CELEBRATING THE ROYAL WEDDING IN THE WOKINGHAM BOROUGH

Residents will be able to enjoy having a street party in aid of the Royal Wedding on Friday April 29, 2011 thanks to Wokingham Borough Council waiving the cost for closing a road*.

It has long been a tradition that people hold street parties to celebrate royal occasions and the council is very supportive of these events and wants to do everything it can to make them safe and enjoyable.

Closing any public road to motorised traffic, even temporarily, is a serious matter and needs approval from the council (as the highway authority) because there will always be some roads that are unsuitable for a party (e.g. major roads, access for emergency services, bus routes, etc).

However, WBC has decided that it won’t charge the normal fee for closing a road for a public event, which currently stands at £78.50, so residents can spend their money on having more fun! What’s more, the council won’t be charging for parking in any of the pay and display car parks across the borough on that day either.

Steve Richardson, health and protection manager, said: “We are making every effort to make the process of hosting a royal wedding street party as easy for residents as possible and would urge anyone interested in running such an event to contact us as soon as possible.”

The normal Friday refuse collections will be made, although refuse collectors SITA will be collecting early on the day (April 29) so that they can finish earlier and enjoy the celebrations themselves. If residents put seating and tables in the road before the refuse has been collected, they are asked to take the bins to the end of the road. Where the council is aware of street parties, it will also arrange special collections on Saturday March 30 to take away the bags of party rubbish.

In some cases, where food is sold after 11pm or regulated entertainment is taking place, a Temporary Event Notice may be needed, see our website for details. There has also been a national decision that all existing licences can run until 1am on that day.

Mayor Cllr Dianne King said: “Street parties are not only a great way to mark this historic occasion but are also a fantastic opportunity to spend time getting to know your neighbours better. I urge any residents organising a street party to have a safe and enjoyable day and, of course, ask that you tidy up, bag your rubbish and do your part to keep the borough clean and tidy!”

Further advice can be found on the council’s website at:
www.wokingham.gov.uk/royal-wedding along with national guidance for street parties.