Our role as the Opposition means Conservative councillors are often holding the Liberal Democrat administration to account, scrutinising their policies. Alongside this, we spend a lot of time listening to residents and making a difference to their lives wherever we can.
This week, I wanted to give you just a snapshot of what the Conservative Group has been up to in the last year serving our residents.
Many residents contact us with problems and concerns. While we have no magic wand, it is often possible for us to raise your issue. By bringing it to the attention of the relevant Council department or right organisation we make sure your case is looked at and dealt with.
In the last year, my colleagues and I have helped many hundreds of residents with issues and queries, anything including problems with bins, vandalised BT boxes, schools, underpaid benefits, planning, ground maintenance, housing fraud, assisted waste collection, roadworks, and transport.
Cllr Stuart Munro assisted a resident in his ward, Swallowfield, when she was faced with losing her home.
Cllr Jackie Rance helped an elderly couple get an abandoned car moved from their disabled parking bay after the police and the Council both initially said they could not help as it ‘was on private property’, Jackie wrote again to the Council. The car was ticketed and removed after one week.
Jackie has also got fallen trees moved, broken fences repaired and supported a local lunch club.
After being alerted by a resident in a new estate in Shinfield, she discovered 26 out of 54 drains were blocked. The Resident had raised concerns about the drains with the developers but had not had a response. After Jackie took photos and contacted the developer the drains were cleared in five days.
I have resolved issues with the development at Sibly Hall, resolved lighting issues around Loddon Valley, and assisted residents in getting clanking manhole covers off Ryhill fixed. Just three examples of the hundreds of concerns I help residents with.
Although we largely represent different wards we often work as a team. Cllr Norman Jorgensen, Cllr John Halsall and I worked together to resolve issues with the culvert on the stream from Maiden Erlegh lake which was flooding houses.
Back in July the whole Conservative Group worked together following an influx of reports from residents complaining about litter bins being left unemptied and others were being covered over.
We discovered that the Liberal Democrat Council had implemented a decision to cut public bins before it had been through the proper process and without consulting residents. Conservative Councillors succeeded in stopping the Liberal Democrats’ attempts to cut public litter bins after I presented a petition signed 2,000 residents.
We also take a more hands-on approach, Cllr Sam Aktar runs monthly litter-picking sessions in Charvil. These have now expanded to include Sonning and in the last year they’ve collected over 120 black bin bags of litter.
In Sonning, Cllr Michael Firmager has been pressing for potholes to be filled and campaigning for a lower speed limit along Pound Lane. He has also been pushing Thames Water for a cleaner river and asking them to improve their communication with residents on the quality of river water, especially for residents without internet access.
In Finchampstead councillors Charles Margetts, Peter Harper and Rebecca Margetts opposed the building of a large inappropriate care home in a residential area of the village and successfully campaigned to overturn the officer recommendation for approval.
They also galvanised a petition to Council asking for the works on California Crossroads to be paused and revised. The petition signed by 800 local residents was presented at Full Council meeting by Charles. The Finchampstead councillors have also supported Bohunt School’s expansion and are meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner to ask for a plan to tackle speeding.
Having been speaking regularly to shopkeepers, I raised the issue of shoplifting in Woodley and other towns in the Borough with the Police and Crime Commissioner who has promised action and to work with business owners so they have the confidence to report crime knowing it will be investigated.
Currently, I am campaigning for a crossing on Shinfield Road and asked the Council in October what it planned to do following an accident in which a child was hit by a cyclist.
The role of a councillor is busy and varied.
So far, 2024 is shaping up to be just as hectic as last year. Conservative councillors are focused on listening to and delivering for our residents. Where we can make a difference in our communities it is certainly rewarding.
Cllr Pauline Jorgensen is the leader of Wokingham Conservatives on Wokingham Borough Council
