If you are a member of the Liberal Democrats you are cordially invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Greater Reading Liberal Democrats, which will take place on Thursday 20th November 2008 at 8:00pm at the Church Hall, Downshire Square, Reading.
Amongst other things, the AGM will need to elect the Chair and officers who will form the Committee for 2009 as well as Federal & Regional conference representatives.
Agenda for the Annual General Meeting 2008 To be held on Thursday 20th November 2008 at 8:00pm, The Church Hall, Downshire Square.
1. Apologies
2. Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting held on 22nd November 2007
3. Reports from:-
3.1. Chair
3.2. Treasurer
3.3. Conference Representatives
3.4. Liberal Democrat Groups of
3.4.1. Reading Council
3.4.2. Wokingham Council
4. Motions to AGM
5. Election of Officers
5.1. Chair
5.2. Vice-Chair
5.3. Secretary
5.4. Treasurer
5.5. Membership Secretary
5.6. Youth & Student Representative
6. Election of Federal and Regional Conference Representatives
6.1. Federal Conference Representatives (maximum of 7 + 2 reserves)
6.2. Regional Conference Representatives (maximum of 7 + 2 reserves)
7. To note the Accounts for 2007 (see note 1)
8. Appointment of Auditor for the 2008 Local Party Accounts
Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat councillor for Katesgrove, was elected unopposed at a group meeting on Saturday afternoon as the new leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Reading Borough Council.
Gareth – with long experience in forming Liberal Democrat policy at national level – takes over from Bob Green, who stood down from the Council on 1 May after 7 years leading the Liberal Democrats in Reading. Under Bob the number of Liberal Democrat seats grew at each of the last three local elections.
Gareth says:-
‘I’m delighted to have such clear support to take up this challenge, at a time of such clear opportunity for Liberal Democrats in Reading.
‘Bob Green has done a tremendous job for the Liberal Democrats. His expertise and authority has won respect across party lines. We will miss his direct input – though I’m glad to be able to count on his advice. I’m glad to say he is in great spirits and feeling better every day.
‘The people of Reading voted for change on 1 May. My first task is to make sure that we deliver that change. Reading needs a Council that listens and responds to local people’s concerns. Liberal Democrats will work not to deliver the agendas of others – but the agenda of real change. We have asked the Labour and Conservative groups to respond to our manifesto – which is available publicly – for this exact reason.’
Just after 2.30pm yesterday Liberal Democrat acting leader Dr Vince Cable MP announced that Nick Clegg, MP for Sheffield Hallam has been elected the new leader of the Liberal Democrats with 50.6% of the vote. Clegg replaces Sir Menzies Campbell MP who served as party leader from March 2006 until stepping down in October.
Reading Liberal Democrats welcome Mr Clegg‘s election and look forward to working with him in forthcoming campaigns. Lib Dem deputy group leader Cllr. Gareth Epps sent warm congratulations saying, “Both Nick and Chris have run great campaigns over the past two months and I thank them both. Under Nick‘s leadership I am certain we’ll see a renewed energy in the party and we’re going to make full use of it here in Reading to really take the fight to Labour and the Tories. I echo his call to disillusioned voters who used to vote for us or the other parties to rediscover the Liberal Democrats”
Nick Clegg has been MP for Sheffield Hallam since entering parliament in 2005 before which he had been a member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands region since 1999. He has been Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Affairs spokesperson since 2006. He visited Reading in April this year as part of the local election campaign.
Cllr. Epps also paid tribute to Dr Vince Cable MP who, as acting party leader has overseen a rise in Lib Dem opinion poll ratings and delivered some first rate performances in the Commons, notably criticising the government’s handling of the Northern Rock affair and describing the Prime Minister’s “remarkable transformation in the last few weeks from Stalin to Mr Bean, creating chaos out of order rather than order out of chaos”. Cllr Epps described Dr Cable as “an incredibly able politician who has more than shown his worth. I’m sure he will continue to play a major role on Nick‘s front bench team.”
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.
Reading East Liberal Democrats have selected Reading resident Gareth Epps as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.
The result was announced after a one-member, one-vote selection at the hustings meeting held on Saturday (20 January) at the Oakwood Centre in Woodley.
Gareth takes over from John Howson who fought the seat at the last General Election. He stood in the 2001 General Election against David Cameron in Witney, increasing the Liberal Democrats’ share of the vote. He works in London on a major infrastructure project. Gareth has been vocal in the campaign against Labour’s plans for a one-way IDR.
Commenting on his selection, Gareth said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for the Liberal Democrats – we only need a 5.7% swing to win at the General Election. With Labour in freefall, the choice in Reading East will be clear – it will be us challenging the Tories. Our commitment to a clean and green environment, our clear stance on the one-way IDR and our commitment to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour has already found resonance on the doorstep. I will campaign on our strong track record locally and national policies domestically and abroad that brought us a swing at the last General Election.”
The Chair of Greater Reading Liberal Democrats, Coling Lawley said: “I’m delighted that with Gareth as our candidate, we have selected a good local campaigner who has already built a strong team around him. We are all looking forward to the challenges ahead and are confident that we can get a excellent result at the next General Election.”
Editor’s Note – The independent UK Polling Report website ukpollingreport.co.uk/ lists Reading East in the top 40 most winnable seats for the Liberal Democrats at the next election, with less than 5,000 votes between the Tories and Lib Dems. The last two local election results across the constituency have seen the Lib Dems in second place ahead of Labour.
Preserving Liberal Democracy, community cohesion and dealing with a suicide bombers’ cell in your constituency …..
How can we retain our freedoms and our security?
Speaker:
Greg Mulholland MP
(Lib Dem, Leeds North West)
Monday 20 November, 8pm onwards.
RISC Global Café, 35-39 London Street, Reading.
No charge for admission but donations welcome to cover costs.
Cash bar available.
All Greater Reading Liberal Democrats are cordially invited to the annual General Meeting of the Greater Reading Liberal Democrats, which will take place on Thursday 30th November 2006 at 8:00pm at the RISC Global Café, 35-39 London Street, Reading.
Member’s invitation and information pack will arrive in the post shortly.
Please phone the Secretary on 0118 9545223 if you have not received yours by the 17th November.
Amongst other things, the AGM will need to elect the Chair and officers who will form the Committee for 2007 as well as Federal & Regional conference representatives.
Please Note…
The date and venue on the invitation letter and on this website is the correct one, the information on the agenda is NOT
Councillor Jude Fry has resigned from her position as a Reading Borough Councillor for Tilehurst Ward because her husband’s job has recently been transferred to Switzerland.
Jude said “It came as a complete shock to my husband and I when he was told that he had to relocate to Switzerland or lose his job. With our second child due at the end of November, my husband didn’t fancy the prospect of redundancy and so, after a lot of discussion between us, we decided to make the move”. Jude continued “I have really enjoyed my time as a Tilehurst Ward Councillor and am very sad to be leaving Reading after living here for 10 years but I hope everyone will appreciate that my husband and I are doing what we think will be best for our family.” Jude went on further to add “Although I could technically have stayed on as a Councillor by flying back to attend one meeting every 6 months, I don’t feel that would be fair to the residents of Tilehurst, who have shown so much support for me by electing me 3 times in as many years.”
By-Election
Councillor Fry’s resignation means that there will be a by-election in Tilehurst Ward and the Tilehurst Liberal Democrats have chosen long-time local resident and campaigner, Ricky Duveen, as their candidate. Jude said “I have known and liked Ricky for a long time and I think he is an excellent candidate. He has my full support and I hope the people of Tilehurst will show him as much kindness and support as they did for me by electing him as their Councillor in the by-election.”
Tilehurst has had Liberal Councillors for more than 40 years, since Jim Day (ex-mayor and freeman of Reading) was first elected in 1962 and Ricky Duveen hopes to be able to continue the tradition. Ricky commented that “Jude has been a first-rate councillor for the people of Tilehurst, tackling local issues on behalf of residents, and we are all sorry that she is leaving. Jude has also been an enthusiastic campaigner with the Lib Dems in Reading. We want to thank her for all her efforts and wish her, and her family, all the best for the future.”
Editor’s note:-
Councillor Jude Fry, 31-years old, has been a Liberal Democrat Councillor for Tilehurst Ward since 2003. Married with one 2 1/2 year old child, she is expecting her second child at the end of November. Jude was the Reading Liberal Democrats’ Council spokesperson on Transport and was also a member of the Licensing Committee. We wish her well in her family move to Switzerland and send our thanks for all her hard work and devotion to Tilehurst and the Liberal Democrat ethos over the past 3 years.
