Lib Dem councillors responsible for housing and the environment in Reading have today welcomed the announcement by Liberal Democrat Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne to deliver the so-called Green Deal. Chris Huhne confirmed that by 2015 up to 100,000 Green Deal workers could be employed in the effort to upgrade and insulate Britain’s homes. The Green Deal, a Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment, is the Government’s new and radical way of making energy efficiency available to all, whether people own or rent their property.
Through the Green Deal everyone will have a chance to save energy, cut their bills and tackle climate change
Support will be targeted on the most vulnerable and low-income households, so that those who need it most can say goodbye to leaky lofts and chilly drafts.
Initially, over the next two years, the Coalition Government will almost double insulation rates, ensuring that an extra 3.5 million homes benefit from new installations.
Then from 2012 the Green Deal will enable all householders to improve their homes with no up-front cost, with the work being paid back from savings on energy bills. Householders will be protected by an independent energy survey and accredited installers to ensure that standards are high
Cllr Warren Swaine, Lead Member for Environment and Sustainability said:
“It’s really welcome to see the Green Deal, a key manifesto commitment being delivered by Liberal Democrats in Government at national level.
“We are pleased to see the Coalition Government doing it’s bit to help residents cut their energy bills in Reading.
“Locally we are committed to helping Reading Borough Council be the greenest it has ever been and this initiative will.”
“Many families and individuals in Reading including a large number in the private rented sector, are living in poorly-insulated homes, struggling with rising energy bills – something that the previous Labour government failed to tackle.
“ I hope and expect that landlords in Reading will respond positively to the Green Deal. “Landlords will face no upfront cost and will benefit from improved properties. By 2015 every tenant should be able to be warm in their home.
“However, If this doesn’t happen the Coalition Government has pledged to give councils the power to insist that landlords improve the worst performing homes so everyone has the opportunity to benefit from reduced energy bills.”
Cllr Rebecca Rye, Lib Dem Policy Advisor on Education, and Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council have welcomed additional investment in children from the poorest backgrounds by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
“For too long for children living in Reading where you live has determined how well you are likely to perform at School. This is deeply unfair and it is something Labour failed to tackle after 13 years in power.”
“The Pupil Premium means real investment in the poorest children in our community helping them get the best possible start in life.”
Councillor Kirsten Bayes, Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council and Group Leader of the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council added:
“The Pupil Premium is about promoting a fairer society and it was a key plank of our manifesto at the last election.
“We warmly welcome the commitment by the Coalition Government in Reading’s children particularly those from disadvantaged background. We will work hard with the government to ensure local children benefit.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Daisy Benson has today welcomed the announcement by the coalition government that the unpopular “Tenant Tax” will be scrapped, with local authorities being allowed to keep all council house rents and sales receipts they collect to reinvest in social housing, under plans announced today by the coalition government.
Liberal Democrats in Reading have long campaigned to reform the Housing Revenue Account subsidy the so-called ‘tenant tax’ which has seen millions of pounds of Council tenants’ rent go back into Treasury coffers every year under Labour.
Commenting, Cllr Daisy Benson, Lead Member for Housing on Reading Borough Council said:
“I’m delighted that the Coalition Government has announced the end of the unpopular and unfair “Tenant Tax” on some of Reading’s poorest household, something that Labour failed to deliver in 13 years in government.”
“Council tenants in Reading many of whom are on low incomes should not subjected to an additional tax to fund social housing improvements in other parts of the country.
“The government’s proposals will enable Reading Borough Council to use council house rents to invest in the repair and maintenance of the social housing stock in Reading and put the money towards building much-needed new social homes.
“Liberal Democrats locally and nationally have long campaigned to reform the Housing Revenue Account subsidy and replace it with a fairer system. Lib Dems have now been able to deliver on that pledge in government.”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Lead Member for Housing on Reading Borough Council has welcomed new rules which mean that tenants will no longer live in fear of being booted out of their home with little or no notice.
Cllr Benson campaigned locally for action on this issue when in opposition, lobbying Reading Borough Council and then housing spokesperson Sarah Teather.
Before today, if a landlord has not been given consent to let out their property from their lender, and later faces repossession action, the tenants could be left vulnerable since the courts were unable to take account of their circumstances and many were placed in the distressing situation of being given very short notice to find a new place to live.
But new rules, coming into force today, mean that tenants will for the first time be able to attend the court hearing, and judges will be able to take their situation into account and delay repossession by up to two months to give them more time to find a new home.
Guidance published today makes clear the rights these tenants have when their landlord faces repossession action, but also sets out the steps lenders must take. These changes come as part of the Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants etc) Act 2010.
Commenting on the news Cllr Benson said:
“I have long been concerned about the lack of legal protection for tenants living in private rented accommodation who risked eviction through no fault of their own.
“Last year I campaigned locally to raise the profile of this issue and lobbied politicians nationally to take action to help local people.
“I am very pleased MPs have passed new legislation to ensure tenants get a fairer deal and more time to find alternative accommodation if their landlord falls on hard times.”
Carers are family members, or neighbours, who care for a sick wife or husband, an Aunt or Uncle, or a sister or brother, usually unpaid. It is estimated that there are at least 11,000 people in Reading providing unpaid support to vulnerable adults or children with additional support needs.
It is not well known that there are Direct Payments available for carers, to be spent in any way they wish, to alleviate the strains of caring. It could, for example, be a hundred pounds to organise a day out. So if you think you qualify, as a carer, to receive a Direct Payment grant, download the information pack, “Caring in Reading” which will tell you how to apply for a grant. Alternatively, you can contact Janette Searle or Iftkhar Ahmed at Reading Borough Council on 955 3600, or one of your local Councillors for more details.
Here are just a few figures on carers in Reading:
67% of carers are female, 50% are over 65, 73% provide more that 50 hours support a week.
341 payments have been issued or are pending since April this year, so if you think you might qualify for help – don’t delay.
Having seen off Vodafone’s previous attempt to install a giant mast in Lower Elmstone Drive some 18 months ago, Tilehurst residents were aghast at the news that Vodafone are preparing a new planning application for an even bigger mast, 15 metres tall (that is about 50 feet) on the opposite side of the road. At least this application will be further away from houses but even so it will be a huge eyesore, visible for miles around. Cllr Ricky Duveen is again, along with local residents, leading the campaign to have this new application rejected. Vodafone are currently doing a pre-application consultation, asking for views from local residents.
We do not need this monstrous sore thumb sticking up in a residential part of Tilehurst. Please help us by sending in your comments to Voadfone’s agent:
Robert Baker, Mono Consultants Ltd, Office 1, Patchway Hall, The Common, Patchway, Bristol BS34 6AS
The email address is: robert.baker@monoconsultants.com
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has issued a call to arms against pointless regulation and unnecessary bureaucracy, asking the public how they want the Government to redress the balance between the citizen and the state.
We are delighted to have reached agreement on so many important areas. This is a great start to our coalition that aims to deliver better value for our residents, better services to our residents, instill a sense of pride in our town and have ambition for its future. Our coalition team is already working hard towards these goals.
The people of Reading asked their politicians to work together to address the dire financial mess left by the last Government. This is exactly what the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups are doing; working together for the good of our town.
The Liberal Democrat group on Reading Borough Council today announced that they are finalising an agreement with the Conservative group to form a coalition in order to take control of Reading Borough Council.
The recent local elections resulted in very little change to the political make-up of the council, although almost two-thirds of the votes cast were for the Liberal Democrats or Conservatives. Taking note of the initiative of the two parties in national government, the two council groups embarked on a process of negotiation that resulted in this agreement to work together for the good of the town.
The agreement to work as a coalition is driven by a shared desire to deliver change and improve services. A key objective of the coalition administration will be to put the council finances on a firm footing after many years of Labour mismanagement.
Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Reading Borough Council, said:
“The votes cast on 6 May showed Reading residents’ desire for change. This joint administration of Liberal Democrats and Conservatives brings about Reading’s rejection of the old politics of Reading Labour Party.”
“We are aware that the national deficit makes pressure on local public finances immense. We are absolutely committed to working together to ensure that the hard-pressed residents of Reading get more efficient services. We agree that ‘more of the same’ with Labour is not the best option for this town.
“It was clear from our discussions that the two groups shared many ideas of bringing positive change to the Town. There is a shared ambition and energy across our groups to bring some much-needed positive leadership to the council.”
At their council group AGM, Cllr Kirsten Bayes was unanimously re-elected unopposed as Group Leader, and Cllr Daisy Benson as Deputy Leader.
Cllr Gareth Epps was elected as Group Press Officer and Cllr Peter Beard Group Chair. Katesgrove’s new Liberal Democrat Councillor Rebecca Rye was elected Group Secretary.
The Liberal Democrats gained a seat on the Borough Council in May’s elections, and have now made gains in each of the last four local elections in Reading. The balance of Reading Borough Council is currently: Labour 19, Conservative 17, Liberal Democrats 9, Green 1.
Having seen off Vodafone’s previous attempt to install a giant mast in Lower Elmstone Drive some 18 months ago, Tilehurst residents were aghast at the news that Vodafone are preparing a new planning application for an even bigger mast, 15 metres tall (that is about 50 feet) on the opposite side of the road. At least this application will be further away from houses but even so it will be a huge eyesore, visible for miles around. Cllr Ricky Duveen is again, along with local residents, leading the campaign to have this new application rejected. Vodafone are currently doing a pre-application consultation, asking for views from local residents.
