Laura was elected to represent Southlake ward in May 2015 and was re-elected in 2019 and in 2023.
I’ve been proud to stand up for South Lake since first being elected to Wokingham Borough Council in 2015. My successes include getting Fairwater Drive and Kingfisher Drive resurfaced, stopping Wallace Close car park being considered for housing development and improving the lake with new paths, dredging and clearing overgrowth.
I also led the creation of Wokingham Borough Council’s first ever Poverty Strategy and continue to work to ensure that vulnerable residents in the Borough get the support they need.
Outside of politics I am a big supporter of small business and work for a bank publicising the help it offers start ups.
Since May, when the Lib Dems took over Wokingham Borough Council, I've been horrified in that short amount of time that they are:
- doubling car parking charges,
- moving to fortnightly bin collections,
- scrapping free food waste caddy liners,
- cutting down road and pavement cleaning frequency,
- and by not having an up-to-date Local Plan are allowing developers to build in unsuitable locations.
The businesses in Woodley precinct are rightly worried about how the increase and extension of charges on shoppers will impact footfall. I am grateful to the many small businesses who hosted our petition. We want a thriving precinct and need to fight the Lib Dems’ charges to keep it this way.
My family’s roots in Woodley started in the 1960s and I would like residents to put their trust in me again to continue to work to protect Woodley’s green spaces, support a thriving precinct and cut down on anti social behaviour. As your elected councillor, I will listen to your concerns and work hard to keep weekly bin collections, stop the parking charge increases and re-introduce free food caddy liners for households.
I want to continue to be a strong voice for the community and make a difference with the issues I know from my street surgeries really matter to local people.”
Thank you to everyone who voted for me.
