Chair’s Report 2025/2026

As I write, the groundwater is rising again, as recently predicted by our flood warden.

Water is showing in the fields between Compton and East Ilsley. I trust that all our Riperian owners have carried out their duties, ensuring the smooth flow of the Pang and the Roden through the Parish. Thank you to our Flood Warden, for your vigilance.

Mention of floodwater brings me immediately to the item that is of chief concern to all of us: namely planning and its’ implications. The Planning Application for the Institute site has been lodged and parishioners can lodge their comments now. The closure date for these comments is the 23^rd of March but they will still be accepted after that date. As a major application it will go to the West Berkshire Council Western Area Planning Committee, at a date yet to be set. It is important that you all comment individually, if you feel strongly enough, as the number of comments is a gauge of feeling within the Parish. I must stress that the Parish Council is not against the development itself, our Neighbourhood Development Plan supports this.

However, there have been issues with the application at West Berkshire Council. Due to an “administrative error”, the original condition that the Planning Committee imposed, with the assistance of Carolyne Culver, our District Councillor, ensuring no occupation until improvements to the foul water system were carried out, was omitted. We have fought to get this altered back, but West Berkshire says it is a legal instrument and cannot easily (or cheaply – we assume!) be changed. They were looking to enlist first, Homes England, then David Wilson Homes, to resolve the issue. Rest assured, this Council and the District Councillor will monitor this situation closely and attempt to ensure that the original provision is maintained in the new Permission.

The Institute site, combined with the Baxter site, will mean an extra 200 homes within the Parish. This represents a significant increase, contributing to the foul water system. Thames Water have plans submitted to “increase the capacity” of the treatment works. At no point, when I looked, did they mention the size of the increase, which to me needs to be substantial, in order to cope with the extra 200 homes, but also to ensure that there is some extra capacity to cope with further, small developments, such as the proposed one at Axis House (Raceform House).

I am pleased to say that, finally, ownership of the burial ground site has transferred to the Parish Council. We have now commissioned the required Archaeological Survey, but this may be held up by the increasing level of the water table. We will post updates on our upgraded website as progress occurs.

During this past year, we have replaced or upgraded a number of the footway lights and the programme is set to continue in the coming year. Mention of this will draw comment on the precept and its increase. This year, we have kept it below the national average, being aware of the pressure on family finances at this time.

We have also installed new flooring in the Sports Pavilion, which was achieved with 100% grant funding. There is also a new bus shelter, which has been much requested, at the Swan stop. This was also externally funded.

We have agreed to fund the “Pop-up Library”, as we believe that this is a vital commodity to rural areas. The sessions will also allow drop-in sessions by West Berks service provision from time to time. We are grateful to the Village Hall Management Committee for agreeing to waive costs for these events.

To conclude, I am grateful to all our Councillors who give their time freely, to all parishioners who support the Council, the District Councillor for her support and representation and finally, to our Clerk, without whom the Council would cease to function.