Our candidates for the 2019 Local Elections in Reading, with a message from them to voters sent recently to the Reading Chronicle.

The Liberal Democrats have today condemned the Conservative Government for slashing Reading Borough Council's budget for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by £3,500 per pupil in real terms since 2015 (a total cash shortfall of almost £3.9 million), resulting in a loss of specialist provision.

Reading Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto of priorities for the upcoming 2019 Local Elections.

The Liberal Democrats have today warned of a “postcode lottery” as official figures reveal only 52% people in Reading have been offered a health check over the last 5 years, significantly below the national average of 85.21%.

Services in Caversham that support families have been hit hard in recent years. Our children’s centres have closed, and our schools are not properly funded. Other crucial services used by families such as buses and libraries have been cut.

We welcome the publication of the RBC proposals to develop and improve the Palmer Park recreation complex, a major leisure facility for East Reading. You can find full details of the proposal on the Council’s website here. The consultation ends on Friday 22 February.

The bus services in Caversham keep getting cut on the grounds of unprofitability, but new information indicates that Reading Borough Council may be at least partially responsible for the funding shortfall.

Manufacturers must scrap the “smorgasbord” of plastics which are used in packaging for key foods so that councils can reduce waste sent to landfill and increase recycling, local Lib Dems are warning.

A survey released by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), of councils across England has found that nearly one in three had seen home care services close or cease trading in the past six months, while slightly more had seen residential and nursing homes go under.

Local Liberal Democrats have warned that the number of hospital admissions due to an older person falling, is set to rise to nearly 1,000 a day by the end of the decade.