๐ ๐ช๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฟ
๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐: ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐น
The Place Overview & Scrutiny Panel at RBWM reviews and challenges decisions related to planning, transport, housing, environment, and local services. It ensures transparency, holds the council accountable, and helps improve policies that shape our community.
This three-hour meeting covered two key topics:
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ (๐๐ฆ๐ฃ) ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป โ I pushed for a more proactive approach to crime trends, better community engagement, and stronger collaboration with neighbouring boroughs. Unfortunately, Thames Valley Police were unable to attend due to operational reasons. ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ (๐๐๐) ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ โ I suggested the Windsor Forum could manage CIL allocations in unparished areas as an interim measure until Windsor gets a Town Council. Officers agreed to explore this. I also questioned transparency in CIL reporting and whether RBWM had reviewed best practices from other councils.
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ: https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=639…
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM9elqfigQs
๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐: ๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐บ
The RBWM Windsor Forum is a local meeting where residents, businesses, and community groups can discuss issues affecting Windsor. It provides a platform to raise concerns, share ideas, and receive updates on council initiatives.
The Windsor Forum took place, though attendance was lower than expectedโperhaps due to a cold January evening! A few residents joined in person, others via Zoom, and some watched on YouTube. Thames Valley Police were again unable to attend.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ:
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป โ We received an update from Chris Joyce, Assistant Director of Placemaking.
๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ โ It remains unclear whether it will close, but alternative models (including a franchise) are being explored, so we are hopeful it will stay. Paul Roach, Windsor Town Centre Manager, has also re-applied for a Banking Hub for Windsor.
๐ง๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ โ The full update can be found here https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/…/Windsor%20Town%20Manager…๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐:
๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ณ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฝ ๐ญ๐ต% compared to the previous yearโgreat news!
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ ๐ณ% โ I questioned whether this was due to the high parking fees introduced last year, which many residents and visitors have found too expensive, leading them to park elsewhere. Or perhaps, as Cllr Tisi suggested, more residents are walking into town.
๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ปhttps://www.gov.uk/…/eng…/english-devolution-white-paper โ The discussion raised the possibility of larger unitary authorities, meaning a โ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐โ for Berkshire could be on the horizon. If this happens, a ๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น would be even more important to ensure local representation. Iโll be doing a separate post on this topic next week, as this could be a major shift in local governance. Good news is being discussed again.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด โ The Windsor Forum is meant to be non-political, so I was disappointed to see it being used for political purposes in social media posts by the ruling party afterwards. Forums like these should serve residents, not parties to promote themselves. ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ: https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=158… ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8zVPTxpkbY
๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐: ๐ฅ๐๐ช๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด
The ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ is the main executive decision-making body of the council, responsible for implementing policies and overseeing council operations. I attended this meeting virtually, following a production meeting about ๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ. While I didn’t ask any questions this time, it was concerning to note a ยฃ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ as of Month 8 in the 2024/25 financial year.
The ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต ๐ด ๐๐๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ highlights pressures in adult and children’s social care, as well as temporary accommodation costs. While some improvements have been made, the report emphasises the need for sustainable cost reductions to bring spending in line with available funding. You can read the full report here https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/…/2024-25%20M08%20Cabinet…
Additionally, RBWM are awaiting a decision from the ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ (๐ ๐๐๐๐) on whether RBWM will be granted permission to increase council tax by 25%. A decision is expected by mid to late February, so the next Cabinet meeting will be particularly important.
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ: https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=132… ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnT0tWkwbTM
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐
In between meetings, Iโve been speaking to several residents this week, who have reached out to me – ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐
๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ%.
RBWM will have some funds available to support those most in need, but the people Iโve mainly been speaking to are ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด. Many feel theyโre caught in the middle – earning too much to qualify for help but struggling to absorb such a sharp increase. This is a real concern, and I will continue to raise it.
Itโs crucial that we ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ต ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐to ensure residents’ voices are heard. More updates coming soon!