http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/resinst...says-enthusiast

Better still, completely close the A34 and make it a double track.

As the drifts of litter on both sides of the dual carriageway in town get deeper by the day I wonder what message West Berkshire Council is trying to send to those arriving in our fair town.

Could it be that they want them to be impressed by the fact that they aren't spending taxpayer's money on trivial matters like clearing up litter?

Perhaps they're being brutally honest 'This is a pretty sh*t town, get used to it'

Or maybe the thinking is that any publicity is good publicity?

Is it a tourist attraction, arranged by our very own tourism officer? (Who knew we had one of those?! Great that we can afford one and a much better use of council tax payer money than cleaning our streets.)

The A339 isn't the only area of impressive litter build up but most of those visiting or passing through Newbury must drive along it and have a chance to marvel at the council's wisdom and foresight. Well done!

unless the parking spaces are filled with office workers.......

I have a feeling you'll still be able to catch a bus at the railway station.

Isn't that what we'll be getting?

There is still a roundabout next to the clock tower they could use.

So you'd be happy then if the land was sold & the cash raised was invested in the same scheme.

Wasn't there supposed to be a green area at Parkway?

What ever happened to good old-fashioned, putting it out to tender?

Two options -

1). sell the land to the highest bider & have no real say in what is built on it.

2). enter into an agreement with a developer & contribute the land for free & to get a far greater say in what gets built.

They made the 'mistake' of putting the plans for the pavilion in the public arena, I suspect they won't be doing that again too soon. Bloody constituents!

Response time for a high speed train to 'dip' the pantograph?

Let's talk about issues in Victoria ward since I got involved in local politics.

CCTV
Pavilion
Skate Park
Play area / fence
Cracks
Speeding buses
Vandalism of Victoria Park kiosk
Faraday Road development / threat to football ground
Threat of a bus lane on the A4
Rats along the canal / back of Poundstretcher
Reduction is staff at railway station
Affordable housing at the racecourse and a proposed reduction of number of affordable homes
Delays to the new roundabout on Hambridge Road, first raised by me last year, later recycled by Lib Dems
Lack of security and police cover around the industrial areas
Safety along footpath of canal
Phasing of traffic lights at Robin Hod and Sainsbury lights
Lack of road improvements to accommodate Parkway traffic
Removal of public use of Bayer car park at weekends

I'm sure there are many more, and I have the press cuttings and audio recordings of the coverage my efforts secured for those issues. If the byelection result was based on hard work and representing the community in that ward, is there many people who would be chosen ahead of me?

My main campaign pitch (if selected by the party) will be that I want greater transparency at the town council, starting with full disclosure of the cause of the parkway cracks issue so residents and businesses in the ward can finally claim on their insurance and receive compensation from whoever was responsible.

Secondly, I would be lobbying for a reduction in the annual turnover of the council. At a time when people are choosing between eating or heating, is it right that we spend this much money on a parish council with very limited powers?

There are many other issues that are important in that ward right now, and whoever the Labour Party candidates may be will fight this election with real passion about doing things differently and injecting fresh, young blood into local politics.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx9R4TquxF8

I saw his video on the Newbury and Thatcham Facebook page. What struck me was how little has changed, the empty buildings are still empty, there's not that many shoppers and there's scaffolding up. I wondered if my impression of Newbury once being a great town with loads going was a bit rose tinted? I wonder if age has something to do,with it, or if the video was shot on a bad day?

So why will the High Street fail, but not Retail Parks? High Streets have a nicer environment (if you like crazy paving), no traffic, lots of pubs and restaurants, buses passing nearby and so on. What have retail parks got that the high street hasn't?

See this: http://goo.gl/Af3rj Has to be good news for Newbury. I particularly
like the idea of moving the bus station further from the rail station: provides healthy exercise for all those people who have been sitting around/standing in trains for ages.

Its a far better and more pleasant environment. Perhaps there are a few who think that a pleasant wander round the shops, followed by a coffee can be achieved at the Retail Park, if so, good luck to them. Simple though they may be, Newbury town more than satisfies my needs, even for heavy electrical appliances at John Lewis and Iceland. I can certainly think of better things to do than sit and wait on the link road for the traffic to clear and then put up with trying to find a free 'free' parking space!