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Council leader David Lee believes today's borough council election results are "rather unfair" on his party

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Wokingham Conservatives lament 'unfair' election result

By Victoria Smith
May 04, 2012

Wokingham's Conservative leader believes today's borough council election results are "rather unfair" on his party.

Councillor David Lee, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, said it would have been "difficult to do anymore" in his party's 2012 election campaigning.

Wokingham Borough Council election results 2012

The Tories had a disappointing result at today's count, with the Conservative's Winnersh seat going to the Liberal Democrat's Rachelle Shepherd-Dubey and Charvil taken by independent candidate Nick Ray.

This is the first time an independent candidate has won a seat in Wokingham borough since 2002.

Councillor David Lee, leader of Wokingham Conservatives, said: "I'm a bit down because I think it would be difficult to do any more than we have done.

"We have definitely suffered a but from the whole waste thing. In all honesty, I think it's rather unfair.

"We could've just done nothing, which is what a lot of people seem to think, and hike up the council tax."

Cllr Prue Bray, leader of Wokingham Lib Dems, was delighted with the party's win in Winnersh and pleased the party held all its other seats in the borough.

She added the borough's new waste collection scheme, where all residents have been given 80 bags for waste each year, had played a big part in the Lib Dem's win in Winnersh.

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Dear Mavdo, Just read your reply, thanks. However also seen John Redwood blog about getting round wokingham with his buddy Mike, I have lived here for 16 years and have never experienced meeting any prospective candidate canvassing for office!!! Neither has anyone knocked on my door albeit they post leaflets saying " sorry I called but you were out...." and I and my family have seen them posting this literature!!!

Lewy, Winnersh
12/05/2012 at 03:41

@Lewy, Winnersh - you can see from this article that Cllr Baker does. Prue Bray and a few others are also reasonable regulars on this board. Will they read this one now? Doubtful. It's a few days old.

mavdo, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 10:15

Sorry folks, it's me again (whoops). Does anyone from WDC actually read these blogs?

Lewy, Winnersh
10/05/2012 at 17:40

Further to my last. It would have been polite when, after pushing a postcard saying "Sorry, I called but you were out....", the "poster" could have actually knocked on my door!!!! - yes, we watched him post the card!!!!!" Lewy Winnersh

Lewy, Winnersh
10/05/2012 at 17:34

Disappointed with Cllr Lee's comments. No contact made by Conservative candidate in Winnersh!!!

Lewy, Winnersh
10/05/2012 at 17:29

Wangu as the Cllr responsible for "road safety" I do take it as a personal insult to say I do not care about tihs highly important matter. Where is your evidence for your clearly biased views. If Prue was honest and you talked to her you would find that I have not only reacted but been very proactive with her on many road issues. In fact I operate this way to anyone who contacts me on issues of road safety, be it Councillor, residents group and individual residents.

Oh by the way I do not drive an expensive car and neither do my colleagues - another biased view based on no evidence.

Cllr Keith Baker
09/05/2012 at 18:24

"Councillor David Lee, leader of Wokingham Conservatives, said: "I'm a bit down because I think it would be difficult to do any more than we have done.

"We have definitely suffered a but from the whole waste thing. In all honesty, I think it's rather unfair"

Ha ha ha - this kind of comment is hilarious; consult and LISTEN to the public and stop driving decisions out of WBC thinking you know better than your residents.

Wokingham Town Centre should be regenerated without loss to ANY green space whatsoever, at least until the urban part is completed.

I don't recall any consultation on waste and recycling and, frankly, what is collected from doorsteps within the borough should be a source of acute embarrassment for the council when there are plenty of councils across the region that collect anything with a recycling triangle on it.

onemanstand, Winnersh
08/05/2012 at 09:31

Yes - Wokingham needs the regeneration, but not at the cost of green space.

Regenerate the existing town centre, keep the history & heart of Wokingham .....

Peter Turner
08/05/2012 at 08:01

It is encouraging that some Wokingham people were prepared to vote on local issues rather than the state of the national parliament in what was after all a local election. The increase in the vote for the Green party and the loss of Conservative seats was down to a number of local issues. This was not just the "waste" issue but also the plans to build housing estates on so much green space in the area and to desecrate Elms Field. Can we hope that the Conservative Council will now take some notice of the views of ther constituents on these matters. From the lack of door knocking during the election I very much doubt that they are even interested in their views.

PoneRana, Wokingham
06/05/2012 at 11:34

The reason our family did not vote this time was because of the disdain shown by WBC and the 'officers' towards the residents. 'Consultations' over the Town Centre have proved to be a farce as the reply has been 'in line with WBC plans'. In particular, the Supermarket, Elms Field, Station Link road fiasco and the chaos that will be caused by a major road (southerm perimeter road) ending up in the new Buckhurst Farm Development (30 mph because it is full of houses) over a very expensive railway bridge followed by a T Junction at London Road. Finally, the spin put out by WBC that recycling has increased. Where I live, the same people are now putting out 8 bags and no black boxes. Yes they have to pay but it still going to landfill. Everyone else is still putting out one bag per week as before but one black box per week instead of two every fortnight. As with many of the other comments made, WBC needs to take the residents seriously rather than arranging 'consultations' and then doing what it had already decided to do. That is the way it is perceived.

Stig2, Wokingham
05/05/2012 at 17:26

The "waste thing" has led us to opt out of waste collection. I'm now taking the rubbish and recycling to Small Mead weekly. Not very environmentally friendly but that's the unintended consequence. What's next, an additional charge from taking rubbish to the tip? I'm a Tory but I don't support this policy and I find Mr Lee's comments unbelievable.

PS70
05/05/2012 at 15:35

Even with that hammering, the man shows no understanding or respect for the opinions of many of the people he is elected to serve. The cons at WBC are arrogant, autocratic, and if it hadn't been for the 'true blue forever and public school' types and the 'we live in Wokingham and they look after us' voters, they would have got a lot more of what they deserved.

Bingley, Woodley
05/05/2012 at 12:41

@ Cllr. Tahir Maher, Earley. That old chestnut about unemployed youth. There's more than enough adequate support and training for the "unemployed youth". Wokingham needs the regeneration and I'd say a majority of residents back it.

Rusty Shackleford
05/05/2012 at 08:18

Prue has not added that one major deciding factor which persuaded me to vote LibDem in Winnersh is the great concern on road safety they have here; which the Conservatives don't. The waste scheme does not affect me a great deal, but road safety is paramount to my child. Not so important to the Conservatives in their expensive cars it seems. Until a fatal incident occurs, they will fail to act.

Wangu, Winnersh
04/05/2012 at 21:17

Actually, I do agree with Cllr. Lee, the results were "rather unfair". Living in Wescott my choices were the Tory who couldn't be bothered to campaign, the Labour and Lib Dem candidates that didn't have a chance, and the UKIP candidate that wanted to stop mercury laced vaccines and get in touch with Nicholas Tesla.

The entire process made a mockery of my vote and I felt completely dirty in submitting it. I suppose Cllr Lee feels it would be more fair if we had all stayed at home.