18,000 Electors in Reading Need to Re-apply to Vote by Post 28 June 2025 / 28 June 2025 by robwhite A TOTAL of 18,000 existing postal voters in Reading will need to re-apply for their postal vote this year ahead of the council elections on Thursday 7 May 2026. You can renew your postal vote or apply for the first time here. Following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, all postal voters are now […] Read more »
Greens welcome U-turn from Labour on winter fuel payments 11 June 2025 / 12 June 2025 by robwhite First person column by Councillor Rob White As a Green Party councillor in Reading, I was pleased to hear Keir Starmer’s recent comments about extending eligibility for winter fuel payments. Greens have been petitioning for Labour to U-turn on cuts to winter fuel payments. It’s a clear sign that pressure from the public—and from the […] Read more »
Housing regulator slams Reading Council 11 June 2025 / 11 June 2025 by robwhite The Regulator of Social Housing has found the council’s council house repair service to be both slow and ineffective. Councillor Louise Keane says, “There are currently a whopping 1,600 overdue repairs. This is down from the peak but still too high. Greens will keep up the pressure on the council to do better.” Greens have […] Read more »
Reading Labour councillors criticised for splurging on free party food and booze at Council AGM amid cuts 11 June 2025 / 13 June 2025 by robwhite Reading Green Party is calling on Labour-run Reading Council to end its spending on free party food and alcohol at the annual Council AGM, arguing it is unjustifiable during a non-essential spending freeze and service cuts. Currently, Reading Council is under a non-essential spending and recruitment freeze. This means halting spending on non-critical council services […] Read more »
Greens want a new Royal Berkshire Hospital now 24 April 2025 / 24 April 2025 by robwhite The government has announced that we will have to wait between 12 and 14 years for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital to start to be built in Reading, breaking election promises made by all three of Reading’s new Labour MPs. Meanwhile the health system is broken. Child mortality is going up. Life expectancy is going […] Read more »
Reading Council to Slash £230,000 from Inequality Budget Impacting Community Projects 20 February 2025 / 19 February 2025 by niallsomerville Labour-run Reading Council to cut budget for tackling inequality at council budget setting meeting. The proposed cuts will directly and severely impact local residents by reducing support for essential community projects that promote sports, education, skills development, and cultural activities. Labour councillors are proposing cutting the inequality budget in South Reading – Church Ward and […] Read more »
Reading Loses Council Homes Despite House building Efforts 7 February 2025 / 7 February 2025 by niallsomerville Despite a Labour-run Reading Council house building programme, the total number of council homes in Reading has decreased by five between 2021 and 2023, impacting residents in need of affordable housing. Data from the council reveals a net loss of five council homes, with the number dropping from 6,987 in 2021/22 to 6,982 in 2023/24. […] Read more »
Fines blunder may cost Labour-run Reading council £360,000 31 January 2025 / 4 February 2025 by robwhite Council issued more than 6,000 parking fines in error Labour-run Reading Council has admitted that 6,136 parking fines were issued in error due to a faulty legal process. The council estimates that about £360,000 will need to be refunded to residents. Mike Harling, Battle Ward campaigner says: “This blunder means that the town’s already stretched […] Read more »
Greens lobbying against bus fare increase 31 January 2025 / 7 February 2025 by niallsomerville Labour increases bus fare cap from £2 to £3 Greens were disappointed that Labour raised the bus fare cap from £2 to £3. Reading Buses say that ‘not all fares will rise to this level’, implying many will go up. Councillor Dave McElroy has raised this at a council meeting. Cllr McElroy says, “Greens are […] Read more »
Fly-tipping up but fines down by 37% in Reading 28 January 2025 / 28 January 2025 by niallsomerville Fly-tipping is up, but the anti-fly tipping team is issuing significantly fewer fines for dumping waste this year. Greens are calling for more people in the anti-fly-tipping team. Councillor Rob White (Green Party, Park Ward) said: “It is a shame that Labour councillors haven’t resourced the anti-fly-tipping team properly. Fewer fines are being issued and […] Read more »