News

• Reading one of 68 areas of England to receive a share of a £95 million government High Street Heritage Action Zone fund.
• Reading will deliver a £1.6 million programme over the next 3.5 years.

• Experimental rewilding scheme introduced in 2020 has proved a great success.
• The new 'Wild Flower Plan' proposes trialling the scheme in 12 parks

• Cintra Park's Children's Playground in south Reading is set to benefit from an £85k investment.
• 3 designs from leading, specialist companies have been shortlisted.
• Local residents will be able to vote for their preferred design in an online consultation at www.reading.gov.uk/cintra-park.
• The winning design will be announced on the 8^th January 2021 and be ready for use in Spring 2021.

• 54,000 households are receiving bin calendars by post over the next week, with most set for a change of collection day
• Mailing also includes full details of the new weekly food waste recycling collections starting from 1 February 2021

To mark 60 years since Paul Robeson visited and performed in Reading, a special film of a performance by Reading Community Gospel Choir of Robeson’s hit song ‘Going Home’ will be released on Reading Culture Live and YouTube.

London's National Portrait Gallery has extended its loan of a portrait of Paul Robeson to Reading Museum until 30th January 2021 as part of their COMING HOME project.

• Council unveils provisional three year budget to invest in Reading's recovery 
• Savings need to be delivered, but frontline services will be protected
• Leader calls on Government to support the town's economic recovery

• Working in line with current national safety guidance, the Council will look to reopen Tilehurst next week, for limited booked sessions initially.
• The reopening of further branches will be reviewed and will hopefully happen in the New Year.

• Designs for Reading West Station have been updated 
• Local residents and passengers invited to comment on the planning application for major improvements

• Businesses not qualifying for previous financial support, can now apply for help under the Council's new Additional Restrictions Grant
• Self-employed, local businesses who operate in a shared workspace, regular market traders, bed and breakfast owners or  businesses who rely on retail, hospitality and leisure industries, all urged to apply by December 13th

• Statistics show one in five victims met their lender on social media in the first half of 2020.
• Loan sharks are increasingly using social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, to advertise their illegal loans and target potential victims.