OPINION: Letters to the editor of the Newbury Weekly News
I hope Labour thinks again about farmers
Despite living on Stroud Green I seldom go to the races.
However, on Saturday, March 22, I decided to attend to support the farmers who had gathered there with over 100 tractors to protest against the Government’s intention to levy inheritance tax on farmland.
When in opposition, the Labour Party had consistently denied that they had any such intention.
Anyone can avoid inheritance tax by gifting assets seven years before they die.
Given the Labour Party’s assurances, many chose not to.
This ‘moving of the goalposts’ is clearly unfair.
Some who choose to make over assets now may not live for another seven years.
Farming is unusual.
The value of the assets employed is often way in excess of any returns from farming.
No one buys an office or a factory because they like the way of life, yet many people who have made money in other industries choose to buy farms so as to enjoy the rural way of life.
This inflates the cost of land.
Let us hope the Government thinks again.
Chris Austin
Stroud Green
College repairs did not require this closure
I read the article in last week’s paper regarding the very problematic disruption to the local residents and through traffic caused by the closure of the Ashampstead Road at Bradfield College; it was a great example of ‘smoke and mirrors’.
I don’t think any of the people affected by the closure are disputing the desirability of the repairs, but it is the way the needs of others have been ignored by the contract planners.
The excuse for the closures is that it’s the only safe way to do it and that WBC are insisting on this traffic management scheme.
I suspect they may be insisting on this scheme, but only because the methodology submitted gave no alternative.
The need for scaffolding is obvious, but the closure would not be if due importance was given to the effects of it on traffic and local residents.
If you have either worked in construction or merely observed large projects in cities you would be aware of the ability to create safe working scaffolding that can accommodate temporary traffic schemes in the most restricted of areas.
The situation in Bradfield does not approach the type of situation that would be thought of as ‘difficult’ in a busy city site.
I believe there is ample space to create safe barriers, temporary road widening and other minor alterations to enable disruption to be minimised.
One has to assume the additional costs of doing so has been deemed too much by the client, presumably Bradfield College, and the assumption made that it’s all right for others have to put up with the costs of the disruption for what is a long period.
I doubt whether anything will change as the locals were only told about the problem at the end of last year and work is now under way, however I don’t like the disrespectful approach of assuming the locals can be fobbed off with a misleading sob story.
Nigel Butcher
Southend Bradfield
Giveaway at recycling centre was so well done
Last weekend (March 22/23) I visited the Padworth recycling centre for the first time to avail myself of the ‘Free soil conditioner giveaway’.
What a pleasure to see an activity so well organised by such helpful friendly staff as were those of Veolia.
“Yes, please return, there is masses to give away.”
When, in my enthusiasm, I overloaded my containers, there were staff offering to lug them to my car.
When on one hand we suffer from such as Thames Water and the ubiquitous potholes, it is a pleasure to congratulate another large organisation on exemplary work, absolutely 100 per cent.
My compost heap says thank you so much.
Julian Waghorn
Bucklebury Alley
New council won’t work for many of us
The proposal for West Berkshire Council to combine with Vale of the White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils, and to inherit part of Oxfordshire County Council, is very worrying.
Over 30,00 people live in parts of Greater Reading which currently fall under West Berkshire – areas like Calcot, Tilehurst parish and Purley.
Over the years, many residents have expressed a feeling that they are disregarded by the Newbury-based district council and only wanted to make up the numbers and for their council tax revenue.
The proposed new authority would cover a much wider area, right up to Oxford itself, as well as go as far south as Henley, but missing out Reading and Oxford City, the two main social and economic hubs of the Thames Valley.
It would be like setting up a Scottish parliament and missing out Glasgow and Edinburgh, or a Welsh Senned without Cardiff and Swansea.
It would significantly deepen the council boundary which cuts right across our area, based on borders set in 1913, before most of the current housing was built.
This would cause all sort of problems for access to council services and bear no relation to realities of real life.
Personally, I live 200 yards from the council boundary and about 2.5 miles from the Reading Civic Centre.
We are about 14 miles from Newbury as it is and likely to be much further from the distant headquarters of the proposed Ridgeway Council.
I have to go into Reading for a doctor, dentist, post office, bank and entertainment.
Most people also work in Reading or travel through Reading to get there.
I very rarely go to Newbury, and then it feels like a day trip.
I have not been to many areas of the proposed new council (if ever).
I feel that we are looking at a make-believe council which will bear no relation to people’s real lives and that West Berkshire Council should reject these proposals and consider working with their closer neighbours in Reading and Wokingham instead.
Failing this, couldn’t areas like Calcot and Tilehurst be put into Reading with the rest of West Berkshire going into Ridgeway Council?
Charles Croal
Calcot
Do people not care about Kennet Centre?
Today (Thursday, March 20) in Kennet Centre:
1. Heating off though shops obviously have own heating.**
2. Leak in ceiling in Centre Court – obviously not going to be fixed.**
3) Shops still open: Nando’s/Grape Tree/Savers/The Works/Card Factory/jewellers/cellphone shop/Timpsons/Boswells Cafe/several others, names unknown/Aladdins Cave/several stalls in Centre Court, all thriving.
Assume Vue Cinemas section not included in ‘development’.
**Classic developer behaviour.
Several short conversations reveal most people think one of above will go ahead because ‘council want the social housing don’t they?’.
They’re very fond of the Kennet Centre but feel powerless.
Not one letter in today’s Newbury Weekly News. Apathy rules.
As my grandson used to say – “I’m had enough.”
J Nelson
Hampton Road, Newbury
More needs to be done to help horses on roads
Many thanks must go to Linda Davis for her excellent letter last week summing up what all horse riders go through while riding on the roads.
Many thanks also to the Newbury Weekly News for giving the letter pride of place on the letters page.
The last place horse riders wish to ride is on the roads, but so often they have to because bridleways and byways are often not close to where land is available for horse keeping.
These days, with all the development taking place, roads that were once quiet to ride are no longer quiet.
However, we do have some very generous landowners in the area who have created paths and bridleways on their land which take riders away from busy roads, making life safer for all.
But much more needs to be done.
After much lobbying over the last 20 years or so, West Berks Council recognises horses in many of the local plans but it is not easy to find solutions which get horse riders off the roads.
Plus, those responsible for highway design seem to forget that horses are legal road users fully recognised in the Highway Code.
As a frequent traveller in my car along Hermitage Road in Cold Ash, I wonder what assessment was done for horse riders when the chicanes were put in. Any?
At least there are now horse warning signs.
Riders need to get off that road as much as possible to get to Bucklebury Alley and the wonderful network of bridleways and byways in the Pang Valley.
How about Cold Ash Parish Council allowing horse riders to use the edge of the recreation ground to avoid horses having to be ridden on the road there?
After all, it used to be a common.
Losing a horse in a road accident is something no horse rider ever forgets.
The horse rarely comes out well.
Janice Bridger
Curridge
Wellbeing Bags are a really useful idea
I recently returned a book to Theale Library and was on my way to buy some flowers for an elderly neighbour who’s feeling a bit down and lost confidence recently.
In the library, I noticed a ‘Wellbeing Bag’. I was able to borrow this using my library card.
It contained, as one might expect, various books on gratitude, positive mental health, kindness, breathwork and a practical recipe book.
However, it also included a card game rather like snap, a skipping rope, a box of Get Fit workout cards, a Pom Pom craft book, a Rubix cube, an Origami book and a few sheets to colour in, complete with a box of coloured pencils.
There were also some leaflets which I was told I could keep if they were useful.
I bought the flowers for my neighbour but also invited her over for a cuppa and to look at the library’s Wellbeing Bag.
We spent a good hour going through it.
Several items provoked a more in-depth conversation about how we were feeling, than I felt we’d have had without this prompt.
I gather West Berks Libraries has a selection of different Wellbeing bags which are available from all their libraries, although you might need to order one in.
I was really impressed by the thought that had gone into it, and wonder if other Newbury Weekly News readers would find this useful?
Sarah Swatridge
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