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• Archive Index 2010

News Archive - Week Beginning 23rd May 2010

The editors say: There is plenty of evidence of general belt-tightening around. It's our view that when things are tough local initiatives are all the more important, and that includes spending locally whenever you can. Money spent in local shops, pubs etc is more likely to stay local and bring local benefits.

Police

The Upper Caversham police team has posted a Youtube video which shows PCSO Rob Dunford giving advice on who to contact within the force depending on the incident and talking about day-today work in neighbourhood policing. The police team is working with the Upper Caversham Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) to tackle the NAG’s two main priorities – speeding and burglary. (Reading Chronicle 27/05/10 p27)

Politics

The Conservative / LibDem coalition in Reading formally took control of the RBC at its annual council meeting last week. Caversham Ward Councillor (and leader of the RBC’s Conservatives) Andrew Cumpsty is the new leader of the RBC – with several north-of-river colleagues taking positions of power on the Council. They include:

• Thames Ward Cllr David Stevens (described by the ‘Chronicle’ as the ‘Tory Numbers Boffin’) as cabinet member for finance and service improvement,
• Peppard Ward Cllr Richard Willis as councillor with responsibility for strategic planning and transport
• Peppard Ward Cllr Mark Ralph who has responsibility for the joint education and children’s services post and
• Caversham Ward Cllr Tom Stanway, who has responsibility for culture and sport.
• Thames Ward Cllr Jeanette Skeats has been elected to chair the RBC licensing committee
• Thames Ward Cllr Isobel Ballsdon will chair the planning committee.

Deputy Opposition Labour Leader Tony Page said: “the coalition is a policy-free vacuum – a huge amount of hot air and bluster”. The new RBC leadership has said that there will be a council tax freeze next year, with the intention of having a further freeze the year after. (Reading Post 26/05/10 p2, Reading Chronicle 27/05/10 p5, Get Reading 28/05/10 pp1,2)

Roads

The RBC planning committee discussed last Wednesday new street names – including for the new roads off Grove Hill in Emmer Green, with possible names including ‘Grove Hill End’ and ‘Grove Hill Close’. (Reading Chronicle 27/05/10 p11)

Schools

Two Arctic travellers, Dan Darley and Amelia Russell, visited Micklands Primary School in Caversham last week to describe their experiences and to answer questions. Amelia Russell recently became the first British woman to walk to the North Pole without a support crew. (Reading Chronicle 27/05/10 p8)

Emmer Green pre-school has received an entirely ‘outstanding’ report from OFSTED following a recent inspection there. The report said that there is an exceptionally high quality of provision for young children. The school is a registered charity run by a parents’ committee. (Reading Chronicle 27/05/10 p8)