Reading saw its new alternate waste collection (AWC) featured on the BBC’s flagship ‘Newsnight’ programme which was broadcast on the 26 April. Among those featured was Erleigh Road resident Elena Jeronimidis who has serious concerns about AWC.
The programme also featured shots of terraced Reading streets where bins are now an inescapable part of the street furniture. Although a Reading Borough Council press release has claimed that the new system is more hygeinic, this experience is not borne out by residents of Reading’s many terraces, especially those in areas with houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Government advice reported in The Guardian newspaper yesterday stated that AWC would be hard to implement in high-density areas – a point made forcefully by the Lib Dems since the new system came out in May.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat PPC Gareth Epps said:
‘Reading still hasn’t got it right on bin collection. The Government’s own advice warns that it is difficult to run this scheme in areas with high population density and shared housing. Reading’s experience shows that – in spite the best efforts of Council officers – residents are nervous about what will happen in the summer. The Council’s PR machine in election time is not the way to reassure residents.
‘Liberal Democrats want to see two immediate changes to the system.
- Introducing doorstep glass recycling – like most councils who make money from this and reduce pressure on Council Tax bills – is obvious to everyone but Labour’s Council bosses.
- ‘Bring in food waste recycling. This is easy – it works in Lib Dem-run Cambridge and Islington; it restores weekly collection of the waste that residents worry about. And it’s good for the environment too.’
Reading Liberal Democrats have selected probably the youngest candidate to stand in the forthcoming Reading Borough Council elections, with 18-year old Mark Mills standing for Church Ward which takes in most of the University campus and several Halls of Residence.
Mark may be the youngest-ever candidate to stand in Reading following a recent change of the law which lowers the age at which people can stand as an election candidate from 21 to 18.
Mark has lived in the University area all his life. The former Bulmershe School and Henley College student works on weekends at the Madjieski Stadium. He is involved nationally with the Liberal Democrat Youth & Students (LDYS).
Commenting on his selection, Mark said: “Young people make up a large proportion of Reading’s population. I want to help make sure they have a strong voice. Liberal Democrats have a growing reputation in Reading as the voice of students and young people, and by standing I hope to take that campaigning reputation further.”
Welcoming Mark’s selection, Reading East PPC Gareth Epps said: “Mark has already proved his campaigning skills and is an excellent candidate. This change in the law means that thousands of Reading residents, particularly students, have the chance to be represented by someone their age. That’s good for democracy.”
Following pressure from Liberal Democrats at Reading Borough Council’s budget meeting in February, the Council has rushed through a new Graffiti Removal Policy.
This includes free graffiti removal from private properties – something which is now normal practice in Liberal Democrat controlled councils and for which Annette Hendry and your local Lib Dem councillors and activists have been arguing.
Gareth Epps, Reading East Parliamentary Spokesman, seen in the photo, has been pressing the council for faster action on graffiti.
The campaign will launch with a year long “Big Clean Up”, with free removal of visible ‘tags’ from all residential properties,
Welcoming the new policy, Annette Hendry said –
“Graffiti is a real blight on an area. Research shows that if allowed to remain it can quickly lead to other forms of anti social behaviour. But cleaning it up is only the first step. Preventing repeat attacks is equally important and this is a job for all of us to report fresh attacks as soon as they occur so that offenders can be identified. I congratulate the local residents who have been diligent in removing graffiti themselves. Let’s ensure the offenders who put it there get community service to clean up the mess they have made”
