Commenting, Cllr Daisy Benson, Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Lib Dem Housing Spokesperson said:
“Just months into their administration Labour are planning cuts to sheltered housing services which will hit some of the most vulnerable people in Reading.
“This will come as a nasty shock to many elderly people living in RBC sheltered housing as Labour kept their plans for sheltered housing hidden in the run up to the election.”
“Proposals including the number of support staff and support provided and making changes to night time services.’
“This is not about improving services it’s about saving money.”
“Labour councillors should rethink this decision.”
“We are urging tenants and families affected to respond to this consultation and for local residents to sign our petition to help fight this needless cut.’
“We think these cuts are wrong and totally unnecessary.
“Our top priority remains to protect the most vulnerable childrens and adults in Reading. We would not have made these cuts.’
Warren Swaine has today issued an apology for his actions on the 27th January:
“I would like to take this opportunity apologise for making derogatory comments during the BBC Question Time programme on the 27th January especially those relating to Chuka Umunna MP. I made a lot of comments that were insulting that night and I regret that.
“In respect of one particular tweet, no offense was meant but I absolutely acknowledge that it was recklessly worded and liable to an interpretation that was never intended. For that I would like to offer my sincere apologies to Mr Umunna and to anyone else for any offence caused.
“I take the values of the Liberal Democrats very seriously and as someone of mixed heritage myself, I can fully understand why it has upset many people. For that I offer an unreserved apology.”
“Labour promised residents they would be fully-involved in decision-making, yet they are clearly being ‘fobbed-off’ by this sham exercise.
“This superficial consultation ignores the true budget situation. It’s about time they started being honest with the electorate and fully involved them in the difficult decisions this council has to take.”
Reading Lib Dems have warmly welcomed the announcement today by the council of the list of roads being re-surfaced in the annual summer operation. Transport Spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen said, ‘this is a welcome use of the extra cash given out by the Coalition Government following two severe winters. Reading received an additional grant of £400k for road repairs this year over and above the normal budget.’
‘There is never enough money to repair all the roads that need mending at any one time but this extra funding will make a big difference to road users in Reading.’
The list includes many of the roads that local Lib Dems have campaigned about over the last six months.
Local Lib Dems have welcomed the news that Labour-controlled Reading Council has organised a public meeting to gather local views on community facilities.
Local campaigner Dave Warren commented:
“I’m delighted the Labour administration has responded to our local campaign for better facilities for residents in Southcote.”
“So far over 200 people have signed our petition which I launched a few weeks ago calling for a new community facility to be built as part of the redevelopment of the Happy Prospect Pub.”
“With the loss of the local pub many residents have told us that a new community hub is needed to allow local people to get together close to home.”
Lib Dem Group Leader, Cllr Daisy Benson added:
“We will continue to campaign for real resident involvement across the Borough.
“For too long Labour councillors have taken local residents for granted on decisions that affect them.”
Responding to the news that Reading Council has won £5 million pounds funding from the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council said:
“It is good to see the ambitious plans developed by the previous Lib Dem – Conservative administration including the UK’s second largest bike hire scheme outside London and other green transport initiatives have been endorsed by the Coalition Government.
“Investing in sustainable transport has long been Liberal Democrat policy and it is good we will feel the benefit of it here in Reading.
“The new Labour administration of the Council must learn from its past transport mistakes including the failed one-way IDR scheme and use this cash to deliver increased cycling and walking opportunities for residents and visitors.”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Reading Borough Council and former Lead Member for Social Care is urging Labour Lead Councillor for Social Care Cllr Mike Orton to add his name to calls for reform to social care funding ahead of the publication of an independent review on July 4.
Andrew Dilnot, Independent Chair of the Commission on funding of care and support is due to publish his recommendations to the Coalition Government on reforming social care funding next week and the Local Government Association which represents councils is campaigning for action.
Cllr Benson has written to Cllr Orton and urging him to add his name to a declaration put forward by the Local Government Association.
Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“The current system of funding social care is broken and I am aware it causes many older people and families in Reading huge anxiety.”
“Social care funding arrangements including the level at which people contribute to their care are set by Government not local councils.”
“With a growing aging population there is an urgent need to reform social care funding to ensure it is fairer and more sustainable.”
“There is a danger that this issue could be kicked into the long grass and I think that would be a huge missed opportunity to make the current system better for everyone.”
“It is essential that all politicians from all political parties put politics aside and work together at national level to sort out social care funding to ensure everyone regardless of income can be happy, health and secure in old age.”
Lib Dem councillors in Reading are calling on Conservative, Labour and Green Councillors to sign up to protecting services to vulnerable people living in Reading.
Lib Dems tabled an amendment to a motion tabled by Conservative Cllr Tom Stanway on Value for money/Debt Reduction at the full Council meeting held on 28 June which read:
“This Council considers the protection of and delivery of services to vulnerable children and adults in Reading to be of paramount importance.”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Lib Dem Group commented:
“When Liberal Democrat councillors went into coalition with the Conservatives in Reading last year to fix the mess Labour left it was important for us to get better value for money for our residents, but protecting vulnerable residents was and still remains our top priority.”
“We are proud of the fact that unlike many Labour and Conservative-controlled councils elsewhere despite huge financial pressures on the Council’s budget we stayed true to our word and protected services to the most vulnerable people in Reading.”
”Our focus on this was such that we managed not to close a single childrens’ centre, reduce child protection services, or cut services to older people and carers who depend on them.”
“Looking ahead to next year’s challenging budget we are calling on all councillors to commit to placing the protection of vulnerable people at the centre of all our policies and at the heart of everything we do as a council.”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council is calling on the Labour-run Council to take urgent action to increase the number of affordable homes in the Borough after it was revealed nearly 8,000 people are registered with the Council for social housing.
Questions by the Lib Dems have shown there are currently :
- 7,922 people registered for social housing
- 238 3 bed homes currently available to rent – average waiting time 1 and half years
- 44 4 bed homes currently available to rent – average wait – 21 months
(Statistics: Reading Borough Council)
Cllr Daisy Benson commented:
“For the sake of thousands of residents stuck in cramped accommodation Labour councillors commit to making increasing the supply of family-sized housing top priority, and use all the tools available to the Council to increase the supply of homes to rent.”
“Last time Labour ran the Council the number of empty homes rose , not one single new Council home was built.
“And at national level the Labour government sold off more Council homes than they constructed.”
“In particular in Reading there is a massive shortage of family –sized homes with many people faced to wait years to get access to 3 and 4 bed homes.”
“Last year the Lib Dem-Conservative Coalition of the Council began building Reading’s first Council-owned and managed homes for over 20 years.
“We also won additional funding to build 76 new homes on Dee Park.”
Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council have welcomed the publication of the Health Profile for Reading 2011 published by the English Public Health Observatories, and urged the Labour-run Council to act to improve public health.
The Coalition government is devolving responsibility for improving public health to councils and giving councils a budget to do this.
Commenting, Lib Dem Group Leader on Reading Borough Council, Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“This report shows there is an urgent need to focus resources on public health in Reading to improve the lives of children and adults – particularly in the most deprived communities.”
“Earlier this year the Lib Dem-Conservative administration of the Council set up a shadow Health and Wellbeing Board to help improve public health in Reading.
“The new Labour-run administration must show leadership and use new powers given to them by the Coalition Government to act to reduce health inequality in our Borough.”
