Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – Dec 2025
December 2025
Thankfully we are past the shortest day. I am an owl rather than a lark and am not good in the morning, so I suppose it affects me more than most but roll on longer days!
Council Devolution and Reorganisation
The submission of the Ridgeway Council proposal has been lodged with the Secretary of State. The next stage is the issue of a mayoralty. Government has indicated that ideally these should represent about 1.5 million people. The combined population of Oxfordshire and West Berkshire is a little under a million and the rest of Berkshire is around 800,000. Buckinghamshire has already indicated its preference to join with Hertfordshire. So, the logical solution is likely to be a Thames Valley Mayor representing 1.8 million people. West Berkshire Council after an almost unanimous vote from Full Council have agreed to send what is called an Expression of Interest to the Secretary of State along with the other five Berkshire Unitaries, which basically indicates support.
We are certainly not in the first phase of this process so do not expect any further developments for quite some time.
The Asphalt Plant Appeal
The Inspector has written to the applicant asking for significant amounts of further information and more up to date statistics on a variety of issues around this highly controversial proposal. He is clearly digging to get the full potential impacts, particularly on emissions, which is encouraging but we must wait and see.
Public issues
Having had a presentation from the Council waste team on the new 3 weekly black bin collection system I asked two pertinent questions – Has it reduced the number of vehicles being utilised and has there been a reduction in headcount. The answer to both was no, so I submitted a formal question to Executive asking whether the move to 3 weekly collections is saving the anticipated £150,000 annual saving or not.
The answer was a rather smug reply along the lines that there has been some limited increase in the amount of recycling as opposed to going to landfill but I would have thought that that was probably achievable by better public education. To be honest, it is not affecting me at all as I have always been hot on recycling, apart that is from having to check every week which if any bins need putting out.
Out of interest West Berkshire is in the top quartile for recycling in the country but there is always more to do!
Which brings me to the pedestrianisation issue which I mentioned last month. The public consultation has completed with over 3,500 representations, which is high, so it has obviously struck a chord with the public. WBC are now processing these with a likely announcement next month. Hopefully the administration will accept the unpopularity of this experiment and return it to what it was.
Planning Issues
There has been a retrospective planning application to remove conditions on the planning consent granted in 2021 on Hern Farm/ Limetree Meadows just off the B4000 at Membury. This was a highly controversial application originally because it effectively extended the industrial area to the North of the B4000 and there was concern that it could set a precedent. It came to committee which was so concerned about the proposal that some major conditions were applied most importantly that it was a personal consent to the applicant. It is these conditions which are the subject of the current application with the key one being the retention of 18 containers albeit painted green.
Lambourn Valley Flood Forum
I have had two presentations on the restoration of the Winterborne in Upper Lambourn in a field on the Rooksnest Estate above Upper Lambourn’s settlement. It seems an obvious thing to do and should slow water flowing from the springs. My concern is that it does not go far enough with the proposal that water should then flow into the road gullies which we know struggle to cope at times anyway. However, it is a good start, and I certainly support it.
Speeding
This seems to be at last gaining some traction and the Parish Council a well as me individually have been asked to comment on proposals. For what it is worth, my view is that a blanket 20 MPH is unenforceable and will be ignored. I favour a targeted limit in the High Street, Eastbury and around the school.
Mobile and internet reception
This meeting has still to be rearranged for January.
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.
Success! Contractors have started work to repair the Harris Close bridge allowing elderly residents to access Goose Green and get to the shops in relative safety again early in the new year.
And again! A family that I have been helping to get a social housing property after being evicted by a private landlord well over a year ago have finally been successful in being selected and have moved into their new house in Lambourn. They are a delightful, hard-working family, so I am really pleased for them.
I try to do what I can through my contacts at the Housing and Planning Teams at WBC, the local Police and Sovereign or other housing associations.
It only remains for me to wish you all a very happy, peaceful and healthy New Year.
Get in touch
If you have any concerns or need any help, please get in touch on howard.woollaston1@westberks.gov.uk or 07836 718100.
