Concern over Croft footways

The narrow footways or lack of paths at The Croft in Hungerford are causing problems to some residents, a meeting has heard

The matter was raised at Hungerford Town Council's highways and transport committee on Monday night.

Deputy committee chairman Richard Hudson acknowledged the issue, stating: "The narrow footways in The Croft are aren't very satisfactory. But that's just the way it is."

West Berkshire Council is the highways authority but the town council can raise such issues in an advisory capacity.

Councillor Rob Chicken conceded there was little that could, in practice, be done, but added: "I wanted to be able to say we'd discussed it if anyone raises complaints."

Town clerk Claire Barnes told the meeting: "We have previously agreed to write to West Berkshire Council about the issue, so I'll ensure that's done."

(Newbury Weekly News, 28th February 2019)

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Rules governing the meetings of Hungerford Town Council’s highways and transport committee.

Following an inquest which found that the tragic death of a highway and transport committee member was due to ‘fatal boredom’, the following rules must be observed at every committee meeting for the protection of its members. Should these rules prove insufficient to prevent attendees becoming overcome by dangerous levels of boredom, committee members are empowered to add supplementary directives.

1. At least one committee member must change his or her name to that of a farmyard animal for the duration of the session
2. Other committee members must adopt temporary names based on anagrams of ‘In road crud shh’ and ‘Canal berries’
3. Means must be found to insert the lyrics of a popular song from the 1980s into the minutes of the meeting. Extra points will be awarded for songs by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
4. Every time a committee member utters the words ‘West Berkshire’, all other committee members must immediately jump up and do a monkey impression. The impression must be silent and will not be recorded in the minutes
5. Wherever possible, committee members should assert that things both ‘are’ and ‘aren’t’ a certain way, in order to avoid having to take definite action on one side or the other
6. As long as a matter has been discussed in even the most cursory way, committee members are authorised to blow a raspberry in the face of anyone who complains while thumbing their nose and waggling their fingers
7. It is understood that members who make statements while doing an exaggerated wink, mean the opposite of what they say. For example, a member who states ‘I’ll ensure that’s done’ while squeezing one eye shut and making elbow-nudging gestures, can be understood to say ‘I definitely won’t be doing that’
8. On no account should any concrete action be undertaken in regards to highways and transport on any grounds whatsoever