• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Friday, October 17, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Cllr Stephen Conway addressing the annual meeting. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Efforts to change plans to redirect £50 million from Wokingham

    Padel is the country's fastest growing sport. Pic: LTA.

    Padel court plans for rugby club

    Wokingham Borough Council?s Solar Together initiative?.

    Barkham solar farm project delays confirmed

    Residents can borrow a thermal imaging camera from the library to check for heat loss in their homes. Picture: from WBC information video via Youtube

    Naturally Speaking: Is your home losing heat?

    Meetings at Wokingham Quaker Meeting House are on Sundays at 10.30am. PIcture: Michael Ford, Wikimedia Commons

    Church Notes: Does Faith Matter?

    An exhibition at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead will highlight the seriousness of domestic abuse. Picture: NoName 13 via Pixabay

    A free exhibition in Finchampstead will highlight domestic abuse

    Tense courtroom drama The Winslow Boy at Wokingham Theatre is based on a true story. PIctures: Simon Vail Photography

    Witness a tense courtroom drama in Wokingham

    Pupils at Finchampstead C of E Primary School will be able to access  access all aspects of the curriculum thanks to a generous donation. Picture: Finch CofE

    Borough school is ‘blown away’ by generous donation of 20 laptops

    The Local Plan.

    “Unwise in the extreme” to delay local plan

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Padel is the country's fastest growing sport. Pic: LTA.

    Padel court plans for rugby club

    Rams v Birmingham Pictures: Paul Clark and Tim Pitfield

    Reynolds has mixed emotions as Rams earn home success over Birmingham Moseley

    Joel Pereira

    Fitness concerns over Joel Pereira as Reading FC recall goalkeeper

    Jayden Wareham

    Wareham issues message to Reading FC fans after ‘hate and abuse’ during game

    Ascot Racecourse Picture: Wikimedia Commons

    Britain’s richest raceday descends on Ascot: A chance to see the world’s best flat horses at QIPCO British Champions day

    Noel Hunt Picture: Luke Adams

    Reading FC: Time for a change or keep the faith?

    Dom Ballard Picture: Luke Adams

    ‘We should have signed him’: Former Reading FC loanee hits hat-trick for new club

    Noel Hunt Picture: Luke Adams

    Reading FC drop into relegation zone as questions continue over future of manager Noel Hunt

    Jeff Hendrick Picture: Luke Adams

    Jeff Hendrick: ‘Noel Hunt is a great guy – I told him I was available to help out Reading’

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Padel is the country's fastest growing sport. Pic: LTA.

    Padel court plans for rugby club

    Meetings at Wokingham Quaker Meeting House are on Sundays at 10.30am. PIcture: Michael Ford, Wikimedia Commons

    Church Notes: Does Faith Matter?

    Send in your nominations: Wokingham Community Awards 2025

    An exhibition at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead will highlight the seriousness of domestic abuse. Picture: NoName 13 via Pixabay

    A free exhibition in Finchampstead will highlight domestic abuse

    Tense courtroom drama The Winslow Boy at Wokingham Theatre is based on a true story. PIctures: Simon Vail Photography

    Witness a tense courtroom drama in Wokingham

    Pupils at Finchampstead C of E Primary School will be able to access  access all aspects of the curriculum thanks to a generous donation. Picture: Finch CofE

    Borough school is ‘blown away’ by generous donation of 20 laptops

    The Local Plan.

    “Unwise in the extreme” to delay local plan

    An event in Memorial Park, Finchampstead, will honour fallen heroes on November 9. Picture: Vijakob via Pixabay

    Finchampstead Remembrance Parade and Service invitation

    Clive Jones with Ming Campbell in the Wokingham MP?s back garden.

    Jones pays tribute to Ming Campbell

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Residents can borrow a thermal imaging camera from the library to check for heat loss in their homes. Picture: from WBC information video via Youtube

    Naturally Speaking: Is your home losing heat?

    Meetings at Wokingham Quaker Meeting House are on Sundays at 10.30am. PIcture: Michael Ford, Wikimedia Commons

    Church Notes: Does Faith Matter?

    Clive Jnes MP performed the opening of Ranga Lounge.

    Town welcomes new restaurant

    The NHS in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire has administered more than six million Covid-19 jabs since the start of the vaccine programme in 2020, figures show. Picture: Angelo Esslinger via Pixabay

    Six million Covid-19 jabs administered in Berks, Bucks, Oxon since 2020

    Sandra's dogs. Pic: Guide Dogs.

    Can you help Guide Dogs?

    Sunday services at Finchampstead Baptist Church take place at the FBC Centre, at 10.30am. Picture courtesy of FBC

    Church Notes: Deep is not being able to touch the bottom

    Fixers at Woodley Repair Cafe celebrated a year of landfill rescues. Picture: Woodley Repair Cafe

    Naturally Speaking: Woodley Repair Cafe celebrates 700 saved items

    Wokingham Theatre is blessed with a remarkable construction team. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    Wokingham Theatre builders: A ‘bunch of happy bodgers’

    Clive Jones addressing the auditorium at Bournemouth International Centre. Pic: David Stone.

    MPs support for policy to fix NHS emergency care

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    An exhibition at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead will highlight the seriousness of domestic abuse. Picture: NoName 13 via Pixabay

    A free exhibition in Finchampstead will highlight domestic abuse

    Tense courtroom drama The Winslow Boy at Wokingham Theatre is based on a true story. PIctures: Simon Vail Photography

    Witness a tense courtroom drama in Wokingham

    This week Kerry Godliman returns to Reading's Hexagon with the second leg of her latest stand-up show, Bandwidth.

    ‘Now I’m worried I am a robot’: Kerry Godliman talks ‘Bandwidth’ ahead of Reading show this week

    Woodley Concert Band?s Autumn concert promises a night of sparking superheroes and jazzy villains. Picture: Andrew Martin via Pixabay

    Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or is it Woodley Concert Band?

    PAMELA RAITH

    REVIEW: Darkness descends at The Mill at Sonning, thanks to ‘The Shadow in the Mirror’

    London's New Players' Theatre Company, with Tom carradine on pianoforte, will entertain at Wokingham's Whitty Theatre on Saturday, October 4. Picture: New Players Theatre Company

    My lords, ladies and gentlemen, for your delight and delectation, an old time music hall show

    A Fairytale for Christmas

    Irish Christmas concert extravaganza A Fairytale for Christmas returns for 2025 tour, including date at The Hexagon, Reading

    CSI will perform for one night only at Wokingham Theatre, on . Picture: Jayda Fogel

    An absurdly funny murder mystery is coming to Wokingham

    Audiences can see Mozart's The Magic Flute, performed by Park Opera, at Wokingham's Whitty Theatre at the end of October. Picture: A Different Perspective via Pixabay

    Enjoy a night of opera in Wokingham

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Wokingham Conservatives councillor quits to join Liberal Democrats

by Phil Creighton
March 24, 2017
in Featured, Finchampstead, Politics, Wokingham
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A Conservative councillor in Wokingham has quit the party – the second one to do so within four months – claiming that “obsessive secrecy” forced him to make the move.

But instead of going independent, he has instead joined the Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Ian Pittock, who represents Finchampstead South, sensationally cross the council chamber at the end of the meeting, held on Thursday, March 23.

He follows Cllr Gary Cowan who resigned in November after the Council rejected the recommendations of the Independent Renumeration Panel.

And he becomes the second Liberal Democrat councillor to join the group in a month after Cllr Imogen Shepherd-DuBey won the Emmbrook seat from the Conservatives after a by-election there.

In quitting, Cllr Pittock indicated that the move had been coming.

Related posts

Man arrested after crash near Wokingham leaves motorcyclist with life threatening injuries

Man charged with sexual assaults

“There is no secret in the fact that I have had many differences of opinion with my own Conservative Group for some time,” he told the council chamber at the end of a long evening which had included a debate on school funding.

“There are many good Members in the Conservative Group, however, they are required to adhere to the wishes of a clique that promotes unnecessary politicisation, obsessive secrecy, playing at consultations, side-lining backbenchers, restricting the number of Council meetings, lack of financial transparency and accountability and over use of patronage provided by the allowance system to name some.”

He continued: “In addition, colleagues who know me well will tell you that I have had increasing difficulty with the EU Referendum and the fall-out from this. The restricted franchise, totally ignoring the 48%, placing everything in the hands of the far-right wing of the party, ignoring that this is about the 30 to 40 years future of the young, not the old; Teressa May would do well to listen to Sir John Major on this aspect.

“As we learn more about the risks and likely downsides involved with a ‘hard Brexit’ or ‘Brexit at any cost’, this is increasingly making the Charge of the Light Brigade look like a sensible, well planned and executed operation. I can no longer support a Prime Minister nor her party that is taking this dogmatic approach.

“I am a progressive, a passionate progressive. I want change, but the type of change which I have come to understand, through time and trial, that the Conservatives are institutionally unable to provide since they continually pander to their own far-right interests.

“Therefore, with the greatest of personal respects to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and for some of my colleagues:

  1. with immediate effect, I have resigned from the Conservative Group.
  2. I have resigned from the Conservative Party.
  3. I have applied to join the Liberal Democrats.”

And on saying that, Cllr Pittock left his seat to go and join his new Liberal Democrat colleagues.

Wokingham Conservatives leader Cllr Keith Baker said: “He was clearly uncomfortable with the group. I wish him well.”

Liberal Democrats
Cllr Ian Pittock with his new colleagues in the Wokingham Liberal Democrats

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: BrexitCllr Ian Pittockcllr keith bakerIan Pittockkeith bakerlib demsliberal democratsToriesWokigham district councilWokinghamWokingham Borough CouncilWokingham Borough CounilWokingham ConservativesWokingham Councilwokingham district councilwokingham liberal democrats
Previous Post

Earps upbeat despite Reading Women cup exit

Next Post

There will be no let-up from Irish, insists Ben Ransom

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Arborfield?s Eco Skills Learning Centre has won a BBC Radio Berkshire award. Picture: Eco Skills Learning Centre

Eco Skills Learning Centre wins BBC Berkshire Radio award

October 14, 2025
An architect's impression of the Carnival Hub development Picture: HLM Architects

‘Normal’ for investors to buy new homes

October 11, 2025
Dom Ballard Picture: Luke Adams

‘We should have signed him’: Former Reading FC loanee hits hat-trick for new club

October 12, 2025
Roadworks Pictures: EsbenS from Pixabay

‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ claim towards council

October 16, 2025
An event in Memorial Park, Finchampstead, will honour fallen heroes on November 9. Picture: Vijakob via Pixabay

Finchampstead Remembrance Parade and Service invitation

October 16, 2025
yes

Borough school appeals for help to buy laptops

October 11, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.