MP accused of misleading residents over Cali cost

A WOKINGHAM MP has been accused of misleading residents over the California Crossroads works.

Writing on his blog Sir John Redwood, and referring to a recent press release from Wokingham Borough Council over the cost of the six-month project, the MP for Wokingham said: “We are told these improvements come ‘at no cost to local taxpayers’.

“Is the council unaware that borough taxpayers pay a lot of income tax and VAT, and this money is being used to pay for these works?”

In reply Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Wokingham constituency, told Wokingham Today: “Unfortunately, Sir John Redwood is spreading misinformation about the financing of the California Crossroads project.”

Mr Jones also referred to the works first being mooted by the then Conservative administration, and funded by funding from the Arborfield Green development.

“The history of the project can be found on Wokingham Borough Council’s website,” he said.

“The project started in April 2015 with the outline planning application for the Arborfield Strategic Development Location, and the Section 106 agreement that provides all of the funding from the developer to carry out the works at the crossroads.

“The funding is shown in the Medium Term Financial Plan at the budget Council in February 2018, and approved by the previous Conservative administration for the scheme to be delivered during 2019.

“Sir John is misleading residents by suggesting that money raised from income tax and VAT is being used to pay for these works

“Sir John either doesn’t understand the council’s finances, or he is deliberately misrepresenting the facts.“

Section 106 agreements used to be the way developers contribute towards local community facilities to balance the impacts of a new development. This is now done through the Community Infrastructure Levy.