Lee did the right thing by standing down
I WOULD like to commend councillor Lee Dillon for his selfless decision to formally stand down as leader of West Berkshire Council to concentrate fully on campaigning to be elected as MP for the Newbury constituency. Anyone who has known Lee and is aware of his political journey will understand how difficult this decision must have been on a personal and professional level. As Lee states in his letter to Newbury Weekly News published on Thursday, May 2, in last year’s local elections, he led the Liberal Democrats to taking control of all locally-elected councils.
That is Thatcham and Newbury town councils and West Berkshire Council. Leaving the Liberal Democrats in a position to deliver on their manifesto.
Also recognising how central Government policies have tied local councils’ hands in delivering for their communities has further fired up his desire to see this current Government consigned to history.
As Ed Davey said graphically in Winchester on May 3 with the dinosaurs ‘Make this Conservative Government history’.
Lee knowing that West Berkshire Council is currently ably led be councillor Jeff Brooks has put his own so-long desired ambition to lead West Berkshire council aside to be fully part of the Liberal Democrat national campaign. We know given Rishi Sunak’s resistance to calling a General Election we are into an elongated national campaign.
This year the Liberal Democrats have knocked on 2,007,115 doors. Lee will continue to lead our local party in contributing to increasing this tally continuing to knock on doors across the Newbury constituency. Visiting our towns, villages, and hamlets. Being a Parliamentary candidate is a full-time job.
Councillor Jeff Brooks has been leading West Berkshire Council
nd over recent months.
Jeff is an experienced, wellrespected councillor absolutely committed to delivering a fair deal for our community.
Detractors will no doubt try to spin that some recent decisions have not been as promised.
Let us remember it is still early days in this administration. Unpicking 18 years of Conservatives administration and setting right all that is not as it should be, will take time. Some matters such as planning applications that are in train are difficult to address.
The work has begun, and change is happening.
Faraday Road is a football facility again and will progress.
Private householders who had been charged Community Infrastructure Levey (CIL) due to ticking the wrong box on a form are being reimbursed, although the last Conservative administration had refused to do this.
Councillor Brooks is driving this decision, although budgets are strained, he has seen this gross injustice addressed.