Residents of Winnersh will vote today (Thursday) to elect a new borough councillor.
Wokingham Borough Council has reminded residents that it is important to remember to bring photo ID if you are voting in person, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm.
Lots of forms of ID are accepted, such as a driving licence, passport and blue badge, but bringing a poll card by itself will not entitle you to vote.
Make sure you read your poll card carefully, as it will tell you where to vote and remind you to bring photo ID.
The count for the by-election will take place overnight at Shute End once the polls have closed.
Wokingham Today approached all four candidates to ask for a statement.
Chetna Jamthe, Liberal Democrat
We were all devastated to have lost our friend and dedicated councillor, Paul Fishwick suddenly and unexpectedly at the end of last year. Paul was well known and liked as a councillor for Winnersh, as well as executive member for active travel, transport and highways.
Paul, along with fellow councillors, Prue Bray and Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey helped many people in Winnersh over many years with a whole variety of issues from housing problems, pot-holes, improving cycle routes, protecting green spaces and providing more school places for children with special educational needs.
Sadly, as a result of Paul’s death, there will be a by-election on February 6.
I will be the Liberal Democrat candidate and I’m standing because I want to carry on the great work that councillor Paul Fishwick did for our area.
I have lived in Winnersh for over 20 years and my daughters were educated locally. I know what is important to people here.
If elected I will work to ensure that development in our area is sustainable, meets local needs and delivers the schools, travel and other facilities we need. I will also work closely with our Lib Dem MP to get the health services people in Winnersh need.
As well as having experience as a town councillor, I work as a senior business analyst and I volunteer for charities helping people with mental health challenges.
I’m keen to use my business knowledge and join the Lib Dem team leading Wokingham Borough Council as we continue to prioritise help for those who need it most and make our area a great place to live.
If elected, I will stand up for Winnersh and do my best to honour Paul’s legacy as a hard-working member of the Lib Dem team supporting Winnersh residents.
Nick Kilby, Conservative
I am Nick Kilby, the Conservative candidate in the Winnersh By-Election on February 6.
Many of you will know me as a Winnersh parish councillor. I will always put local people first and champion their issues.
I oppose the Lib Dem plans to build 3,900+ houses at Hall Farm, and the damaging
impact that the dramatic increase in traffic will have on Winnersh and our local roads, such as Hatch Farm Way and Mole Road.
The Winnersh community must pull together to make their views heard.
The Lib Dems, led by the ‘placard bearing’ Clive Jones, campaigned against Hall Farm. They did this to gain control of the council and win the parliamentary seat.
After the Lib Dems gained power, they did nothing for two years. They claimed it was impossible to change the plan, but made changes anyway.
But the Lib Dems chose not to remove the Hall Farm development. They also falsely claimed that developers would need to agree to any changes.
The Lib Dems all voted to include Hall Farm in the Local Plan. Now they claim on the doorstep that it is a ‘done deal’. This is not true.
Together, we can challenge the plan when it comes before the planning inspector.
I will campaign for a new, state-of-the-art, Royal Berkshire Hospital. Labour have delayed the build of a new hospital by over a decade, while our Lib Dem MP has proved ineffective and irrelevant on this issue.
Local school places are also my priority, including the additional provision for special educational needs. Labour have charged VAT on Education, which will create further pressure on available school places. And the proposed Lib Dem cuts to school places will affect Winnersh, particularly the cuts at Winnersh primary and Bearwood primary.
Improving the quality of roads and transport links is important. We must stop the Lib Dems local war on motorists. They have doubled parking charges and will introduce charges at car parks that are currently free. And their plans to redesign the Woosehill roundabout will waste millions and lead to increased congestion on an already busy route.
I want to take action to deal with flooding issues across Winnersh, such as the Showcase roundabout and Mill Lane. And I will work with residents to tackle issues with housing management companies on new estates.
Please vote for me on February 6. The alternative is the Lib Dems whose damaging plans will impact heavily on our local community.
Samuel Langlois, Green
No information received prior to publication
Parvinder Singh, Labour
I have lived in the nearby area with my family for ten years. In 2023, when I was living in Woodley, I was elected to Woodley town council.
My experience on Woodley town council has shown me that there are no easy fixes to many of the issues which face residents every day. From the cost of living crisis, to potholes in the roads and investing in a new Royal Berkshire Hospital, there never seems to be enough money immediately available to fix all the problems we face.
I am a big believer in doing whatever we can to make our community a better place to live. For many years I have volunteered to help the community across Earley and Reading. I know that voluntary work, from sports clubs to litter picking, all make our community stronger.
If I am elected as your councillor, I will bring this same philosophy, which I have outlined in my pledges.
Labour councillors on Wokingham Borough Council are elected on a promise that the councillors will ALWAYS vote in the interests of their own residents. This promise means the people in this area can be assured they will have a councillor who is working for the people of this area and not just a political party.
My membership of the Labour Party gives you a good sense of my broad values. If you share our values or want an independent-minded councillor for Winnersh, please vote for me on 6th February.
