Newsletter – Summer 2023

website:-acerwhitegates.org.uk

In this issue:-

AGM Report

Parking Survey Results

New Colour Magazine to replace most issues of this Newsletter

Benefits of ACER Membership

Our MP responds to issues raised by ACER.

                              Tree Planting completed in Bulmershe Park and Orchard

                                             Pothole reporting and logging

AGM Summary (see AGM Minutes on our website)

• The meeting was delighted to have Neville Sibley elected to the Committee. All previous Committee Members were re- elected. Committee members are listed at the end of this Newsletter. It was noted that the key positions of Secretary and Communications Officer remain vacant, leaving existing committee members to cover these functions as best as they can.
• The Treasurer reported a bank balance of £2340.44, but reported that without increasing paid-up membership, ACER was projected to run at an operating loss.  The principal expenses being Newsletter printing and hall hire.
• The Chair’s report included the progress made by ACER on several issues including Parking, the government’s intention to introduce street votes on Planning Applications, responses from Wokingham Borough Council on issues going back to 2021, Tree planting, Litter picking, Speeding, and Communications with residents. The Chair reported on a number of issues which had reached the point where support from our local MP, Matt Rodda, was needed, both in Parliament and at local level. These issues were to be forwarded to Matt in writing.
• The Chair stated that by having a Residents Association, residents’ issues have been noticed, better understood and listened to by those in authority. Getting results was never going to be quick or easy, but as an association ACER has made positive progress with some notable successes.  
• The proposal to align the membership renewal date to the accounting year, end of January, was unanimous.
• The proposal to replace 3 out of 4 Newsletters per year with a Colour Magazine was passed by a significant majority.  Due to the cost of producing a colour magazine, distribution will be limited to paid-up members. This existing Newsletter which goes to all 1600 households in Whitegates will be limited to one issue per year. Maiden Erleigh Residents Association reported that they had found that having the magazine significantly increased their membership, with 80% of residents recently signed up in one street.  A joint magazine publication with MERA is planned for a trial period of a year.  The first such magazine is planned for late 2023.  Hope was expressed, that with appropriate canvassing, a similar boost to ACER membership could be achieved.
• In the open session a number of concerns were raised by residents, and were taken up by our local councillors, including footbridge closure over the railway, an accident involving a cyclist on a wide pavement colliding with a resident exiting their drive, and ongoing traffic jams near the Mosque on Fridays.
• Following the formal meeting, the bar remained open and residents took the opportunity to chat informally amongst themselves, to Committee Members and to the local Councillors.

Parking Survey Results (see ACER website for the full results as sent by WBC)

Councillor Shirley Boyt was sent the results of the ‘Hilltop Parking Survey’, which you may recall included most of  the streets in Whitegate, and which ALL residents in Whitegates were encouraged to respond to.  ACER was pleased to see a reasonable quantity of responses, despite the misleading survey title which only mentioned Hilltop Road. ACER was pleased to note that ALL the comments we were aware of which had been raised by residents had been noted in the official WBC report.  The next stage is for WBC officers to come up with some ideas for resolving the issues raised.  Instead of imposing their solutions, WBC has stated all their ideas for easing the problems will be reviewed with residents before any final decisions are made.  ACER is delighted, as this is very unlike previous occasions where WBC policies were imposed on residents with only token ‘consultations’. We look forward to some constructive dialogue.

New Colour Magazine

Since our AGM, the Maiden Erlegh Residents Association have approved the idea of a joint colour magazine based on their own magazine, adapted to appeal to Whitegates residents. Articles in the magazine are of general interest as well as ‘hot topics’ of special interest to members. If you have a special hobby or interest and would like to write a short article for the magazine they would be welcomed.  The magazine is to be produced three times a year.  There will be no increase in donation but to receive your 3 copies you will have to be a paid-up member.

Benefits of ACER Membership

As a group organisation, ACER is able to get concerns raised by residents to the attention of those in authority, and often pursue a response more persistently and effectively than a lone resident. ACER has raised its profile in recent years and is now well known to Councillors and local government officials in both Earley Town Council and Wokingham Borough Council, and indeed our local MP for Reading East, Matt Rodda. Getting results was never going to be quick or easy, but as an association ACER is persistent and has had some successes and made progress on others. If we now add the colour magazine as an additional benefit, £2 per year per household is surely good value for money.  ACER is here to help all Whitegates residents. ACER members currently comprise a wide age group plus members of all political and religious beliefs.  If you are a ‘lapsed’ member or are considering joining please get in touch. If you would like to help spread the word in your street you will be supported by a committee member.

MP Responds to Issues Raised by ACER  (see detailed responses on our Website)

As mentioned in the AGM report, a number of issues had reached the point where support from our MP for Reading East, Matt Rodda, was in a position to take up concerns on our behalf.  Matt duly responded with detailed replies to the following issues: a) London Rules On No Parking being extended to Grass Verges, b)WBC Parking Standards to take account of the number of tenants in rented and enlarged properties, c) Ref Government Planning Reforms, we requested (i)Planning decisions at Ward level as opposed to Street Level to make local decisions more viable, (ii)to ensure Permitted Development (PD)is subservient to Local Planning Authority rules and design codes, plus all PD plans to be submitted to Planning to ensure they comply. (iii) To address building works which do not comply with building regulations.

 Tree Planting

 ACER has been supporting the Friends of Bulmershe Open Space (FoBOS) who have been instrumental in planting 300 new trees and bushes to replace and supplement the trees in the public area of Bulmershe green space and Park. Different trees are suited to different locations and Wokingham Borough council have stated they are planning a ‘palette’ of tree types for different locations which will be available to the public to help owners enhance their own properties.  ACER is aware of the positive contribution trees make to the character of Whitegates and is considering  pushing for new tree planting on grass verges. ACER is aware of the disadvantages of some species including Lime, which can buckle pavements and leave hard to remove ‘leaf spit’ on cars.

Pothole Reporting and Logging

Residents are being asked to report potholes using the Wokingham Borough reporting system, which ensures the report goes to the correct department. The Resident gets a reference number which is intended to allow progress to be tracked.  Residents have reported that the fault log disappears well before the pothole is filled in.  This has been taken up by Councillor Andrew Mickleburgh, and an internal investigation is underway to rectify this process issue.

***PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH: Urgent messages and notices will be sent to members via ACER Whitegates Google Group.  

ACER CONTACTS – email: chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk Committee: Tim Marsh (Chair), George Blackmore (Vice Chair). Siôn Williams (Treasurer), Naomi Cambridge, Jenny Carr, Graham May, Neville Sibley.

Local WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCILLORS: Tony Skuze anthony.skuze@wokingham.gov.uk Andy Croy andy.croy@wokingham.gov.uk; Shahid Younis shahid.younis@wokingham.gov.uk;

Local EARLEY TOWN COUNCILLORS: Sheila Jordan sheilajordan@earley-tc.gov.uk; Sheena Matthews sheenamatthews@earley-tc.gov.uk 07766 424098, Hari Sarasanharisarasan@earley-tc.gov.uk;

If you have a local street representative, they are:       _______________________________________      at _________________________________