Howard Woollaston: Parish Matters – May 2026

May 2026

The last month has just flown by, all the more quickly because of Easter and the May Day bank holidays, and I cannot believe it is newsletter time again. At least the weather has been kind: although, despite all of that rain that we have had over the winter, we could all do with a bit more again for the gardens.

Housing issues

I recently got involved in Racing Welfare’s need for clarification that hostels and flats specifically being provided for the racing community would count as affordable housing for planning purposes.

The issue is that affordable housing usually requires the use of a Registered Provider, known to you and me as a housing association. I intervened with the planning team, and we found a solution of using a Section 106 agreement. These are legally binding contracts between the local authority and, usually, a developer: but it turns out the approach works in this case as well.

I also attended the member session on housing which covered a massive amount of ground. If anybody requires any help on housing, I am fully briefed to help and know exactly who to talk to.

My meeting with the SNG (Sovereign) lead person for Lambourn in early May was sadly postponed so I am now trying to rearrange it for this coming week. I just feel that actually meeting a person face-to-face gives me a better opportunity to take up any of your issues with SNG, the dominant housing association in Lambourn.

Pedestrianisation in Newbury

The Conservative Group and the minority parties (Green, Labour and Independent) demanded a formal debate on this, which the administration finally granted for Thursday 14 May in an Extraordinary Council Meeting – more to follow next time.

Neighbourhood Development Plan

Yet further hurdles! The government changed the rules after we had submitted the draft to West Berkshire Council. Thankfully the consultants found a quick fix, and we are back on schedule.

Local Government Reorganisation

We expect to hear from government about the decision on the Ridgeway Council proposal (West Berkshire, the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire forming one unitary authority) by the middle of July.

I honestly do not know which way it will go – the alternative would seem to be a Berkshire West Council incorporating Reading, Wokingham and WBC, I suspect. The Mayoralty proposal is rapidly taking shape as Thames Valley incorporating Berkshire Oxfordshire and Swindon by the look of it.

This matter amongst others was covered in the Annual District Parish Council Meeting which I attended virtually.

Lambourn Valley Flood Forum

The next meeting is on Monday 11 May. The forum is now chaired by Vicky Rieunier who’s introduced a new system of asking questions in advance so that – hopefully – Thames Water, The Environment Agency and West Berkshire Council can come with thought-through answers.

I wish I’d come up with this in my seven years as Chairman! I am now Vice Chairman (with the important role of Zoom host…). More to follow next month.

Roads and roadworks

I have been provided with the provisional Highway Improvement Programme for the next three years.

• 2026-27: this is showing roadworks for Long Hedge; Eastbury Shute/Straight Lane; the road between East Garston and Great Shefford; and the road from Lambourn and Upper Lambourn (I think some work has already started).
• 2027-8: shows work on Oxford Street and Wantage Road up to Seven Barrows; the B4000 from Membury crossroads to the Poughley turning; and Great Shefford to Weston.
• 2028-9: this looks to be Great Shefford to Hungerford Newtown; Membury crossroads to the Wiltshire border; and the road between Fawley and South Fawley.

This is subject to consultation but, if it goes ahead, it’s going to be a busy time in Lambourn and the surrounding area.

More immediately – indeed very immediately – gas mains repairs will start in various parts of Lambourn next week and will continue perhaps until mid-October. I understand that affected residents have been notified and Penny Post, Village Views and Lambourn.org will all have information on this .

The company responsible (Wales & West Utilities) recently did similar work in Hungerford and I’m told that the communication, the works themselves and the making good afterwards were all done very well. Fingers crossed it’s the same here…

Nutrient Neutrality

As many of you will know, this is a planning requirement (applied to this area in 2020) to ensure that, to quote Natural England, “a development plan or project does not add to existing nutrient burdens within catchments, so there is no net increase in nutrients as a result”. The introduction of this has not been without its difficulties.

I recently attended a presentation, along with other WBC Councillors, given by the flood risk and environmental team at West Berkshire Council. This looked at the matter of how new housing could be enabled whilst also protecting our valuable chalk streams.

It’s clear that they are making some progress on this issue, which has prevented new housing for a number of years now. A Government grant of £2.4m is helping to kick off ideas for how to resolve this thorny issue.

The solution appears to be a mix of improving and expanding sewage plants; using more systems which are effectively septic tanks; and exploring where there are areas of low-grade farmland and transforming them into wetlands which can absorb phosphates.

There is a long way to go but at least there is some light at the end of the tunnel to allow for much-needed affordable and social housing.

Lambourn Parish Council

Just when it seems the Parish Council is operating really well, two hammer blows hit at the same time.

After I think it is three years Steve Mead has decided to stand down as both Chairman and Councillor for work related reasons. Steve has done a great job at chairing the Council and will be sorely missed.

At the same time the excellent Clerk, Gary Wyatt – Hawkins has also resigned. There is no connection between these two: it is just an unfortunate coincidence. Gary has transformed the organisation of the Council, putting in various new systems to make it far more efficient and will be a major loss.

Get in touch

If you have any concerns or need any help, please get in touch on howard.woollaston1@westberks.gov.uk or 07836 718 100.