Reading Liberal Democrats

The Government’s data disaster over child benefit records shows why plans for Identity Cards must be scrapped, say Reading West Liberal Democrats.

Following the revelation that the personal details of 25 million parents and children have been lost by the Government’s Revenue and Customs department (HMRC), and may have fallen into the hands of identity fraudsters, Reading West Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson Patrick Murray has written to Martin Salter MP urging him to withdraw their support for the ID cards scheme and a National Identity Register in which the Government want to store the personal information of everyone in the country.

“The fiasco at HMRC has shown the dangers of the Government holding huge amounts of information about each one of us whilst being slipshod in the way that same information is kept,” said Patrick Murray.

“This whole saga of incompetence has been shocking and families in Reading are now rightly asking whether their personal details are safe.

“The National Identity Register, which the Government are setting up as part of the Identity Card scheme, will hold vastly more information on each and every one of us than Customs and Revenue managed to lose.

“The possibilities for the loss of that information, either accidentally or through illegitimate means must make the Government stop and think again very seriously about their plan to store all the data they can on us on a central register.

“This is a clear illustration of the real dangers of a big brother centralised state. State control of personal identity details is a real threat to our civil liberties. The Government should respond to the anger and now abandon its ID card scheme. It is clear that the Government cannot be trusted to manage effectively mass databases of personal information.

”Martin Salter voted for Identity Cards when the scheme went through Parliament despite some Labour MPs taking a principled stand and joining the Liberal Democrats in voting against the Government’s big brother plans.

“But a debacle on this scale must surely give Mr Salter cause to think again. I have written to him calling on him to press the Government to end the Identity Card scheme for good and to ensure that we do not risk a personal data disaster on an even more catastrophic scale.

Editor’s Note: For more information call Patrick Murray on 07891 330778

At a meeting last Friday Liberal Democrats in Reading West selected Patrick Murray as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate to take on both Labour and the Tories at the next general election, whenever it is called.

Patrick is a mature student from Oxford where he is the Executive Member for Housing on Oxford City Council. Patrick was elected to Oxford City Council in 2004 by capturing a safe Labour seat with a 23% swing. At the age of 27 he is already a seasoned campaigner who intends to bring his experience to bear in Reading West

Patrick will concentrate on three key themes :-

• Civil Liberties

Patrick will support bringing the troops home from Iraq. He will oppose ID cards, extending detention without charges and the other Labour attacks on civil liberties at home and abroad.

• Social Justice

Patrick will oppose tuition fees that deter potential students from fulfilling their potential at university. He will defend the NHS against creeping privatisation currently being engineered by both Labour and the Tories.

• The Environment

Patrick will lead the Lib Dems in Reading West in taking on the tokenism being pushed by Labour and the Tories. Lib Dems are committed to providing a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

Coling Lawley, Chair of Reading Lib Dems said, “Patrick has set out his stall and we will campaign on these three key issues over the coming months. We look forward to working with Patrick and breaking the current Labour hold on Reading West.”

Editor’s Note: For more information call Patrick Murray on 07891 330778.

The Post Office has today (14 November) bowed to pressure from Liberal Democrat campaigners; Cllr Gareth Epps has received written confirmation from them that they are extending the consultation period on the proposed closure of up to one-fifth of Reading’s Post Offices.

Gareth wrote to them after it emerged that the closures would be announced on 11 December – followed by a consultation period over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. At the suggestion of Wokingham Lib Dem council group leader Cllr Prue Bray, Wokingham Borough Council wrote along similar lines demanding a rethink to the timing.

Post Office Ltd have confirmed that “a decision has been taken to extend all consultations [on proposed branch closures] that cover this period by 10 calendar days and therefore consultation will commence on 11 December 2007 as planned but will now end on 31 January 2008.”

Commenting, Gareth said:

“The extra time for residents to respond to the Post Office closure plans is welcome. However, the refusal of the Post Office to delay the bad news makes a rotten Christmas present for local residents.

Post Offices play a vital role in our communities. These closures will hit local people, particularly older residents, very hard.

My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will be fighting the closures and protecting local facilities.”

Editor’s Note. The Photo shows from left to right Gareth Epps, Redlands Councillor Daisy Benson and local campaigner Neal Brown at the Crown Colonnade Post Office in Cemetery Junction.

Gordon Brown’s green policies were thrown into confusion yesterday after ministers confirmed that they would be pushing ahead with pilot schemes for controversial new “pay-as-you-throw” bin taxes.

Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, announced that powers to set up pilot schemes for charging households who put out more waste would be included in the Climate Change Bill.

Commenting on the Government’s proposal to allow for the pilot schemes, Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat PPC for Reading East, said:

“It makes a welcome change for Whitehall to allow councils to experiment. Given the ridiculous degree of central control, it is typical that it should take such a controversial issue to let go.

Of course in Reading we are light years away from such a scheme. Under Labour in Reading and the Tories in Wokingham our Councils are too far behind on recycling or waste minimisation.

Our priority must be to sort out the waste PFI which risks leaving us behind on recycling for the next 25 years.”

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:-

1. Full details of the Post Office closure programme have been published at: Closure Program
2. 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.’