over 40 years ago.
Past President, Lion Bob Tavinor, who organised the evening, said ‘Windsor Lions and TVAP go back a long way and it’s a fantastic way to mark John’s passing, with this ongoing legacy for the playground.’
 
The Thames Valley Adventure Playground, provides a chance for children & adults, with all types of special needs, to enjoy the fun, freedom and friendship, afforded by the opportunity to play and share experiences, in a safe and stimulating environment, with users travelling from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, London and beyond.
 
Wheelchair-accessible roundabouts and swings, elevated walkways, allowing someone with profound and multiple difficulties, to enjoy the excitement of 'climbing' trees, multi-sensory rooms to stimulate and relax, with specially-trained staff, to provide help and support - these are just a few of the things on offer.