The last day as District Councillor for Thatcham West!

I

 May 7 2015 was to be my last day in post as District Councillor representing Thatcham West.

I got involved in local politics in 1979, the year after we moved to Thatcham. A resident knocked on our door asking us to sign a petition urging the council to speed up the completion of a pavement in Bowling Green Road, as a motorbike had hit a pushchair in the road killing the baby. 

Following this terrible incident I joined Thatcham Town Council and later became Mayor of Thatcham. More recently I moved to West Berkshire Council and took on the role of Opposition Spokesperson for Highways & Transport. On May 7 2015, I lost my council seat for Thatcham West. 

I have met some amazingly hard working people over the years who dedicate their life to helping others in our community and I would like to thank them all for making Thatcham a better place to live. 

I have had a fantastic time in local politics although most of the time it was about getting the job done and less about politics! I would like to dedicate this blog to the baby who was killed in 1979. 

Those sight-lines Thames Road - Bowling Green Road!

Cutting back the vegetation to improve the sight-lines for motorists coming out of Thames Road onto Bowling Green Road!

Motorists have a difficult time getting out of Thames Road onto Bowling Green Road at the best of times with the speed of traffic coming from their right. I called in the contractors to cut back the vegetation but they didn't cut it back enough so I got the hedge trimmer out and cut back a lot more! Now the sight-lines to the right are much improved and road safety is less of an issue. Job done!  

Flood protection measures north of Tull Way

Following the major floods in 2007, a planning application has been submitted to West Berkshire Council for a flood bund north of Tull Way.

"This bund  will hold water back temporarily at times of exceptional volumes of surface water run-off, which the drainage system cannot immediately cope with. The bund will then release the stored water into the existing drainage network over a longer period, thereby allowing time for better management of these exceptional volumes of water."

Congratulations to all those members of the Thatcham Flood Forum based at Thatcham Town Council, who have worked so hard  over many months to get this project underway. I am sure that all the residents who were flooded in 2007 (my family included) will be extremely grateful.

Parents alarmed at school traffic - Parsons Down Junior School

Vehicles park illegally at entrance to Parsons Down Junior School

Just having a look at the situation

That's what is says!

This is where it is!

This could be a new area for parents to park or drop off their children, between the school and Lower Way. I will speak to the highways department at West Berkshire Council and ask them to carry out a feasibility study.

This Park & Stride facility for Parsons Down Junior School, delivered by the Conservative Administration, based at the Discovery Centre is not working. Parents complain that shoes and clothes get covered in a yellow slime!