Borough status signed, sealed and delivered for Wokingham!
Wokingham District Council is now officially a borough council after its new status was launched at the Mayor’s Spring Civic Reception on Friday March 9.
The charter granting borough status to the Wokingham council was collected from the House of Lords on March 7 by Wokingham Mayor Cllr Angus Ross and chief executive Doug Patterson. And Mayor Cllr Angus Ross took the opportunity of officially launching borough status at the annual Spring Civic Reception.
This year, the Spring Civic Reception was kindly hosted by the Oracle Corporation.
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. Borough Mayor Cllr Angus Ross said: “I am delighted that we are now a borough as I believe borough status will bring many benefits to the area. It will help us to enhance our corporate image and create a stronger unity across the borough whilst also generating greater civic pride and a real identity for the authority. We are officially recognised as a good council – this further enhances our standing as a council.
“I hope that that past confusion over the role of the ‘chairman’ of the council will be at an end now that we have a borough Mayor.
“Wokingham Borough Council is the largest unitary council in Berkshire in terms of population and the borough is nationally recognised as one of the best areas of the country in which to live. The added status of being a borough will help the council to forge better links with business, further strengthening the local economy. The recognition of a borough will 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.”
To help mark the occasion, the Mayor also planted an oak tree to commemorate borough status on Monday March 12. Donated by solicitors Clifton Ingram, the tree was planted by the pond in the civic offices’ garden at Shute End, Wokingham.
“I am very grateful to both Oracle and Clifton Ingram for their kind support,” said Wokingham Cllr Ross.
“The costs to the council of becoming a borough and the subsequent name change have not been significant. The council has secured commercial support for new civic regalia and we will not be seeking funding for a Mayoral car and chauffeur. The civic crest remains unchanged and signage and stationery will 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 the council of becoming a borough is less than £1,500.
The charter granting borough status to the Wokingham council was collected from the House of Lords on March 7 by Wokingham Mayor Cllr Angus Ross and chief executive Doug Patterson. And Mayor Cllr Angus Ross took the opportunity of officially launching borough status at the annual Spring Civic Reception.
This year, the Spring Civic Reception was kindly hosted by the Oracle Corporation.
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. Borough Mayor Cllr Angus Ross said: “I am delighted that we are now a borough as I believe borough status will bring many benefits to the area. It will help us to enhance our corporate image and create a stronger unity across the borough whilst also generating greater civic pride and a real identity for the authority. We are officially recognised as a good council – this further enhances our standing as a council.
“I hope that that past confusion over the role of the ‘chairman’ of the council will be at an end now that we have a borough Mayor.
“Wokingham Borough Council is the largest unitary council in Berkshire in terms of population and the borough is nationally recognised as one of the best areas of the country in which to live. The added status of being a borough will help the council to forge better links with business, further strengthening the local economy. The recognition of a borough will 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.”
To help mark the occasion, the Mayor also planted an oak tree to commemorate borough status on Monday March 12. Donated by solicitors Clifton Ingram, the tree was planted by the pond in the civic offices’ garden at Shute End, Wokingham.
“I am very grateful to both Oracle and Clifton Ingram for their kind support,” said Wokingham Cllr Ross.
“The costs to the council of becoming a borough and the subsequent name change have not been significant. The council has secured commercial support for new civic regalia and we will not be seeking funding for a Mayoral car and chauffeur. The civic crest remains unchanged and signage and stationery will 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 the council of becoming a borough is less than £1,500.
Wokingham Borough Council
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