http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from West Berkshire Liberal Democrats en-GB West Berkshire Liberal Democrats http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 West Berkshire Liberal Democrats 2010-03-13T12:40+00:00 United Kingdom http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000324/waste_site_ordered_to_stop_making_so_much_noise__swifthook__drummond.html After sustained pressure from Greenham's councillors and affected local residents, and a prolonged and detailed investigation by Council officers, last week West Berkshire Council served a Noise Abatement Notice on the operators of the new Household Waste Recycling Centre at Newtown Road (locally known as Abbotswood). 2009-10-20T15:42+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000321/town_centre_partnership_must_be_accountable_and_open_to_public__brooks.html Councillor Jeff Brooks is insisting that the structure, governance and accountability of the Newbury Town Centre Partnership be scrutinised by WBC's Scrutiny watchdog body as a matter of urgency. He is extremely worried at the perception of secrecy that exists in the public's mind about the body. Brooks asserts: 2009-10-07T09:41+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000320/members_shocked_at_aldi_store_refusal.html Councillors for Newbury town centre are angry that they were not informed before time ran out on a planning application for a new Aldi store in London Road. To meet the Government's deadline of 13 weeks for planning decisions on major schemes, planners issued a refusal notice to Aldi on 1st October before local councillors could demand the decision be taken by the District Council's Western Area Planning Committee. 2009-10-07T09:40+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000325/hunneman_calls_for_fairness_in_new_housing_initiative_for_west_berkshire.html Roger Hunneman said in response to the announcement of the newly announced West Berks Council Shared Equity Scheme:- 2009-10-07T00:00+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000322/more_councillors_allowances_agreed.html The Conservatives have used their majority on West Berkshire Council to force through an increase in the amount spent on Councillors' allowances. But the extra money (just over £7,000) will only go to Committee Chairs. 2009-09-29T00:00+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000323/tories_refuse_to_help_businesses.html Twice at last Thursday's Executive meeting of West Berkshire Council the Conservative administration demonstrated their lack of support for local businesses in the recession. 2009-09-08T00:00+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000319/lib_dems_fight_for_release_of_taxpayers_money_to_be_spent_on_improving_districts_road_and_cycleway_network.html Liberal Democrats at West Berkshire Council are demanding an immediate overhaul of the inspection and maintenance of the districts roads, drain covers, footpaths and cycle ways. 2009-08-11T10:41+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000318/strengthened_systems_needed_at_west_berkshire_councils_community_care_service.html The tragic death of Mr Boyle in January while he was receiving home care services from a contractor employed by West Berkshire Council has raised very serious questions that need detailed answers says Cllr Owen Jeffery, the Lib Dem spokesman for Community Care on the Council. 2009-08-11T10:36+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000317/conservatives_throw_doubt_on_electrification_plans.html Liberal Democrats are backing plans to electrify the line between Reading and Newbury. 2009-08-07T15:20+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000316/conservatives_ditch_plans_for_west_berkshire_council_to_meet_the_public_at_the_royal_county_of_berkshire_show_this_year.html District Councillor Keith Woodhams (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said that he was astonished to learn from the Leader of Council, Graham Jones, that he was pulling the Council out of the Royal County of Berkshire Show this year. 2009-06-02T09:53+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000315/lib_dems_urge_residents_to_respond_to_consultation_on_new_housing__if_it_ever_gets_underway.html West Berkshire Council Liberal Democrats are urging all residents to respond to the Council's consultation on the distribution of 10,500 new homes allocated to the District in the South East Plan. The consultation relates to the document Options for the Future - West Berkshire Core Strategy which proposes locating 75% of the new homes in and around the major settlements of Newbury, Thatcham and the western part of Reading, and 20% in seven "Rural Service Centres", i.e. Burghfield Common, Hungerford, Lambourn, Mortimer, Pangbourne and Theale. It also presents options on strategic sites where major development will be concentrated. 2009-05-27T15:13+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000314/theale_councillor_creates_website_to_help_fight_unacceptable_housing_site_proposal.html Theale Lib-Dem councillor for Theale, Alan Macro, has set up a special website to help fight West Berks Council's proposal to put a site for 450 houses in Theale in its Local Development Framework. 2009-05-18T11:57+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000313/resurfacing_the_roads_in_west_berkshire.html Residents are becoming increasingly angry at the Conservatives lackadaisical attitude to maintaining West Berkshires highways. The district's road surfaces are now turning into a slalom course with vehicles steering cautiously to avoid being caught up in dangerous holes and troughs. Why are we repeatedly paying out thousands of pounds for patching the roads, surely this cannot be a cost effective or economical way of improving our road network? 2009-05-18T11:56+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000312/tories_parking_concessions_too_little_too_late_say_liberal_democrats.html Roger Hunneman, Deputy Leader of the West Berkshire Council Liberal Democrats, has responded scathingly to the Council's plans to introduce free parking for a number of Thursdays in central Newbury as well as Hungerford, Theale, Pangbourne and Thatcham. 2009-05-08T00:00+01:00 http://www.westberkslibdems.org.uk/news/000311/rendel_blasts_above_inflation_council_tax_rise.html West Berkshire residents struggling to pay mortgages or facing unemployment will be furious to find they are faced with an average £46 increase on their council tax bill this year, according to Lib Dem Finance spokesperson David Rendel. The 3.9% increase announced yesterday is well above inflation now and within a few months inflation is expected to tumble towards zero. 2009-02-12T15:36+00:00