Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – July 2024

Howard Woollaston
West Berkshire Councillor: Lambourn Ward

June/July 2024

I am just recovering from six weeks of grueling canvassing and delivering leaflets for the General Election. Average of 10,000 steps a day and a maximum of over 16,000 – I have lost 10 lbs in weight which is probably the best thing to come out of it from my perspective! Congratulations to Lee Dillon our new MP but I am desperately sorry for Laura Farris who narrowly lost. I had no idea how hard she had worked until I knocked on doors and found many hundreds of people who had asked for help from her, and she had solved almost all of their issues.

Please forgive another rather brief newsletter. Normal service to resume next month.

Neighbourhood Watch

I have been approached by a lady, who had recently been burgled in Lambourn. I had not realised that there was no Neighbourhood Watch system in Lambourn as there is in Eastbury and most villages down the valley. I will be talking to our local police next week to try and get one established.

Neighbourhood Development Plan

Last month I reported that we are almost there. We expect to submit it to West Berkshire Council very shortly, after which it needs to go through WBC Council in September and then off to the Planning Inspector before coming back to residents for a referendum and then becoming a very important document in the planning process going forward.

Roads

You will no doubt have noticed that both Baydon Road and the B4000 Ermin Street have been fully resurfaced. Potholes are being filled elsewhere so our roads are gradually getting back to scratch but there is much still to do.

I am re-energised to attack speed limits again. I will be asking for 20MPH limits in both Eastbury and Lambourn High Street and the B4000 to be reduced from 50MPH to 40MPH.

Sewage and Flooding

Now that we no longer have our former MP championing the issue with Thames Water, Environment Agency and West Berkshire Council, I will be taking up the challenge more forcibly to try to ensure that we do not have a repetition of the calamitous time we have had over the last winter. SAGLUV and other groups also keep up the pressure.

Casework

Obviously, it never stops! Everyone who has got in touch with me has been completely understanding that the Council has had to be totally apolitical over the election period and whilst business obviously continues as usual to a degree, they cannot be seen to favour any political party. Back to normal from Monday and I will be hard on the case for issues which include: –