THE COUNCIL’S priority for the next year will be economic and social recovery. That’s the promise from the leader of the council, Cllr John Halsall.
He made the pledge as part of his leader’s speech made during the annual meeting of Wokingham Borough Council held on Thursday, May 20.
“A key part is the delivery of infrastructure and capital investment needed by our towns and villages,” he said.
As part of this, the council will bring forward the publication of the draft local plan, while trying to ensure housing targets are at a level “reasonable for our borough”.
“We were successful in convincing the Government to scrap the proposed substantial increase in our housing numbers, and we will go on making our case to get those figures down further. Rather than just complaining about it or digging our heels in, refusing to budge, we went to the Government with strong, constructive arguments that their plans did not work. They listened.
“Reasonable negotiation, delivering in the residents’ interest – what any good Conservative Council should do, avoiding the pitfalls experienced by Lib Dem South Oxfordshire.”
He also reiterated a pledge to help residents but affordable housing.
“Too many young people simply cannot afford to buy here. We can’t discard their ambitions, driving out the bright and the talented because housing is out of their reach,” Cllr Halsall said.
“We will get the right housing in the right places, which means addressing the urgent need for more affordable and social housing in the Borough.”
The council will also develop its Employment Support Hub and looks to working with Shinfield Studios to attract new job opportunities.
Other priorities include building solar farms, reaching the 70% recycling figure and planting 300,000 trees.
In education, “securing the best for our younger generation is vital to ensuring that those from less affluent homes are not left behind as we emerge from the pandemic. We will continue to provide the best opportunities for children and young people, opening a new special educational needs school in Winnersh, and start laying the groundwork for new primary schools in Matthews Green and Arborfield.”
On anti-social behaviour, low-level crime and domestc violence, Cllr Halsall said: “We will work with Matthew Barber, our excellent and experienced new Police and Crime Commissioner, on creating a co-ordinated plan for how we can clamp down on these issues – whilst looking to what more we can do to help families going through difficulties and provide activities for younger people.”
Drivers will be pleased to learn that this year, the council will, “rolling out of our Congestion and Intelligent traffic Schemes coupled with a very high level of maintenance, which should keep the Borough moving while minimising environmental considerations.”
He added: “This is just the start of what is to come. There is much work to be done, but I know that my team and I have the energy and resolve to do it.”
Referring to the pandemic, he said we were now starting to see the end, but also it had “dramatically altered our world and shattered so many people’s way of life”.
He pledged that the borough would continue to help those who are struggling.
“As a community, we will ingrain the spirit which saw us helping one another – delivering food parcels, volunteering with charities, checking up on an isolating neighbour. “
Cllr Halsall ended by calling on councillors to join him in a moment’s silence to remember all who had died or suffered from the virus and the problems that had accompanied it.
