Dear Editor,

It’s been nearly 18 months since the Liberal Democrats won control of West Berkshire Council. So it’s time for a progress report. Three things stand out.

First, housing. After making undeliverable promises during the election, and opposing the Local Plan which they’d previously supported and helped put together, the Liberals did nothing for seven months before being told to get on with it by the Government. Unfortunately, while the Liberals were being forced to finally get their act together, the dithering compounded by their Leader scuttling off after deciding standing for Parliament was more important, the new Labour government took power in July.

Labour promptly doubled West Berkshire’s annual housing requirement, while cutting targets in urban areas. Sounds bananas, and it is, but that’s Labour for you. NIMBY where their voters live, YIMBY for the rest of us. So the planning inspector insisted that North East Thatcham take 2,500 houses instead of 1,500, and the Liberal council offered up beautiful Pincents Hill in Tilehurst as a sacrificial lamb. A hugely important green space for locals, whose protection has long been campaigned for across party lines. But better there than anywhere near Newbury, right?

Make no mistake, responsibility for the destruction of Pincents Hill, and doubtless more to come, lies at the dithering feet of the Liberal Democrats.

Second, schools. The Liberal administration obscenely tried to confiscate millions of pounds from West Berkshire schools who had the temerity to put funds aside for refurbishments, recruitment, and development. Much of which had been raised by parents. Thanks to opposition scrutiny and a public outcry covered by national media, the Liberals were forced into a humiliating climbdown, but not before they had insulted Head Teachers for “not working together” and had to apologise.

Third, bins. There is a live consultation (which takes an age to complete) asking you whether black bin collections should go to a 3-week schedule, down from the current 2 weeks. The survey doesn’t tell us whether we can expect a reduction in Council Tax as compensation, but I think I can guess.

Our family is big on recycling. Everything goes in the correct bins, even those annoying plastic lids which doggedly remain attached to the bottle or carton. Yet I often have to stamp down my black bin every second Thursday. I urge all residents to brave the lengthy survey and tell WBC your views. Because we all know the Liberals plan to go to a 3-week collection.

The national picture isn’t any better. New Labour MP Olivia Bailey proudly proclaimed before the general election that Rachel Reeves had personally promised her if Labour won, we would have a brand new Royal Berkshire Hospital with the technology and equipment we all need. Now it’s not happening. It’s in the bin. Just like Labour’s promise not to put up National Insurance, which will be in their economy-crashing Budget.

Our local schools face an influx of pupils from independent schools whose parents can no longer afford the VAT-laden fees, thanks to Labour’s class-war, politics-of-envy attack on parents. It will make education more expensive and more elitist. Britain will be the only country in Europe to tax education, and the move could hit nurseries and universities too.

The money Labour says this will raise (no laughing at the back) would pay for one-third of a teacher in each state school across the country. That’s each school, not each classroom. That’s before we consider the extra pupils that schools will have to accommodate.

Ms. Bailey says she wants to save Pincents Hill – but it’s her Government which has forced rural councils to build more homes while cutting targets in Labour strongholds. She should come out and campaign against that policy, but she can’t – it would mean having to resign her PPS job in the Government. She bears collective responsibility too.

I could go on about the hapless Government’s first hundred days, but all I’ll say is it’s been the worst start to a new job since Brian Clough took over at Leeds United in 1974. And if you remember that reference, you’re probably lamenting the loss of your Winter Fuel Payment while the Government dish out billions of pounds in wage rises to their union paymasters and “overseas climate aid”.

Britain, and West Berkshire, would be better off with the Conservatives.

Councillor Ross Mackinnon: Conservative Councillor for Bradfield, Leader of the Opposition, West Berkshire Council