🌟 Reflecting on 2025 as Your Councillor for Clewer & Dedworth East 🌟
As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2025 and the work I’ve continued to do on your behalf as councillor for Clewer & Dedworth East.
It has been another demanding and, at times, challenging year for local government. Throughout it, my focus has remained firmly on representing residents, raising concerns, and working constructively to secure better outcomes for our community. As a Borough First Independent, I believe strongly in collaboration, integrity and respect — values that guide how I approach this role.
🏘️ Supporting Residents and Tackling Local Issues
A significant part of my role continues to be supporting residents directly. This year I have helped residents with a wide range of issues, including fly-tipping, bin collection problems, parking concerns, highways matters and neglected public spaces. I have reported numerous cases of fly-tipping and will continue to do so, as it blights neighbourhoods and is unfair on residents who take pride in where they live.
I have also supported residents facing serious housing issues. Some of the living conditions I have seen this year have been genuinely shocking. I have worked closely with Abri to challenge these situations and push for improvements, particularly where damp, mould and long-standing maintenance issues were affecting people’s health and wellbeing.
One example that sums up the frustration many residents feel was a case where a tree owned by Abri had been overhanging a resident’s garden for months. It should not have taken that long, but after persistent chasing the work was finally completed, and it was a huge relief to see a very happy resident at the end of it.
🌳 Community Spaces, Environment and Open Spaces
This year I tackled graffiti in Osgood Park, including on the bench dedicated to the memory of Peter Osgood. Public spaces and memorials should be treated with respect, and I will always act quickly when this is not the case.
I also supported a group of residents who worked tirelessly to try to save a beautiful willow tree in an area adjacent to my ward. Sadly, despite our best efforts, the tree was ultimately removed by the council. While the outcome was deeply disappointing, I was proud to stand alongside residents and ensure their concerns were properly voiced, even when they were not ultimately heard.
🚧 Highways and Infrastructure
I have continued to challenge highways on behalf of residents throughout the year, raising issues around road conditions, safety and communication. While progress can often feel slow, I will keep pressing until concerns are properly addressed.
💧 Thames Water and Clewer Hill Road
In collaboration with Jack Rankin MP, I am particularly proud of the work I have done to bring long-standing Thames Water issues on Clewer Hill Road to the attention of the council and ensure they were formally raised and pursued. This has now resulted in major works being undertaken.
I fully appreciate how disruptive these works continue to be for residents and businesses, and I thank everyone for their patience. While it has been a headache for many, the good news is that the final phase is now in sight, and these works should deliver long-overdue improvements to essential infrastructure.
🏗️ Planning and Local Businesses
I have continued to get involved in local planning issues, supporting both residents and businesses as they navigate the planning process. This includes helping people understand proposals, raising concerns where appropriate, and ensuring that local voices are properly represented. Good planning decisions matter — they shape our neighbourhoods and affect how local businesses can operate and grow.
⚽ Supporting Local Sport
I have continued to speak up for grassroots sport and local clubs, including Windsor & Eton Football Club. It has been fantastic to see both the men’s and women’s teams promoted this year — a real achievement and a credit to everyone involved. The successes of the youth teams have also been remarkable, reflecting the huge amount of time, commitment and care put in by volunteers, coaches and families. The club makes a genuinely positive contribution to the community, providing opportunities for young people, promoting teamwork and helping to build strong local connections.
🇬🇧 Civic Life and State Visits
This year also saw three state visits to Windsor, including two public visits by the Presidents of France and Germany. I attended these visits and it was genuinely uplifting to see the streets of Windsor so busy, welcoming and vibrant. It was particularly lovely to see the flags flying along Thames Street, adding to the sense of occasion and highlighting Windsor’s unique role on the world stage. Events like these bring real energy to the town and are a reminder of the pride so many people feel in our local area.
📣 A Note on Updates and Visibility
You may notice that I do not publish monthly “activity lists” or regular self-promotional updates. That is a conscious choice. My role as a councillor is to serve residents and help resolve issues, which I do every day through casework, meetings, emails and persistent follow-up. Much of that work is not visible on social media, but it is very real to the residents I support. I would rather focus on doing the work than listing it.
🏛️ Holding the Council to Account
Throughout the year, I have continued to ask difficult questions at Cabinet and council meetings, particularly around finance, decision-making and transparency. I remain deeply concerned about the impact of rising council tax on residents and will continue to challenge decisions that I believe are not fair, realistic or properly thought through.
💷 The Council Budget
In February 2024 and again in March 2025, I voted against the council’s budget because I did not believe it was robust or sustainable, and I was concerned about the long-term impact on residents.
Since then, many of the concerns I raised at the time have unfortunately come to pass. With further financial pressures ahead, it is clear that the approach taken over recent years is not delivering the stability residents deserve. I will say more about this in the New Year.
🎪 Community Work Beyond the Council
Alongside my role as a councillor, I also really enjoy the work I do with Clewer & Dedworth Together CIC. This is entirely separate from my council role, but very much rooted in the same commitment to community, collaboration and mutual respect.
It is a genuinely collaborative team, and we love putting on local events for residents of Clewer and Dedworth. Highlights include Rock the Rec and the Clewer & Dedworth Christmas Fair, both of which are community-led, inclusive and focused on bringing people together. Seeing neighbours, families and local businesses connect at these events is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
🎗️ A Personal Note
At the end of September, my dad passed away at the age of 94. October was therefore a quieter month for me, as I took some time for reflection and to support my family. I am grateful to residents and colleagues for their understanding during that period, and returning to council work afterwards only reinforced for me how important community and public service are.
⚖️ Looking Ahead
The year ahead will undoubtedly bring further challenges for local government. I will continue to work independently, constructively and with integrity, asking the questions others may not, and standing up for residents when things are not right.
Thank you to everyone who has contacted me, raised concerns, or shared their experiences with me over the past year. Your voices matter, and I will continue to represent them.
🎆 Wishing you all a peaceful and hopeful New Year 🎆
✨ Here’s to 2026 ✨
Cllr Alison Carpenter
Clewer & Dedworth East Ward
