Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner Gareth Epps is warning that Royal Mail is planning an unwanted Christmas present for Reading East residents, revealing that they are to announce Post Office closures just two weeks before Christmas – with a consultation period on the closures “buried” in the holiday period.
The closures – part of a programme to close up to one-fifth of the Post Office network nationally – have been announced on the Royal Mail website. The announcement of which post offices in Reading East is scheduled for 11 December. Gareth has already raised the matter with Royal Mail representatives and is writing to Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier to demand a rethink on the “insensitive” timing of the consultation.
Gareth says:
“The last Conservative Government shut 3,500 Post Offices. Labour have shut 4,000 more. These cuts will decimate the remaining network. If Royal Mail press on with their plans to consult on the closures over the Christmas period, they would be insensitive and would reduce the chances of local people to make effective representations. I would like them to think about the timing of the consultation and the message it sends.
The closures will mean longer journeys for many people just to pick up a pension or send a parcel. They will be felt particularly harshly by the elderly and those who have difficulty getting about. It would be an unwanted Christmas present for Reading East residents.”
Editor’s Notes:-
- Full details of the Post Office closure programme have been published at: Closure Program
- Ironically, today also sees the removal of the Sunday Postal service
News today (25 October) that the Government “strongly supports” weekly food waste collection – and suggests that it’s the best environmental outcome – have been welcomed as a boost to the campaign by Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson in Reading, and Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East, Gareth Epps.
Cllr Gareth Epps (Lib Dem, Katesgrove) has been leading a campaign to get Reading Borough Council to bring in kerbside glass recycling and food waste collection, and has been circulating a petition. Gareth has called on the Council to bring in food waste collection to give residents the comfort of knowing food waste will again be collected weekly.
Responding to the Government announcement, Cllr Gareth Epps says:
“This is backing for our campaign from an unexpected source. But we welcome the Labour Government’s clear statement that Labour-run Reading is wrong to dismiss food waste collection.
The Government is responding belatedly to concerns over the environmental impact of waste collection. My colleagues and I are the only ones in Reading who have been calling for this. I will be pressing the Council for a positive response which would build public confidence and help the Council achieve its own objectives.
The silence of the Tories on this as on other issues shows that they do not have the interests of Reading residents at heart. They have broken their promise to force a review of fortnightly collections.”
Responding to the Communities and Local Government Committee’s report on Refuse Collection in England, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said guidance had been issued suggesting local councils should consider collecting food waste weekly.
DEFRA also confirmed that councils who collect food waste only every two weeks should consider the need to assess the risks.
Editor’s Note :- The Special Report can be viewed on the Committee’s website from approximately 2pm on 25 October at: Communities and Local Government Committee.
Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council have raised questions about the future of neighbourhood policing in Reading given the town’s police retention problems. The Lib Dems welcomed the introduction of more Police on the streets but raised fears about lack of resources.
Cllr Gareth Epps, prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for Reading East, challenged Labour lead councillor Tony Page at the full Council meeting last Tuesday about the cut in police support officers (PCSOs) from 24,000 to 16,000 which is being forced by the Labour Government. In reply, Cllr Page was forced to admit the reduction.
Gareth said:
“Does the Lead Cllr share the confidence of the Chief Constable that Neighbourhood Policing will not be affected by the issues we here are all aware of, about police retention and recruitment; and in particular is he confident that Reading will maintain a full compliment of neighbourhood officers and PCSOs given the Home Office’s cut in PCSO numbers [by one-third] due for 2008?”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Lib Dem spokesperson for Safer Communities expressed fears about resourcing of neighbourhood action groups:
“What plans are in place to monitor the operation of the twelve neighbourhood action groups (NAG)? I’m concerned that the Whitley NAG which covers the Whitley North and Whitley South is going to be too large to be effective – it could have as many as 24 members”.
Daisy went on to ask: ‘There are only 12 Neighbourhood Action Groups planned for 16 neighbourhoods. Is this due to lack of Police resources?
Liberal Democrats secured assurances last night that Labour-run Reading Borough Council are removing the status of their one-way IDR plans as a ‘preferred option’, as the Council approved the nomination of Sir Brian Briscoe to Chair the independent commission on congestion in central Reading.
The Lib Dem amendment was surprisingly accepted by the ruling Labour group as Liberal Democrats challenged the mixed messages sent out by Labour over the IDR in recent months.
Welcoming the change of heart, Lib Dem transport spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen said:
“It is important that all Reading’s transport options were treated equally. We had to force the issue for Reading residents to know what Labour’s position actually was.
Now it’s up to Reading Labour Party to make it clear to the public what exactly is their preferred option to solve the congestion problems. It is up to them to do as we shall do – and present our ideas to the Briscoe Commission.”
In the debate, Cllr Gareth Epps referred to Reading Conservatives breaking an election pledge to “review plans for the IDR” and slammed their broken promise as a “shambles”. Gareth says:
“The Tories pledged to review the one-way IDR, having been split over it. Now they are refusing to take part in the commission – acting immaturely and irresponsibly.
It’s clear they have nothing to contribute to the debate on solving Reading’s congestion problems, and that their promises to win votes cannot be believed. They are nothing but a shambles.”
Editor’s Note: Reading East Conservative literature for the May elections pledged that they would “review plans for the IDR”.
Students and Liberal Democrats expressed dismay last night after Labour and Tory councillors on Reading Borough Council poured scorn on a petition submitted by Reading University students calling for a polling station on campus. The Liberal Democrat group backed the petition.
Cllr Gareth Epps who introduced an amendment to the Council’s Polling Station Review, calling for the 1000-plus students in the halls on campus (in Church ward) to be able to vote at a campus polling station, said:
“Labour and Tory Councillors have demonstrated a shameful disregard for Reading students. Hundreds of students signed the petition, which was fully supported by Reading University Student Union.
“All they had to offer in return were cheap anti-student jibes and comments that were ignorant. With the future of the current polling station building in some doubt, it is crazy to rule out an obvious option now.”
Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“I have campaigned to give students a voice on issues affecting them in Reading. What kind of message do the Labour and Tory rejection of their petition send out to students living in the town? We will continue to campaign on issues that matter to students – even if the other parties won’t.”
Editor’s Note -
The current polling station used by students living in Halls on the Reading University campus (Reading Borough side), the Scout hall at Northcourt Avenue (Church ward), is potentially the subject of considerable development speculation.
RUSU President, Sally Pearman: 07973503401
Cllr Gareth Epps: 07950035836
Reading Liberal Democrats have successfully called for Reading Borough Council to put in place a strategy to bring almost a thousand empty homes back into use.
A motion moved by Gareth Epps (Lib Dem, Katesgrove) and seconded by Kirsten Bayes (Lib Dem, Redlands) at last night’s (16 Oct) Council meeting highlighted the waste of having hundreds of homes derelict (estimates vary from 350 to 2,000), and called for the Council to use legal powers to bring properties into use. Liberal Democrat Councillors in Caversham and central Reading have been pressing the Council to take action on a number of properties in their area.
Following a Labour amendment which weakened parts of the motion calling on the Council to use the device to improve energy efficiency in properties, the call for a strategy was passed.
Moving the motion, Cllr Gareth Epps said:
‘These properties are a waste of resources and good homes. Sometimes properties get caught in probate or complex legal issues; but the problem in Reading is that under Labour the Council has no strategy, and the resources to tackle the issue have been nowhere near sufficient. With high-profile properties such as the Silver Street junction left derelict, the Council itself is setting the worst example.’
Redlands Lib Dem Councillor Daisy Benson said:
‘We have been raising this issue for over a year and there is still no action. With huge pressure on housing, there are no excuses left for Labour to duck this issue.’
After the debate, Gareth Epps said:
‘We are delighted to achieve progress at last on empty properties. Lib Dem councillors have been working with a Council that has been short of resources, and short of a strategy to guide officers. The disappointment was Labour’s lack of commitment on reducing carbon emissions, and the Conservatives’ lack of commitment to or understanding of the issue.’
Reading Liberal Democrats have successfully called for Reading Borough Council to put in place a strategy to bring almost a thousand empty homes back into use.
A motion moved by Gareth Epps (Lib Dem, Katesgrove) and seconded by Kirsten Bayes (Lib Dem, Redlands) at last night’s (16 Oct) Council meeting highlighted the waste of having hundreds of homes derelict (estimates vary from 350 to 2,000), and called for the Council to use legal powers to bring properties into use. Liberal Democrat Councillors in Caversham and central Reading have been pressing the Council to take action on a number of properties in their area.
Following a Labour amendment which weakened parts of the motion calling on the Council to use the device to improve energy efficiency in properties, the call for a strategy was passed.
Moving the motion, Cllr Gareth Epps said:
‘These properties are a waste of resources and good homes. Sometimes properties get caught in probate or complex legal issues; but the problem in Reading is that under Labour the Council has no strategy, and the resources to tackle the issue have been nowhere near sufficient. With high-profile properties such as the Silver Street junction left derelict, the Council itself is setting the worst example.’
Redlands Lib Dem Councillor Daisy Benson said:
‘We have been raising this issue for over a year and there is still no action. With huge pressure on housing, there are no excuses left for Labour to duck this issue.’
After the debate, Gareth Epps said:
‘We are delighted to achieve progress at last on empty properties. Lib Dem councillors have been working with a Council that has been short of resources, and short of a strategy to guide officers. The disappointment was Labour’s lack of commitment on reducing carbon emissions, and the Conservatives’ lack of commitment to or understanding of the issue.’
The draft waste strategy proposed by the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) for Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell Forest Borough Councils has only served to show up flaws with the PFI deal and fail to give residents the recycling facilities they want, Liberal Democrats have said as part of their consultation response on the strategy.
The consultation was due to close on Monday (1 October) – the same day as Reading Borough Council holds its review of alternate waste collection. It has highlighted that the PFI partnership detail makes no provision of the recycling of food waste – the largest single component of bins – or for kerbside collection of glass. The document has not been widely advertised and the deadline for consultation has had to be extended.
Commenting on the strategy, Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson on Reading Borough Council, says:
“The problem with this document is that the key next steps – more and better recycling – are only listed as pipedreams. But in years to come, construction materials and glass will be banned from going to landfill. There is no vision in this document and it is hard to see how the waste PFI will succeed without a radical rethink.”
“The original PFI failed to make provision for food waste collection and for improvements such as kerbside glass collection and recycling of Tetrapaks. This is the first chance people have had to comment. What were the councils thinking when they signed it?”
editor’s note:
The re3 Joint Waste Partnership Strategy consultation is available at: www.re3.org.uk. The Partnership is a 25-year Private Finance Initiative waste disposal project.
For more information on recycling (like where can you recycle “TetraPaks”?) follow this link Learn how recycling works.
