I would like to start this week by wishing The Lexicon a very happy fifth birthday. The celebrations at the weekend were a very fitting way of marking this milestone and the birthday proms were a great showcase of some amazing talent.

The Lexicon has also been host to Bracknell Forest Festival which came to a close on Sunday. The festival provided some superb entertainment for our residents and has also been a great way of encouraging people to sign up to protect their forests and play their part in preserving them for future generations.

We regularly ask our residents for their views on matters within the borough; two important reviews come to an end this Sunday (11 September), so don’t miss your chance to have your say.

Earlier this year, residents were encouraged to have their say on the Bracknell Forest Community Governance Review. This review will help us determine whether the current parish and town council ward boundaries and number of councillors need to change, in order to reflect the make-up of the local communities.

Following your feedback, the council has now published draft proposals for the borough’s town and parish councils, and we would like your views. This is the second and final consultation where residents will be able to have their say on the draft recommendations. You can find out more on our website.

We are also undertaking a review of all our polling districts and polling places. The review seeks to ensure that polling arrangements in the borough are suitable for as many residents as possible. In other words, can you take part in the democracy of Bracknell Forest? You can find out more and leave your comments on the electoral reviews page on the council’s website.

As we head into the autumn and winter months, we are expecting to see our COVID-19 rates rise once more. To help protect our community the autumn booster programme of vaccinations will start next week. As with the original vaccination programme, this will be rolled out to the most vulnerable first. Residents who will be eligible for a booster will be invited to attend the vaccination centre at the Waitrose Sports site. Vaccination still provides the best protection from becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and therefore we encourage people to come forward when invited.