Local News
17 April 2024 / 27 April 2024 by niallsomerville
The local Green Party has unveiled its plans to create a fairer, greener and cleaner Reading ahead of the local elections this year. As usual, the Green Party is a standing candidates in every ward across the town. Priorities in their local manifesto include: The Green Party are currently the main opposition party on Reading […]
Read more »
14 April 2024 / 27 April 2024 by robwhite
The Green Party is a standing candidates in every ward across Reading. The Green Party are currently the main opposition party on Reading Borough Council, with more councillors than both the Conservatives and Lib Dems. They have councillors in Park, Redlands and Katesgrove wards. The make-up of the council is 32 Labour, seven Green, five […]
15 March 2024 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
The Green Party’s candidate for the new Reading Central Parliamentary constituency is local Councillor Dave McElroy (Redlands Ward). Dave is a scientist, a dad, and a sports lover. He has lived in Reading since 2017 and works for an international organisation dedicated to protecting land and farmers. As a hardworking councillor, Dave is a tireless […]
29 February 2024 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Greens have lobbied for action on renewables and insulation The Labour Party ditching its plan to spend £28 billion a year on green investments is a big step backward. It’s bad for Reading’s environment, Reading’s economy, and for creating good jobs in the town. Protecting our planet for the future and making sure the UK […]
26 February 2024 / 27 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Councillor Dave McElroy (Green Party, Redlands) has welcomed council investment in emptying bins as part of the council’s budget. This is following much Green Party campaigning on missed and delayed bin collections. Green councillors have for some time been campaigning on Labour-run Reading Council’s poor record on delayed and missed bin collections. At the peak […]
12 February 2024 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Reading Council have delivered just a third of the affordable housing needed in Reading. According to the Berkshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment Reading needs 406 new affordable homes delivered every year for residents in need, but the council have managed just 135 last year. This is down from 178 the previous year. Councillor Dave McElroy […]
5 January 2024 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Many roads have experienced delays with collecting their bins recently adding to wider litter and fly tipping problems. For the week commencing Monday 13 November: Councillor Dave McElroy (Green Party, Redlands Ward) said: “For the week commencing Monday 13 November, 24% of roads had a delay with their bin collection. Overflowing bins leads to problems […]
26 October 2023 / 17 April 2024 by robwhite
Greens have been lobbying on the Lydford Road graffiti for some time. Recently they have had some success with a number of pieces cleared. Councillor Dave McElroy says, “Lydford Road is looking better, with many pieces of graffiti painted over. There are still some to go, which we have reported to the council.”
Shockingly Reading Sewage Treatment Works, run by Thames Water, dumped raw sewage into the River Kennet via Foudry Brook 10 times in 2022. Councillor Dave McElroy says, “It is utterly shameful that water bosses are taking home massive bonuses while their companies dump raw sewage into our waterways. Thames Water needs to invest more money […]
Unfortunately, at the end of the university term ,many roads in east Reading were filled with rubbish again. Green councillors made sure that the extra university funded bin collection happened. They also reported household waste illegally dumped at hotspots like the Erleigh Road bottle bank. Councillor Dave McElroy says, “Green councillors will keep up the […]
CityFibre and Grain have been digging up roads to install broadband cables, sometimes just months apart, causing a lot of frustration. The council says it has no control over what the companies do, but Greens don’t think that’s good enough. Green campaigner Kate Nikulina said, “We are lobbying the council to put conditions on these […]
Unfortunately, the IDR underpass at the end of Katesgrove Lane has been long neglected. Recently the lights have been fixed and cycle markings been repainted but Greens are still lobbying for improvements. Kate Nikulina, Katesgrove resident and Green campaigner says, “The IDR underpass is how many people get in and out of Katesgrove. We have […]
The council has continued to fall short with regards to bin collections, missing on average at least 616 bin collections each month: over double their performance standard of 250. Over the year so far on average 616 people per month have reported having their bins missed. But not everyone files a report so the actual […]
24 October 2023 / 23 October 2023 by niallsomerville
Unfortunately, many of Reading’s roads are plagued with potholes. Council figures show that the condition of major roads is getting worse. Greens have continued to report individual potholes and push for roads to be properly resurfaced. Councillor Dave McElroy (Green Party, Redlands Ward) said: “After years of underinvestment in our roads from Labour, it is […]
5 October 2023 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
More schemes planned after over 1000 Reading residents register for solar panel group auction Last year, Green councillors Doug Cresswell (Katesgrove) and Dave McElroy (Redlands) campaigned for the council to run a group solar panel buying scheme – giving a discount for residents on the cost of installing solar panels. This has now become reality, […]
1 August 2023 / 1 August 2023 by niallsomerville
Green councillor and leader of the main opposition party on Reading Council Rob White raised concerns about food safety in Reading at a meeting of the Policy Committee recently. Speaking after the meeting he said: “I was very concerned when the council published the figures on the backlog for food hygiene and food standards inspections. […]
24 July 2023 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Companies such as Grain and CityFibre have been digging up pavements and roads across the town to install Internet cables. Often one company has dug up a road and then another company has come back a few months later to do the same thing to install another cable. Greens have been working to try and […]
19 July 2023 / 18 July 2023 by niallsomerville
Labour-run Reading Council is producing a new transport plan for the town. Green councillors have slammed Labour’s poor track record at tackling congestion and air pollution, and called for the council to do better. Green councillor for Redlands Ward Dave McElroy said: “Under Labour’s previous transport plans, congestion has got worse and air pollution is […]
3 July 2023 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Two years ago the Local Democracy reporter was reporting on Labour’s late accounts costing the Reading taxpayer over £1 million. The 2019/20 accounts have only just been signed off. This is 2 years late. Councillor Rob White (Green Party, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Council) said: “Labour councillors failed the people of […]
28 June 2023 / 17 April 2024 by niallsomerville
Green Party research has shown that no dentist is taking on new NHS patients in Reading. Green campaigner Kate Nikulina is petitioning Reading Council to lobby the Integrated Care Board, government and come up with a plan to address this issue. The petition can be signed here. The shortage of NHS dentists is being made […]
24 May 2023 / 17 April 2024 by robwhite
As part of the climate festival Tracey Rawling Church from Reading Climate Action Network is coming to speak with us about Reading’s Climate Action Plan and how it is going. When: 20th June 7.30 PM Where: Outlook pub, downstairs room, 76 King’s Rd, Reading, RG1 3BJ What: presentation with question-and-answer Who: everyone welcome, no charge […]
5 May 2023 / 17 April 2024 by robwhite
Hi A big thank you to everyone who voted for the Green Party at the council elections yesterday. We are now in a stronger position as the main opposition party on Reading Council. We will keep working hard all year round for a fairer, greener and cleaner town. Key results are: Park Ward – Councillor […]
13 April 2023 / 17 April 2024 by robwhite
Greens call for Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price Charter Green Party councillors became the main opposition party after 2022 council elections. Reading Green Party has announced its candidates to stand in the 4 May local elections. A total of 17 Greens are to stand across all wards in the Reading Council elections. The local […]
4 April 2023 / 4 April 2023 by niallsomerville
Greens thank Councillor Brenda McGonigle for 7 years of hard work in Park Ward With elections coming up on Thursday 4 May, Green Party Councillor Josh Williams is standing for re-election. Green Party Councillor Brenda McGonigle is retiring, but hard-working local campaigner Sarah Magon hopes to be elected in Brenda’s place. Green Party Councillor and […]