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Issues We Champion

West Berkshire Residents takes no position on matters of national political controversy. Our focus is entirely on the issues that affect life in West Berkshire — and where local representation can make a real difference.

1Planning and Housing

Planning is where local government has the most direct impact on residents' daily lives. It determines what gets built, where, and whether communities have any real say in the matter. West Berkshire has experienced first-hand what happens when planning decisions are driven by national targets rather than local need.

What we stand for

  • Community-led homes, for those who need them, where we need them — not developer-led estates that serve housing targets rather than communities
  • Proper scrutiny of major development proposals, like Sandleford, North East Thatcham, and the many other large-scale sites
  • Support for Neighbourhood Development Plans that give communities genuine power over their local area
  • Fairer treatment of rural communities in planning decisions — village character, infrastructure capacity and community cohesion must be considered alongside housing numbers
  • Tackling the leasehold and maintenance traps set by developers in senior living developments

North East Thatcham: A Development That Must Be Got Right

The proposed large-scale development at North East Thatcham represents one of the most significant planning challenges currently facing West Berkshire. Thousands of new homes on the northern edge of Thatcham will place enormous pressure on existing roads, schools, GP surgeries and community infrastructure — much of which is already stretched.

West Berkshire Residents believes that this development must not be waved through in the name of meeting housing targets. It demands rigorous, independent scrutiny; genuine community engagement; and cast-iron guarantees that the infrastructure needed to support it — transport links, healthcare, schools and green space — is delivered before, not after, people move in.

We will fight for Thatcham residents to have a real voice in how their town grows — and hold the council and developers accountable every step of the way.

The housing target problem

Under current government policy, West Berkshire is required to build 1,070 homes per year without an adopted Local Plan — compared to 515 with one. This is not a West Berkshire decision: it is imposed by national government, and it has led to planning applications being approved that would otherwise be rejected, because without a 5-year housing land supply, officers must recommend approval regardless of local concerns.

West Berkshire Residents supports having a robust Local Plan — but one shaped by what communities actually need, not by targets derived from political priorities elsewhere.

2Environment and Green Spaces

Around 60% of West Berkshire is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. That is not an accident: it reflects the extraordinary landscape that makes this one of the most distinctive places in southern England. Protecting it, and building on it wisely, is one of the most important responsibilities of local government.

What we stand for

  • Strong protection of the AONB in planning decisions — its designation must carry real weight
  • Local energy security (where fiscaly viable) through micro hydro, local battery storage, community schemes, solar and appropriate wind solutions — reducing dependence on the national grid and lowering costs for residents
  • Green infrastructure embedded in all significant development — not as an afterthought but as a core requirement
  • Support for local biodiversity and green corridor protection across the district
  • A genuinely sustainable approach to transport and electric vehicle infrastructure

3Local Economy and Rural Communities

West Berkshire has a thriving economy and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. But the rural communities that make up much of the district face real and growing pressures — the closure of village schools, shops, pubs and GP surgeries.

What we stand for

  • Active support for rural businesses and the rural economy through planning policy and council procurement
  • Supporting local farmers to access local markets — reducing food miles and strengthening the local food economy
  • Working with communities to develop what each village needs in order to remain viable: schools, broadband, local transport
  • Supporting community-owned assets — village halls, local amenities, community land trusts
  • A council that sees rural West Berkshire as a strength to be nurtured, not a problem to be managed

4Fair Democracy and Good Governance

West Berkshire residents deserve a council that represents them rather than serves national parties. That means structural as well as political change.

What we stand for

  • A system that fosters cooperation rather than opposition — we would remove the word 'opposition' from political vocabulary and replace it with 'minority'
  • Portfolio responsibilities matched to genuine expertise — planning decisions made by people who understand planning; environment policy shaped by people who understand the environment
  • Regular public surgeries held by every councillor across their ward — not just in election years
  • Full transparency of voting records, declarations of interest and council decisions
  • Support for proportional or preferential voting systems that ensure every vote in West Berkshire counts

5Community Infrastructure

Some of the issues that matter most to residents are concrete and specific — and they have been allowed to drag on unresolved for too long.

  • Faraday Road — the long-running failure to resolve the football ground situation in Newbury
  • North East Thatcham — ensuring that this major development proposal receives proper scrutiny and reflects what the community actually needs
  • Schools and skills development — striving for a fair start and quality education for all
  • Accessible planning information — making it easier for residents to understand what is proposed for their area and how to respond

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