Page 1133 - Reading Mercury

The pool is expected to attract an estimated 250,000 visitors a year and is due to open
next year.

MARTIN’S POOL POLL DAY IS APRIL 15
Wokingham people will vote on the future of Martin’s Pool on Monday April 15.
The district council which owns the pool was left no alternative but to hold the poll
after it was demanded at a town meeting. Voters will be asked two questions:
1. Are you in favour of keeping Martin’s Pool as a public amenity for the town?
2. 2. Do you object to the sale of Martin’s Pool for development?
The district council has agreed to appoint a returning officer to deal with the
referendum.
Now the council is obliged to make the public aware of the poll. All costs involved in
running and advertising the referendum, estimated at between £3,000 and £4,000, will
be charged to the town council, although the district council will bear a small
percentage in terms of staff time for organising the poll.
The result is unlikely to alter the district council's plans to sell Martin’s Pool for
housing and offices to help finance the new indoor pool. Lynne Griffith, chairman of
the district’s recreation committee, confirmed that he was not obliged to take any
notice of the result of the poll. It was democracy that people could call for a town poll
on issues. But she thought the questions to be asked in this instance were loaded. They
haven’t addressed the problem of finance and whether anyone would be prepared to
pay an increased poll tax to keep the pool open.

Thur 11th April
DAY OF PRIDE FOR THE NEW HIGH SHERIFF
Berkshire’s new High Sheriff was this week due to be sworn in for his term of office
at a special inauguration ceremony at Reading Magistrates Court Lewis Moss, of
Queensmere, Sandhurst Road, Wokingham, was appointed High Sheriff by the
Queen, taking over the office from Lady Elizabeth Godsal. The office of High Sheriff
is the oldest secular position in the country and Captain Moss is one of only 50 nation
wide.
Captain Moss, aged 69, is no stranger to civic life, having been a county councillor
for nearly 20 years. He was made a CBE in 1985.
During his year of office he hopes to raise funds for the St. John Ambulance and the
Royal Berkshire Community Trust. Captain Moss is due to be sworn in by the Lord
Lieutenant of Berkshire, John Henderson, on Tuesday.

th
Sat 18 April
THE VOTE FOR MARTIN’S POOL IS A TRIUMPH SAYS WOKINGHAM
SOCIETY
Wokingham has voted a resounding “Yes” in favour of retaining Martin’s open air
pool. In Monday’s poll, the number of people who voted to keep the pool was 3,255
to just 83 against a majority of 3,172. And 3,201 voted against selling the pool site for
development with 88 in favour.

Thur 2nd May
EX-MAYORESS OF WOKINGHAM DIES
Thelma Chapman, a former mayoress of Wokingham, has died in Bournemouth at
the age of 79. Mrs. Chapman was married to Lieut. Col. Bill Chapman, Wokingham’s
mayor, who died while holding office in 1969.

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