Reading West : Is Foreign Money Buying Sharma His Chance?

TORY ALOK SHARMA is the hot favourite to pick up the Reading West seat at the coming General Election. Yet his opponents are already shouting "foul" suggesting that his campaign funding may be tainted.

Labour's John Ennis complains "We haven't got the millions of an exiled Tory grandee who doesn't even live in the country to pay for people to deliver fancy leaflets of airbrushed politicians that actually say nothing about what they are going to do."

Reading West is a marginal seat, so funding will have an influence. A national newspaper says "Cameron boasts of transparency out of one side of his mouth, only to stonewall questions about the residency of his party's ultra-generous donor, Lord Ashcroft, out of the other. Still, nearly a decade after he was ennobled, the Tory party won't say if their sugar daddy – who is helping to fund the Tories' big push in marginal seats – is resident in the UK for tax purposes."

It is widely believed that some of Ashcroft's money is being used to fund the Tory's campaign in Reading West. So with all the fuss about MPs expenses, what should we think if Alok Sharma gets into Parliament with a campaign paid for by questionable money?

City Status: A Reading Proposition

A READING COUNCILLOR has called for a new system to decide when a town could call itself a city - and suggested that Reading could lead the change.

Reading's only Independent Councillor Tony Jones said " Isn't it time there was a grown up approach to declaring when a place can be called a city?

As it stands, we have to wait around for some celebration or other - the Queen's Golden or Diamond Jubilee - then parade in some civic beauty pageant in the hope that we will be picked above other competing towns.

If Reading misses out in 2012, then when will be the next opportunity - the Coronation of King Charles?

The list of other possible English candidate cities is a long one: Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Chelmsford, Colchester, Croydon, Doncaster, Dover, Guildford, Ipswich, Luton, Maidstone, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Shrewsbury and Atcham, Southend-on-Sea, Southwark, Stockport, Swindon, Telford and Wrekin, Warrington, Wolverhampton. (If you are in Scotland, Wales or Ireland you're in with a much better chance, even if you put in an inferior bid).

I suggest that instead of competing with all the other usual suspects, why not join with them instead in petitioning the government for a new system? Say, if you have a population of 100,000 people or more in an identifiable centre within your council boundary, why should you not simply be able to apply for confirmation of your city status.

In our modern world, shouldn't we sweep aside some of the more archaic procedures which do not make the UK seem interesting, just bafflingly stupid and out of touch. I guess a new governmnet could make themselves very popular, very quickly by implementing such an idea - or advocating it now!" said Cllr Jones.

Help Shape A People's Budget For Reading

LAST YEAR's budget making at Reading Borough Council was a 3 night shambles. This year council leader Jo Lovelock says she wants to avoid a repeat performance (forgetting that Labour was as much to blame as anyone) and claims to have consulted all the political parties .. but has, as ever, ignored Reading's sole Independent Councillor.

So Councillor Tony Jones is instead inviting members of the public to submit ideas and priorities for next year's budget. Here are some starters for consideration:

1. Stop wasting even more money on the propsed new Civic Offices - £3.75 million spent already and nothing to show for it - but now conveniently kicked into the long grass for decisions well past the general election.

2. Consider selling off Reading Buses - Oxford & Brighton have bus services which are consistently judged better and cheaper than Reading, which have long since left the controls of council ownership. Most Labour councils have sold their bus companies up and down the land.

3. Make a real plan for smaller government by reducing the number of councillors and dumping costly annual elections (also ducked by all parties earlier this year).

4. Put a freeze on costly meddling with the road network for a couple of years - and drop the existing plans to cut off direct access to and from the IDR to the Oxford Road area.

Councillor Jones said "Last October Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson said there needed to be a sale of any "non-core government activities". The 2010 council budget is going to be tough to balance without hurting council tax payers pockets or salami slicing services. However, the early indications are that all three political parties are running scared of taking tough decisions, for fear of losing votes before the general election. In other words, they are putting their party interests before the people of Reading. I am inviting anyone in Reading to contact me, through my blog site or any means they choose, to submit their ideas for the budget."

Reading's Dumb & Dumber

HAVE YOU NOTICED something about the snow? Reading's political leadership has been largely silent about the way the council responded to the crisis.

These are the same councillors who are usually the first in line to have press releases issued in their name announcing this "amazing / brilliant/ etc, etc" initiative. But when chaos ensued on the roads around Reading on 21 December nothing was heard. Not even from the transport spokesperson.

Perhaps by that time, they had disappeared on well earned winter breaks skiing or chasing winter sun. Instead, the council's Chief Executive and Mayor were wheeled out to speak on behalf of the council. That would be a bit like at the next national crisis Brown and Mandelson keeping their mouths shut and instead the Head of the civil service and the Queen issuing a press release. Now, perhaps that not a bad idea ...

Anyway, as the snow melts normal service is bound to be resumed, with our council leaders telling us about their latest successes. After all, snow doesn't stick.

Have Yor Say On MPs Expenses

After all the rows and disclosures about the fiddling and flipping MPs in Westminster, now here's a chance for your say.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is consulting on the new system for managing MPs’ expenses. IPSA says:

Labour MPs Should Back Brown

Following the latest botched attempt to get rid of Gordon Brown, Labour MPs who didn't have the courage to get rid of him ages ago should settle down and take the defeat he is leading them towards.

There has been a succession of attempts by those who know him best to head off the General Election calamity later this year - but so poorly organised are they and cowardly the many, that the stubborn PM knows he can hang on to power to the latest possible day.

The fact that Brown puts himself before his party - and that the Labour Party puts itself before the country (otherwise why not call a general election now, or agree to fixed term parliaments) - means that many who whould see him gone choose instead to say nothing, do nothing, and hope that they will be rewarded for their loyalty in his out-going honours list, regardless of the consequences for the country. What a shame and a shambles the Labour Party has become.

Snow: Latest RBC Action & Advice

The following is the latest advice issued by Sally Swift, the Council's Head of Marketing & PR, on what the Council is doing to deal with the current severe weather.

"The MET Office have forecast more snow in Reading through today (Wednesday 6 January).

Road safety continues to be the priority for the Council. Gritting took place overnight. Four snow ploughs are out and have been working throughout the night to clear primary routes. Please note that salt is not effective if significant amounts of snow fall on top of it and that sometimes routes can appear untreated until many cars have driven along the road.

Extra staff like street cleaners, refuse collectors and parks staff are on stand-by to help where they can. We have a fleet of seven 4 X 4 vehicles which are on hand to get services to vulnerable residents should the need arise.

Vulnerable people or their carers can phone the Council's response team on 0118 955 3600 if they have any urgent needs.

Advice has also been passed to major businesses across Reading.

Gritting
While we are pre-gritting main roads, drivers and pedestrians need to remain vigilant and take care during the cold snap as even a heavy gritting service cannot guarantee that treated roads and pavements will always be completely clear of ice or snow. Follow this link for details of which roads are gritted. It should be noted however grit is not effective if 4 to 5 inches of snow fall on top of it. Roads also become icy very quickly in sub-zero temperatures.

Variable message signs on main roads are warning people to take note of the very latest weather forecasts. While we completely understand residents frustrations, we would urge all residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

For the latest information on Reading Buses go to www.reading-buses.co.uk
For the latest train information go to www.nationalrail.co.uk
For local road information and traffic cameras go to www.reading-travel.co.uk
For the latest national highways information go to www.highways.gov.uk

Emergency Operations Centre is operational

Civic Centre

Post Office Cash Office open from 9.30 -12.30
Information Desk operating a limited service from 9am - decision on closing the Civic to be taken at 12.00 meeting

Call Centre is open

Schools
As far as we are aware all  schools in Reading have closed. All after school clubs run by the council will not open tonight.

All New Directions & Youth provision closed and notification given to users
All four Children's Centres closed and all tel lines transferred to lead for business support.

Social Care
Day Services and day transport service is closed.
Day service users in need of day supervision/care are being looked after by residential care.

Bins
Bin and recycling collections are delayed and will continue to be as the bad weather continues. We are asking residents to bear with us and to leave their bins out and we will collect them as soon as we can.

The Household Waste Recycling Centre at Smallmead (the tip) is closed today.

Leisure Centres

·    Central Pool is closed
·    Rivermead Leisure complex in open and working on a skeleton Staff
·    Meadway is open and working on a skeleton Staff
·    Arthur Hills pool is open and fully staffed
·    Academy Sport Leisure centre is opened and fully staffed.
·  Highdown is dual use and the school is closed

Planning Meeting
The Planning meeting that was due to take place on Wednesday 6 January will now take place on Thursday 14 January.

Regular emergency planning meetings are taking place at the Council right through the day today.

Move To Replace Old Leadership Finally Vindicated

Battle School Climbs Out of Special Measures

A West Reading primary school is celebrating after coming off special measures.

Battle Primary School, in Cranbury Road, has just received a letter from Ofsted confirming its decision to remove the school from special measures that were put in place in January 2008.

Battle ward councillor Tony Jones, who called for a change of school leadership eighteen months ago said "This news is the best Christmas present the school and community could have, and I salute Sarah Parish and the Interim Board for the work they have done. It had been clear for a while that the school needed a fresh start and new leadership and they have provided just that. Now parents and pupils can look forward to a better new year than they have been able to for a while."

"However, It's no thanks to Jon Hartley, Lead Councillor for Education and Lifelong Learning , that Battle School has finally clawed it's way back, although I have no doubt he will want to bask in their hard earned glory. He showed huge complacency two years ago when it was obvious the school was in a mess. This troubled period could and should have been avoided."

Commenting on the Ofsted report, Headteacher Sarah Parish said: 'Battle is a fabulous school with fabulous pupils. We are all delighted with this report from Ofsted which acknowledges all the improvements we have made in the school, and has given us the mandate to build on this to make the school better and better.'

Chair of the Interim Executive Board Allan Currall said: 'This is a fantastic result for the school and the quote from a Year 6 pupil sums up our feelings: 'You cannot replace what we have here'. Overall, this has been a tremendous team effort and a tribute to the hard work that everyone has put in.'

Special Meeting To Approve U-Turn: Central Library To Be New Customer Centre?

New Civic Offices: Council Climbdown

Reading Council will effectively abandon it's grand plans for a £60million replacement for the crumbling civic offices at a special council meeting next week.

Previous plans for a new offices in Hosier Street are to be de-coupled from future development plans, to allow a more speedy solution to be found.

Independent Councillor Tony Jones, who first called into question the then all-party support for the original plans in June 2008, said he welcomed this common sensense change of approach.

Cllr Jones said "I have long called for the existing Town Hal to be used, together with a town centre customer hub and back office staff in other existing offices in Reading town centre. While the council leadership has opposed and fought these ideas, one by one they have having to now agree with me. I suspect, though I don't know, that the new customer centre will be moved to the central library site." (25Nov09)

Reading Candidates Follow Party Lines

MP EXPENSES: REFORMS DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH

WHILE LOCAL PARLIAMENTARY HOPEFULS tow the party line on the propsed measures to clean up parliament, Independent Tony Jones says that the reforms do not go far enough.

Following the public disclosure of all the scams MPs had been up to, Sir Christopher Kelly has brought forward new recommendations, including a ban on MPs claiming for mortgage interest payments on second homes, on flipping homes and on employing family members.

However, Tony Jones says "Kelly has missed a golden opportunity to make MPs more like public servants rather small business people. I used to be amazed going into many MP's Constituency Offices that they were responsible for the whole thing - finding the place, recruiting and paying the staff, and everything else, down to paying for the paperclips, newspapers and milk bills. I never believed that this was a good use of their time nor what we were paying them to do.

Surely it would be better to have a permanent, civil service staffed office for each MP. This should not be at an MP's home, but highly visible and accessible. On being elected, they could arrive and be given their keys and on leaving, after retiring or losing an election, they could pack up their papers in a box and hand their keys back. As the Mayor, that's how it is and surely that would be better for our MPs too."

New Figures Show Which Councillors Aren't Working

TOO MANY LAZY COUNCILLORS

EARLIER IN THE YEAR Tony Jones proposed that the number of paid councillors on Reading Borough Council could be reduced without any reduction in service to the public. The idea was met with howls of anger from many councillors, claiming that if anything, the town was under-represented.

They also argued that the numbers were needed to help share-out the heavy work-load created by constituents.So they kicked the money-saving idea in to the long grass. But now the latest release of official case-work figures shows what a lie this is.

As ever Councillors Page and Benson top the list, but many others appear to be doing next to nothing.

The Top 10 Case loads between July and October 2009 were:

1. Tony Page (LAB, Deputy Leader) - ABBEY - 69
2. Daisy Benson (Lib Dem) - REDLANDS - 50
3. Gareth Epps (Lib Dem) - KATESGROVE - 47
4. Mike Orton (LAB) - WHITLEY - 35
5. Glenn Goodall (Lib Dem) - REDLANDS - 32
6. Tony Jones (IND) - BATTLE - 28
7. Ricky Duveen (Lib Dem) - TILEHURST - 24
8. Tom Steel (CON) - KENTWOOD - 22
9. Kirsten Bayes (Lib Dem) - REDLANDS - 21
10. Mark Ralph (CON) - PEPPARD - 20

So, for example, in Abbey Ward there were a total of 81 cases. As hard working Deputy Leader Tony Page accounted for 69 of these, a total of just 12 cases were submitted by the other two Abbey councillors. Would losing one of them be missed? Similar patterns exist in other wards.

However, the figures show the following average number of cases by political affiliation:

1. Independent - 28 cases per councillor
2. Lib Dem - 23 cases
3. Labour - 11 cases
4. Conservatives - 9 cases

"Council Should Seize The Opportunity"

Thames Valley University quits town - home for new East Reading Secondary?

EARLIER IN THE YEAR Reading Borough Council conducted a review of secondary school provision in the town.

At the time it identified the need for a new Secondary School in East Reading, but said no site could be found.

Now with the news that Thames Valley University is leaving Reading a councillor has called for their vacated sites at the Kings Road and Crescent Road to be used to provide a new secondary school within the borough boundary.

Cllr Tony Jones said "For too long Reading pupils have needed to go to schools in Wokingham, where the council has no influence. Now that TVU are pulling out, the council should seize the opportunity and open a new school for East Reading."

Bath Road Reservoir Campaign

Council Scrambles To Avoid Planning Humiliation

IN A HIGHLY unusual move, Reading Council Planning Committee is being asked on to meet again on Wednesday 4th November " to define the exact terms upon which they have rejected Thames Water’s applications".

It is said that councillors want to ensure that all rejections to the proposal are ‘watertight’in the face of an expected strong appeal by Thames Water against what to many was a political rather than planning decision.

The professional planning officers had recommended to councillors that the application to building housing on the private and unused West Reading site should be approved. Instead at the first meeting, councillors and others queued up to play to the public gallery amid much merriment - except that the Thames Water representatives were chuckling as each new contribution made their appeal easier and more certain.

Next time there are to be no long speeches or debates, the conversations we are told should be short and swift as the committee will just be stating the detailed grounds for rejection.

Councillors Told To Remedy Position

Independent Councillor Tony Jones said "What is clear is that the Council's Planning and Legal officers have told the councillors what a weak position their theatrical antics have put them in - and so now they are all trying to remedy a desperate position. These poor representatives, some of the most senior people on the council, have let the Bath Road campaigners down and left the door wide open for Thames Water."

Posturing Wannabees Prostitute For Votes

AS THE GANG of wannabe Reading West politicians line up to elbow each other out of the way to get to the front of the queue for election photo opportunities, they have to answer one question: When they say 'No homes here, never' do they mean it, do they believe it?

Reading's only Independent Councillor Tony Jones has said 'It is so disappointing to see otherwise reasonable intelligent candidates prostitute themselves, grovelling for votes when they must know that they are knowingly misleading local residents. Either that or their judgements aren't anchored in reality.'

In west Reading two proposals have been to the fore front of the news with all political corners pledging support to campaigns against any housing developments. But Tony Jones has laid down a challenge to them saying ' I'd wager any charity bet that both at Bath Road and Pincents Hill will see housing be built within the life of the next Parliament.'

'This is more important than any party political bravado and trying to say what you think people want to hear you say. The reality is that both sites will see development, so I would rather see real discussion about what is reasonable and eventually acceptable, rather than trying to build a blockade of emotion which will not serve anyone in the long run.' said Tony Jones.

Jones Not To Seek Election

READING'S ONLY Independent Councillor has announced that he will not be seeking election to the council in 2010.

Councillor Tony Jones, who represents Battle Ward in west Reading, has said he will not be contesting the seat when it next comes up for election in May.

The former Mayor who left the Labour Party in 2008 said "I was first elected in 1984 when I was in my 20s and have sat in the Reading Council chamber in my 30s, 40s and now into my 50s. Having had the pleasure to serve Battle ward since 1999, I have decided to rethink how, if at all, I may be able to further contribute to public service in Reading."

Over recent years Cllr Jones has been outspoken and sometimes controversial in his views - arguing against the plans for a £60 million new civic centre, calling for the reduction in the number of councillors by a third, fighting for a new health centre in Battle ward, against a £100,000 art installation and demanding new leadership at Battle Primary when the school fell back into special measures.

A former chair of Reading Buses and leader of a hugely successful campaign to open up over 500 empty homes in Reading, Cllr Jones also raised a record £55,000 for charity when Mayor in 2001/2. As Mayor he also controversially offered to pay the parking fines of war veterans who had been ticketed by the council while attending a Battle of Britain rememberance ceremony.

He also initiated the town twinning with Speightstown, Barbados and raised money for the Pakistan earthquake appeal. Cllr Jones has also been a tiressless campaigner against street prostitution and drug dealing in the Oxford Road.

Cllr Jones will be continuing with his twice a month ward surgeries at Battle Library and is adding a third at Oxford Road Community Centre.

Footnote: When Tony Jones was first elected on 3 May 1984, Phil Collins was No.1 in the charts with "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" ...

Battle Art: Daft "Three Holes In The Ground" Plan Scrapped

The controversial proposed artwork - described as "Three Holes In The Ground"- paid for by Tesco on the former Battle Hospital site has been scrapped.

Following a year long campaign against the scheme by Battle ward councillor Tony Jones, a council working group met earlier this month to finally kill off the idea.

Cllr Jones said "The scheme was never officially agreed by the council nor ever seen by anyone, yet about £30,000 has been wasted on this idea. I am glad that other councillors have now seen sense and this wasteful episode has been brought to an end. I have again asked, as I did last March, that a wider public consulation be undertaken so the community can still get something out of the £60,000 left of the money paid over by Tesco.

I know that other councillors, led by Labour's Graeme Hoskin, were still keen to proceed with the idea, but I don't think they could have justified this daft idea in the long run". (30Aug09)

FA Cup: Reading On The Way To Wembley

READING TOWN 2 - 0 MELKSHAM TOWN

While Reading FC were travelling to the north east to take on Newcastle United in the CocaCola Championship on Saturday, their smaller cousins from across town were taking the first step to FA Cup glory by beating mighty Melksham Town 2-0 at Scours Lane.

Reading Town, branded "The Community Club" who play in the FTL Futbol Hellenic League Premier Divison, successfully came through the first extra preliminary round match of the FA Cup.

Tony Jones said "Many people only seem to think about the Premier League or, if they have to, the Championship, but this afternoon's game at Scours Lane shows that grass roots football is alive and well in Reading.

It would be great if any Reading FC fans who can't go to some of their away games, could pop down to Reading Town and enjoy the real football experience offered by this friendly community club".

Reading Town will now be away to Bishop's Cleeve (Cheltenham) in the next Preliminary Round of the FA Cup.

Petition The Prime Minister: The PM Should Attend The Return Of Our War Dead

Battle School: Back On Track, But Improvements Still Needed

THE LATEST OFSTED report on Battle Primary published earlier this month, says the school is "back on track" but can not yet be taken off special measures.

In recognising the work undertaken since last February, the Ofsted Inspector's report says "progress was being speeded up but not quickly enough " and that "the position is now much better and progress in lessons is at least satisfactory, and sometimes better. "Other comments stated that "Teaching and learning have improved since the last monitoring visit".

Battle Councillor Tony Jones said "I'm pleased to note that the report says that "considerable improvements have been made in leadership and mangement". There was some criticism when I called for a change of leadership at the school last year, but events have proved me right. There is no doubt that the school is now in safe hands and heading in the right direction. I feel sure that if they continue as they have started they will climb out of special measures by the end of this year". (20July09)

New Health Centre - But Not For Battle

A NEW HEALTH CENTRE is to open in Reading - but not as promised in Batttle Ward, but in the town centre.

A new health centre is opening in the Broad Street Mall - not good enough for Reading Council services - while Battle still waits for it's own new health centre.

When the old Battle Hospital closed the Oxford Road community were promised by Reading Borough Council and Martin Salter that as part of the new development they would get a new Health Centre.

Later RBC tried to wander away from the deal and said it would be a Health & Wellbeing Centre with Social Services administrative work being housed, but no clinical services. Sadly, the latest information is that RBC "do not know when it will be built nor what will be in it".

In the meanwhile new houses have been built and sold and Tesco has opened and no doubt harvesting profits. And Battle is still waiting for it's new Health Centre with no end in sight.

Battle Councillor Tony Jones said "We have all been let down by Reading Council. Our good faith has been exhausted by broken promises. The Labour led council has not fought hard enough to deliver on the promises made to the Oxford Road community".

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SEARCH for earlier articles published on this website HERE including:

• Battle Primary and Oxford Road Schools
• New Battle Health Centre
• Crime, Drugs, Street Prostitution
• Oxford Road Area Traffic, Parking & Planning
• Battle Library, Art & Tesco
• New Civic Offices plans ... and many more matters