I was delighted that May’s Local Elections saw nine new Conservative councillors elected across Wokingham Borough.
This week I wanted to give you just a small snapshot of some of the brilliant work three of those new councillors have been doing – I couldn’t fit anymore in just a short column!
Moses Iyengunmwena
Moses joined the Council in May as one of my fellow ward councillors for Hillside in Earley. When he was elected, he picked up the issue of the north car park for the Asda in Lower Earley. Most of the lights have not been working for more than a year, and residents had raised concerns about safety and crime. Moses contacted Asda directly and got the Council involved. He’s now awaiting a promised timeline for fixing the lights.
Moses has also been stepping in to help where the Council has been failing to deliver. He got the Council to sort out poor and haphazard grass-cutting in a close. He also stepped in to assist an older resident whose garden waste had gone uncollected for weeks, despite having paid their fees to the Council. And he chased the Council about information on road resurfacing for Marefield in Lower Earley and restoring a road sign on Elm Lane.
Next month, Moses will be speaking at a Youth Summit organised by a local charity (Africa Christian Fellowship) for the residents of Reading and Wokingham Borough Areas. He will be speaking about science, technology, engineering and maths. Other subjects cover health promotion, and leadership.
Kay Gilder
Kay was elected in May as a ward councillor for South Lake in Woodley. In a few short months, she’s dealt with a number of issues around crime and anti-social behaviour. This has included concerns about drug use, as well as meeting with the Police when they were at the Co-op in Woodlands Avenue to raise residents’ concerns.
Kay was contacted by residents with their concerns with regards to the Dam at the Nightingale end of Southlake. She organised for an officer to update residents, and is working to have a further meeting in the Autumn with a more detailed work report.
She’s also been picking up issues raised by residents living on the Treshers estate, as well as working with officers to sort out waste collection for The Poors Land Charity.
Kay also chairs the Over Fifties Forum WISE on the second Tuesday every month at which many items relevant to Woodley are discussed.
Kay likes to take the time to get to know residents and chat with them. She recently joined residents of Cedar Place retirement complex for a Fish and Chip lunch.
Yusra Salman
Yusra is a new ward councillor for Bulmershe and Coronation. Fly tipping at Shelgate Walk in Woodley has been a particularly problem. Thanks to her reporting to the Council, the Greener and Cleaner team will clear the broken glass and plenty of paper rubbish on their next scheduled visit.
She has also been working to help residents to resolve health and care related issues. This has included occupational therapy assessment arrangements for an elderly resident, as well as assisting a younger resident with hydrotherapy sessions.
Reading University is an important part of the local community. In mid-May, Yusra attended the University Community Festival, meeting with staff, families, charities and the Vice-Chancellor. As well as getting involved in charities, she’ll be joining the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service for their coffee morning in October. Yusra has also joined the Royal British Legion’s Councillors Network.
Councillor’s diaries quickly get filled up with meetings and Council business, but it is important that we don’t lose sight of our roles serving residents in our wards.
This is just a small part of what a few of your new Conservative councillors are doing in their areas to make a difference to in the lives of their residents. Your local Conservatives are dedicated ward councillors, and I hope to share more of the positive work being done in the future.
Pauline Jorgensen is the leader of Wokingham Conservatives
