Don’t let the lorries have their way

I’m sorry, but Wokingham Borough Council’s efforts, introduced last week, to prevent overweight vehicles using Commons Road are not that effective.

Veolia trucks are now conspicuous by their absence but this week Biffa waste vehicles, scrap metal trucks, horseboxes, Arctics and other overweight vehicles continue to trundle along our road which has a 7.5 tonne weight limit.

A police presence from time-to-time (issuing penalty notices, or notices of intended prosecution) might be helpful; I’m sure that word would soon get around among drivers.

Commons Road is much used by parents and children en route, on foot, to and from the three schools in the area.

Oversized and overweight vehicles either have to drive on the narrow pavement, or force cars to do so.

More than 300 cars passed my house between 7.45am and 8.45am on one school day last week – along with at least six overweight HGVs, plus seven Horseman coaches busing pupils to the schools.

The closure of Old Forest Road will be in place until Spring 2021.

That is flexible – it could be April? May? Even June – so for another nine or 10 months.

That’s plenty of time for a tragedy involving pedestrians to occur.

Name and address supplied

Ask again

In his comments in the paper last week on the introduction of the non-hessian hessian sacks, council leader John Halsall had a pop at the Lib Dems for wanting more scrutiny of the decision, claiming that if we wanted more information “I would have given it to them – they just had to ask for it.”

Er, John, we did ask for more information.

So far we have asked for it at a meeting in July, another meeting in August and then again on September 11.

Without success.

Which you must know, because some of the time you were the person “answering”.

In fact, if I can prod John’s memory, on September 11, he actually told Cllr Paul Fishwick that he couldn’t have an answer to his question because he had asked it too late – despite it being about information which should have been to hand in July, when the Conservatives originally committed themselves to the sacks.

And despite him having submittedit well before the deadline, and before other questions which did get a response (saying they got an “answer” would be overstating it).

The reason we want more information is because we know that finances are tight and we want to make sure that decisions to spend money are made on the basis of sound evidence.

We don’t believe this one has been.

Even our suggestion that the sacks should be trialled first to check they would work okay was rejected.

Why? Because – and I am not joking – according to the Conservatives, it would be a waste of time to trial it in case the trial went wrong

This is no way to run a flea circus, let alone a council.

Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat councillor for Winnersh

… and again …

I refer to your article on the introduction of the non-hessian hessian sacks, published in Wokingham.Today. The Borough Council leader John Halsall is quoted as saying that if the Lib Dems wanted more information “I would have given it to them – they just had to ask for it.”

I therefore refer to my written question, submitted on Monday, September 7, to the Executive Committee meeting scheduled for September 11, which was well within the deadline for questions.

My question was as follows; Looking at Table 1 (pages 23 and 24) in the Wet Waste Options Appraisal (Appendix 1), could you tell me how these authorities collect paper and card, when they introduced this system and what impact it has had on recycling rates?

The reason I asked this question was to ascertain what evidence had been obtained from authorities that apparently use the proposed sacks that Wokingham Borough Council wanted to introduce as there was nothing in the appraisal report. As Cllr Halsall had said “I just had to ask for it”.

In response to my question Cllr Halsall said, “I am afraid that we are going to have to give you a written answer as the question came in very late. It is such a detailed question that officers have not been able to research those questions”.

Therefore, Cllr Halsall has admitted that the Council has not researched the authorities that apparently use these sacks but wants to introduce them for the residents in Wokingham.

My own research of all the authorities has shown that none of them collect waste and recycling the same as Wokingham Borough Council.

For example, Brentwood only started their new system on the August 3, and use a blue sack for paper and card, a white sack for cans and plastic and a red box for glass.

Cheltenham Borough use a blue bag for card only. All other recycling is collected in boxes with lids.

Monmouthshire, who commenced a trial of 2,000 homes, are now extending their trial until September 2021, so in my mind they are not convinced yet.

I could go on through the whole list, but I won’t now.

So, how could the Conservative Executive make an informed decision based on such lack of evidence and detail for its council taxpayers?

Cllr Paul Fishwick, Liberal Democrat councillor for Winnersh

… and again

Wokingham Liberal Democrats are in complete agreement that something needs to be done to tackle the wet waste issue to ensure we can improve recycling in the Borough.

The reason why the decision to use the polypropylene sacks as the solution was called-in (a process to decide whether a decision should be looked at again), was because the Liberal Democrats believe that the Conservative-led council broke the constitution to make that decision, and thus acted in a financially irresponsible way.

The Conservative Executive approved funding for a solution to the problem without a business case.

Hardly fiscally responsible.

How can you decide on the best way to spend public money without having the information in front of you to make an informed choice?

John Halsall, Conservative leader of the council, is now claiming that the Liberal Democrats have held up the process of the purchase of these sacks, costing the council money due to the call-in.

The question is, were the Conservatives going to break the constitution and act in a financially irresponsible way by spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money without anywhere near enough information to make that decision, or we’re they going to purchase after the business case was approved, at a meeting four weeks after the call-in meeting?

They claim that they weren’t going to purchase until after the business case, so the call-in has not held up the ability to purchase these sacks.

Whatever the truth, it is the Conservatives who have held up this process.

They should have acted responsibly and produced all the necessary information to make an informed choice back in July when the money was up for approval.

They didn’t.

Is this really the people you want gambling with your hard-earned money?

Cllr Sarah Kerr, Lib Dem councillor for Evendons, Wokingham Borough Council

Farcial

The full council meeting of Wokingham Borough Council last Thursday (September 17) descended into a farce as once again the Conservatives on the council used their majority to frustrate democracy.

The meeting had flowed pretty well which was an improvement on previous meetings.

At 10pm it was realised that with two motions to go before the end of the meeting there wasn’t enough time to debate them as the council’s constitution says the meeting has to stop at 10.30pm.

Liberal Democrats proposed an extension until 11pm, which is the maximum allowable under the constitution.

Had this been agreed its very likely that the meeting would have finished at about 10.45pm.

However, the Conservatives said NO. Following the line they take at most council meetings, they said NO to extending the meeting for 30 minutes.

In the subsequent vote that then has to be taken to decide whether there is an extension or not; two Conservatives first voted to extend the meeting.

After that vote was taken, the Mayor asked who was against extending the meeting, All the other Conservatives voted against an extension.

The two conservatives who had previously voted in favour of an extension now wanted to change their minds so they could vote with their colleagues and stifle debate.

An argument ensued about whether or not they could change their minds after they had voted, but sadly the Mayor allowed the vote to be taken again. A very strange decision which I don’t think I have seen in any other organisation before.

Ironically the second to last motion was one about improving the democratic process of the council in the interests of better serving residents.

The final motion was about improving access around the town centre for vulnerable groups such as residents with sight problems and asking the council to draw up a policy like most other councils have. The Conservatives were unlikely to support either motion.

All the constitutional argument meant that there was no time to start any debate about the last two motions. Once again the Conservatives had stifled democratic debate at Wokingham Borough Council and were on their way to bed early.

They successfully held up debate on the expansion of Heathrow Airport for 10 months and a motion on the rights of EU migrants for 11 months because they didn’t want to discuss these topics as they are difficult for them.

Is this the right way to conduct a councils affairs? You can decide at the ballot box in May.

Cllr Clive Jones, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Wokingham Borough Council

Within the rules

The leader of Wokingham Borough Council is a Conservative whose Conservative group has run Wokingham Borough Council for the last 20 years.

The Prime Minster Boris Johnson is also a Conservative along with his discredited spin doctor Dominic Cummings as is Robert Jenrick, the Housing Secretary of State, ‘both within the rules sort of guys’.

Dominic Cummings is infamous for his “within the rules sort of guy” trips to Barnard Castle to visit SpecSavers while us minions were all in lockdown.

Jenrick is also a “within the rules sort of guy” who expressed his ‘regret’ at his involvement in a ‘cash-for access’ scandal involving a Tory donor who happened to be a Tower Hamlets developer who he had dined with.

The speculated loss of £30 millionto £50 million in Developer Funding (Community Infrastructure Levy) by Tower Hamlets Council which is why Tower Hamlets residents don’t see Robert Jenrick as a ‘within the rules sort of guy’.

Both local and national Conservatives are all part of the same political party, which to be a member one must be a contributor.

Contributions are compulsory, as is abiding by the party rules.

By joining a political party it would seem that one has to give up ones right to freedom of speech and thought.

What confidence can Wokingham’s residents have in a Conservative-run council who did nothing when their Conservative masters at Westminster upped our approved housing numbers from the approved 662 to 789?

The threat of them leaping up again to 1,635 – thanks to their Conservative mates in Westminster – seems to have concentrated their minds at long last. Political suicide might have been the driver.

I understand Robert Jenrick has been invited to visit Wokingham Borough but so far he has not confirmed if he will come. Whether by having dinner with him, our Council leader can have any success we shall have to wait and see. Perhaps a £12,000 donation to the Conservative Party might be a thought.

Either way with their flagship plan of 15,000 houses Grazeley along with thousands more in Shinfield, Arborfield, Barkham and Winnersh, but not a house in their northern strongholds, it’s easy to see where the pain will be whatever the outcome of the housing consultation.

Wokingham Conservatives are making a real song and dance about the Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) Climate emergency activity which is seeking to safeguard and improve our Wokingham environment.

However the potential negative environmental impact on surrounding areas when15,000 houses at Grazeley along with thousands more in Shinfield, Arborfield, Barkham and Winnersh must not be forgotten.

Having opened Pandora’s Box is the damage already done?

I hope not.

Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough Council

Praise and concerns

A sad occasion.

The Wokingham Waste collection that covers Arthur Road and environs on a Tuesday, has always been very satisfactory – when opportunity arises I have a quick chat with the lads and the driver, who shares the load with his team.

Last Tuesday he told me he was retiring. I did try to get his name so that I could tell readers, but the council will not reveal.

At least may I say ‘thank you’ on behalf of our community, served so well?

Thanks I feel should also apply to the emergency services whose sirens we hear more frequently it seems. That is due to our chaotictraffic and road works – by the way where is all the money coming from? Do they have a Boris licence to print it.

In January, Wokingham Borough Council allocated £187 million to tackle congestion.

Everywhere I drive is chaotic, with road works taking up too much of a road, causing traffic to stop/start – the very worst for our environment.

Fascinating that congestion means ‘to heap up’ or ‘clogged’.

Overall a real problem subject, so I will not bore readers with my ‘science’.

I would like to comment on yet another problem with people being on furlough or skiving – especially civil servants. To complete my Self-Assessment Tax return, I telephoned the Pension Service. I was told they could only deal with two subjects nothing to do with my query.

So, goodbye.

I help pay for these people. The gap between government employees and the working part of our society is widening – I exclude the Armed Forces and nurses etc.

That unavailability to talk to customers is typical of so many companies/organisations that one wonders if they are really interested in surviving.

Perhaps the Chancellor is pouring enough cash into their coffers, that they can ignore being a dynamic business who realises that customers are number one priority.

A final story that sums up my view of management in this country. I had a pharmacy flu jab scheduled for last Saturday in Wokingham – an appointment I made on the Thursday.

On the day, I was told I could not have the jab as there was no-one on site qualified to give it.

A true story.

Reg Clifton, Wokingham

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