Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – April 2024
Howard Woollaston
West Berkshire Councillor: Lambourn Ward
April 2024 2024
The leaves are sprouting on the trees and hedgerows which will hopefully mean that the groundwater levels will begin to drop but we still need an end to what seems to be continuing heavy rainfall to have any real effect. Sadly, the usual Lambourn Good Friday open stables event had to be cancelled this year mainly because of waterlogged fields creating parking issues but also a view that sewage in the roads was not a good look for visitors to Lambourn (which it wouldn’t!) This Parish matters is understandably long on sewage and flooding issues.
Sewage and flood risks
The good news is that after jet washing of pipes by Thames Water the leaking sewage by the Fire Station in Newbury Street has stopped. Tankering has significantly solved the problem in Goose Green and is easing the situation in Oxford Street in Lambourn. Eastbury sewage leaks had ceased by tankering but has just started up again by Newtown Cottages.
Thames Water are initiating a full clean up. As I have said previously, unfortunately until the groundwater subsides there is little that Thames Water can do apart from continuing tankering and keep the ATAC’s running. The groundwater needs to fall below the sewers before further relining can start and I fear this year that maybe into June.
Largely through the efforts of Martyn Wyatt, who chairs SAGLUV (Sewage Action Group for the Lambourn Upper Valley Action), he, the three chairs of Lambourn, East Garston and Great Shefford Parish Councils and I met with Tessa Fayers, who is the Main Board Operations Director for Thames Water responsible for the Southeast and Home Counties.
This seemed to be a positive and constructive meeting. She promised to produce a report before Easter, which she did, but unfortunately it was essentially a repetition of what has been promised previously.
How Did We Get Here?
There are many views to what is happening, who is responsible and what might be done. These are mine.
Clearly, Thames Water are in the financial mire with a debt mountain of over £18 Billion and their parent company has just defaulted on an interest repayment of loans from Chinese Banks.
This all goes back to privatisation under Margaret Thatcher, which for the first few years was highly successful with a cash input into the Treasury and significant private sector investment into the water infrastructure. The mistake made was not to have a golden share to prevent sales to asset strippers which is what happened under Tony Blair’s watch, creating the disastrous situation in which we find ourselves.
It is in the public domain that Macquarie saddled the company with £10 Billion of debt and took hefty dividend payments before selling the shares to Pension Funds and Sovereign Wealth Funds in 2017. To Be fair to the current owners led by OMARS (the Ontario State Pension Fund) and the UK Universities Staff Superannuation Scheme who between them own over 50% and the other investors, they have not taken a penny in dividends.
The investors have recently stopped an interim payment to the company of £500 Million as a first tranche of up to £3Billion by 2030 on the grounds that OFWAT, the regulator won’t permit a 40% increase in Water Rates. Sadly, I think that the only possible result is some form of renationalisation. It would seem with the wonderful benefit of hindsight that Privatisation only works where there is no monopoly.
A Group for the whole of the River Lambourn
I have agreed with the Liberal Democrat Councillors representing the lower reaches of the Lambourn, and with Clive Hooker who represents Downlands ward, that we will all collaborate through a cross-party group to lobby Thames Water, The Environment Agency, WBC and central government to find a long-term solution to the flood and sewage issues in the valley.
We intend to compile a dossier with photographs and detailed information clearly showing the seriousness of the situation. Flood wardens in our part of the valley along with Speen and the last part of the Lambourn where it runs into the Kennet will all contribute. These are the areas most impacted by flooding and sewage issues. Clay Hill, for example, has identical sewage and flooding issues north of the A4 and including Newbury Business Park. The dossier will have a covering letter signed by all District Councillors and Parish Chairs and be sent to all the bodies mentioned above as well as national and local media.
As I have said before, there is no quick fix to this problem. I am convinced that Climate Change is having an impact. Hopefully this coordinated approach will get some results.
Asphalt Plant Membury Industrial Estate
Many of you will know that there has been a planning application for an Asphalt Plant on one of the access roads to Membury Service Station. This is on an existing piece of land allocated for industrial uses and as such stands a possible chance of being recommended for approval. I have taken the precaution of calling it in so that it will be decided by the Planning Committee.
I chased the planning officer responsible this week and understand from him that he is waiting for a report on drainage and then one from National Highways. I will keep you informed.
Members Bids
Regular readers of the newsletter will know that every year all District Councillors have the opportunity to bid for up to £5000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy, which has to be match funded to pay for a project to help the local community.
Last year I got money for the flagpole on the Church in Lambourn, and I gather from the Churchwarden, Bruce Laurie, that after a number of problems, it will be installed on April 16th.
This year I am working with the Parish Council for a major upgrade to the Public Toilets at the Memorial Hall – fingers crossed!
Casework
A slight respite over Easter but it still continues apace. Major issues this month mostly revolve around Housing and Planning but inevitably water and sewage.
Roads
My campaigns for speed reductions have had to take a slight back seat owing to the water and sewage issues but the experiment with a 20MPH limit in Theale starts next month and I am promised that we are high on the list.
The closure of Baydon Road for water pipe repairs created an interesting problem. Thames Water, in their wisdom, created a diversion down Crowle Road and the High Street followed by a left turn by the George which is a no left turn junction. Highways were furious but on a Friday afternoon the best that they could do was to take the diversion sign down. According to Mike Billinge-Jones a number of close misses!
Get in touch.
Whatever is concerning you please do get in touch on 07836 718 100 or howard.woollaston1@westberks.gov.uk
