The charity says it expects to receive just £5,000 in 2021/22. Professor Sophie Bowlby, chair of the ReadiBus board, said the charity has been “forced into a position where to continue is no longer viable” as it cost over £50,000 a year to provide services in West Berkshire. The charity also claims it has not received any grant funding since September 2020, because the council is “withholding money”. It claimed the council will not release the funding until trustees sign a contract with a “gagging clause” that prevents them from making any public statements about the funding cuts. Shirley Edwards, 89, said: “I think what West Berkshire Council is doing to ReadiBus is disgusting.
Newbury MP Laura Farris: Is Thatcham right place for 2,500 homes?
MP questioning West Berkshire Council allocation and asking about Newbury Showground suitability
John Herring
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NEWBURY MP Laura Farris has questioned whether West Berkshire Council’s proposals for thousands of new homes is “Thatcham or nothing”.
The council has proposed 170 hectares of land at north east Thatcham for development of up to 2,500 homes in its Local Plan Review. A thousand homes have been proposed at Sandleford Park in Newbury, and smaller allocations have been proposed across the district.
Mrs Farris said at a Thatcham Town Council meeting on Monday that she was in ongoing discussions over whether it was the right location for the huge development.
Parking wardens are essential key workers West Berkshire Council says
Council stance queried by some motorists
John Garvey
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PARKING wardens handing out fines are deemed to be essential key workers, West Berkshire Council has said.
Some local authorities have relaxed rules during lockdown. Government guidance does not specifically name parking wardens as key workers, but the district council said it has received unambiguous advice.
But not everyone has got the message.
One Newbury Weekly News reader wrote: “Under the lockdown regulations, traffic wardens are not essential workers. Non-essential workers in public administration and local government must be furloughed for the duration.
A map of the site, just off Pincents Lane in Tilehurst, where developers want to build 265 homes Reading Borough Council will not object to highly controversial plans for 265 new homes in Tilehurst. U+I Pincents Lane Ltd has applied for planning permission to build the houses and a community healthcare hub on land just off Pincents Lane, but more than 2,100 objections have been lodged since 2019. There are also hundreds of supporters who say they are being priced out of Tilehurst and welcome this project because it will provide 106 affordable homes.
West Berkshire Council is due to make a decision on the controversial planning application in the coming weeks.