Wokingham

Wokingham District Council will become a borough in March, following the sealing of the official charter by the Crown Office.

The Wokingham council voted in September 2006 to petition Her Majesty the Queen to grant a charter conferring the status of a borough upon the Wokingham district.

The council will officially launch and celebrate its new status at the Mayor’s Spring Civic Reception on March 9.

Wokingham Council chairman Cllr Angus Ross said: “I am delighted that the council’s petition has received approval. I look forward to seeing this council operate as a borough as I believe it will bring many benefits to the area. Being granted the status of a ‘borough’ and thereby having a ‘Mayor’ would bring us into line with the majority of Berkshire unitary authorities. It would help us to enhance our corporate image and create a stronger unity across the district whilst also generating greater civic pride and a real identity for the authority. We are officially recognised as a good council – this would further enhance our standing as a council.

“Indeed, it has become clear over the years that many people get confused over the role of the ‘chairman’ of the council but they understand the functions of a Mayor. Many past chairmen have indicated that there would be much more clarity over their ceremonial role - being the ‘first citizen’ of the district and when representing the authority outside the district - if they were known as Mayor rather than chairman. Their opportunities to raise the district’s profile by acting as its public voice to project its work and achievements would also have been greater if the authority had been a borough instead of a district. My experience fully supports this.

“Wokingham District Council is the largest unitary council in Berkshire in terms of population and the district is nationally recognised as one of the best areas of the country in which to live. The added status of being a borough would help the council to forge better links with business, further strengthening the local economy. The recognition of a borough would also help us to gain an enhanced reputation for excellence in all the council does and could also help us in the many discussions we have with central government, particularly in relation to finance.

“The costs of becoming a borough and the subsequent name change are not significant. The council is in the process of securing commercial support for new civic regalia but we will not be seeking funding for a Mayoral car and chauffeur. The civic crest will remain unchanged and signage and stationery would be upgraded over a period of years, with old stocks being used up before any new supplies are printed. Signage will only be replaced when it is worn out or damaged.”

The cost to Wokingham council of becoming a borough is less than £1,500.

Cllr Ross added: “I believe in ‘invest to save’, and that would occur if, on just one occasion, we were to receive additional funding because we were recognised as a unitary borough and not mistaken for a district under a county.”

Wokingham District Council