Nine people holding so much power on council

NEWBURY BID’s submission to West Berkshire Council asking for a little understanding for the beleaguered hospitality sector argues persuasively for pubs, restaurants and cafés to be given the space to serve their customers outside to enable them to reopen on April 12.

It presents an appealing vision of the town centre as “a safe and welcoming space for visitors, residents and workers to eat, drink and relax in, enjoying an ambient, atmospheric setting without the noise and safety risks that vehicle access brings”.

The council’s response, by contrast, shows all the vision of Mr Magoo.

It is, frankly, embarrassing.

Ross Mackinnon, executive member for economic development, told the recent executive meeting that people would be “confused” by a temporary extension of the traffic-free period to midnight.

The only person confused is councillor Mackinnon.

He’s clearly been spending too long working from his home office in Burghfield.

He seems unaware that Bartholomew Street has been closed for weeks for resurfacing, without causing any “confusion” to anyone.

He also claimed that emergency services would be affected.

They seem to manage just fine between 10am and 5pm, when traffic is already banned.

Or does he think emergencies only happen outside those hours? Meanwhile Lynne Doherty, the council’s ‘strong leader’, went so far in your report on March 25 as to suggest that temporary pedestrianisation would be “dangerous”.

Not half as dangerous, I reckon, as her bizarre encouragement of motorists to engage in drive-by window shopping in streets full of shoppers.

Let’s see how the two sides line up in this debate.

In support of the BID:

Newbury town centre businesses. Newbury Town Council.

Newbury members of West Berkshire Council.

People who want to be able to sit outside pubs, restaurants and cafés in a pleasant, safe, traffic-free environment.

Against the BID:

Councillor Doherty and the eight members she appointed to the executive, none of whom live remotely near Newbury, most of whom we must assume have not even visited Newbury during the lockdown, and none of whom seem to have a clue about the needs of the town.

The executive members represent largely rural wards where most of the pubs have beer gardens and will be able to reopen from April 12. Good for them. But that’s not much help to the businesses in the centre of Newbury, most of which lack outdoor space.

One business owner told me last week he has lost £1m in turnover since the pandemic started.

He is desperate to serve customers

outdoors but will be unable to do so thanks to this decision.

So much for the Conservatives as the “party of business”.

Taking their cue from councillor Doherty, the executive members will not allow a debate on this or any other issue.

They don’t listen, they don’t learn and they never admit they might be wrong.

Yet somehow we have ended up with nine people holding so much power. Surely we deserve better.

David Marsh

Green Party councillor, Wash Common ward, Newbury Town Council and West Berkshire Council