Getting the word out about police and crime commissioners is going to be essential

It was great to be back out and about on the doorstep in Whitley with a team of 8, made up of Reading Labour members along with Victoria Groulef and Tim Starkey, the Labour candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner.  I picked up some good local casework and it was …

Full list of candidates in #rdg borough elections

<!–[if !mso]>st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]–>  Some very interesting candidates.  For example you may spot that both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have former candidates running against their candidates as independents. STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL Reading Election of a Borough Councillor The following is a statement of the …

I’m backing a one stop shop for rape survivors @SARCReading

Earlier this week I met with those behind the campaign to have a one stop shop for women, men and children who have experienced sexual violence.  I’ve been in contact with the campaigners for a while and have already signed their online petition .  The Centres are called Sexual Abuse Referral Centres and …

What the feed in tarriff cut means for Reading

A consultation which ends almost 2 weeks after the changes come into effect, creating massive uncertainty for a fledgeling industry and not just moving the goal posts but taking the ball away for community environmental projects for the sake of the profits of the big 6 energy companies. Insert your …

From the campaign trail

Although I’m officially ‘on a break’ from social media until after the elections to focus on campaigning a couple of people have actually asked me could I do a post about how I think the local election campaign is going.  Well go on, since you twisted my arm! So what …

A weekend in the sunshine!

<!–[if !mso]> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]–> I joined canvass teams in Katesgrove and Church ward this weekend – it was great to support our excellent candidates Matt Rodda and Paul Woodward.  I also went out in Whitley delivering the latest Whitley news and chatting to people – lots of people in …

Lots of bad news

I don’t have anything nice to say about the top local story.  So I’m not going to say it.  John things well. In the meantime the Government’s plans for our forests are in disarray, it turns out that the Conservatives have doubled the proportion of their money coming from the …

Busy couple of days

Petition now over 350, attended dinner with Ed Milliband at the Penta Hotel (great speech!) and protest march today against the NHS reorganisation, tax dodging gazillionaires and the cuts to the council’s income. It was good to march with other trade unionists (there were far more from Unison there than …

Kelly Edwards

My colleague and comrade Jim Hanley has decided to retire from the council in May following his qualification as a social worker.  I’ll be sorry to see him step back from front line politics and I know that many people in Whitley, and indeed across Reading, have reason to thank …

Under 16 swimming

An anecdote:  I was told by a teacher the other day that he was having to explain to his class the reasons why free swimming for under 16s had bee n removed.  He’d tried to be balanced and explain about the deficit, but the class weren’t buying it.  “So why …

Dying for the loo?

Today is the last chance to sign wateraid’s petition asking Cameron to make it a priority for our development funds to fund decent ‘sanitation’.  A euphemism for toilets that don’t spread disease.  This isn’t a left/right issue – it’s possibly the most basic need and rarely discussed: doesn’t make as …

Week 3 as a councillor – new politics and business as usual

Long post but I want to keep Whitley residents informed about what I’m doing as a councillor rather than disappearing into a black hole. Started with finishing off even more paperwork over the weekend!  I am actually going to get back out and about this weekend hopefully… There was also …

Results time

I’ve been elected as Whitley ward councillor.  Some very varied results across the country. Locally of course I’m really disappointed by the General election result but surprised and pleased by the Reading borough council elections.  Net impact is Labour are still on 19, Conservatives have lost a seat while the …

To busy to write…

Haven’t posted in the last week or so not because I’ve nothing to say but because I am too busy! It’s all good stuff, whether following up individual concerns, meeting with a housing association to raise common concerns, working (got to pay the bills!), helping out at a schools event, …

Looking back on 2009

It’s now over six months since I started helping and working with Whitley’s local councillors. Its been a privilege to get more involved in the community.   For example I’ve helped with a petition to get a safer route to school in front of the Northumberland Avenue/Whitley Wood Road shops, …

Domestic violence

Have been to a couple of events about domestic violence in the last week.  Last Thursday went to a candlelit vigil on the high-street that aimed to emphasise the problem, which got a good response, although the wind had a negative impact on the candlelit part of the vigil! On …

University cuts PCSO funding

The University of Reading is cutting the funding it currently provides to support four Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) that cover the University area.This will affect permanent residents as well as students In particular it could set back progress that the PCSOs, local community and students have managed to achieve, …

Mums matter!

http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/flash/player-viral.swf I’ve signed up to this. I recently became an aunty for the second time and it brings home to me how helpless a child is if their Mum dies in child birth, not to mention how terrible it is for the woman… Anyone who cares about women’s rights should …

Charity ride to Newbury

it in Went for a great bike ride yesterday superbly organised and raising money for an excellent cause – the Reading Women’s centre. Cycled with my friend Anneliese Dodds who is the parliamentary candidate for Reading East. I persuaded her to take a Saturday off the campaign trail – although …