Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – August 2025
August 2025
At last, some rain but we seem to have been missed by any downpours. The year seems to be flying by with Wimbledon well past and we are over half of the British summer. I am sure that you will join me in congratulating the Lionesses winning the Euros. From a personal point of view, I feel that I am getting my life back at least temporarily as West Berkshire Council is on tick over for the month with virtually no Council meetings. So, time to catch up and refresh the batteries.
Devolution and reorganisation
Little has happened on this in the last month although I am hearing rumours that Central Government may not be favouring Ridgeway, and instead an all-Berkshire solution with two Unitary Councils.
Asphalt plant
Frantic work was undertaken to get all of the submissions into the Inspectorate in time, including a meeting that I arranged between key WBC Officers and two of the most knowledgeable of the group opposing, on the very day, resulting in Officers amending their reports and submitting them on the same day – who says that Local Authorities cannot act at pace when needed!
A meeting is arranged with WBC Officers and all objectors to get our “ducks in a line” for the appeal hearing which will be held in the Council Chamber. I have registered to speak.
Lambourn Neighbourhood Development Plan
My hopes that it was going to be the last meeting proved optimistic! Yet more work has been completed by our consultants tweaking the submission.
Party in the Paddock
It is a long time since I have heard live music, but I went with friends to the concert after racing at Newbury Racing last month featuring Ella Henderson and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Apart from my Apple watch telling me that the noise volume was too high it was just great fun, and I would strongly recommend future events.
Welford Park
Out of the area, I know, but nonetheless I suspect of interest. This planning application came to the Western Area Planning Committee, of which I am a member. I went on the site visit to see a proposed modest tepee area for wedding receptions and a separate area for wedding ceremonies linked by paths through a wooded glade. It has been used for some years under what are call prescriptive rights and the operators wished to formalise that for 6 months of the year for 5 years.
Traffic Officers said it was unsustainable because there was no public transport to it even though there was adequate car parking. Now when did you last go to a wedding when guests came by bus or walked up a small county lane in their finery?!!!
Then the tree people got involved concerned over damage to saplings in ancient Woodlands of which their seemed none. There were over 30 supporters – mostly local businesses. I voted in favour but to my astonishment it was rejected – words failed me to the extent that I went up to the applicant and apologised.
There is now a pre-enquiry about what is listed as a Theme Park on the B4000 just beyond Wickham. It is not a theme park but that is the planning category. It is in fact a Children’s country adventure play park with some educational use. In principle probably not a big issue apart from the 850 car parking spaces which will access and egress onto the B4000! More to follow.
Public Issues
As you will know whilst a Conservative Councillor, I try to make this newsletter apolitical as I believe it should be explaining to residents what I do to represent you and what I have been doing in the previous month. However, we clearly have two issues which despite public consultation opposing, the administration is totally out of step with that opinion. I refer of course to black bin collection and extending the pedestrianisation time in Northcroft Street Newbury from 5PM to 11PM.
Black bins first. The clear view of the consultation was no change, but that has had no effect, and the new system comes into place in September saving £150,000 pa, less than 0.1% of the Council budget. I live on my own so no problem for me but for larger families, particularly those who have babies and small children with nappies it is a disaster and similarly those looking after elderly relatives. I am sure that we have all had the notice on the bin explaining it but I am absolutely confused about putting the wrong bins out in the wrong week. It worked so well!
Then pedestrianisation. I have walked up Northbrook Street and through Market Square a number of times after 6.00 in the height of summer and the number of people eating or drinking in areas that were previously open roads is zero. Conversely the traffic generated onto the A339 is enormous. When the end of the” experiment ends please give a resounding no to its continuation.
Casework
You will understand that I cannot share specific details but there are some real issues out there ranging from housing to planning and everything in between. I have one particular family who have been in my view very unfairly treated by WBC. They were evicted from their home by a landlord who wished to sell it and went on the Housing List. Even as the previous and now Shadow Housing Portfolio Holder I had no idea how complicated the system is.
To be clear these are two hard-working decent people with a daughter who have had to live with relations for the last 9 months or so. They only seek a basic 3-bedroom house in Lambourn. Last week they were told that they had been successful in bidding for a house only to be subsequently told that the house was in such disrepair that it was going to be sold. This week another came up, but they were told that because they had been selected for the previous one, they could not bid on this one. The system is designed to be, and is, transparent but a little compassion would not go amiss!! At times I despair.
I try to do what I can through my contacts at the Housing and Planning Teams at West Berkshire, the local Police and Sovereign or other housing associations.
Get in touch
As usual I will be skipping the August report, as I do in December, unless any burning issues pop up. May I wish you all very happy summer holidays.
If you have any concerns or need help, please get in touch on howard.woollaston1@westberks.gov.uk or 07836 718 100.
