Oppostion is a dog's life

It's good to know that despite being an opposition councillor I can still get things done.

Today's achievement is that a new dog poo bin has been installed on Dawlish Road after I raised resident's concerns.  It's not much comfort though when you have to watch the administration cutting £1.5million off education budgets and being soft on dodgy landlords.  So much for a commitment to the younger generation!

I did have an alternative title for this post starting "A pile of..." but thought that after yesterday's post claiming to be an optimist it would be a too much of a U-turn.  Roll on next May and throwing out the Con-dems locally, and then nationally.

If you want to do that (or alternatively support them!) don't forget to register to vote.  If you want to do more get in touch!

Optimism

On a gloomy day like today it's not obviously a day to post about optimism.  But I was thinking about it after thinking over Ed's speech.  He said 'we are the optimists' and it chimed with me, as it's one of the key reasons I joined the Labour party.  I joined at 21, just as I was finishing university although I had thought about it for a while.  In the Labour party you meet idealists and dreamers, but oyu also meet what a lady I met the other day while helping out with planting up a roundabout called 'do-ers', that is people who don't just imagine a better world but decide to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.

Of course as a local councillor you could say that people on all sides of the political spectrum are do-ers, and have chosen to get involved in their community, and I would agree, and applaud that courage of conviction whether they are Conservative, Liberal Democrat or Green.  However I do believe that Labour is the natural home of those who want to see big change and believe it is possible.

I am also optimistic that David Miliband will be back.  I may not agree with everything he does and he wasn't my choice as leader but I do think he has a lot to offer the party and the country.  I hope that once the media get over their soap opera style obsession with "the brothers" he'll feel ready to return, as he's got conviction and ability.

The only optimism I am lacking is that it will be sunny tomorrow.

Ireland's deficit

Evidence (if you care about evidence) that the cuts don't work, they just make you worse.

Shinfield Road lights

You may be wondering why I've been on Andrew Peach, done a press release etc and not mentioned the lights in my blog.  There's no cunning plan, just been too busy.

If you're interested the press release is on Whitleynews

For the record my personal view is that I have no particular desire to pick a fight with the Conservative-Liberal Democrat administration over this (I've got plenty of other things to pick fights with them about, not least their changes to funding of voluntary groups)
I hope the phasing does sort the lights out.  However we'll know that very soon and it's complacent to wait 6 months for a review.  Therefore our position as Whitley's councillors is give it a couple more weeks and then formally call for a review.

NB I know this is a inflammatory issue, so remember I will reject your comment if I think it's risking being defamatory against anyone, of any political party (or none!)

Free schools not backed by libdems...

Good!

Under 16 swimming

An anecdote:  I was told by a teacher the other day that he was having to explain to his class the reasons why free swimming for under 16s had bee n removed.  He'd tried to be balanced and explain about the deficit, but the class weren't buying it.  "So why bring it in in the first place then?"  He explained about obesity etc and that there had been a change of government.  The response: "Labour got it right though".

Obviously I agree but, it prompted two thoughts or questions.

Firstly I'd be interested to see a demographic breakdown of how the cuts are affecting different age groups.  For all pensioners are - rightly - concerned about their benefits and pensions, I would suspect the hardest hit are the young, under 18s and 18-25s.  It would be hard for the analysis to quantify but U16 swimming, cuts to education, future jobs fund, freezing child benefit, loss of the Child trust fund, threats to sure start, all seem to hit children hardest.  That definitely doesn't seem fair, since this is the generation that is already set to inherit a pensions crisis and housing that is out of reach of ordinary
workers.

Secondly are the Conservatives/Libdems are setting up a generation who think they don't matter to politicians.  If so this is an obvious opportunity for Labour, and a responsibility as if they don't vote when they turn 18 they may never vote, much less end up politically active.  Having said that young people are so aware of issues from poverty to climate change today that hopefully they will be getting themselves involved!

And if any of them want to start a petition or campaign on free swimming in Reading, there's one councillor who will support you right here...

UPDATED: 3.15pm, removing typos

Clamping

Any reader based on Kennet Island in Whitley will have followed the proposals to ban clamping with interest.  I only just spotted this story but thought it might appeal to those who have experienced the joys of PCM's enforcement.

As as councillor who has seen my fair share of complaints and concerns about clamping (although fortunately have avoided it myself!) all I can say is at last the Conservatives get something right!  It's been in the pipeline for years and now finally it's going to happen.

Cycling posties - update

Regular readers of my blog (all one or two of you - hi Mum!) will remember I proposed a motion to Reading council in June that was passed unanimously (amazingly given what else went on that night...) offering support to the "Keep Posties Cycling" campaign.  Well they're now getting somewhere, as Royal Mail have received over 700 letters about it, delivered of course by bike.  Royal Mail have now agreed to meet with the Cyclist's Touring Club, after having refused to do so before.  I'll be following the results with interest.

Petition on aid to prevent maternal death

The latest Avaaz petition is close to my heart.  Please consider signing it.

They get noticed and get results.

UPDATE 22nd September - link fixed.  Thanks to John Stumbles!

A full and fun weekend!

My last post I said September would be back to usual - and the weekend just gone proves it!

On Saturday I covered the Whitley councillor's surgery, and had a look at the new cycling facilities at Junction 11 as they'd been discussed at Cycling Liason committee earlier in the week.  We then went to Reading Pride to help out on the Labour party stall.  It's always a really freindly event and lovely to meet such a range of people from young families to pensioners.  We had lots of people think about joining the party and taking away joining forms, and at least one filled in the form there and then!  The Conservatives and Libdems were there too (not on the same stall!) but I think they weren't so well attended.  That might be because we were giving out free lollypops or because we had more people helping out though rather than because of any particular political reason!


Sunday had a nice family morning and then went along to the Norcot Labour party BBQ where we failed to identify the maternity ward of RBH in the picture round of the quiz (but slightly worryingly spotted the police station and the jail!).  We then helped John Ennis deliver leaflets advertising a public meeting he and other ward councillors are holding in Southcote with their local doctors' surgery and finished the weekend with a ride on the carosel at Carter's Steam Fair that had come to Prospect Park, which we always try visit when we can.

All in all a lovely weekend, and hopefully useful too!

August councillor's update

Summary:
A quiet month but have used it to ensure that I'm on top of things happening in the ward and to get up to date with some key issues that are coming up.

Council work:
There were no formal council meetings or committee in August.  However I did have a very useful opposition breifing session with other Labour councillors from the Director of Environment and other environment directorate staff.


Out and about in the ward:
Nothing major to report, kept an eye on the park improvements, in particular those at Whitley wood, which needed some re-work.  Other than that it was business as usual with individual pieces of casework.


Other meetings:
I met with the director of Affinity Housing to find out more about how they operate to ensure that I am able to effectively represent residents to them and to identify ways in which we can work together.  It was good to meet the team and I know they work hard for the area.

Labour party and campaigning
I met and called some members who wanted to get more involved in the party, some really talented people.  Hopefully a sign of things to come and great to have them on board!

Next month:
September is already part way through (been a bit busy the last couple of days!) so I have a bit of a sneak preview.  All I can say is it will be back to business as usual as the schools go back, meetings get going again and politics leaves the 'silly season' behind!