Register for a self-service account: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/selfservice Spring 20181 Brought to you by Bracknell Forest Council What’s inside Sign up to The Lexicon Bracknell Half Marathon See page 3 Get active with Everyone Active Thursday, 1 March 2018 sites will continue to experience the reputation and importantly is An innovative new marked the start of the leisure same high levels of service under the prepared to invest in our facilities community website services partnership between new provider. They will also beneft and staff. I look forward to working See page 6 Bracknell Forest Council from the introduction of its talent with our new Everyone Active and Everyone Active, which development programme, Everyone management team.” Active Sporting Champions, award- has taken on the day-to-day Ian Cook, Everyone Active’s winning swimming lessons and more running of Bracknell Leisure regional contract manager, than 30 years experience in the said: “We are delighted to have Centre, Coral Reef Waterworld sports and leisure industry. offcially started our partnership with and Downshire Golf Complex. Vincent Paliczka, director Bracknell Forest Council to manage The transformation of leisure for environment, culture and its fantastic leisure facilities. The frst services, by outsourcing the communities, said: “We carried out couple of weeks have been really management of the leisure sites, an extensive selection process to positive and we are looking forward will generate signifcant income for fnd a partner that could build upon to making a big difference to the Improving and transforming the council while protecting jobs, the excellent reputation our leisure experience of everyone who comes our services as well as securing more than £1m services have established over the through the doors. See pages 10 & 11 of investment in Bracknell Leisure past 50 years. We believe Everyone “We have a number of exciting Centre to improve the facilities, Active can do just that and we look upgrades planned at Bracknell some of which will take place in the forward to working with them to Leisure Centre, which will help early years of the contract. further enhance our leisure services.” Everyone Active and the council to Everyone Active has already started Cllr Iain McCracken, executive achieve our joint aim of encouraging to make a number of improvements, member for culture, resources more people to improve their health including a better booking system and public protection, said: and wellbeing by getting active.” for Coral Reef Waterworld. The “Bracknell Forest Council has a long booking process has been made established reputation for frst class more convenient for customers by leisure provision and it is important Turn to page 11 for frequently Don’t forget to have your asked questions or for more allowing them to book all sessions to us that this is at the very least say on the local plan online anywhere from two weeks to information about Everyone Active maintained for our residents and See page 16 60 minutes in advance. visitors alike. Everyone Active has visit www.everyoneactive.com Customers across all three leisure an excellent leisure management www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk 2 Register for a self-service account: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/selfservice WE CHOOSE HYBRID JOIN OVER 10 MILLION TOYOTA DRIVERS Contact us today to book a test drive and experience Hybrid for yourself Jemca Bracknell Jemca Reading John Nike Way, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 8TN Rose Kiln Lane, Reading Berkshire RG2 0LJ Tel: 01344 789789 Tel: 0118 907 9768 jemcabracknell.toyota.co.uk jemcareading.toyota.co.uk Models shown for illustrative purposes only. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Auris Hybrid Design 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. Urban 72.4 (3.9), Extra Urban 72.4 (3.9), Combined 72.4 (3.9). CO2 Emissions 91g/km. RAV4 Hybrid Icon 5 door FWD 2.5 VVT-i Auto. Urban 57.6 (4.9), Extra Urban 56.5 (5.0), Combined 56.4 (5.0). CO2 Emissions 116g/km. Prius Hybrid Excel 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. Urban 85.6 (3.3), Extra Urban 85.6 (3.3), Combined 85.6 (3.3). CO2 Emissions 76g/km. C-HR Hybrid Dynamic 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. Urban 80.7 (3.5), Extra Urban 68.9 (4.1), Combined 72.4 (3.9). CO2 Emissions 87g/km. Yaris Hybrid Design 5 door 1.5 VVT-i Auto. Urban 85.6 (3.3), Extra Urban 78.4 (3.6), Combined 78.4 (3.6). CO2 Emissions 82g/km. All mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU regulated laboratory test results. These are provided to allow comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect your actual driving experience. LEXUS SELF-CHARGING HYBRID RANGE ALWAYS CHARGED. ALWAYS READY. Lexus Reading Rose Kiln Lane, Reading, RG2 0HS. Tel 011 907 9769 www.reading.lexus.co.uk Ofcial fuel consumption fgures in mpg (l/100km) for Lexus Hybrid range: Urban 3 .1 (7.3) - 7 .5 (3.6), Extra Urban 47.1 (6) - 0.7 (3.5), Combined 43.5 (6.5) - 7 .5 (3.6), CO2 137 - 81 g/km. BIK from 1 - 2 %. Register for a self-service account: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/selfservice Register for a self-service account: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/selfservice 3 Leader’s welcome Award winning The Lexicon welcomes millions of visitors Hello and welcome to the spring edition of Town & Country. As I’m sure you’ll all remember, this time last year we were gearing up to the opening of The Lexicon. This year we’re able to take full advantage of our award winning new town centre and enjoy what it has to offer. You will see in the story to the right of this column, that an overwhelming amount of people have visited so far and we have some exciting new retailers lined up which is something else to look forward to this year. The Lexicon has welcomed millions of visitors since opening last As well as new retailers, there are also plenty of events to experience September and has already scooped two top industry awards. at The Lexicon, including The Lexicon Bracknell Half Marathon on 13 The first nine weeks of opening saw more than three million visits to the new May. This year’s event will start and fnish in the heart of The Lexicon town centre, which compares to 820,000 for the same period in 2016. By the and the course will not disappoint. Don’t forget to sign up and if you end of the first six months this increased to 8 million visits. don’t fancy joining the course then come along and cheer on the In addition to its popularity among shoppers and visitors, it also picked runners taking part and make the most of what our town centre has to up two awards at the 2017 Revo Gold Awards – taking top prize in the Re:new category for projects that have positively impacted their surrounding offer. environment and being voted as ‘Best of the Best’ across all categories. Now that the snowy spell is out of the way and spring is fast The Lexicon is already ranked as the 33rd best shopping destination in the UK, according to industry commentator Trevor Wood Associates; this approaching, there is also the chance to get outside and enjoy the compares with 255th position last year. fantastic countryside and open spaces available in our borough. Let’s Recent retailer announcements by The Lexicon will further enhance the not forget that 39 per cent of Bracknell Forest is covered by forest and shopping and leisure experience for visitors. Due to open their doors in the woodland! There is a vast range of outdoor activities to take part in next few months are: with family and friends so why not enjoy a day out in one of our parks • Pret A Manger or join a trail led by our dedicated rangers – they’re free to enjoy after • JD Sports all! Keep an eye on the community map included in our new website • Brown Bag (coffee shop) Help Yourself to fnd events and social groups available locally. Turn to • Skechers • Swarovski page six to fnd out more. Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker, executive member for economic development and On the theme of keeping active, you’ll see from the front page that our regeneration, said: “The Lexicon has had a fantastic start and I’m delighted that so many people have visited and are continuing to do so. The list of leisure services are now managed by Everyone Active. I’m sure our retailers is growing and these new additions will certainly complement the new operator will bring new ideas and innovations to the table and I town’s already strong shopping, dining and leisure experience.” look forward to seeing what improvements are in store for some of the facilities, especially Bracknell Leisure Centre. On your marks for The Lexicon The transformation of leisure services by outsourcing the management Bracknell Half Marathon of the leisure sites is just one part of our overall transformation programme here at Bracknell Forest Council. Despite the fnancial There’s still time to sign up for The Lexicon challenges we face to save £25m by 2020, the council has already Bracknell Half Marathon, which takes place on Half Marathon 2018 identifed an impressive £6.5m of savings. Take a moment to read Sunday, 13 May. through our transformation journey so far on pages 10 & 11 where we The annual 13.1 mile event, which is entering its 34th year in May, will be also take a look back at last year’s transformation highlights.