The Council Loves My Balls

The Council has finally admintted that the roads are dangerous for my testicular health.

They promised to fill in the worst of the holes

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/council-promises-pothole-repairs-across-4188931

And eventually they did..

My balls are much happier

Reading Station Redevelopment

Reading Station Redevelopment, a set on Flickr.

Reading Station continues to develop. It is really starting to take shape and even prepare for the next development when the line is electrified.

Vive le Velo Boris.......

Just got back from my summer holidays.....ok I know that its October, but as I say just got back from my hols in Northern France.

We stayed near Calais and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the town has just launched its own version of the Boris Bike.

Cheap, easy, and being French, very stylish. They got me thinking. Calais is a bit smaller than Reading and if they can do it, can we.

Looking around Calais they are all over the town, in the West, East, South, but not in the North. Obvs can't be in the North as the North of the city is sea. For a couple of Euros you can bike anywhere in the city.

I love the Boris Bikes in London, when I worked in London I regularly cycled from Paddington to Canary Wharf on one. Its a l killer journey but so so so much fun. Also cheap fun since it only cost me a quid or so to get from one side of the city to the other.

So if French can do it.....why can't Reading?

A Two Demo Saturday

#Oct20 Demo London, a set on Flickr.
 I went to two Demo's yesterday, one I meant to be part of and one I bumped in to. Both completely different and both ultimately succesful only if the ballot box gives them power.

The first was outside the British Museum where a number of London based Greeks and Cypriots were protesting, fairly half heartedly it has to be said, about the Elgin Marbles and demanding their return to Greece. The second, much more vocal and huger (if thats a word) the #Oct20 march organised by the TUC.

It was great to march with 100,000 or more like minded people all calling for Cameron, Osbourne and the rest of the Coalition to abandon its love affair with austerity. We marched for justice, for the protection of public services and jobs. There were polititians, union members, members of the Hare Krishna sect and other fringe groups like the Communists all standing together, working together and struggling together.

A good natured march only slightly soured by the riot police having a strong presence outside the Ritz and the fact that in Oxford St there was absolutely no sign of the demo at all. This last point makes the point that struck me during the march, that despite many speakers calling for a National Strike and major industrial action the only way the Coalition will be truely defeated is at the Ballot Box.

We must work in every Ward and every constituency to undermine the electoral base of the Liberals and win back Constituencies lost to the Tories. At the march there were a myriad of fringe groups, each more radically pure than the next I am sure, however for victory the labour movement has to unite behind the Labour Party as the only real hope of unseating the Coalition. A protest vote for a fringe group, might make us all feel better but as a democratic blow it is the electorial equivelent of shooting your foot off to spite the enemy. The only people you hurt are your own.

As I hobbled away from Hyde Park I was left with a feeling of hope that so many were prepared to come out on what was frankly a rubbish day to show the Coalition that there is another way and I was left with a feeling that we have a lot to do to convince those happily shopping in Oxford St that this is their fight too.

UTC Update

What is the subject that causes the most heat in Park Ward and East Reading? It is the provision of school places for East Reading's children and so it was to discuss the subject that about 100 people gathered in Alfred Sutton's main hall last night.

Passions rose as the meeting, led by Cllr John Ennis, described the coming shortages in junior school and senior school places. Residents passions bubbled over in to anger when Conservative Councillor Isobel Balsdon, never known for her comfortable relationship with the public, tried to score political points while speaking on behalf of Rob Wilson MP. Passion became anger when Cllr Balsdon announced that our MP was secretly negotiating with a "provider" for a school for 11-16 year olds to be built "somewhere" in East Reading. That anger doubled when she stated that she was not at liberty to tell us anything else because of "bad publicity. Balsdon is well remembered by Park and Redlands residents as the Cllr who most vehemently supported Wokingham's plans to exclude Reading children from Maiden Erleigh School.

Cllr Ennis and Chief Education Officer Kevin McDaniel calmly presented the issues in East Reading of pupil place shortfall. In short Reading has seen a 34% growth of the 0-4 cohort from 2001 to 2011 and from 2014 will be short 12 classes at reception and the area will be short 16 classes at year 7.  The £25m spent by Reading on its junior schools in expanding class provision will deal with this problem in the Junior/Primary sector, however it is at Secondary level that there are larger problems, which brought the meeting to the subject of Rob Wilson's UTC on Crescent Road.

The above map shows the way that the "Alfred Sutton" site on Crescent Road is divided.

A1 and A2 is the land that belongs to Alfred Sutton Primary School.
A3 is the site of the childrens' centre on Hamilton Road
B1 and B2 is the site of the UTC
C1 and C2 is the part of the site owned by a developer

The temper of the meeting was that the UTC is going to happen, it will only take children aged between 14-19, but since it is going ahead we should work with it. Kevin McDaniel advised that because of its catchment area and age range it may have only a minimal effect on Reading's shortage of secondary places.

What is worrying is the fact that the Sports Hall and Tennis Courts is under the threat of development. The covenants on the land mean that it can only be used for education, unless there is no educational use for the land. Cllr Ennis explained that RBC would like to put either a 2 form primary school on the site or Secondary School. Both these ideas would need funding, and while he stated that the council was looking at borrowing to build, Government rules dictate that the option of Free School has to be muted as a first step and only when this step has been exhausted can the Council step in. There are also issues of density and making it fit it with the general area. The meeting agreed that it did not want to see housing on the site, however could not agree what it wanted.

Cllr Ennis and Kevin McDaniel both said that this morning was the beginning, not the end of the process. They both asked residents to give them their views, either directly at the meeting, or by taking part in the consultation process that will start on the 15th Oct.

So what do you think should be done with the area C1 and C2, school? something else? Whatever your opinion please take part in the consultation. When the link is up I will post it to help this.

If you want to tell me your opinion please comment below (note all comments will be moderated)