Not too late to do right thing
AT the last public meeting of West Berkshire Council Executive, Cllr Jo Stewart admitted that her approach to decision making regarding the Notrees care home in Kintbury, in her capacity as adult social care portfolio holder, was flawed and she had learned to “do it differently” in future.
What a welcome change from what we usually get from the Conservatives.
The stubborn and incomprehensible refusal by her colleagues over the future of the council’s Faraday Road area and its former football ground is more the normal Tory pattern of government: make a mistake (we all do that); refuse to admit it; carry on along the same flawed path (wasting public money); disrespect and arrogantly blame everyone except themselves when it all gets too difficult to fix.
With Newbury’s football facility, it has been obvious for years that the only alternative to Faraday Road will eventually by law have to replace
“to equal or better standard” at a location reasonably nearby (note
“a” means one, not two places) is Faraday Road. There is already full planning consent for that to happen. But the land owner (the same
council that is making these decisions under the Tories) refuses to allow the Newbury Community Football Group to implement it. They say there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents. The opposition members of council will be joyful when these Tories repent. It is never too late to do the right thing, as Jo Stewart recognised.
But if they don’t change course soon regarding Faraday Road, we will do it for them when we take control next May – unless they can be open about why they are wasting a small fortune of our money on their plans. Tony Vickers,
Liberal Democrat planning spokesman