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I hope this is not a slippery slope ?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/vodafone-leaseback-plans-unveiled-9245130/

For the avoidance of doubt Laura you are supposed to represent the views of your constituents (all of them !) not the secular interests of the party, particularly when so clearly wrong and misguided.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/mp-defends-owen-paterson-vote-9225249/

Today in Newbury's Northbrook Street the Artisan Market enjoyed perfect weather which brought out the crowds and reminded us of how normal life should look like. Life still has it difficulties and the winter ahead may be turbulent but we should all be grateful that we can still enjoy our community when the opportunity arises. No doubt a lot of hard work went into the event from all involved but it is a reminder that we have a lot to be thankful for.

This has a smell that is distinctly piscine about it ?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/disbelief-as-18-metre-high-telephone-mast-is-erected-in-newb-9212423/

On the face of it this may sound sensible, but when services rely on teams of people working and communicating together there may be all sorts of unwanted consequences in fragmenting the workforce. The pandemic may have provided an excuse to rush in where angels fear to tread ?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/council-looking-to-move-out-of-offices-9206582/

It is perhaps the clearest evidence of our councils ability to shoot it's own most vulnerable constituents in the foot that a volunteer service gets tangled up in bureaucratic nonsense. This becomes doubly annoying when the sums involved are so small. Perhaps the new CEO of West Berkshire Council, when appointed, will take a more enlightened view as to the needs of the frail and elderly ? Shameful.

 https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/anger-and-despair-of-newbury-areas-readibus-users-9195662/

Just who is advising Laura ? A string of poor choices almost suggests a deliberate undermining of her potential ?


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/coronavirus/34215/newbury-mp-laura-farris-backs-vaccine-passports.html

Not sure I would want to live near a foreseeable radiation hazard and given the poor state of commercial property investments this seems much more like a proper use of money and land by the council that ticks a lot of very real boxes. Whatever the future holds power is a key resource and will always have a market. Green energy(so far)is not a total solution but can and should make a huge contribution to future needs.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/33495/10m-solar-farm-could-be-built-on-west-berkshire-council-land-at-grazeley.html

Hmmm. Anyone spot the potential for a conflict of interest in the decision making process ? Perhaps WBC as the planning authority should recuse itself from the approval process or forego the provision of office space ?

 https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/32773/concern-over-height-of-rebuilt-kennet-centre-in-newbury.html

I wonder if Laura can understand why this does not sit well when the Chancellor has just splurged billions of pounds in other support ? It can be wise at times to take the blinkers off of personal opinion and do some real research at ground level across the country before voting on the basis of fixed beliefs. Not a good look or optics to use the modern vernacular Laura.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/32401/newbury-mp-laura-farris-votes-against-motion-to-extend-free-school-meals.html

Daughter went for a Covid test today. Was told to insert swab herself and aim for the tonsils (she had no idea where they are). Given the unreliability of the PCR test anyway this suggests that accuracy is not a requirement. Making up the results to suit an agenda ? This has got past a joke.

A clear statement of accounts or something else ? I will let you decide.


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/31475/west-berkshire-council-underspent-more-than-50m.html

Without comment - I leave you to make your own mind up.


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/31380/secret-justice-public-and-press-barred-from-reading-magistrates-courts.html

Leaders always need to show that they are made of the right stuff. With the first really lucid comment on the pandemic I have read from a politician is it possible we have a future Prime Minister in the making in Laura ?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/30691/newbury-mp-laura-farris-on-schools-reopening.html

Good to hear that the council has a plan in place. Let's all hope that the situation is contained without the need for extreme measures until a vaccine can be developed for this very nasty virus. With common sense and self restraint we should be able to come through this without too much damage being done, although the financial implications put us into uncharted territory. Stay safe and best wishes to all.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/29501/west-berkshire-council-reveals-it-has-coronavirus-plan-in-place.html

This is an interesting decision that poses some governance issues that need resolving. How does the authority in charge of planning separate these decisions from it's commercial projects and protect itself from accusations of land price manipulation as well when running such a building development scheme ? Anyone with a good answer ?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/29018/council-could-set-up-own-housing-company.html

Yet more traffic disruption is being unleashed on Newbury and Thatcham residents - this time with a scheme of questionable value. Having created bottlenecks further along the A4 with the introduction of barely used cycle lanes (that as a cyclist myself I avoid because the introduce risk at various stages) this scheme will only funnel more traffic into congested areas and do nothing to improve traffic ?

Newbury is slowly grinding to a halt under the guise of road improvements that just don't deliver.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/28926/roadworks-disruption-in-newbury-from-january-until-summer-2020.html

This is one of the best proactive initiatives I have heard of in ages. My only hope is that the same conditions of entry are used daily in the Houses of Parliament to ensure our politicians and their aids are fit for purpose as well.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/28584/gotcha-cocaine-users-caught-in-town-centre-police-op.html

Interesting article. If such ramifications are to be kept secret are we to assume the council take full responsibility for any ensuing foul ups and consequential disasters that occur because of their lack of foresight created by the lack of public scrutiny ? Alternatively openness and public debate and engagement would surely shift the onus of responsibility to all - they are after all the voters behind the larger political and economic consequential events of Brexit ? Just a thought.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/28539/council-leader-condemns-brexit-leak.html

Interesting to see the kind of language being used in both the report and the NWN article. Previously it had been clear that things at Birchwood had slid to a very low and unacceptable level under the previous provider. Now under WBC control the two key areas of effectiveness and care are rated as good - these being the things that affect the service users most directly and also those things that take the greatest amount of effort to improve. That this has been achieved in a relatively short timescale is to be applauded. It would certainly be more effective and morale boosting for inspection reporting to recognise this and congratulate the team, encouraging future progress, than to be so critical of other areas still needing work? Progress is a series of steps in the right direction not one big leap. Just a thought.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/28345/council-run-care-home-still-requires-improvement.html