By Cllr Stephen Conway
One of the things that gives politics a bad name is the reluctance of those in positions of authority to think long-term. All too often, decisions are made for short-term convenience rather than with an eye to the future.
When the current administration took over running Wokingham Borough Council in May 2022, we decided that we had to address many long-standing problems that we had inherited. We saw preparing for a better future as a key responsibility.
Let me give you three examples of problems we have tried to tackle to produce better outcomes in years to come.
The first is the lack of school places in the borough for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). True, when we took over work was already underway to add to the number of places available. But even with these additions, there was still a need for more.
Increasing provision not only helps make life easier for the families directly affected, it also relieves pressure on the council’s finances, as paying for out-of-borough transport is very expensive.
So, we applied to the government for funding for two new SEND schools. Our expectation was that we would, if we were lucky, get one. But the strength of our case (constructed painstakingly by council officers) meant that we were awarded money to build both of the schools for which we had bid.
In the next few years, these new schools, to be located in the south of the borough, to spread our SEND places geographically and make access easier across Wokingham, should make a real difference.
The second example is the work we have been doing to increase the number of school places generally. For several years, families across the borough experienced real problems finding a place for their children at nearby schools. Population increase had generated greater demand and the secondary schools were often not in the best locations to cater for that demand.
The problem has not been removed completely, but the situation is now much better. Council officers, supported and encouraged by the lead councillor on Children’s Services, my deputy Prue Bray, have successfully negotiated with the academy trusts to secure extra places at several senior schools, reducing the pressure and leading this year to a record 96% of new entrants gaining admission to one of their preferred schools.
The work that has been done to expand SEND and mainstream provision illustrates the importance of investing time and money into trying to resolve long-standing problems, and I’m grateful to all those who have played their part in these successes.
My third example is the council’s new emphasis on partnership working, which is another form of investing time and money to secure a better future.
When the current administration took over, we set out to build on existing relationships with external bodies, such as the voluntary and charitable sector and local businesses, and repair damaged relationships with the borough’s town and parish councils.
We have also devoted a lot of effort to widening, deepening and putting on a more systematic basis the council’s relationship with the University of Reading, a world-class higher education institution that has the potential to be able to help the borough council and our residents and businesses in many ways.
Partnership working takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s very worthwhile; the investment will pay dividends in the future.
We still have a long way to go in creating a productive relationship with all external bodies within the borough, and with other Berkshire councils, but in many areas there is already encouraging and tangible progress.
In a world of on-going financial pressures, working together makes great sense for the borough council and for our partners. By pooling data, resources and experience, we can much more effectively tackle the problems faced by the community. Put simply, we can do more together than we can on our own.
Over the last weeks and months, I have been open and honest with you about the scale of the financial challenges that the council is having to confront. The message has inevitably – unavoidably – been pretty gloomy.
But there is a more positive story to tell – the story of a council willing to invest time and resources in addressing long-standing problems (such as SEND provision and school places more generally) and of a council keen to work with others to help make life better for current and future generations.
As I’ve said before, times are tough, but we are seeking to lay the foundations for a rosier tomorrow.
Cllr Stephen Conway is the leader of Wokingham Borough Council and ward member for Twyford
