Sandbags ready for the flood in my backyard

will show what an alternative approach could produce.

I only hope that local organisations in Cookham will take up the challenge to make Cookham Moor something the village can be proud of, as a local family farmer we will be happy to assist.

We probably all know what ‘Nimby’ means.

For those who have not come across the term – ‘not in my backyard’ is used as an acronym in relation to controversial planning and development matters.

The contrasting ‘Yimby’ (yes in my backyard) goes some distance to supporting a proposal but in my opinion ‘Dimby’ (definitely in my back yard’) goes the whole way in terms of total commitment and support for a project.

I notice that the Maidenhead Braywick Leisure Centre is opening at a cost in excess of £30m.

I would be very interested to know how many people from my ward (Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury) will be utilising this conspicuous new facility.

The timing is unfortunate, bearing in mind the recommendations of the CIPFA report on RBWM financial governance.

Furthermore there was a recent announcement that downstream flood defence proposals for thousands of households in my ward will not happen due to lack of funding.

Maidenhead has had the benefit of a fully funded flood alleviation scheme for nearly twenty years.

Since 2002, and at the press of a button, approaching flood water has been diverted around Maidenhead – firstly into Buckinghamshire before being quickly dumped on Old Windsor, Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury.

Now, as the water rises, all we get is the opportunity to argue over who gets the sandbags kindly provided by RBWM while our neighbours upstream enjoy the facilities and comforts of a nice new leisure centre.

So where is the money to extend existing flood protection to cover the remote

(actually forgotten, undefended and abandoned) communities downstream?

To be honest I don’t expect a straight answer from a council that cannot even empty the bins properly.

Cllr EWAN LARCOMBE National Flood Prevention Party, Datchet,

Horton and Wraysbury

Millennium Walk, has only been open once so far, for the 2019 Boundary Walk: both walks follow the same route from the Boundary Oak in Pinkneys Green to the Thames Path.

The most recent Ecological Management plan for Battlemead Common recommends the causeway path be open from March to October but closed over the winter months so that overwintering wildfowl are not disturbed.

This plan will be discussed at a meeting of the Friends of Battlemead Common on September 16.

We hope the path will be open from March to October, as providing a missing link in the Millennium Walk was one of the reasons given for the acquisition of the former White Place farmland by the Royal Borough in 2018.

Achieving the link, even if only for half of the year, would also help us in 2020 celebrate the founding of our respective societies, that is the 60th Anniversary of Maidenhead Civic Society and the 50th Anniversary of East Berks Ramblers.

ANN DARRACOTT Maidenhead Civic Society

STEVE GILLIONS East Berks Ramblers

Yet his actions threaten not only the reputation of the Conservative Party, but the global reputation of the UK as a trustworthy nation.

I saw this recent report by Best for Britain (/www.bestforbritain.org/tradereport) which details the current situation in UK-EU negotiations and I thought it might interest you and others in the local Conservative

Par ty.

I am sure Best for Britain would be happy to give you more information if you contact them.

I urge you to put pressure on your MP to resist this corruption of the Conservative Party’s ethos.

The Conservatives must deliver the deal promised to the British people, uphold Britain’s international standing, and protect the integrity of the Union at all costs.

Dr JOSEF KONRAD Powney Road Maidenhead