Radio Bracknell Forest’s Job Search website has been updated with new job opportunities in Bracknell and Berkshire:

French Revenue Management Analyst

Account Manager (Marketing Agency)

Editorial Designer

Marketing Coordinator

1st Line Helpdesk

Trainee Recruitment Consultant

Car Delivery Driver

Polish-speaking Customer Services Exec

New Business Sales Exec

Part-time Library Assistant

Bracknell Forest Council say that a fire in the boiler room at Edgbarrow Sports Centre in Crowthorne means the centre will be closed for the “foreseeable future”.

“The centre will be without central heating and the electrics will be disrupted quite badly.”

Please note there has been a change of time for Cllr Raymond Simonds’ funeral. It will be held at 2.15pm on Friday, January 8 at Easthampstead Park Crematorium, not 1.30pm as previously notified.

More expenses shame has been heaped upon Bracknell’s MP as new details show he charged the taxpayer £6,000 for the privilege of decorating his London home.

As residents of Bracknell Forest struggle to get around in this weather, they may take some comfort from knowing that their disgraced MP Andrew Mackay not only manages to cling to his seat - in order to get to the general election and his massive payout and pension – but is cosy and warm in his newly decorated London home.

The fact that we the taxpayer have paid for the redecoration and the new boiler may not be so welcomed!

Documents outlining all MPs’ expenses show the taxpayer forked out a massive £6,000 for decoating his Pimlico home, £58.69 for repairs to Mr MacKay’s washing machine, £139 for a TV licence, £91.65 to have a low voltage light fitting installed in the bathroom and almost £3,000 for a new boiler.

Along with mortgage interest, council tax, utilities and food, Mr MacKay’s total claim  was £23,538.58 for the year.

All the claims were within the rules agreed by the MP’s themselves so it didn’t matter that both he and his MP wife are claiming for second homes, with neither effectively having – or having to pay for – a first home.

And neither of which were in our constituency! Expenses claims showed shameless MacKay was claiming a second home allowance for the flat in London while his wife Julie Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove, claimed a flat in the Worcestershire town as her second home.

After the revelations and a fierce public meeting in Bracknell the senior Tory, MacKay, then an aide to David Cameron, announced he was standing down at the next election, which is likely to be held in May.

Ms Kirkbride also decided to stand down, but it is now rumoured she has changed her mind and will stand again much to the amazement of many people.

In her claims for 2008/9, Kirkbride also claimed mortgage interest repayments for the couple’s Bromsgrove flat as well as £142 council tax each month and a £139.50 TV licence.

She also claimed £53 for a grille pan, £100 for a “regal white blanket” and £175 for a mirror – all as part of a claim of £23,432.16.

In total, the MacKay-Kirkbrides claimed £46,970.74 to run their two homes in the year.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) has been busy overnight, attending several fires and assisting the ambulance service in getting through to emergency calls.

Three of the fires were in commercial boiler rooms and managers of non-domestic premises are being advised to contact their maintenance contractor to ensure that their boiler is working safely. Homeowners who are away from home during the Christmas period are advised not to turn their boiler off but to leave it on a ‘frost’ or low setting to ensure that no internal pipework is affected by the very low temperatures. 

With some electricity supplies still affected by the freeze, homeowners are urged to take extra care when using portable heaters, open fires or candles and to remember:

• Do not leave any open fire unattended at any time. Always use a fireguard to protect against flying sparks and hot embers. Ensure your chimney is swept and clear. Make sure embers are extinguished before you go out or go to bed
• Turn off Christmas tree lights and unplug them before going to bed
• Never place candles or tea lights on or near a flammable surface such as wooden shelves, a TV, carpets or curtains. Make sure they are in a metal or ceramic container and cannot tip over. Do not leave pets or children alone in a room where there is a fire or lighted candles
• Don’t walk around your home carrying a lit candle – use a torch instead
• Do not dry clothing over plug-in heaters as they overheat and can catch fire very quickly
• Check your smoke alarm is working

Andy Mancey, Area Manager for Response at RBFRS, said: “By following this advice you can significantly reduce the risk of an accidental fire starting in your home.  It’s important to keep warm during these extreme weather conditions – but please do so safely.

”We are also urging people very strongly not to go out in their cars unless it is unavoidable. Road conditions remain extremely treacherous and we have been working with the ambulance service, assisting them by providing four by four vehicles and trained emergency response drivers to ensure that paramedics can get to where they are most needed. Members of the public can assist ourselves, the police, ambulance service and local authorities greatly by not making routine car journeys until the weather conditions have eased.”

British rock legends, Marillion, are celebrating their 30th year together - and their 20th with Steve Hogarth as vocalist.

A massive following in their 1980’s heyday remain loyal to this day and are still touring the world. To celebrate their achievements, Radio Bracknell Forest is broadcasting a special show from Dominic Forbes, host of our popular “Soft Rock Classics Show”.

Dominic speaks to the band and finds out what keeps them making music after all these years.

This fascinating insight into what makes so Marillion special is at 3pm on Christmas Sunday 27th December - truly a date to lock into your diary! Listen in at http://www.radiobracknellforest.com/

The local petition, supported by Radio Bracknell Forest, campaigning against the proposed closure of a popular over-50s cafe and meeting point at The Look In Cafe in Bracknell has already got more than 200 people signed up in support.

Members of Bracknell’s University of the Third Age (U3A) and Bracknell Alzheimer’s Society have moved fast since Bracknell Forest Council announced its plans to withdraw funding last week.

The council’s executive gave the go-ahead to its budget plans to close a budget gap of £3.6m, which include the closure to save its £60,000 a year contribution, to go out for public consultation at a meeting on Tuesday.

Coral Reef Waterworld will re-open on Sunday, December 27, following an intensive eight week maintenance programme. 

Behind closed doors tilers have been hard at work laying more than 60,000 sheets of mosaic to make the pool floor a sea of blue. 

There is also an exciting new feature in Little Corals for younger visitors in the form of a large yellow diving bell with drench buckets, a pelican and other fun features.  The little slides have been replaced as have two of the shallow pool floors.

In addition, the reception desks in Sauna World and reception have been lowered to give disabled customers better access, plus some new signage to complement the final effect. 

Centre Manager Mark O’Halloran said: “We can’t wait to open and welcome back all our regular customers and visitors. The pool looks fantastic and we are especially excited about the new inter-active feature in the shallow water.”

Cllr Iain McCracken, executive member for culture, said: “The newly refurbished pool is a great improvement and we hope visitors will enjoy it.

“Coral Reef is a fantastic leisure facility, a true jewel in our leisure crown, for both the residents of the borough and visitors to the Bracknell Forest.”

Coral Reef is open between 10.30am and 5.45pm, from Sunday, December 27 to Wednesday, December 30.

Then: 10.30am – 4pm, December 31.
11am – 5.45pm, January 1, 2010. 
Normal opening hours resume on January 2, 2010.

For further information contact reception on 01344 862525 or visit the website at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/be

EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS – SAFETY ADVICE

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging people to take extra care to stay safe during the current extreme weather conditions.

With road conditions remaining treacherous in many parts of Berkshire, particularly in outlying areas, people are being advised to stay home in the warm rather than risk driving.  If your journey is absolutely essential, allow plenty of extra time for the journey, drive carefully and steadily and remember to allow extra space when manoeuvring your vehicle in slippery conditions.  Ensure your windscreen, rear screen and mirrors are clear and give other drivers plenty of room as well.

Owing to the extreme weather conditions, RBFRS is currently only able to attend incidents where there is a danger to life.  You can reduce the risk of a fire starting in your home by following this advice:

• Ensure your chimney is swept and clear. Always use a fireguard with an open fire.
• Never leave lit candles unattended or on flammable surfaces.
• Switch off Christmas tree lights and other electrical appliances before you go out or go to bed.
• If you or anyone in your family smokes, make sure you extinguish cigarettes properly.
• Most house fires start in the kitchen – never leave cooking unattended.

Andy Mancey, Area Manager for Response at RBFRS, said: “The best thing people can do while we are still experiencing large amounts of snow and ice on the roads is to stay at home and keep warm.  You can also help us by taking extra care to avoid an accidental fire starting in the home, and only calling 999 if there is a danger to life.”

RBFRS has placed its off-road capability vehicles across the county to assist with incidents where needed and these are also being used to support South Central Ambulance Service at life-critical incidents.  RBFRS is still currently running its Operations Support Room which will remain in place throughout the heavy snow conditions.

With some areas of Berkshire currently experiencing electricity power failures, Radio Bracknell Forest brings you some urgent home safety advice from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) who are cautioning people to take extra care to avoid a fire in the home.

It is much safer to use a battery-powered torch rather than candles if possible.  If you do need to use candles, please follow this advice:

• Never leave lit candles unattended.
• Make sure candles are secured in proper holders.
• Keep candles away from materials that may catch fire, such as curtains.
• Do not walk around the house carrying a lit candle.

If you are using an open fire to heat your home, please remember:

• Ensure your chimney is swept and clear.
• Use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks and hot embers from an open fire.
• Make sure embers are properly put out before you go out or go to bed.

Andy Mancey, Area Manager for Response at RBFRS, said: “By following this advice you can significantly reduce the risk of an accidental fire starting in your home.  It’s important to keep warm during these extreme weather conditions – but please do so safely.”