Wokingham's New Catchment Proposal -Bad News

I have just sent the email below to the peole who signed the Maiden Erlegh petition.

Dear Neighbour

Conservative led Wokingham Borough Council has now responded to the comments made by you and I to their initial consultation regarding the Maiden Erlegh catchment area. You may have read that Reading’s Tory Council administration and MP have welcomed the plan, however reading the documentation it is clear that the new proposals will leave Park Ward parents worse off rather than better off.

The new admission system effectively means that Maiden Erlegh will fill up from Lower Earley to Maiden Erlegh. This means that while South Park houses nominally remain in the Maiden Erlegh catchment area our children will be at the bottom of the pile for admission to Maiden Erlegh, their local school.

Each area is in a band which shows where children living in the new “joint” catchment will go to school.  Tory Wokigham’s Education Officers have stated  that, based on current admission estimates Maiden Erlegh will be full by the 1000m band on the map.

Tory Wokingham has produced the map below to explain the new catchment system. Looks simple doesn’t it?

Note: South Park is marked and its boundaries are approximate, they should not be taken as an indication of whether individual houses are in or out of the 1000m zone.

As  you can see 99% of all the homes in South Park are outside the 1000m zone.

As you can imagine many of those who have examined this map are extremely frustrated to hear or read than our Tory MP and Councillors have welcomed this proposal while it excludes South Parks children.

Next Steps

Wokingham have said that they plan to consult on this proposal. I would suggest that all those who commented at the last consultation write again to Wokingham expressing their dissatisfaction with their plan and proposing either a return to the Status Quo or a shared catchment based on simple linear distance from Maiden Erlegh.

As this situation develops I will, of course, keep you informed. Please feel free to forward this email to your friends and neighbours who might not receive this mail and feel free to email me back with any questions or comments you have.

Best regards

A Gateway Out Of The Gloom

After the gloom of this week's news on Wokingham's catchment area proposal, a good event is happening today.

The Neighbourhood Action Groups, I'm a member of the Uni and Redlands group, in conjunction with the Council are starting to look at ways in which Cemy Junction can be improved. As a resident of the Junc since the early 90's this is something I have wanted for a long time. It is a great little spot, with unique shops, like the computer shop, Islamic shop and sowing machine shop all around.Most of us use the Coop daily and of course Wycliffe Baptist. The Baptist Church and the Coop have been keys to the community for over a century and it is great in the summer to be part of an outdoor Wycliffe service on the forecourt. I can't remember if I blogged about the Baptism that was held in the summer outside and on the forecourt, but it had to be seen to be believed.

The Junc is simply amazing. Anyone who hasn't had the chance to chill out and stroll around the Cemetery has missed out. If you are lucky you might even see the deer.

So the junction is the only place where you can get some peace and tranquility, spot real wild life, go to church and pop out of a pint of milk all at the same time. It deserves to be improved and I look forward to the NAG plying its part in the improvement.

Pressure on the Uni Pays Off

I am glad to say that the constant pressure which I and others have been putting on the Uni over the last few years has resulted in a new attitude to vandalism by the Uni. It appears that students have been vandalising cars on Eastern Ave, again.

As a result of this and a high level of vandalism on campus, especially the damaging of newly planted trees the Vice Chancellor, Gordon Marshall, has issued each student with a warning letter. While it won't stop the vandalism in the short term, it does show a significant movement on behalf of the Uni, especially when compared to when I first started having dealings with them in the 90's.

The VC's letter is attached below.

Dear Student


Recent vandalism and criminal damage

I am taking the unusual step of contacting all students regarding a spate of vandalism that has occurred on campus since the beginning of term. The majority of students will not have been involved and I apologise for including them in this mailing. However, it appears that a small group of students are the perpetrators of these crimes, to the detriment of the University as a whole.

The main damage which has occurred is to the boundary hoardings of the Childs Hall demolition site along the pathway towards Foxhill Gate. Eighteen panels had to be replaced following the most recent incident. Newly planted trees have also been snapped in half and will have to be replaced. The damage to the hoardings compromises the safety and security of the site as well as costing the University money. I have also been contacted by local residents about criminal damage to vehicles in Eastern Avenue. This again appears to be linked to students either going to or returning from the 3Sixty club in RUSU.

Such vandalism is viewed very seriously by the University staff and the great majority of students themselves. It damages our reputation and requires us to re-direct limited resources to ensure that it doesn’t re-occur. Security services are increasing their patrols in the area and providing additional security signage along the demolition-site boundary. Anyone caught vandalising University or local residents’ property will be reported to the police and disciplined within the University according to our Regulations for Conduct.

It would be greatly appreciated if anyone witnessing such behaviour could report it immediately to Security Services on the emergency number: 0118 378 6300. Alternatively, if you have any information about previous incidents, please contact Security services: 0118 378 7799.

Thank you.

Professor Gordon Marshall,



Vice-Chancellor

Cllr Ralph Tries to justify the unjustifiable

Cllr Mark Ralph is meeting the Parents Group this evening to try and justify why he has welcomed the new Wokingham proposals for the Maiden Erlegh catchment area, despite them virtually excluding Park's children from the school.

It will be a tough job. I remember sitting in meetings where he, and Cllr Balsdon, said they were foresquare behind parents and our fight. Despite this he has led the Condem coalition to support a proposal that is so blatently anti Reading children that it would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.

How will he do? Time will tell but I imagine he will have a difficult job. I will report after the meeting, could be an interesting one.

Does RBC want to price the motorist off the road?

Having my breakfast munchies infront of the BBC news and was surprised to see that local councils have approached the Condem govt to raise their parking fines to the same level as Londons.

This reminided me that RBC has installed new parking meters in parts of the centre of the town, where parking was previously free. The parking meters are massively expensive and now make a quick trip in to town a very very expensive pastime. I've used the meters in South St and was shocked to see how much you pay  for a 1/4 of an hour.

It is also interesting that RBC seems to be ordering its Parking Attendants to fine Newtown residents for parking near their homes. For anyone who lives in the area the Parking Attendants' attitude is difficult to understand. Residents have to park on corners, double yellows and on the curb, because there is no where else to park if you come home from work after about 8pm. If the attendants came round at 10am, well perhaps fair enough but they are coming round and ticketing early, and I mean early, in the morning, say at 6am or late and I mean late in the evening, say at 10pm or later.

So it seems to me that our Condem RBC hates the motorist, it likes to fine them at home, and price them off the streets in town.

I like my car, however in Reading I think I will stick to my bike

Torys Let Park's Children Over Maiden Erlegh Catchment Area

Came home from work to read Wokingham's proposed response to the Catchment Area Catchment area.

This response, which will be so eagerly awaited by Park's parents, has come down completely in favour of Lower Earley's children. It appears that Wokingham has completely ignored Park parents' and residents' comments. As I read it, the proposal places children, who live further away from Maiden Erlegh in Lower Erlegh, ahead of those who live in Park. This is because of a complicated distance calculation that will stop Lower Erlegh's children having to go to Bulmershe. I am going to spend my evening studying the document in detail. I will make a fuller comment over the weekend.

It is a shame that Tory MP Rob Wilson, and other welcomed the report which clearly discriminates against Park children.

I will be working with Cllr Jon Hartley, the Parents and the Residents of Park to make sure that everyone is fully informed and is able to respond to the consultation in a measured and calm way. We will continue to fight this to the very end.

Both Rob Wilson MP and Cllr Wazir Husain, who is after all a Wokingham resident, both refused to sign the petition in support of the campaign. It is now clear why, they are conniving with Wokingham to discriminate against their own residents. While they talked about supporting Park's residents they have basically allowed us to be stitched up by Wokingham.

Reading Response to Maiden Erlegh Consultation

As you will know that Condem RBC decided not not to consult counsel about the Maiden Erlegh catchment area.

They have however commented on the consultation and proposed that South Park become part of the joint Maiden Erlegh/Bulmershe catchment area.

Download the RBC letter here.

They also proposed that the centre, from which distance be measured be moved from Maiden Erlegh school to a point somewhere in the centre of Lower Earley.


This proposal change in the central point might benefit those parents living in the Green/Talfourd/Melrose area but would disadvantage parents living in roads further away, with your children's chances of getting in to Maiden Erlegh declining the closer you live to Eastern Avenue. The red line shows the approximate line of the Maiden Erlegh catchment area and the yellow line shows effect of moving the centre from which distances are measured.

So those roads physically closer to Lower Earley will be better off than those further away. You can read the details of the RBC proposal here, see point 1.2.

It is clear that those children living closest to Wilderness Road might benefit from the proposal but the RBC proposal it will make getting in to Maiden Erlegh a lottery for those families living further away from the school.

Two Minutes Silence

My Grandfather's WWII Medals

Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday. I spent the morning with Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction, where we observed the 2 minutes silence as part of the service. It was good to be with friends and Park Ward neighbours remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom in the two world wars and who continue give their lives as they serve our country in Afganistan and elsewhere.


 I believe it is important that post war generations continue to remember the cost in lives that war caused. While when I was younger war seemed to be far away, despite the long running conflict in Northern Ireland, conflict and war death, it seems to me, has come every closer in the last 10 years.

I, like the majority of people today, have never been in a war or in the armed forces. However World War II had a strong effect on my family, my father was evacuated to his grandmother's in Wales and came back a first language Welsh speaker. One of my grandfather's was conscripted and didn't come back home until about 1946, his medals are shown in the photo, and my mother was less than a month old when Hitler sent the Luftwaffe to London for the heavist air raid of 1940.

So the war is in the background of my family. As I look around I see friends and meet people who have served in Afganistan or Iraq and I remember walking around Guildford the week after the IRA pub bombings in the 1970's so see a strong need to be thankful for the sacrifice of men and women who die and are maimed in war.

As a 17 year old I discovered the poems of Wilfred Owen and the other WWI poets. I was also fortunate to go the Verdun battlefield and see the largest graveyard in the world.

So it was good to stand for 2 minutes and contemplate what peace costs and how many people have suffered inorder for me to be able to write this blog in peace and my children to grow up, I hope, never knowing what war is.

Finally Wilfred Owen's most famous poem, Ducle Et Decorum Est.

Students Will Speak Peace Unto All the nations

The fallout from the Student protest continues, it now appears that, according to the Guardian, Clegg had already abandoned his peldge not to raise tuition fees 2 weeks before the General Election


I was able to put the students' case on Radio 4's Any Answers programme this afternoon. Fortunately I was the first speaker on and could make the point that students feel betrayed by the Lib Dems and very worried by the Condems' fee increase.

To hear me on Any Answers click here. I am the first caller.

Oh Dear, The Lib Dems Unravel

Now that the riot is over

This was the sight that greeted me when I arrived at Millbank during the student march yesterday. I was there right at the begining at the disturbance when the glass was smashed and left the scene just before the offices were stormed.

I can only condem the occupation of the building. It served no purpose and ensured that the occupation became the central discussion of the march and completely spoilt the reputation of what was a tremendous event. Why was I marching, partly because I am a Research Student and a member of the NUS, partly to ensure that my children are not saddled with fees of over £9,000 a year if they decide to go to Uni. My eldest daughter will go off to Uni in 2012. If she goes she will be hit by the first year of the increased fees. She has already been targeted by the Condems and done away with EMA, which might have supported her while she is at Sixth Form College. While this might seem to be a petty thing, living where I do, however having returned to Uni, things are tight.

The majority of students seemed to be former Lib Dem voters, who enthusiastically voted Lib Dem in May and now feel completely betrayed. It is clear that the Lib Dems have really really enraged the student vote. They/we are very very angry. Here is a selection of the posters that I saw at the march. Note if you are of a delicate position, please be aware there are lots of rude words.



10.11.10 We Will March Posters

Those that follow my Twitter feed, Mckrich, will know that I also noted down some of the chants. These also made it clear that Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems may have a fight on their hands to retain there MP's and Councillors in seats where there are large student communities.

Jess Lazarczyck

To emphasise this point attached is an interview I did with Jess Lazarczyk, RUSU President, for the student radio station Junction 11.


 To hear the interview I did with Jess click here

The papers have described the the event as the end of consensus. I am not sure of this, but what I am sure of is that despite the idiotic invasion of Tory Headquarter, I am proud of being part of this demo and will continue to campaign, where ever possible, to make sure that the Condems are held to account for the damage they do to our Nation and to fight the damage that the local Condem administration does to Reading.

Another Day Another Blockage

Imagine my joy yesteday when I came to the last 10 mins of my last lollipoping shift of the week and most people had smiled, all the cyclists had stopped and no one had been run over.

Imagine how this joy evaporated when a large 3663 lorry from their depot in Abingdon rocked up and parked immediately opposite me and blocked half of Crescent Road and all of the pavement. He managed to force a couple of parents in to the road and even had a go at splatting a couple of cyclists.

Imagine again my frustration when I went up to the cab to ask him if he knew there was a school and he was stopping children being able to get to school safely and he basically told me that he had a delivery to to and I could push off.

Not a good way to end the shift, but lo I remembered that I had my mobile in my pocket and since no one could cross at my crossing, because he'd blocked it I range his depot and chatted to the Transport Manager. The Transport Manager was very polite and quiet contrite and said he would make sure it would happen again, but couldn't it all have been avoided if the driver had  been a tadge more thoughtful. Ho Hum lets see what happens next week.