The View from Shute End...

Wokingham District Councillor Annette Drake reports

The Straight Mile over the M4 at Billingbear is OPEN

Well, it will be during September. This ought make a great difference to us all, because much of the traffic was diverted through the village on to the A321 and other minor roads were being used.

Speed limit signs go up

At long last the new 30mph speed limit signs are being put in place in the village. The signs should have been in position last February, but the work was delayed, then the contractors company went into liquidation in July and the new company, which has taken over the contract, has been catching up on urgent work elsewhere in the district.

Poor Wokingham!

We are very concerned about the serious under-funding of Wokingham District Council. The Executive would like to hear your views on this subject, so a leaflet entitled Just Make it Fair is available to residents detailing the following financial facts.

These are facts that residents may not be familiar with. For example: - why do Wokingham council tax payers have to contribute 46p for every £1 spent on services, when the national average for unitary councils is 29p, and some residents only have to pay as little as 12p?

WDC will ask Central Government

• why Wokingham district secondary school pupils get £276 LESS than the average council's children
• why the council received £64 million this year (2002-3) when we need to spend £120 million on providing social services, schools, leisure facilities, housing, libraries and many environmental services such as refuse collection, trading standards and road maintenance
• and why does the council get the lowest level of Central Government funding for social services when we have the largest population in Berkshire?

Contacting your councillor

I am usually at home to speak to residents on council matters every Saturday between 10am-12noon (apart from holidays). My address is Walden Acres, Wokingham Road, my phone number is 0118 934 xxxx, and I have a new e-mail address: anmcd@btopenworld.com
The virus on my computer has been dealt with and I now have defence against future infestation.