- The new administration is off to a bad start as most of their 100 Day Plan has yet to be completed – or, in many cases, started.
- Lack of planning or preparation combined with over-promising at the Local Election has led to a disappointing under-delivery of key pledges.
- Residents deserve better. Promises should be kept – not just made to win votes.
West Berkshire residents have been let down by the new Liberal Democrat Council who have failed to meet their own 100-Day Plan targets.
Liberal Democrats’ 100-Day Plan Point:
“Cancelling the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) demands made to homeowners who made a mistake in their planning application process, and carrying out a full review of West Berkshire’s CIL process.”
Actual Delivery:
The charges were not cancelled nor have any refunds been given. No review has been announced either.
Instead, the Liberal Democrats gave a response to the petition which said that the Executive “Notes the petition and resolves to continue to ensure that the Council complies with the intent of its policy framework in income collection.”
Hopefully the Liberal Democrats don’t think that “Noting the petition” is the same as “Cancelling the Charges”, because that is certainly not what was promised.
We note that this promise is only aimed at “homeowners” and not everyone that they previously proclaimed should be refunded.
Liberal Democrats' 100-Day Plan Point:
“Keeping residents informed of changes in their local area by re-introducing neighbour notification letters for planning applications.”
Actual Delivery:
This has not been reintroduced.
This functionality was removed in 2018, which reduced cost pressures of £30k in staffing and circa £70k in paper / postage / FTE overall. Since then, wage bills and costs of paper/postage have all gone up – finding over £100k to bring it back will be difficult.
Even more so since legal requirements are all met. Parish access / Online access is available. Site notices and press statements (local) have always remained.
Cllr Tony Vickers proposed that a solution could be to ask Planning Officers (who already have enough work on their desks) to post the letters themselves. This would be a massive misuse of their time which could be spent progressing outstanding applications.
Liberal Democrats' 100-Day Plan Point:
“Trialling an extension to pedestrianisation hours in Newbury town centre.”
Actual Delivery:
Due to the lack of planning or consultation, the Liberal Democrats have been forced to postpone this trial.
The roadworks they claim to have caused this delay have been scheduled for quite some time. Did they not think to ask highways officers what the implication of closing another road to traffic would be before announcing it?
Though, significant public outrage at the plans may have also caused the Executive to think again about pressing ahead.
Whatever excuses they want to make, they can correct their mistakes and use this time to consult and put a proper plan in place that works for everyone – not just anti-car idealogues.
Liberal Democrats' 100-Day Plan Point:
“Cancelling the plans to deliver the clubhouse and stands at the Monks Lane "Sports Hub” and investigating the best options for the delivery of a new 3G pitch in the district.”
Actual Delivery:
The proposed development at Monks Lane has not been cancelled.
A consultation is due – which seems odd considering they have seemingly made the decision already. Perhaps they are hoping for an opportunity to row back on the promises they made once they realise that it’s actually a good and popular idea?
80 matches per week will do a lot more for the community than the 2 matches per week they would deliver by scrapping the sports hub and opening a grass pitch at Faraday Road.
This could have been an easy win. The Liberal Democrats were at the forefront of supporting the legal action which delayed the building of the new Sports Hub despite having failed at every stage in the courts. One new Executive Member even donated to the doomed action. Now they have the ability to cancel it – they haven’t.
Liberal Democrats’ 100-Day Plan Point:
“Taking a grown up approach to politics, listening to alternative voices and welcoming inputs from all sides”
Actual Delivery:
The Liberal Democrats have refused to listen to residents and businesses or run any consultation ahead of their rushed pedestrianisation plan. Even after the delay was announced they refused to use this time to run any consultations.
They even refused to consult with their own Officers, who would have told them that this scheme wouldn’t work due to the planned roadworks before they made the announcement.
If they can’t listen to their own side, they certainly won’t listen to opposing views.
So far their only announced “Community Forum” is on Faraday Road, on which they have already made the decision - so this is simply a taxpayer-funded opportunity for their friends to get together and say “good job”.
Liberal Democrats’ 100-Day Plan Point:
“Immediately returning the grass at Faraday Road to bookable football space.”
Actual Delivery:
The Liberal Democrats did not seek Officer advice on this before making this pledge, otherwise they would have known that the pitch was unsuitable for use and work would be needed to make it ready.
Therefore, the grass at Faraday Road has not been immediately returned to be a bookable space – and when it does it will only be able to host 2 sessions per week, far below the 80 games per week available in the proposed 3G pitch at Monks Lane which they want to scrap.
Commenting, Cllr Ross Mackinnon, Leader of the West Berkshire Council Conservative Group, said:
The Liberal Democrats ran their election campaign making promises that we knew they wouldn’t be able to keep – probably thinking they wouldn’t have to – but this recklessness has backfired as they now have thousands of residents who expect them to deliver their promises.
All we have seen so far is backtracking, under delivering, and a realisation that running a Council isn’t what they thought it would be.
Residents deserve better, so it is time the Liberal Democrats are honest with the public about what they can actually achieve, and apologise to those who understandably feel let down.
There is time to learn from their mistakes, listen to residents, council officers, and other councillors.
