Shinfield Ward Councillors: Who They Are, What They Stand For, & How Residents View Them

Shinfield, part of Wokingham Borough and a fast-growing residential community, is represented by three borough councillors:

• Andrew Gray (Labour Party)

• Vishal Srinivasan (Conservative Party)

• Jackie Rance (Conservative Party)

  
  

Andrew Gray (Labour)

What He Stands For

• Prioritises road safety, especially reducing speed limits to 20 mph near schools and residential streets.

• Champions meaningful public consultation, arguing against tokenistic engagement in planning and infrastructure decisions.

• Advocates accountability for developers using planning obligations to fund local improvements.

  
  

Notable Achievements

• Forced attention on the dangerous junction between Whitley Wood Lane and the B3270 near the former Shire Hall site, securing commitment to use developer funding for improvements.

• Helped fast-track proposals for school provision in response to rapid housing growth in Shinfield and Arborfield.

  
  

Public Sentiment

• Supported by residents concerned about traffic, safety, and unchecked development.

• Gleans praise for demanding better use of developer contributions to benefit existing infrastructure and reduce risk.

  
  

Vishal Srinivasan (Conservative)

What He Stands For

• Backed a council-wide motion on school uniform reform, urging schools to offer lower-cost uniforms and promote second-hand options.

• Focuses on practical community matters that ease cost-of-living pressures on families.

  
  

Achievements to Date

• Council unanimously supported his proposal encouraging schools to simplify uniform policies and reduce parental cost burdens.

  
  

Public Sentiment

• Popular among constituents on issues affecting families and cost-of-living challenges.

• Generally seen as a steady presence on community-focused policy, though less visible in large-scale infrastructure debates.

  
  

Jackie Rance (Conservative)

What She Stands For

• Champions resident-led issue resolution, particularly around housing conditions and local infrastructure.

• Speaks out against overdevelopment, opposing large housing proposals (e.g. Hall Farm) and restricting parking charges near School Green.

• Criticises inefficiencies within council operations, including incomplete road marking and remote-working norms.

  
  

Achievements to Date

• Successfully intervened in several neighbourhood issues, including the removal of an abandoned vehicle from a disabled bay and clearing blocked drains in a new estate within five days.

• Assisted residents with fallen trees, broken fencing, and social care or housing repairs.

  
  

Public Sentiment

• Praised for her responsiveness and shoes-on-the-ground approach with community residents.

• Mixed reactions to her strong rhetoric on council staff—but many constituents appreciate her fiscal accountability stance.

  
  

At-a-Glance: Comparison Table

Councillor	Party	Core Focus	Key Achievements	Public View
Andrew Gray	Labour	Road safety, consultations, planning	Pressed for junction improvements, school place planning	Commended for accountability and advocacy
Vishal Srinivasan	Conservative	Family support, cost-of-living relief	Drove uniform reform motion to council	Viewed as dependable on daily issues
Jackie Rance	Conservative	Resident services, anti‑overdevelopment	Quick resolution of local issues, housing advocacy	Mixed: admired for action, criticised for tone

Broader Context & Local Issues

• Housing & School Capacity: Shinfield is under strain from new housing development. Councillors have engaged actively—Gray with planning accountability, Srinivasan supporting community affordability, and Rance opposing overdevelopment proposals.

• Community Infrastructure: The new School Green Centre, cinema, sports venues, and nature parks have arisen via parish and borough cooperation, guided in part by councillors’ support.

• Traffic and Environmental Concerns: Councillors (especially Gray and Rance) are hearing consistent resident feedback on congestion, unsafe crossings, and preserved green space, reflecting local pressure for sustainable development.

  
  

What Matters Most to Shinfield Residents

• Safety on the roads—especially around junctions and new developments.

• Community infrastructure and facilities—sports pitches, cinema, parks, schools, and a planet-friendly local plan.

• Local responsiveness—elected officials stepping in fast when residents face daily issues.

• Balanced growth—managing housing development while protecting local green spaces.

  
  

Final Word

The three Shinfield councillors offer varied but complementary approaches:

• Andrew Gray (Labour): Campaigns hard on safety, anti-overdevelopment accountability, and meaningful consultation.

• Vishal Srinivasan (Conservative): Focuses on pragmatic, cost-of-living relief policies that ease day-to-day pressures.

• Jackie Rance (Conservative): Known for hands-on resolution of resident issues, coupled with vocal scepticism about council efficiency and overbuilding.

  
  

Together, they represent a mix of strategic oversight and grassroots action. Their work on school places, junction safety, housing conditions, and local development reflects the real concerns of Shinfield’s residents—who continue to closely observe how well promises translate to progress.