AS HE invariably does, Tony Johnson hits the proverbial nail on the head (Billed Kwallidy in No Ohms, The Wokingham Paper, May 11).
Although given the opportunity, developers and selling agents would place a somewhat different spin on matters.
Gaps in brickwork would be presented as ‘built-in air conditioning’, loose and creaking floorboards would be ‘a defence mechanism to guard against unwanted intruders’.
Leaking roofs ‘a low-cost water saving system feeding directly in to the en-suite shower and wet rooms’.
Lack of sound insulation? ‘An early warning system advising that toilets had become available for use’.
Rising water levels in garages? ‘Affording the opportunity to use the space of both car and boat’.
Other mentioned faults would be explained away as ‘meeting industry standards’ or being ‘talking points’ and ‘architectural features’.
Of course, many of these heart-breaking problems could be overcome by control and local governments insisting on higher quality standards and monitoring them to ensure they are adhered to and enforcing penalties and compensation when not met.
I am old enough to remember pre-fabs, houses built to relieve housing shortages during the immediate post-war period.
Today, some 70 years on, a number of these ‘temporary’ structures remain standing and lovingly lived in, and will probably remain standing after many of today’s ‘Jerry built boxes’ will have long gone.
J W Blaney, Wokingham
An open letter to the Liberal Democrats
Dear Clive Jones,
Thank you for your leaflets delivered to me today from the Liberal Democrats. Thank you also for giving your e-mail address.
I am a pensioner aged 75 and have all my life voted Conservative, a committed Tory.
I broke the habit of a lifetime earlier this year at the local elections: I gave my precious vote (and persuaded my 85-year-old husband to do the same) to the Lib Dem candidate, who incidentally won, and I have done nothing but regret it ever since.
I voted Lib Dem, because, of what I believed was the fantastic action by the local councillors Prue Bray and Imogen DuBey. A wonderful protest group was organised by these two to prevent the desecration of Elms Field/Park. It was brilliantly organised with meetings, marches, obtaining signatures, and regular news and e-mails.
I persuaded many of my friends and neighbours to join in the protest and I wrote letters to The Wokingham Paper protesting against the same. I even promised to vote Liberal to the organisers for all their hard work.
When the local election took place, I received a text from Imogen and then gave her my vote, because I thought they had both worked so hard to save green Wokingham.
Imagine my consternation when I was visited by another canvasser on the same day, who knew both the above and worked with them, who told me that my vote was wasted, as the Lib Dems had approved of the desecration of my lovely town, even before the protest started.
The Lib Dems had organised this popular protest just to get votes even though they had voted against it.
I could have cried at the doorstep! My precious vote had been given to a lie.
I am not naive enough to believe everything that political parties say. In fact many lies and journalistic licences take place in elections and elsewhere just to gain power. But this action by the Wokingham Liberals broke all boundaries.
At least 2,000 people signed petitions sincerely believing that the Lib Dems would prevent the destruction of Wokingham.
I wrote to John Redwood in a similar vein complaining about this lie, and received a sympathetic reply.
I also wrote to your Leader Tim Farron ages ago and he has not even condescended to acknowledge my e-mail.
I have since related this event to everyone I know including my very large family and circle of friends and have told them to vote for anyone but the Lib Dems.
Even the dreaded Labour, Greens, or Rubbish Party are more honest than Lib Dems. (Ref your fifth promise on the leaflet… viz “open and honest”!!!)
I do hope you take the time to read my e mail and see how horrified I was to be misled and the horror I felt at my precious, yes, precious, vote being given to the wrong Party.
I would appreciate a reply even though your leader hasn’t even bothered.
Francine Twitchett, Wokingham
We have never supported Elms Field
Please note that if you get any letters that say that any Liberal Democrat has supported building on Elms Field – this is absolutely not true.
We think that some of our opposition have been spreading mis-information.
The Lib Dems have NEVER supported building on the green space at Elms Field, and have consistently campaigned against it.
I have personally spoken out at Wokingham Borough Council at the Planning Committee against building on the park.
I entirely despise the idea of chopping down full-grown oak trees for the sake of a supermarket and a hotel and I think that building housing on the park is completely unnecessary.
Cllr Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, Emmbrook Ward
Where were you John?
I note with interest two stories in The Wokingham Paper.
One about the Fairer Funding for Schools and secondly one about the new Conservative Council Leader.
Something is up with the Conservatives.
John Redwood, our then MP, could not be bothered to attend the meeting about school funding (which is critical to this constituency).
And the new leader of the Conservative-led council was evasive in her answers (indeed failed to answer my question and when pointed out still did not answer it).
I really do question their commitment to the support of Wokingham, especially as it appears that Mr Redwood has other jobs not related to being our MP!
Do we deserve this? No.
Peter Dennis, via email
Arrogance of surgeries
I wonder if it is incompetence or just plain arrogance that has lead the Wokingham Conservatives to have scheduled MP surgery sessions with John Redwood for after the general election?
Since they have polling day in the same page of future events I can only assume it’s the latter. It’s not a foregone conclusion; the Lib Dems are resurgent in Wokingham with the recent Emmbrook landslide win. The Redwood could be felled and the silver lining for him would be that he can concentrate on his other job that he already spends an estimated two days a week on!
Richard Howells, via email
Avoidable? Not always
I refer to the letter – ‘When will they act in advance’ – [The Wokingham Paper, May 11].
That Berkshire’s mental health services are inadequate, is undeniable, but of AVOIDABLE tragedies, I am not so sure.
When we opened the crisis house, over 26 years ago, I recall a visit from a disgruntled social worker – who was annoyed at being excluded from our ranks – as are all professionals – because we are a self-help organisation. He made a parting shot – ‘Don’t have a suicide!’ – to which I replied, ‘We most certainly will!’
We have!
Unlike him, I am possessed of sufficient intelligence to see, that, if he is to die, it makes no difference to the tragic person, nor to his grieving family, whether the body is found on the floor of the crisis house, or on the railway across the road! So I took on the crisis house with all its inherent risks.
That is why I entitled my book, Triumph AND Tragedy. It’s the name of the game. You won’t save them all!
I have been fortunate. In more than 26 years, the only corpse that I have ever found on the floor of the crisis house, was that of one of our old cats who had passed away during the night!
Nevertheless a suicide happened.
There was no sign, nor warning, whatsoever. The person had been with us for years, and we thought that we knew him intimately.
On Friday afternoon, he waved a cheery hand, and said, ‘Look forward to seeing you all next week’. On Saturday, our befriender found him dead in his flat – having taken a massive overdose of pills – which he, evidently, had been stashing for months – with the clear intent of taking his own life.
Of course, we prevent suicides as well – otherwise I doubt that anybody would work in mental health at all – but no mental health service will ever be so ‘state of the art’ as to prevent every tragedy. Bereaved people always think that they could have done more – that’s grief! So often, having made enormous efforts, they are finally defeated by that mightiest of enemies – mental illness!
Pam Jenkinson, The Wokingham Crisis House
Red and white don’t go
I have observed the report in The Wokingham Paper of our Market Place with utter disbelief.
Who on earth are these people who have designed what is going on here, our lovely old town.
Our old historic town hall is made of handmade red bricks from Binfield. Under the new plans, we will see the walkway surrounding the area made with off-white bricks. In a town of red bricks, the red bricks and off-white are screaming at each other. They just do not blend together in any way.
Can the planners not see this? And could the councillors not see this either?
They could have used a greater sensitivity towards the whole situation and put together plan with more thought and care.
This council appears to be hell bent on removing all that we love here, including our old open natural (not formally planned) spaces, our old trees, killing off our wildlife and birds busy now nesting (please note planners).
The whole idea is not any improvement and is disliked by many, I assure you.
We do not want to look like Bracknell, our old historic town hall deserves better than this.
Our wildlife deserves better than this, we deserve better than this.
Once again, shame on you councillors.
H Boyed, Wokingham
Mrs May on The One Show
You had Mrs May on The One Show and you tried to put over that people that watched this stage managed slot people liked her way of leadership with 4 million Children in poverty tens of thousands of people sleeping rough many people have no choice have to go to the food bank pensioners struggling on a pittance.
All that is just a few things then she brings up Fox hunting a lovely Mammal that gets chased by brutes in red suits on horses with mad dogs that rip the poor Fox apart in bits and blood flowing out a barbaric 15th Century practice just for blood sports and wipe the blood on Childs faces it is inhuman.
To sum it up there is nothing caring or nice about Mrs Theresa May and her cronies that support this evil act of violence.
We are told by the incumbent Prime Minister that we have a rich Country be civilized Mrs May.
Victor Rones,
Advocate for Real Justice and all Animals
Library consultation
I have just contacted Wokingham Borough Council to ask when the public consultation about the proposal to move Wokingham Library is to open.
They tell me that the public consultation is only to be about what facilities or functions residents would like to see in libraries in the future. There is to be a council meeting later this year, probably in June, to decide about any relocation of the library.
I suggest that any readers wishing to express their views about the proposal to move Wokingham library to the new Carnival Place development should write to their local Borough Councillor.
To find your local councillor go to www.wokingham.gov.uk, and choose that option on the home page.
Janet White, Wokingham
