By Cllr Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat
The semi-rural nature of our borough has to be protected and the Liberal Democrats will do their best to do this.
Lib Dems do not agree with the governments newly published position which will in our view allow developers to take control of the new house building process, leading to Wokingham seeing a further 32,000 new houses built within the next 20 years. This will not be good for our local environment.
I am delighted that I have been able to get ALL Party agreement to issue a formal invitation to the Secretary of State for Housing and his senior civil servants; for them to visit Wokingham to meet with ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, Town and Parish councils and residents groups so that they can fully understand the depth of feeling that there is about the Conservative governments new housing policy. Hopefully the Councils CEO will be able to set up this meeting shortly.
In recent weeks the Conservatives have got somewhat confused in their plans to scrap our black recycling bins and replace them with plastic bags which they like to call “hessian sacks”. No doubt hoping that sounds more environmentally friendly.
The finances for this proposal went to the Councils Executive committee on Thursday, July 30. Lib Dems complained that no business case for this change was being made public.
We and our residents didn’t know if all the options were being properly considered. Just prior to the Executive meeting the Conservatives decided to bring a paper explaining the options to the Executive meeting on Thursday, September 24. Like me, you probably think they have gone about this the wrong way round.
The finances and the business case should have been presented together at the meeting on July 30.
Amazingly, or perhaps not, they then accused the Lib Dems of holding up the process which they said would cost thousands of pounds. They have actually caused the delay themselves.
Lib Dems will maintain weekly rubbish collections for the foreseeable future and encourage additional bottle banks throughout the borough.
The council’s collection contract has another five years to run.
During this time we will consider all the options to have a collection service that is cost effective and environmentally friendly.
A priority for Lib Dems will be a River Loddon flood alleviation scheme.
This will protect homes along the River Loddon from Earley and Winnersh, through Woodley to Twyford and Charvil.
Hopefully such a scheme will stop the Showcase cinema from flooding and making travel across the Borough difficult.
Lib Dems believe that our trees and hedgerows should be protected and we want to see many more trees planted across the Borough.
At the Full Council meeting on Thursday, July 23, I proposed that the council create a Covid-19 memorial wood; planting a native species tree in memory of anyone who has passed away during this pandemic.
I was delighted when this proposal was supported by the Conservatives.
I will now work with them and officers to make sure this special wood happens, if you have a suggestion for where the wood could be situated, please let me know.
When the Lib Dems are running the borough bouncil we will take the protection of our local environment seriously.
Cllr Clive Jones, is the deputy leader and environment lead for Wokingham Liberal Democrats
