On 4th May 2023, Bracknell Forest Council will hold local elections.  In recent weeks, a lot of misinformation has been circulating on-line so I would like to highlight what your council does for you and what its ongoing achievements are:

1. Conservative-run Bracknell Forest Council is one of the most successful borough councils in the UK.  It is solvent, free of unmanaged debt, responsible with your money, superbly-led and has built up a useful operational reserve which is retained to meet future contingencies.  Whichever metric you use, it comprehensively out-performs most other councils in every area of the UK.
    
2. The education offer for our students is unrivalled.  All 40 of 40 eligible schools are rated GOOD or OUTSTANDING and this is the best OFSTED performance anywhere.  Whilst, this is indicative of good education policies and the supportive Education Department at Bracknell Forest Council, we must above all recognise the outstanding professionalism of our teachers, staff, governors and pupils.
    
3. Bracknell is blessed with near full-employment and the local job opportunities are unprecedented.  Much of this is due to the inward investment secured by Bracknell Forest Council and the ongoing commitment offered to local businesses.  Bracknell is home to over 150 large international companies who chose to retain their HQ or UK office here, not to mention the abundance of small and medium sized enterprises who benefit from the vibrant work force in our ‘Silicon Valley of the Thames Valley’.  Average household income in Bracknell ranks strongly across the UK.
    
4. Local people have ready access to three good hospitals on our doorstep, namely: Frimley Park, the Royal Berkshire and Wexham Park, and our waiting lists are comparatively short, notably for urgent and cancer treatment.  Our primary care is also highly-rated with an abundance of local surgeries situated in the borough, all of which are recruiting new staff.  Our presiding Frimley Integrated Care Service (ICS) is the best-performing health care trust in the UK and combines effectively with Bracknell Forest Council to provide low-cost, but high-quality health and social care for all.
    
5. Bracknell Forest Council sits within the lowest 10% of unitary councils in the UK for Council Tax.  It offers the full suite of value for money services without any detraction of quality and is able to negotiate superbly with local service providers and contractors.  This contrasts with neighbouring councils who charge far more, but offer much less. 
    
6. Bracknell remains an excellent place to live, work and play, with open spaces and leisure facilities to be proud of.  Bracknell Forest Council also continues to meet all of the house-building targets specified in its Local Plan, providing a relatively more affordable area for younger and older people to live, and more importantly, offering a better chance of getting onto the property ladder. 
    
7. Bracknell Forest Council continues to invest heavily in its transport and local infrastructure, resulting in an effective road network, a much-needed dual carriageway between the M3 and M4, additional funding for fixing potholes and a relative paucity of traffic congestion.  With three effective rail lines on our doorstep, not to mention London, Reading and Heathrow, the local offer for our commuters and workforce is excellent.  The comprehensive roll-out of super-fast fibre broadband across the borough also means that Bracknell will continue to be a fantastic place to work.
    
8. Our local voluntary and charity sector is second to none, supporting many thousands of people.  Ably funded and supported by Bracknell Forest Council, our community is vibrant.

Bracknell Forest Council has an unrivalled record for delivery, not least during the pandemic.  It remains the envy of other councils across the UK and serves as a proven example of what can be achieved through good leadership, strong policies and experienced councillors.  So as the local elections approach next week, please do consider whether you wish your council to keep delivering its low cost, high quality service or whether you want it to suffer the same fate as poorly-run councils elsewhere in Berkshire.  Bracknell is a place of aspiration and opportunity.  Good luck to all candidates.