Shadow Health team visit Reading - time to #savetheNHS

The whole shadow health team visited Reading today as part of what Andy Burnham jokingly called their 'UK tour'.  They started by visiting a GP surgery and meeting health workers and then had a more public meeting with - GPs, other health professionals, trades unionists and Labour party members (photo below).  They were determined and clear that the Health bill can be defeated.
One way of showing support is to sign the 'drop the bill' government petition - it's got 45,000 signatures so far, there should be many thousands more!

I didn't take notes at the meeting but here are some of the things that I remember: Andy talked about the removal of the 'N' in NHS and a postcode lottery.  He quoted Nye Bevan's view that the NHS would survive as long as there were folk with the faith to fight for it.  He said we've got the faith but we need to fight.  They talked about putting pressure on Libdems who's voters and members did not and as far as I can work out still do not want a dismantling and destruction of the NHS. I raised that a lot of Conservative voters hadn't wanted the 'top down reorganisation' and yet I'd been told by my local Conservative MP that it was a myth that doctors and nurses were against the bill - could we put pressure on them as well?  Diane Abbott in typically forthright style said that they were either deluded or deluding people.  Jamie Reed came across to me as very passionate, when I was talking to him privately and thanking him for coming he said "Anything for the NHS".  Quite right too.  The thing that he said in response to a question that most struck me was that he said, yes the Labour party is proud of the NHS but it doesn't belong to the Labour party, it belongs to the people of this country, and that this is a campaign that the public need to get behind.
He also said that if David Cameron was thinking about his electoral chances he would drop this bill as it will be a disaster and dog him for the rest of his government.

I know that we've had a massive response from Reading's residents about this issue, and I hope that the government comes to it's senses.  If there is a massive public outcry over the next few weeks I think it could happen.

10% increase in decent neighbourhoods fund

Even more tenants in Reading are to benefit from improvements to their neighbourhoods, thanks to the Council increasing its investment into community led initiatives by 10%.

Reading Borough Council is to boost its spend on Decent Neighbourhood Fund projects this year, meaning £440k will be invested into programmes to provide a better community for tenants all over the borough.

Last summer the Council launched the Your Community, Your Cash scheme, which is supported by the Decent Neighbourhoods Fund.

The scheme gives tenants the opportunity for groups of residents to bid for money to spend on their ideas for community improvement projects. Community cash is a pot of money from the Decent Neighbourhoods Fund to give communities the chance to manage their own improvement projects with the aim of improving the general appearance of their neighbourhood, helping to reduce anti-social behaviour and improving community spirit..

The scheme has so far benefitted tenants in Coley Park and Whitley Wood, who received funding under Your Community, Your Cash last year to set up a local bingo group, pay for a tutor and materials for the establishment of a youth art project, obtain additional street lighting, buy a second kit for the Whitley Ambulance Community Responders, obtain funding for the Play Barn at St Paul's Church and also funding for Shining Star to set up a new group for families with disabled children.

The Council has already been talking to tenants in other parts of the borough about community improvement projects for this coming year. Plans include running events in South Whitley, Coley Park, Hexham Road and also Southcote. The scheme will also pay for work with various youth forums across Reading to run a Your Community, Your Cash event for youngsters.

Rachel Eden, lead councillor for housing and neighbourhoods, said: 'The Decent Neighbourhoods Fund is a great opportunity for tenants to improve their neighbourhoods. It is tenants' rents that fund this so it is important that by working together we make best use of the fund. By increasing the budget for this by 10% and extending the Your Community, Your Cash program the Council is committed to working with tenants. I'm really excited to see what improvements and community activities are funded next year.'

During 2011/2012, the Council has made Decent Neighbourhood investments into a range of projects including:
removal of broken paving slabs and laying new tarmac in Alston Walk
Cutting back overgrowth in alleyways in Woodley
Marking out parking bays in Ian Mikado Way & Windermere Road
Various bulb planting schemes throughout Reading
Landscape improvements throughout Reading
Painting rails in public open spaces throughout Reading

As well as practical improvements, Decent Neighbourhoods Funding has been invested into the Granville Road Fun Day, a youth art project in Coley Park, St Paul's Play Barn, in Whitley Wood Lane and the Hexham Tornados Football Club for under 12's.