Petition - Greenham Control Tower

I spent some very exciting times visiting the USAF Greenham Common Airforce Base during my time as Thatcham Town mayor in 1990 / 91. The United States Airforce held regular garden parties for dignitaries at the officers mess and this is where I met an RAF Flight Sergeant who held a pilots license. I was airborne again!

On my first mayor's engagement, I was chauffeured up to USAF Mildenhall to join twelve other dignitaries before being flown out for a tour of NATO bases in Germany. This included Ramstein and Templehoff and stayed at the American Embassy in Berlin. An amazing time! 

Our neighbour Jeff Smith, worked in the control tower for the USAF and when cargo planes came in early in the morning (4am onwards) I was able to join him and watch them land. 
This was made even more pleasurable by having a huge American style TV breakfast each morning!  

At the decommissioning ceremony for the airbase, we were introduced to former President Eisenhower's son and I had the pleasure of seeing the last cruse missile leave. 

Getting back to the petition. Jeff's wife, Jill Smith, has emailed me the following comment. 'As a former member of the United States Armed Forces, and also a history teacher, it surprises me that the Council's position on this historic icon of the Cold War would allow that piece of history to be sold, rather than allow the public to remember a time in their history that the world came knocking on their door. The control tower is the oldest structure on the former base, I believe, that is, if the barracks are no longer there. I love the idea of having a museum in the tower along with farmers' markets, and maybe a cafe. It lets the building and the area come full circle. The important thing to remember is, if history is not remembered then the chance of it being repeated is greatly increased.'

I am extremely grateful for these comments from Jill Smith.




Jill Smith visiting the site on 9 June 2013


   

Greenham Common Control Tower

If you would like to add your signature to the petition, to keep the control tower as a community asset, please use the address below.

http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/Greenham-Control-Tower

Is this the most dangerous junction in West Berkshire?

This is the view a driver gets waiting to turn right, to join the A34 north bound at West Ilsley.

In seconds, a vehicle came towards me from the A34, didn't indicate and fortunately took the road to my right. This must be the mother of all blind spots!

                              This is the view north bound from the A34 to West Ilsley.

                           



Demolished at Christmas - Replaced in June!

An electrician gets to work wiring up the new lamppost following the amazing 'driving skills' of a motorist who mounted the kerb and did a U turn on the grass. Fortunately no one was hurt in the accident that took place during the Christmas festivities!

                                                           Bowling Green Road

No it is not a bird table but I think the pigeons will enjoy sitting on top of the brand new LED eco style bright white light lamppost!

Lower Way - Shake,Rattle & Roll!

If you live in Lower Way, just down from the A4, then you are sure to have a surprise!
From 6am to 10pm the residents have to endure endless tanker 'Movements' coming in from other parts of the district, heading for the sewage processing plant in Lower Way. 


Sunken drain cover and temporary repair.

 These huge sewage tankers are hitting the sunken drain covers, potholes and poor temporary repairs and the noise and vibration is being transferred into the houses right next to the road. Residents are complaining that their ceilings and walls are cracking as a result.

The question now is - How much longer will the tankers be using Lower Way and when will West Berkshire Council bring the road surface up to the required high standard?

Tom Slater charity fund takes cyclists to Paris

Family and friends gather at Henwick Sportsfield on Sunday 19 May, to give 29 cyclists a big send off, for the long ride to Paris! Having already raised £18,000, it is hoped that the charity ride to Paris will bring the fund even nearer the £25,000 target. The money will go to local projects, including a BMX track at the Henwick Sportsfield. 

Sporting new Tshirts with Super Man logo's.

Just time to pose with the 'fittest men in Thatcham'.

 Me - Mr McClure - Paul Slater

Pep talk before they set off. 'This is not a race'



                                                                   

You made it, well done everyone!

                                                        

        

Prioritise pothole repairs NOW!

Potholes are appearing in high numbers across the district. This is causing expensive damage to emergency vehicles, buses, vans and taxis, and of course to our own cars.

                                                        
                                       Enborne Road with new chicanes & dangerous potholes. 

The Council needs to suspend all non urgent highway schemes to fund pothole repairs urgently.
              

Parking on Crookham Hill!

I have always admired the scenery around Crookham Hill, but I didn't expect to see it from one point in the road for 40 minutes!

Looking Back up Crookham Hill toward the junction of Bury's Bank Road.

No the EU haven't changed the legislation forcing us to drive on the right (yet), it is a mirror image.

Looking toward the level crossing at Thatcham Station and thinking of a 'Bridging Loan'.