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News Archive - Week Beginning 27th September 2009
The editors say: The bland claim of 'safety reasons' is again trotted out by RBC for more traffic restrictions threatening already hard-pressed Caversham shops. How about some real proof that there's a need, rather than glib and frankly not very believable claims? Councils should serve, not rule.
Buses
Reading Buses staff were balloted last week on whether to take industrial action, with Reading Transport CEO James Freeman warning that it could lead to other bus operators trying to establish a presence in the town. Unnamed sources are attributed as saying that Reading Buses staff had “absolutely no confidence in the management of the company, which is wholly owned by the RBC. (Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p1)
Caversham People
A Henley Road family has reported seeing UFOs on the evening of Saturday, August 15th during a visit to a funfair close to the rowing club on the Reading side of Caversham Bridge. According to one of the family ‘we were shocked to see… …huge dark grey discs overhead’, heading in the general direction of Nettlebed. ‘Get Reading’ helpfully publishes drawings of the ‘spooky space objects’, and urges readers to contact Laura Herbert at the paper on 0118 918 3025 should they have similar close encounters. (Get Reading 02/10/09 p33)
Children
Reading East Conservative MP Rob Wilson was the guest speaker at the first Professional Nanny Conference – held recently at Chiltern College in Caversham. The College has been established more than 75 years and is the only independent childcare and nanny training college in the UK to have its own on-site nurseries, purpose-built tutorial suite and student accommodation. (Reading Post 30/09/09 p4)
Crime
Thieves made off with an estimated £600 on Friday, September 25th as a result of two distraction thefts at Caversham bank ATMs. The first incident was at the Barclays Bank in Church Road, at about 8.15pm, and the second was at the NatWest by Caversham Bridge at 9.30pm. Two men with Eastern European accents are being sought for the thefts, which took place after they distracted bank customers who had just entered identity details into the ATMs. (Reading Post 30/09/09 p11, Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p10)
PCSO Rob Dunford has reported that local police are making efforts to deal with groups of youths who gather and make trouble outside the Methodist Church in Caversham’s Ardler Road. Separately, the PCSO said that there had been a spate of local garden shed burglaries in Caversham, and urged local residents to be vigilant. (Reading Post 30/09/09 p12)
Firefighters spent an hour dousing a blaze in three bottle banks at Surley Row in Emmer Green during the early hours of October st. A firefighter is quotted as thinking the blaze was deliberate: “there is no other reason for a bottle bank to catch fire”. (Get Reading 02/10/09 p2)
Planning – Kings Meadow
The RBC Cabinet at its meeting on Monday, 28th September took the unexpected decision to recommend that the Kings Meadow Campaign should be given the opportunity to redevelop the Kings Meadow Baths site into an open air swimming pool, doubling as an ice rink in the winter. The KMC has now been given a two-year period to find the £2.5m necessary to fund the redevelopment. The decision by the RBC has been described as a ‘shock turnaround’ and a ‘U-turn’, since the developers Askett Hawk had been granted the status as ‘preferred developer’ by the Council earlier in 2009 in order to build a hotel on the site. The RBC decision is viewed as a personal victory for Caversham activist Bob O’Neill, who led the KMC campaign. David Adams, development director for Askett Hawk, said of the decision: “it came as a complete surprise and was very disappointing… …one can only imagine that, with the election coming up in May, politics has played a part…” (Reading Post 30/09/09 pp1,6 Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p6, Get Reading 02/10/09 p2)
Planning – Station Hill
The Station Hill developer Sackville is reported to be looking for partners to help fund the £400m scheme, now that it has been granted planning permission. The developer says that it has already received two inquiries from potential occupiers for the mixed use scheme. (Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p9)
Pubs
At the ‘Reading in Bloom’ awards on Monday, September 28th the Caversham-based Griffin and Clifton Arms pubs took 2nd and 3rd place respectively in the ‘pubs’ floral display category. (Reading Post 30/09/09 pp22-23)
Roads
The introduction by the RBC of double yellow lines outside the Woodcote Way News sub-post office has been met by local protest. The lines have been imposed despite a 600-signature petition opposing them. RBC spokesman Oscar Mortali said that the lines were put down for “safety reasons”, and were ‘in response to residents’ concerns’. Double yellow lines have also been placed recently around the nearby Conisboro Stores in Conisboro Avenue, despite a 300-signature petition from one of the shop’s owners, Anton Fernando. (Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p27)
Senior Citizens
Senior citizens at the Albert Road day centre supported the Department of Work and Pensions ‘Full of Life’ campaign last Thursday with a day of fun and fitness sessions, ‘and a visit from an Elvis Presley impersonator’. (Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p12)
Sport and Recreation
Major improvements are being made to the tennis courts at Christchurch Meadows under the RBC’s Thames Parks plan. Work began two weeks ago, and the facility is due to re-open towards the end of October. (Reading Chronicle 01/10/09 p27)
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