Reading Liberal Democrats

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

Redlands Lib Dem Councillors Kirsten Bayes and Daisy Benson have welcomed the arrival of the FIRST EVER glass recycling facilities in Redlands ward after a 2 year campaign by the Lib Dems.

Cllr Daisy Benson said:

“I’m glad that local residents in our area will finally be able to recycle glass locally. Labour-run Reading Council has been promising ‘jam tomorrow’ to residents in Redlands since 2006 (when fortnightly bin collections were introduced)”

“I gave the Council a list of sites back in June 2006 – Redlands has had NO glass recycling facilities and has lagged behind the rest of Reading.”

Glenn Goodall, local resident and candidate for Redlands ward in the local elections in May said

“Local residents have been saying to me they desperately want to be able to recycle glass without having to drive to another neighbourhood. Thanks to constant pressure by the Lib Dems the first bottle banks are now going to be installed in April.

Cllr Kirsten Bayes said “We are delighted. This is one step closer to our long term aim of getting glass recycling on the doorstep”

“Glass bottles have been building up on doorsteps in Redlands ward for too long. . I asked the Council again back in February how much longer residents would have to wait and they are finally being installed: in time for the local elections.

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem environment spokesman and Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East has been leading the Lib Dem campaign for kerbside collection of glass and weekly food waste recycling in Reading.

Gareth said: “Under Labour, Reading is lagging behind on recycling: too much waste is going into landfill. The obvious next step is for food waste to be collected weekly. This is both good for the environment and saves taxpayers money”

Editors notes:-

LOCAL Lib Dem campaigner Cllr Gareth Epps is to put the Labour-run Reading Borough Council on the spot at its Council meeting today on the Government’s proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport, as the much-criticised consultation exercise run by the Government draws to a close.

Gareth, who strongly opposes Heathrow expansion on principle, has tabled a question to Labour’s transport lead Tom Crisp to ask what the Council’s response will be.

Gareth says:-

“With air travel given a free ride by the Treasury and the fastest-growing source of carbon emissions, there is no case for the expansion of Heathrow.

Only a twisted so-called consultation exercise like that being peddled by the Government will come out with an excuse for expansion. With transport links to Heathrow leaving much to be desired, and the vast proposed increase in aircraft a third runway will bring, it is in Reading’s interests to clearly say NO to Heathrow expansion. I urge local residents to take part in the consultation exercise, however flawed, and send a message to this gas-guzzling Government.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson and Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Redlands ward Councillor piled pressure on the Labour Council last night to do more to tackle illegal dumping in Reading.

Questions tabled by the Lib Dems to the Reading Borough Council meeting last night (29 January) revealed that nobody has been prosecuted for flytipping in the last 12 months – despite recent legislation to make it easier to penalise offenders.

Gareth Epps said: “Labour’s record on dealing with flytipping is scandalous. It must clean up its act and develop more effective strategies for reducing dumping. This is an issue we shall be taking very seriously in our programme put before the people of Reading this May.”

Kirsten Bayes added: “Flytipping blights local communities. Often the same sites are used repeatedly by flytippers, forcing local residents to arrange clean-ups week after week. The Council needs to use the powers available to all local authorities to clamp down on this practice.”

Editor’s Notes,

1. Fly-tipping is “the illegal deposit of any waste onto land i.e. waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license accept waste”. Fly-tipped waste generally consists of large items of rubbish that are dumped illegally on land instead of being disposed of properly at a landfill site tip, often referred to as “dumping”.
2. Fly-tipping, is a group of offences under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act (1990), carries severe maximum penalties (Unlimited fine, 5 years imprisonment at Crown Court)

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner and Environment spokesperson on the Council, Gareth Epps, is pressing for Reading Borough Council to make it easier to set up a full-scale car club scheme, as it emerges that the company CarPlus is workking to reopen the service based at Cemetery Junction which closed down earlier in January.

Gareth has asked the Council to look at a number of ways to make it easier for car clubs to be run in Reading, including:

• Provision of car club bases on all new town centre developments, in part to reduce the demand for parking;
• Providing residents’ parking permits for car club vehicles, something not provided for by current policy;
• Investigating making the Council’s car pool available as part of the car club fleet, as pioneered in Bristol under Liberal Democrat control.

Gareth will discuss these at a meeting with Council officials in February. This follows on from previous campaigning and pressure on the Council to promote car clubs. Gareth has also been in touch with CarPlus to encourage them and offer help. CarPlus have held meetings with car club users and the Council, and hope to be able to offer a service from the end of February.

Car clubs offer a number of advantages:

1. Reduced car mileage: between 25% and 45% reduction for individual drivers.
2. Each car club car typically replaces 6 private cars.
3. Typical car and typical useage: cost saving over fully owned vehicle up to £2000 per year.

Gareth says:

“Car Clubs are a win-win-win for people in built-up areas. They let people have a car when they need them, saving car club members money, saving unnecessary road trips and freeing up space on our streets and roads. It is high time Reading’s Labour Council took serious action to encourage them – if they are committed to taking real green action.”

Editor’s Notes

The contact at Carplus looking to set up a facility in Reading is Philip Igoe. He can be contacted on 0113 234 9299 or by email at Philip Igoe. CarPlus’ website is at Carplus

Residents who have opted into Reading Borough Council’s new green waste collection scheme are being reminded that final green collections take place on Friday December 21st as collections temporarily end for the winter.

Due to the popularity of the scheme and pressure brought by Lib Dem councillor Daisy Benson, this year Reading Borough Council has extended green waste collection well past mid-December.

Residents who are due a green waste collection in the week beginning Monday December 17 are being urged to make sure they put any green waste they have in their green bins or bags and they will be collected as usual.

The green waste collection service resumes on Monday January 21st.

The Council is also moving to reassure residents who may have concerns about rubbish building up over the Christmas period. Residents are being advised that for their first collection after Christmas, crews will be collecting any rubbish that is left in black sacks alongside their normal black bin.

The Reading Chronicle article [MP: we must be asked about Heathrow, 29 November] shows Reading’s current MPs doing a passable impression of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, while ignoring the fundamental issue at stake.

Gareth Epps Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Reading East has written to the Chronicle saying – “There is no justification for a third runway at Heathrow and the destruction it will cause, not only to the communities it will obliterate but to the impact on Reading of vastly more flights. Given the impact of climate change, and with air travel the fastest growing source of carbon emissions, doubling the capacity of Heathrow is the last thing we want or need.

Worse, Rob Wilson as quoted seems to misunderstand the concept of consultation. The word means asking the public for their view, as opposed to the Labour Government’s proposal to inform the public about a decision they have already taken. So calling for the ‘roadshow’ to be brought to Reading is meaningless.

For far too long Labour and Tory politicians have ignored the environment and allowed the expansion of air travel while failing to promote solutions such as high speed rail. Liberal Democrats would not expand Heathrow, and all the posturing in the world about consultation can take nothing away from that.

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.”