Reading Liberal Democrats

Investigations by the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council have revealed only one fixed penalty notices been issued by the Council in relation to illegal dog-fouling in recent times.

This is despite the fact that dog fouling is a regular complaint of local residents.

Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Redlands ward councillor who tabled the question commented:

“Recently we have received a number of complaints across the area from local residents fed up with the amount of dog mess on footpaths and public areas – particularly in South Reading including Cintra Park and Bede Walk.

“This problem is the result of a handful of dog owners regularly failing to act responsibly.

“Reading Borough Council must take tougher and more concerted action to prosecute dog owners who allow their dogs to mess in public places.”

Cllr Glenn Goodall, Environment spokesperson for the Lib Dems added:

“One Fixed penalty notice has been issued in recent times – this clearly does not reflect the scale of the problem across the Borough.

“If this public nuisance continues it will be necessary for Labour-run Reading Borough Council to review the amount of resources focussed on this area to see if it’s doing the job.”

The Lib Dems welcome the news that Labour-run Reading Borough Council has finally agreed to back our plan for a cleaner, fairer Reading by introducing free bulky waste collections for more Reading residents, including those on low incomes.

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem Group Leader and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East commented:

“The Lib Dems in Reading have long campaigned for the introduction of free bulky waste collections for people on low incomes. In a recession with many people in Reading struggling to pay bills this plan which we first put forward is more needed now than ever”

Cllr Glenn Goodall, Lib Dem environment spokesperson added:

“We are delighted that Labour has finally seen sense and belatedly backed our scheme after they and the Conservatives rejected it last year. Only the Lib Dems have the vision to make this town a cleaner and greener place. Fly tipping is a major problem for Reading and this will help reduce it across the borough.”

Editor’s Notes:
For more background information about the Lib Dem campaign can be found at this URL victory for cleaner greener and fairer Reading

Last night a Lib Dem amendment was unanimously carried, with Conservative backing, calling for the full financial implications of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy to be annually reviewed. It also called for the progress of the strategy to be examined by the Environment Scrutiny Panel.

The strategy itself talks of the need for carbon dioxide reduction schemes, waste minimisation, and utilising food waste for producing heat and power; all themes the Lib Dems have long been campaigning for.

Cllr Glenn Goodall, Lib Dem environment spokesperson, said:

“Officers have worked hard to produce this impressive strategy which seeks to address the many challenges of climate change.

“But in times of economic uncertainty, it would be so easy to sweep the environmental agenda to one side.

“The Lib Dem proposal ensures cross-party commitment to continual funding.

“This strategy should be the first port of call for the Council when considering the impact of future policies, no matter the subject.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem PPC Reading East and Group leader welcomed the strategy:

“In Parliament Lib Dems MPs campaigned to strengthen the Climate Change Act, and succeeded in part in getting Labour Ministers to make targets tougher.

“It’s vitally important in Reading now that we make sure our road out of recession is a green road, and we use every opportunity to create new jobs that help protect the environment.”

Editor’s Notes:

The Council approved the Lib Dem amendment to the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan on 27 January.

Please contact Cllr Glenn Goodall for more information on 07967 478 701

Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East, has turned landowner and called for the fight against the environmentally disastrous expansion of Heathrow Airport to be stepped up, following the announcement today (15 January) that the Labour Government has given the go-ahead.

Gareth, who has branded the scheme an ‘environmental disaster’, has been representing residents in Caversham, Woodley and Earley who are already complaining about increased aircraft noise from Heathrow in recent months. He has signed up as a beneficial owner of a plot of land in the middle of the area proposed for compulsory purchase, under a scheme being run by Greenpeace, and is urging local residents to do the same.

Gareth has also demanded that Reading Borough Council joins the “2M” group of local authorities against the scheme, in a formal written question to the Council meeting on 27 January. The question was tabled several months ago in order to guarantee a mini-debate on the issue at the meeting. The Council’s current stated position is one of neutrality to the scheme, following previous questions by the Lib Dems.

Commenting on the Government announcement, Gareth said:-

“The expansion of Heathrow would be an environmental disaster. Today’s announcement rips to shreds any remaining credibility the Labour Government has when it claims it is serious about tackling climate change.

“If this scheme goes ahead, Heathrow would be Britain’s single biggest source of carbon emissions. Thankfully, it is almost certain that any government elected at the General Election will cancel this ludicrous project.

“The message must go out to the people of Reading East: now is the time to step up the campaign against Heathrow expansion. I have signed up – for free – as a landowner of the land that would form part of the runway. Millions of people want to ensure that this white elephant will never be built, and this is just one action they can take by logging onto Greenpeace’s website.

“What Reading and Britain needs – now – is a high-speed rail network, to reduce carbon emissions and help travel within the UK. Tory and Labour Governments have left our country behind the times on this, and even today, only the Liberal Democrats have put forward plans which will actually pay for high speed rail.”

Liberal Democrats have welcomed proposals from Reading Borough Council to convert the Council’s car pool into a Car Club.

The detailed proposals are to be considered on Wednesday 10th December at the Council’s Personnel Committee. This comes after the plan was revealed at last week’s Corporate, Community and External Affairs (CCEA) Scrutiny Meeting.

Gareth Epps, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Council said, “This will greatly boost car club provision in Reading and save the Council large amounts of money. We first proposed this to the Council in January and told them about the scheme operating in Bristol; car clubs were an important part of our manifesto for the May elections.”

“Car clubs benefit when their vehicles are used during the day. The proposal by the Council helps overcome this problem. It’s just the kind of initiative we want to see in Reading, given the traffic and parking problems in the town.”

Editor’s Note: Car clubs provide vehicles which are bookable by the hour by club members. They use the internet and advanced key fobs to manage access to the vehicles, and are often given special parking spaces in towns where the schemes operate.

Liberal Democrats in Reading have slammed a Conservative/Labour alliance to force through a ‘dismal’ Waste Strategy for the PFI authorities of Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell Forest, which appears to rule out the prospect of food waste composting across the authorities until well into the next decade.

Lib Dem group leader on Reading Borough Council, Cllr Gareth Epps, proposed that the strategy be “called in” until an unpublished Action Plan was brought in and scrutinised, alongside a separate Reading move to investigate piloting separate food waste collections for composting and kerbside glass recycling. The call-in was opposed by Conservative and Labour Councillors, who proposed that the Action Plan be scrutinised – but only after the Strategy itself has been agreed.

The re3 Waste Strategy – which runs from 2008-2013 – identifies a number of priority issues, such as:

• A shortage of landfill sites in Berkshire and the urgent need to divert waste away from landfill which is becoming increasingly heavily taxed
• The fact that food waste makes up 50% of all waste that goes into landfill – although the Strategy makes no explanation of what the PFI project intends to do to remove food waste which can be easily composted.
• The PFI Board has deferred decisions on what to do about food waste – despite pressure from Liberal Democrats to tackle the issue.

Commenting, Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Reading Borough Council, said:

“The Strategy is a dismal document, with no vision and apparently no action. Half of the substance has not even been published. The decision to approve it has been taken without anyone knowing what actions are being proposed.

There are now serious questions over how the waste PFI is to be managed. Serious action needs to be taken now to tackle food waste and invest in composting facilities. Labour and the Tories, however, are content to dump it in landfill, with residents footing a tax bill that will go up and up. It’s a crazy situation.”

Cllr Glenn Goodall, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, said:

“The Waste Strategy and PFI contract need proper scrutiny. Only constant Liberal Democrat pressure has forced this onto the agenda. Ultimately it’s Reading residents who will pay through the Council Tax for this short-sighted document, which barely merits being called a strategy.”

Editor’s Notes:

If you can’t read pdf documents you can download a free viewer from Adobe Systems Incorporated Adobe Viewer

This will be Reading’s Climate Change event of the year. Places are limited. Venue on Sunday 28th September 2008 1.30 – 4.30pm at Friends Meeting House, 2 Church Street, Reading RG1 2SB

The September 28 event is a fully facilitated open space meeting in which you will be supported in forming “Climate Action Groups” aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the Greater Reading area.

Turn your ideas into action and receive ongoing support over a six month period and beyond. No prior knowledge or experience necessary.

The hosts of the event, GREN (Greater Reading Environmental Network) provides a forum for a broad range of groups to share ideas and formulate collective views. They facilitate action together that individually might not be possible. Along with COIN (Climate Outreach and Information Network – a national charity)the event aims to create a powerful and vocal community of people working together on climate change.

To book your free place phone 01865 403334 or email catrina@coinet.org.uk, for further information also see the Climate Outreach and Information Network

Liberal Democrats in and around Reading have warmly welcomed the news that the Government has finally decided to block the controversial proposal by Prudential PIM for a development of 7,500 new houses around the Kennet Meadows and the floodplain. But they have warned that Labour plans to increase the total amount of development in Reading and the surrounding communities will not be sustainable.

They have paid tribute to the leading role played by Liberal Democrat councillor for Burghfield, Cllr Royce Longton, in whose ward the bulk of the development would have been located.

Katesgrove Councillor and PPC for Reading East, Gareth Epps, has welcomed the news to protect the Kennet floodplain but is concerned that the Government appears to be further accelerating Reading’s rate of growth. He says:

“It is of course fantastic news, not least to my constituents on the Kennet, that the floodplain will not be breached by the Kennet Valley Park development which would have been a reckless and irreversible threat to Reading.

“However, without a sensible dialogue on how we match Reading’s growth with its infrastructure, and in particular transport, the Government’s imposition of still faster growth is unsustainable. The affordable housing target lacks ambition and fails to meet need. The town and its neighbours must now have a major debate on how this is achieved.”

Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat PPC for Wokingham and group leader on Wokingham Borough Council, says:

“I am very pleased that common sense has prevailed and the proposal to put 7,500 houses on Kennet Valley Park has been rejected. This is good news for everyone in the area.

“But whilst the number of houses for West Berks has been reduced, the number for Wokingham Borough remains as it was before. Some of the Borough’s road network is already experiencing capacity problems.

“It is vitally important that the transport infrastructure, including public transport, gets the investment it needs – otherwise there will be huge increases in journey times and traffic pollution in the area over the next few years.”

Editor’s Note. See also Wokingham Lib Dems Story

The news last week that Thames Water were deferring their plans to implement a scheme to alleviate the effects of flooding in Keswick Close, Tilehurst, was greeted with dismay by local residents.

Local Councillor Ricky Duveen said, “after all the planning and consultation that has already gone on and raised hopes that something might finally be done for the residents of Keswick Close, this is a major blow.”

He continued, “Thames Water have told me that they do not have the resources to carry out the scheme in their current round of works and it will be put back until at least 2010.”

“They have given no information yet as to what other schemes are also being postponed.”

“Given the events of July 2007 I would like to know why Thames Water are slackening off their efforts to alleviate flooding in Reading. It is difficult to understand why such a big company would go through all the preparatory works and then postpone the scheme for lack of resources when they made £427m profit last year (before tax) and another £283m in the first six months of this financial year. Also last year they paid out over £0.5bn in dividends to shareholders.”

“I think they have got their priorities very wrong and the residents they serve are being short-changed.”

Reading Lib Dems have pledged to put fairness first in the imminent review of Labour-run Reading Borough Council’s policy of charging for bulky waste items saying that it has led to a big increase in flytipping in the Borough.

Labour-run Reading Borough Council introduced the scheme in 2003 without consulting local residents.

At the Council’s February budget meeting Liberal Democrats got an amendment passed unanimously to review Council fees and charges, and were explicit that bulky waste was an area ripe for a rethink.

Under Labour, householders are charged a massive £22 for collection of up to five items, increasing to £28 for 6 items or more. The charge is levied for those of working age, regardless of income.

Cllr Gareth Epps, Katesgrove Councillor and environment spokesman for the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council said:

“For many elderly residents, families, and those on low incomes, the Council’s bulky waste collection service is too expensive. Lib Dem Councils such as Liverpool have abandoned charging in favour of free collections. Large items are repaired and sold on at a reduced price for sale to those on low incomes. This would help cut flytipping and be fairer on residents.”

Katesgrove Lib Dem campaigner, Warren Swaine, who is standing in Thursday’s election is keen to see the policy reviewed

“ I only have to walk down my street to see dumped sofas and fridges which are the direct result of this policy. The Council must stop fleecing residents and leaving those who cannot afford to pay no alternative but to leave their waste. Lib Dem policy would be to scrap the scheme”

Editors Note