Regeneration is a joint project

I am aware that at least one Conservative Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) Councillor is attempting to distance WBC from the chaos in Market Place, Wokingham Town centre.

Residents may not be aware that Conservative-led WBC matchfunded Wokingham Town Council to a substantial level which allowed the latter to then gain access to

some additional central government funding, so allowing the work to be commissioned.

In addition, seven of the Wokingham Town Councillors are also Conservative WBC Councillors, with one Liberal Democrat also being double hatted; all the Conservatives voted for this chaos whilst the Liberal Democrat voted against.

Some cheek for a Conservative WBC Councillor to try to wash their hands of the chaos in Market Place.

WBC is now ‘consulting’ on part of the Southern Relief Road namely the Eastern Gateway near Tesco.

I recall a number of occasions on which I urged Conservative WBC Councillors to seriously consider pedestrianising Denmark Street down to the entrance to the library car park once the Southern Relief Road is completed.

Pedestrianisation invariably means an increase in footfall as the location becomes a destination rather than being a drive thru, or rather crawl thru as at present.

Most of the businesses in Denmark Street have a rear access for deliveries and front access can be given out of shop hours.

Once again, what we are likely to see is ‘not invented here syndrome’; residents will be familiar with Conservative led WBC consultations. Cllr Ian Pittock, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Finchampstead South