Your letters...

Mandatory targets only

Sir, — Further to Leigh Rawlins’s letter (Standard, December 2) there is much with which I agree but I don’t see a solution offered.

The smaller villages will only produce a neighbourhood plan providing for an increase in housing numbers if they are forced to.

Do you think parish councillors will be elected on a manifesto to increase housing numbers by 10 per cent? I don’t think so.

But that is the only realistic way that the market is going to deliver “affordable” housing in these villages.

Otherwise developers will continue to build large houses on infill sites with all the land value uplift passing to the lucky landowner and no benefit going to the community which grants the consent.

Without mandating the smaller villages to allocate sites, the politics dictate that housing will not be planned for and government planning inspectors will continue to force unwanted development on communities which have no means of defence without the five-year housing supply.

Mr Rawlins claims that South Oxfordshire District Council does have a five-year housing supply.

However, at every recent appeal hearing it has been found that it does not.

In the most recent appeal at Cholsey Fields, where J T Leavesley is proposing more than 400 new dwellings, the company’s lawyers have submitted evidence that the land supply is less than four years.

The council continues to lose as it is crystal clear that the strategic sites are too large and complicated to be delivered in the next five years.

Had the local plan seen through its original 10 per cent planned growth in the smaller villages then we would not be in this mess and Shiplake would not have had the 35 per cent growth “dumped” on it.

In turn, this development would also support what services remain in these villages and prevent the “pensioner pockets” that Mr Rawlins righty referred to. What’s not sustainable about that?

There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel.

Michael Gove, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, has given into pressure from his backbench MPs and accepted an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently going through Parliament which scraps mandatory housing numbers. Instead they will be “advisory” .

At a stroke, this should prevent unwanted development but the danger is that this will lead to no development at all. In which case where is the “affordable” housing going to come from?

Without mandatory housing numbers do people think that the few affordable houses that are being delivered in larger villages, such as Goring and Sonning Common, through neighbourhood plans would be built? Not a chance. — Yours faithfully,

Peter Neville

Managing director, Elegant Homes, Caversham

UK farmers are the best

Sir, — I read with interest and, surprisingly, some sympathy the letter for Kerry Hopkins and her quest for Henley Royal Regatta to meet her current dietary requirements, vegan foods (Standard, December 9).

Until recently, she was a flexitarian, whatever that is.

Kerry has now gone vegan and best of luck to her on this, eating plant-based foods, imported from all around the world, grown in unknown conditions and harvested, often, by modern day slaves, delivered with untold food miles and incurring extra costs, as our woke Oxfordshire County Council has found.

What really gets my craw is the comments she makes on UK agriculture, saying: “I went vegan after seeing the horrific abuse and suffering that many animals endure on factory farms and small farms in UK and abroad.”

I cannot and will not comment on how animals are produced abroad simply because, like Kerry, I don’t know enough about their animal welfare and food hygiene, but what I do know is that in the UK our animal welfare and food safety is second to none and the comments she made are disingenuous to UK farmers and made with little or no knowledge of UK agriculture.

I wish Kerry “best of luck” with veganism, or whatever the next fad is, but please get your facts right on UK farming if you wish to go public about our safe, home-produced foods.

I am glad she can afford the privileged enclosures at Henley Royal Regatta. — Yours faithfully,

David Orpwood

Watlington

Divided, we will fail

Editor, — In her Going Green column, Diana Barnett points to COP27 making very little progress and wealth being focused on the very few who are exploiting the planet’s resources to further increase their personal wealth (Standard, December 9).

The public are bombarded with “bigger is better” and “more is good” for there lies the profits of the big corporations.

This has led to our deeply divided society of the haves and the have nots — of exotic holidays and food banks.

A society divided is a failed society. Christmas is a time for coming together, building a united community and remembering that small can be beautiful.

I applaud Dr Will Hearsey’s proposal of collective action by switching off all unnecessary lights to make a major contribution to saving energy.

He refers to what can be achieved when people employ the “Dunkirk spirit” and people push from the ground up rather than have policies imposed from above.

Indeed, people working together often know better than their misguided so-called masters who have often dismissed “community” in pursuit of their own personal ambitions.

Working together for the common good is what life is about and indeed “we are all Jock Tamson’s bairns”. — Yours faithfully,

Douglas Wright

Lowfield Green, Caversham

Don’t close ticket offices

Editor, — I’m appalled to learn that the Government and rail industry are looking to close almost 1,000 ticket offices at stations across the country.

I care about ticket offices because if they are closed, it will be devastating for disabled people, the elderly, people with learning difficulties and many more who rely on being able to speak to someone at a station in order to be able to get around.

Staff at stations are crucial for access to information, waiting rooms and facilities — and losing them will have a big impact on safety. Despite the massive implications for passengers, the Government says that it will not consult.

I support the rail strikes and I believe that ticket offices and station staffing need to be protected. I hope the Government will see sense. — Yours faithfully,

Gillian Higginson

Kirton Close, Reading

Less parking space please

Sir, — I am writing in response to your story headlined “Town doesn’t have enough parking space” (Standard, December 9).

We don’t want more parking space in Henley. This simply encourages people to use their cars more: bad for their health, the environment and the town, which is already seriously congested and polluted.

Some progressive continental towns may only allow cars to enter during restricted hours.

This does not seem to detract from their vitality. Far from it. The opposite occurs.

We want to bring people into town to shop, socialise, and generally enjoy themselves. Walking, cycling and public transport should be encouraged.

Perhaps we should have park and ride like Oxford, i.e., park outside town and then walk, cycle, or catch a bus into town. Please let’s have less parking space, not more. — Yours faithfully,

John Thornley

Makins Road, Henley

Shops should shut doors...

Have the shops in Henley not heard about the energy crisis?

I walked down the street on Saturday when it was -5C and most of the shops had their doors wide open. What a waste of energy and money.

Common sense is needed, it’s not rocket science. — Yours faithfully,

Lewis Every

Swiss Farm, Henley

...and look more festive

Editor, — Firstly, I appreciate that rents, utility bills and the general cost of living have rocketed, impacting on shopkeepers, but where is the festive atmosphere in Henley?

Driving through the town looking at the lights, what a depressing sight.

Looking at the very few, and ridiculously small, Christmas trees over limited shops, I cast my mind back to previous years to the festive delights that once lit up our beautiful town.

Come on, shopkeepers, spread a little more festive spirit. — Yours faithfully,

Name and address supplied

Please shop locally

This week we have heard about yet another store in Henley that will be closing and, sadly, I have no doubt others will follow.

It is such a sad indication of the tough times we are currently going through and I feel for all the people affected.

Hopefully, the shops won’t remain empty for long as Henley thankfully always attracts new businesses to the high street.

In the meantime, I cannot stress enough how important it is for everyone to support their local independents at this time.

We all work so hard to give the town something different in the way of product and service so please, before you press the “buy” key on your keyboard, “Think Local”.

Whether retail, hospitality or other businesses, we rely on your support, especially at this time of year.

Thank you and Merry Christmas, everyone. — Yours faithfully,

Laurence Morris

Laurence Menswear, Duke Street, Henley

Computer whizz

One of Henley’s hidden gems is Oliver, who runs Cartridge Zone at 21 Greys Road.

Many people might not know that he is an absolute genius at repairing laptops, computers etc.

He has an MSc in tech type things and he is patient, efficient and a beautiful person.

At night he works in the Royal Berkshire Hospital as a pharmacist. What a guy.

If you have tech problems or want things explaining, Oliver has the solutions. — Yours faithfully,

Clara Sherriff

Ravenscroft Road, Henley

Tireless teachers

Editor, — Thank you for your article on my new business, Smudge Art Club (Standard, December 9).

I would like to clarify a few points for anyone, like me, who was surprised on reading the opening paragraphs.

I did indeed teach at Thameside Primary School for 10 years, where I was always encouraged and supported to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.

I know first-hand that the teachers there work tirelessly to find opportunities for creative learning for their students.

My own children attended Thameside and as a parent I was grateful for the imaginative, high-quality education provided to them.

Teachers everywhere have a hugely demanding job with ever increasing responsibilities and I have enormous respect for all of them.

Leaving the profession was the right decision for me personally but I am so happy to have founded Smudge Art Club.

It is a perfect combination of my love of art and education, where I can promote creativity in partnership with local schools. — Yours faithfully,

Emma O’Donovan

Smudge Art Club, Caversham

Sparing the donkeys

Sir, — Last week’s Hidden Henley mentioned two donkey wheels at Greys Court and ended with a thought for the poor donkeys.

The donkeys did have to work hard on the vertical Tudor donkey wheel in the wheelhouse.

However, the horizontal wheel near the shop is 19th century and shows a change of technology.

It was powered by two horses, pumping water from a deep well into a tank in the roof space of the horse wheel.

It was moved from Shabden Park to Greys Court and restored in the Seventies. — Yours faithfully,

Belinda Fairthorne

Greys Court History Group, Shiplake

Thanks for helping me

Goolam Moolla wants to say thank you to “Richard” (who was driving a silver Mercedes saloon) and two other gentlemen who stopped and helped him after a fall in Reading Road, Henley.

They took him to our home in Mill Lane, where he was staying with us.

This was much appreciated and Goolam wants to say a grateful thanks to all three for helping him after his fall.

We would also like to say “thank you” for this very kind and helpful assistance to our good friend and so does Goolam’s wife Josephine, who appreciated getting her slightly damaged but shaken husband back in one piece before returning to their home in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. — Yours faithfully,

Michael and Pat Paul

Mill Lane, Henley

Patient assistant

I want to say thank you to Jenny for her endurance manning the post office counter in Reading Road, Henley, on her own on many occasions over the last two weeks.

Queues have been out of the door and she has been the only one behind the counter dealing with everything.

She has always been very patient and never grumbled and she takes her time. — Yours faithfully,

June Hawker

Bell Street, Henley