In this week's column, Paul Bettison OBE, the leader of Bracknell Forest Council, looks forward to the coming of spring, particularly His Majesty King Charles III's coronation and getting ready to vote in the all council elections in early May. Councillor Bettison writes:

With the third month of the year started, it is easy to begin to look forward to the summer months. From May, the borough will be host to fantastic events for residents and visitors to Bracknell Forest.

As I am sure you are already aware, the first notable event coming up is the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. Please check the King’s Coronation webpages on the council’s website for the latest updates. There is also a section for those residents that would like to plan a street party as part of The Coronation Big Lunch. Additionally, Crowthorne Parish Council is planning a range of events and activities to celebrate this historic occasion.

Even though it is now spring and I am sure that we are all looking forward to warmer days, it is important to remind everyone that the borough’s community winter hubs are still open for all. If you need to spend a few hours in a safe, warm and accessible space, why not pop into one of these welcoming spaces, which include many of our libraries. Details of all the community winter hubs can be found on the council’s website. And remember, our public health team is running a range of free activities at these locations as part of the Five Ways to Winter Wellness programme. The March timetable of activities is also available to view on the community winter hub webpages.

Finally, if you are registered to vote in the upcoming elections on Thursday, May 4, don’t forget that you will need photo ID to vote. Once you enter the polling station you will need to show an accepted form of photo ID before you can get your ballot paper. The normal process for those voting by proxy or by post remains in place and even those without an accepted form of ID do have options. You can find out more about those options on the elections and voting section of our website.

I wish you all the best for an enjoyable week ahead.