John Madejski academy on Northumberland Avenue celebrated their students sucesss last week when receiving their A Level results. There was a 96% pass rate and progress was above the national average. Well done to all of the students and teachers involved. More can be read
Monthly Archives: August 2017
September events
- Councillors surgery: Ward Councillors and the Whitley area PCSO will be at The Whitley Cafe on Saturday 2nd September from 10.30am-12pm. Please come along and discuss any local issues.
- Ward meeting: The regular meeting of Church Ward members and Councillors were we discuss local issues will take place on Monday 4th September at 7.30pm at 101 Northcourt Avenue.
- Planning meeting: This months planning committee meeting including some involving Church Ward will take place on Wednesday 6th September at 6.30pm at the Civic centre.
- St Barnabus Church fun day- The Church on Shinfield Road will be hosting a free fun day on Saturday 9th September from 12-3pm. More can be found here
- Northcourt Avenue Residents Association meeting: Cllr Pearce will be attending the NARA meeting to discuss parking issues on Wednesday 13th September at 7pm
- Freshers week: This years intake of new students at Reading University arrive the week beginning Monday 18th September. Local members will be manning a stall at the event.
- Ridgeway Governors meeting: The first Governors meeting of the new school year will take place on Thursday 28th September at 7pm at Ridgeway school.
- Canvassing: Councillors and members will be discussing parking issues with residents on Northcourt Avenue on Thursday 28th September at 5.30pm and Saturday 30th September at 11am.
Potential new artwork for Church Ward
One of the potential new art installations I
Church Ward could potentially gain 2 new art installations soon if passed at this month’s planning committee. The art work is part of the funding received from the new Tesco depot in Whitley, part of which promised money for new art in South Reading. The wire structures will be on Northumberland Avenue by Geoffrey Field School, one of a Rabsons Rivers player and the other a set of dinnerladies from the school.
More information on the application can be found here
Jeremy Corbyn visits Reading-Again!
Reading East MP Matt Rodda with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn paid a visit to Reading for the second time in three months to speak to local residents about fuel poverty and the housing crisis in Reading. Mr Corbyn, alongside our new MP Matt Rodda, spoke with homeless charity Launchpad about the acute housing shortage in the South East and the problems it is causing. He also blasted the Government for not allowing Reading Council to build more Council homes. Mr Corbyn said “The root cause of homelessness in places like Reading is expensive private sector houses. Ultimately the answer is investment in council housing, but it is also giving local authorities the power to convert former industrial properties and office properties into social housing.” Mr Corbyn then visited a resident in Whitley to discuss the growing problem of fuel poverty and rising energy prices. Labour would cap energy prices and provide a boost to all households.
Secretive NHS plans move forward
The 4 local Clinical commissioning groups or CCG’s that make the decisions on health care planning for the Royal Berks and local GP’s are to merge. This has been done due to Tory Government NHS budget cuts and takes decisions further away from local people. These plans have been drawn up behind closed doors and without any accountability.
More can be found here.
Cressingham Road repairs take place
The dip in the road now repaired.
The long standing issue of a dip in the road surface of Cressingham Road has finally been repaired after months of Councillor complaints passed on from residents. If there are any issues on roads near you, please let us know and we will do all we can to get the Council to take action.
Council owned company to run children’s services
Reading Borough Council proposes to move to a new model for delivering children’s services in the form of a Council-owned company.
As part of its ongoing improvement journey, the Council is recommending setting up a wholly-owned Council company to build on progress made to date and to deliver long-term and sustainable improvements for children and young people in Reading.
The stand-alone company will focus solely on the operation of children’s services, allowing social workers and other staff to concentrate on their core day to day activity of helping to keep children safe and delivering a range of other services to children, young people and their families.
It would have its own independent board and a decision-making process, separate to the Councils. It would also operate within its own ring-fenced budget. The Council will however, continue to hold the company to account for performance.
Green park station gets funding boost
Artists image of new Green Park station
Reading Borough Council has been successful in a £2.3m funding bid for the new Green park train station in South Reading. The new station could be up and running by 2019, providing local jobs and improved transport links in the area. More can be read below: