Newsletter – Spring 2021
ACER: The Whitegates’ Residents Association
STOP PRESS: WE NEED MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS – DO YOU THINK YOU COULD SPARE SOME TIME TO HELP US? If so, come along to the AGM on Wednesday, 29th June or contact ACER on chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk – more details overleaf
What has ACER been doing for you over the last year?
- ACER helped our local councillors plant some lovely spring daffodil at roadside locations. The bulbs had been donated by a local resident.
- ACER worked with our local councillors to help tidy up overgrown greenery on the Town Lane footpath.
- ACER helped obtain an additional litter bin for London Rd and checks that all litter bins are emptied regularly.
- ACER is working to protect Bulmershe Field Open Space as free access It is now designated as Local Greenspace in Wokingham BC’s draft Local Plan.
- ACER worked with Loddon Valley Ramblers and Earley Town Council to develop a series of walks within Earley www.earley-tc.gov.uk/walks
- ACER organised a local litter pick in Bulmershe Park and Bulmershe Field in April 2021.
- ACER delivers regular newsletters to all residents of Whitegates and is holding an informal Social Evening at the Earley Home Guard Social Club, Pitts Lane on Monday, October 11th at 8pm, at which there will be an opportunity for residents to meet local councillors and ask questions.
- ACER continues to monitor the condition of the streets, footways, grass verges and trees, and liaise with the local councils where action is required.
- ACER continues to deal with residents’ concerns, including issues of road accidents and speeding.
- ACER has made submissions to the Government and made presentations to Matt Rodda MP, Wokingham Borough Council and Earley Town Council on planning policy in residential areas.
- ACER Liaises with other local organisations on matters of common interest.
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ACER is your local residents’ association working to make your part of Earley look and feel good! There are many more things we would like to do to make this your neighbourhood look and feel even better.
If you believe a residents’ association is a good idea and want to retain ACER, please could you spare some time to consider helping the association? We need more active committee members if we are to continue our work.Interested? Comments or suggestions?Contact ACER:chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk
The future of ACER is in jeopardy and will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting, so, if you support ACER, please come along on Wednesday, 29th June, 7.45 pm at St Peter’s Church Hall. Further details of the AGM, including the agenda, can be found overleaf.
For more information on ACER see our website – www.acerwhitegates.org.uk
**Do you have spare blue refuse bags you would be willing to donate to needy families? If so, please contact Councillor Boyt on shirley.boyt@wokingham.gov.uk**
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AGENDA
Wednesday, 29th June, 2021, 7.45 for 8pm at St Peter’s Church Hall
| 1. Welcome / Apologies for absence 2. Acting Chair’s Report 3. Treasurer’s Report 4. Election of Officers 5. Election of Committee 6. Appointment of Scrutineer 7. Agreement of membership fees 2021/22 | 8. Future Direction of ACER. 9. Open discussionGuest Speaker – Ian Church, Team Leader, WBC Local Plan Team “Impact of Local and Government Reforms on Whitegates Residents” 10. Any Other Business |
Please come along
All Whitegates residents welcome to attend – Refreshments will be served before the meeting
WHAT DOES ACER WANT TO DO NEXT?
Over the last 5 years the current ACER committee have been working towards making Whitegates a more pleasant place to live – liaising with WBC regarding grass cutting, street cleaning and rubbish collections, monitoring road safety, buses, planning concerns, and ensuring that through the newsletter we communicate important local information to residents.
We would now like to:
- Encourage more Whitegates residents to join ACER so we are aware of issues which concern everyone living here and can communicate information regarding local provision and public safety more widely.
- Have a representative in every street so that we have someone who can tell us exactly what concerns their neighbours and someone who can deliver newsletters and other information.
- Recruit new members, with fresh ideas, to the executive committee to enable us to manage the organisation effectively and communicate more widely.
- Improve electronic communication with residents, so that we can disseminate information quickly and understand residents’ concerns and views more effectively.
- Set up a Speedwatch Team to provide the hard evidence needed for traffic calming measures.
- Environmental Section to work with Earley Environmental Group on issues from Solar Power to Stag Beetles
After over 20 years of service each, a few committee members are stepping back from front line roles in ACER
This is an opportunity for you. If we are unable to recruit new members to the executive committee ACER will have to severely cut back their activities and will not be able to continue to work as effectively for the residents of Whitegates or carry out much needed improved services to members.
Do you feel that you could help in some way? If so, please contact ACERon chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk
Annual subscriptions: These will be due from July once they have been agreed at the AGM. There are a number of ways you can pay – cash via your street rep, contacting ACER and asking for someone to visit to collect, putting the money in an envelope with your NAME AND ADDRESS and dropping it at 21 Milton Road, or by PayPal – https://paypal.me/ACERWhitegates. Please ensure your ADDRESS is in the PayPal additional info box!
E- Mails: If you are happy for ACER to contact you by e- mail please let us know what it is! ACER will keep it private.
ACER CONTACTS – email: chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk Committee: Tim Marsh (vice-chair / acting chair), Siôn Williams (Treasurer), Eric Ayers, Mary Bather, Graham May, Jenny Lissaman, Chris Wigmore.
Local Wokingham Borough Councillors: Shirley Boyt Shirley.boyt@wokingham.gov.uk Carl Doran carl.doran@wokingham.gov.uk; Shahid Younis shahid.younis@wokingham.gov.uk;
Local Earley Town Councillors: Gurdeep Bhangra gurdeep.bhangra@earley-tc.gov.uk; Sheena Matthews sheena.matthews@earley-tc.gov.uk 07766 424098, Marion Shaw marion.shaw@earley-tc.gov.uk;
