Category: Wokingham and West Berkshire Issues

I met Baroness Sugg, the Aviation Minister today.

I complained again about the narrowing of the  Compton Gate airspace control without consultation by NATs in 2014, which has concentrated more noise over Wokingham during easterly operations.  I asked for change to this arrangement. The Minister said this was not going to happen before a general review of the airspace arrangements for the enlarged Heathrow envisaged in plans for a new runway. I made early representations on this matter for this future review. I said they needed to consider  b0th better dispersion and respite periods where they currently  concentrate traffic.

I also asked for more to be done to mitigate noise of flights we are currently experiencing. The agenda includes managing out old and noisy aircraft, ensuring planes fly high enough to minimise noise, avoiding sharp turns, early deployment of undercarriage and other bad flying habits which add to noise.

I have been promised a letter setting out what more the government is and can do to alleviate the noise problem.

I went to the opening and visited many of the stalls at the Fair yesterday.

I would like to thank all the voluntary associations, companies  and charities who supported the event.

Two asked me to put out messages on this website.

Next Step Fostering said they need more volunteers to foster children. They can be contacted on 0845 6038354 or info@nextstepfostering.org

Wokingham Borough Council’s Sports and Leisure department reminded me that they have a full programme of activities for children during the summer holidays. These can be viewed on www.wokingham.gov.uk/activekids

I am meeting the Aviation Minister on 9 May in Westminster to see what more can be done to abate the excessive noise from planes over Wokingham. Anyone with strong  views and points to make should send them to me in advance, as this could help the case I am going to put.

I enclose details of today’s statement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about Breast Cancer Screening. Any constituents who have concerns should call the breast screening helpline number on 0800 169 2692:

In today’s debate on money for schools the Secretary of State promised minimum per pupil amounts for every school under his new formula. I pointed out that this year some schools in Wokingham are still below the minimum thresholds he is proposing, and urged him to speed up the adjustment of  cash for them.

I had a meeting with the Schools Minister this week in the House of Commons to push again for more money for Wokingham and West Berkshire schools. I also asked for explanations of some individual schools budgets now that I have the actual figures that Wokingham Borough are sending to the schools, as well as the indicative budget figures which the government had provided. The Minister has promised to get back to me over the detailed queries, so I will keep you posted.

I have been pressing for more cash for local schools. I have argued for a better national formula, and for more money for schools in total. I am still pressing for further improvement as I am well aware that schools would like more money.

I have just received the latest figures from Wokingham Borough Council comparing schools budgets for 2018/19 with their budgets for 2017/18.  These  budgets are still locally determined , though clearly national financial provision is an important  determinant as it settled the totals for local schools.

The figures are for Wokingham Borough as a whole, so they stretch beyond just my constituency. They show that in total the schools budgets for 2017/18 of £94.45 m have gone up by 4.5% or £4.291 to a total for 2018/19 of £98.742 m. This is a useful increase. I am urging the government to provide further increases next year. I want more from  a better national formula which gives relatively more to schools in areas  like Wokingham  which tend to  be at the lower end of the national tables for cash. I am also  seeking an increase in the general national totals for English  schools.

The local distribution of the money by school does leave a few schools with less cash. This is because they have experienced a substantial loss of pupils. As a large part of the money is provided as a per pupil payment to cover individual pupil costs of teaching and provision, loss of pupils clearly does result in less grant. Bohunt is the school that gets the largest increase to reflect its rapid growth.

I visited Beckton Dickinson at Winnersh Triangle this morning at their request. They are a fast growing medical supply company owned by an American business. They have several testing laboratories and office accommodation at Winnersh to run the UK arm of this multinational business.

We mainly discussed how new technology and smarter products can help UK medical staff in the NHS achieve higher standards of care and treatment. The Secretary of State is keen that the NHS has an open culture towards mistakes, resulting in continuous improvement to reduce harm to patients through unintended error. Beckton Dickinson aim to produce products used in medical treatment that can assist with accuracy and good outcomes.

Wokingham Borough Council has provided me with information about their potholes and road repair schedule for 2018/19.

West Berkshire Council has provided me with a map of their pothole repair program. You can also access more information about this at: http://info.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=34805&p=0