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News Archive - Week Beginning 23rd August 2009

The editors say: One downside to Reading Festival is much-increased litter on all routes to the Mapledurham (W) camp site. We hope those making a profit from hiring out the land will clear it up. Otherwise, well, the weather wasn't great but it wasn't bad and it all seems to have gone well. Here's to 2010.

Buses

Reading Buses chief executive James Freeman says in an interview that possible strike action by bus drivers may draw in a ‘predatory attack’ from a competing transport operator. Mr Freeman says: “such an attack would have untold consequences on Reading Transport Limited – leading to we know not what”. Coverage of the problems of the bus company includes a letter from Mr Freeman in the ‘Chronicle’ as well as details of specific criticisms levelled at the bus operator. (Reading Post, 26/01/09 pp1,3 Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p14, Get Reading 28/08/09 pp1,3)

Caversham People

Under the dramatic headline ‘Woman’s Bog Rescue’, the ‘Chronicle’ reports on a tale of high drama. A 22-year old resident of Caversham’s Luscombe Close alerted emergency services at around 10pm on Monday, August 24th upon hearing ‘groans among dense foliage’ at nearby Berry Brook. The resident looked over his garden fence, where he saw a 60-year woman stuck in a muddy bog, making desperate cries for help. Local fire crews had to use an ice platform to reach the unfortunate lady and then pull her to safety. (Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p3)

The activities of the Caversham-based charity You Value Justice (YVJ) in relation to championing the rights of motorists targeted by car clampers are further discussed in an ‘exclusive’ feature in the ‘Chronicle’. (Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p7)

Consultations

The RBC has launched a consultation that ends on Friday, September 11th, where people can tell the Council what they think of its parks. To fill in the consultation, go to this site and select the ‘SERVICE’ option when prompted. Alternatively, copies of the survey are said to be available at local libraries. (Reading Post 26/08/09 p6)

Crime

Local police are warning Caversham residents not to give money to a beggar, described by the ‘Reading Post’ as an ‘Asian fellow’. The miscreant uses a variety of hard-luck stories to obtain money from passers-by, and mainly operates in the Church Street area. Police believe that the money is being used to buy drugs, and suggest: “if you want to help this man, then buy him a sandwich” (excellent). (Reading Post 26/01/09 p16, Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p26)

Environment

An RBC review of the facilities at the Kidmore End Road recreation ground will include a visitor survey, available at the Milestone Centre in Caversham Park Village and at the Emmer Green Youth and Community Centre. The survey is also said to be available online on this site (but it does not appear to be there at the time of writing). The proposed facelift for the recreation ground forms part of the Council’s three year Playbuilder project, which means new facilities, equipment and landscaping for 22 of Reading’s playgrounds and parks. (Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p26)

Planning

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), the Government’s advisers on architecture, have again refused in a report to support the latest plans for the £400m Station Hill development in central Reading The scheme’s developers Sackville Properties are reported to have described some of CABE’s criticisms as ‘ridiculous’, with the scheme being due to be considered by RBC planners at a special meeting on Wednesday, September 23rd. CABE’s report is said to include concerns about the impact of the tall buildings of the scheme – buildings which would impose upon the skyline of Caversham. (Get Reading 28/08/09 p2)

Police

The Caversham Police team’s August update says that the police team will be trained over the next few months to use speed detection devices (great). PCSO Rob Dunford said: “this will give us the opportunity to educate and enforce reckless motoring offences”. (Aren’t the GATSOs in the Woodcote, Henley and Peppard roads sufficient, then?). (Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p26)

River Thames

The Thames & Kennet Marina off the Henley Road in Caversham has been awarded five ‘gold anchors’ by the Yacht Harbours Association. Marinas are rated on the quality of their facilities and operation, with five anchors being the maximum that can be given. The five-anchor accolade followed on from a series of improvements made by the marina over the last three years. (Reading Chronicle 27/08/09 p26)

Schools

GCSE results for Caversham announced last Thursday, August 27th show that all candidates at Queen Anne’s School in Henley Road passed GCSEs with grades A-C – a 100% pass rate. At Highdown in Surely Row, 70% of candidates passed with A-C grades, and 99.5% passed five or more with grades A – G. Further comment on the recent A-level results shows that seven girls at Queen Anne’s achieved straight A grades in all their subjects. (Reading Chronicle, 27/08/09 p19, Get Reading, 28/08/09 pp14,16)

Services

The RBC draft statement of accounts for 2008-09 (in effect, how the council tax is spent) is reported by the ‘Reading Post’ to have shown that the council was owed almost £4.6m in debts, including community care, housing rents and benefits – and that almost £2.2m had been owed for more than five months. The final accounts for the RBC will go online on September 30th. (Reading Post 26/01/09 p6)