Questions that need answers

LAST week’s Wokingham Today headline story questions the morality of 2,500 houses being promoted by Conservative Councillors from outside the Borough. Morality or not it does raise many questions that need answers.

The Conservative Government want to build 300,000 houses each year for an indefinite period. It’s promoting new policies designed to identify large tracts of land ( including our green fields ) suitable for development while reducing residents’ rights to object.

Worse still the Conservative Government requires Councils to have a Housing Local Plan (ours will be up to 2036) but that local plan must be reviewed every five years.

The downside of that is Wokingham’s Conservatives, wherever they put houses in the new local plan it will be the obvious area additional houses will go with every five year review excluding the North of the Borough and certainly nothing in Renenham or Hurst where our illustrious Leader and the Executive Member for planning preside.

Cllr Stephen Conway makes some very fair points in the paper but when one looks at how development has occurred over many years where the South of the Borough got hammered and the North has escaped reasonable unscathed it’s not unreasonable that residents in the South say enough is enough so spread the development more evenly and fairly around the Borough as a whole.

One example of this unfairness is why has Hurst only had under 50 houses in the last 10 years when Shinfield, Arborfield Garrison and Winnersh tops around 10,000 in the same period with no doubt many more to follow?

With Global warming threatening us all and getting worse seeing the recent flooding, property destruction and loss of life in Germany why is the Borough Council promoting a site by the Loddon river flood zone and within the risk of flooding from a category A dam at Bearwood Lakes for over 4,500 houses in Arborfield in their draft local plan?

Looking objectively at Hurst as a case study it makes one wonder. Hurst is located between two railway lines along with extensive highway links to the A4/M4/M3.

It is close to Reading, Twyford, Wokingham, Bracknell and Woodley shops but no major development is being considered there.

Why must be the question?

Similar evaluations could be made for other areas in the North of Wokingham taking in green belt considerations but again would not the North of the Borough and the Borough as a whole benefit from spreading development fairly across the Borough as a whole?

Such fairness to all our residents does not seem to be in Wokingham Conservatives mindset.

The Leader of the Council is right when he says we should have some development but

I only wish he added as long as it’s not in my back yard or my neighbours back yard so put them all in the South.

Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent

Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham

Borough Council

Time to help

WE need to help people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, these people can not ask for help their self as they are confused.

We want people to be aware of this disease that these people need much help and understanding and care.

The Alzheimer’s Society need money and campaigners to help all walks of life.

As myself, I am a dementia friend and Advocate for them.

This is not my only issue that I fight for.

This disease can attack anybody who one least expect. It is too sad that this country has forgotten people with this illness big time.

Victor Rones, Bracknell