Policing Our Neighbourhoods - My Meeting with Superintendent Gilmour

In October Thames Valley Police and the Police & Crime Commissioner did a presentation on activity in the Thames Valley and Reading area and there were some worrying statistics around drug crime.

You can see the papers and watch the meeting here.  My questions and response were reported in the papers.  I was concerned about daylight drug dealing in Battle ward.  Several residents had reported this to me and felt their calls to the police were not being responded to.

“My residents are extremely concerned about drugs in their area.
“You can now see people dealing drugs on the streets - in broad daylight it’s no longer a hidden activity, it’s happening on a daily basis.
“What can people do to make sure daylight drug dealing is a thing of the past in Reading?"

So Superintendent Gilmour and I promised to meet up.

Our meeting last week was a very productive one.  First off I made it clear I understood police budgets are being cut and that the police are under a lot of pressure, just as council budgets are being cut.  These cuts are all part of the Conservative government's austerity programme, something I believe is damaging lives and communities across the country. 

He told me how the neighbourhood teams are being realigned with borough wards and how they are taking pro-active action against crimes.  I asked that the results of this action be better communicated - criminals are being caught but we don't always get to hear about it.

He stressed that is it vital that incidents are reported to either 999 in an emergency or 101.  It's these reports and the intelligence they contain that helps the police allocate resources.  You may not have an officer call round but you will be helping highlight an issue in your area.

We have arranged to hold a series of events in Battle ward so residents can have their concerns heard.  I will be at all of them.  So we are going to:

• Hold a World Cafe at Battle Library.  We will have tea and cake and discuss three or so 'hot topics'.  Tel me what they should be.
• Get the bus! We will borrow a Reading Buses bus, park it somewhere in Battle ward and hold a Have Your Say meeting where you can pop along to chat to me or the police about your concerns. 
• Hold street surgeries.  These are always popular.  We pick a date, time and a couple of streets and come to you.  You will have a notice popped through your door a few days before which you display in your window if you want us to call by.  Tell me which streets we should visit.

We didn't just discuss Battle ward.  I've been contacted by residents across Reading West about crimes ranging from anti-social behaviour, dangerous scooter riding and car break ins.

Superintendent Gilmour assured me that these events are available to any community is Reading so even if you're not a Battle resident you can contact me, or your local ward councillors, with a suggestion about the location of future events.  I can be contacted on cllrsarahhacker@virginmedia.com or sarah.hacker@reading.gov.uk as well as on social media.

We had a few minutes spare at the end of a very productive meeting so we took part in an exercise Superintendent Gilmour does pretty much everyday - decide on the priority of police activities.  It was quite difficult.  Do you prioritise staff training over catching burglers?  Here's what I had decided on after 5 minutes.  I could have done with a lot longer!

I fully appreciate the hard work our police force undertake to keep us all safe however budget cuts are reducing the preventative work they can do.  Remember, these cuts are being made by a Conservative government.  It is reported that Thames Valley Police are to see a further £22 million cut from their budgets over the next three years with a reduction of 59 police officer roles.  This needs to be reviewed and the police properly funded as our communities deserve better!

A BIG THANK YOU!!!

Firstly let me say a big thank you to the residents of Battle ward for electing me for a second term as councillor.  Another big thank you goes to all the volunteers who helped during the election.  Without our members and volunteers we could not have done all we did.

The last four years have been hard work but also so very rewarding.  I am privileged to get another four years to make a positive different to the place I love.

For all the results click on the picture (from www.reading.gov.uk)

We have lots planned already.  As well as our regular advice surgeries we will be at the Oxford Road Fun Day again.  We also plan more street surgeries and street stalls and you can, of course, get in touch if you need to speak to us.

Tonight I am putting my sore blistered feet up and having a take-away (of course from one on the Oxford Road), tomorrow the hard work begins again.

Into Battle: sneak peak

Here is our Into Battle Election Special 2014.

Click here for the full edition!

It includes:

• Councillor Hacker Demands Action on the Cost of Water
• Parfks Upgrade - update on the Battle Hospital developer contribution
• Tories are Failing Local Children
• Improving the Oxford Road
• Campigning for Families
• Fly-tipping and Litter Patrol
• To Stop or Not To Stop
• Well done RBC
• Sherwood Street Parking Request
• Well Done Wilson School
• Stand up to Loan Sharks

We have a long history of keeping residents informed throughout the year and it's not something we are going to be stopping.  We believe it is important.  You elected us and you deserve to know we are working hard for you, all year round.

As well as our newsletter, which we deliver throughout Battle ward, you can also keep up to date with what I am up to these ways:

On this blog: www.cllrsarahhacker.blogspot.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/CllrSarahHacker
On Twitter: www.twitter.com/CllrSarahHacker

Please feel free to get in touch on Twitter and Facebook as well as the more traditional methods found in the tab at the top of the blog.

Local election candidates announced!

The candidates for the 2014 local election on 22 May were announced today.

No surprises in Battle ward.  As you know I have been selected to stand for Labour again, something I feel is a privilege.  I have throughly enjoyed the past 4 years representing residents of Battle ward and I hope to be re-elected.  Battle Labour councillors are a great team and we work well together and I believe we have brought about many positive things including:

• Secured the £1.6 million developer contribution from the Battle Hospital site.
• Improvements to the Oxford Road through the Oxford Road corridor study with phase 1 starting in the summer.  Phase 2 will go ahead after the Cow Lane bridges are open.
• Listened to residents and helped them with changes to residents parking and parking restrictions.
• Helped secure a new school on the Oxford Road.
• Supported parents with the school places squeeze and we will not rest until the pressures have eased in Battle ward.
• Ensured that the pedestrian and cycle path under Cow Lane bridges is a continuous path, not one that requires crossing half way.
• Had potholes filled and, with Labour led Reading Boruogh Council, implemented a major pothole filling programme.

I also make sure I am involved in the ward outside of the council.  I am:

• A governor at Oxford Road Community School.
• On the Battle Ward Community First panel.
• Regularly attend the Oxford Road Neighbourhood Action Group and support it's work.
• Work closely with the West Village Residents Association most recently attending the AGM and updating residents on work in the ward.
• and finally I am a resident of Battle ward!

I promise to continue working hard to get the best for residents of Battle ward.  I will keep you informed about what I am doing and ensure you are consulted on the issues that effect you.  If you need to get in touch with me my contact details are in the tab above.
 
For the full candidate list and all the legal bits follow this link:  http://www.reading.gov.uk/council/elections-and-voting/voting/

Road resurfacing for Battle!

Reading Borough Council have done an excellent job filling the hundreds of potholes all over Reading - at the last Traffic Management Sub-committee they reported having filled over 1200!

Sometimes this is not enough though and a whole road would benefit from resurfacing.  I know residents of Kensington Road and I have been asking for it to be resurfaced for a couple of year now and we have good news!!!

Below is a list of the roads in Battle due to be resurfaced this year - including Kensington Road!

Edinburgh Road
Kensington Road (from Oxford Road to Prince of Wales Avenue)
Wilton Road
Mason Street

We will also see phase one of the Oxford Road Corridor Study implemented in the summer which will include improved cycle facilitites, extended bus lanes and a rationalisation of the current road markings.

Flooding - be aware and stay safe

I'm a curious fellow and just checked out the flood warnings for Reading.  The below screen shot shows the warnings and alerts for Reading.  This does include parts of Battle ward.

Taken from the Environment Agency website at 22:40 on February 7 2014

You can can check up to date information here: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/142151.aspx

Or call the Floodline on 0345 988 1188

Please do not take any risks.  My husband saw a cyclist attempt to cycle through a flood today and witnessed him be knocked from his bike.  He then struggled to recover as the waters were moving quickly and his bike was lost.  Several motorists have had to be rescued from floods recently too.

Community Christmas Dinner: Do you know someone who'd benefit?

Can you help with operation S.A.N.T.A?

I received this letter from Lieutenant Kenneth Guest from the Salvation Army church on the Oxford Road.  We supported Operation S.A.N.T.A last year (see here) and I am happy to support it again.  I think Kenneth's letter says it all:

LAUNCH OF OPERATION S.A.N.T.A.

         

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen.

For a number of years now The Salvation Army in Reading have launched a Toy Appeal. This year is no different and so we are launching;

OPERATION S.A.N.TA. (SALVATION ARMY NEW TOY APPEAL).

Thanks to your fantastic generosity we have been able to distribute 100’s of gifts donated for children who were living in social services care or extreme poverty.

The need to provide for these children is just as great this year (the entirety of the gifts donated to social services and local professionals last year still only scratched the surface) and so I am hoping to help arrange for even more of these children to receive at least one present this Christmas.

Be assured that in addition to the kind donations we receive from members of the public, and collections carried out in your work places, we as Salvationists across the Three corps in Reading, hold a Toy Service, this year it is December 8^th at which  our members contribute a colossal amount of toys.

Over the last couple of years we have been able to see the list of children (listed by sex and age from babies to 16 years) for whom gifts are requested.

It struck me (alongside the sadness I felt thinking of any child in such circumstances) that this is a relatively easy and tangible way to make a difference to a child's Christmas and so I wondered if any of you might also like to buy a gift for one of these children.

The presents can be handed in to any Salvation Army Centre in Reading, although Reading West Corps based in the Oxford Road, will be co-ordinating the appeal. We will then hand over the gifts to social services, family workers, children’s centres and health visitors to distribute the gifts to the relevant children thus ensuring that the most needy children receive a present.

If you would like to buy a gift for a child in Reading, then you might like to choose one of these options:

1.   Buy and send a gift to any Salvation Army centre to arrive by 12  December. 

2.   Order a gift online to be delivered to us by 12 December.

3.   Send a donation so that we can buy a gift on your behalf for a specific child

As many of us know, particularly for young children, receiving a present is often not about how much the present is worth but the excitement of having something to open (or a cardboard box to play with!) so really any donation will be appreciated.

Having said that, I do recognise that many people have charities to which they regularly donate and/or this may not be a way in which you would like to contribute, which of course is absolutely fine and I hope you don't mind me asking.

If you would like more information about the Salvation Army in Reading or about our Toy Appeal please don’t hesitate to ring me or email me.

Thank you for the time you have taken to read this letter.

May God Bless You.

Lieutenant Kenneth Guest

Commanding Officer

Reading West Corps

PS – Please do NOT wrap the gifts as this will make it easier for us to allocate the presents.

Fix your fence -again!

The fence surrounding the abandoned medical centre site is broken once again. This time a large section was blown down during the gales a few weeks ago. I gave them some time to fix it but it's been five weeks now. This morning I rang the NHS property department and asked them to fix it as it's clearly not bring monitored. Let's hope the site is secured once again.

More residents parking on the way in Battle?

In a previous Traffic Management Sub-Committee meetinga a report was brought to us outlining plans to increase the number of residents parking spaces in Battle ward by redefining parking bays (Item 5 here).  This report was approved and consultation has begun.

If you want to take a look at the plans and make a comment you can here: http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/traffic-orders/advertised-traffic-orders/residents-parking-order-2013.aspx

This has the potential to bring over one hundred new parking spaces to the zones covering Battle ward!  Good news :)

Tackling Poverty in Reading....

Every year around this time Reading Brough Council hold a community engagement event.  This year we are focusing on tackling poverty in Reading.  I represent Battle ward as a councillor and it is an area with pockets of depravation and poverty.  I believe everyone can help tackle poverty and this event invites everyone to get involved.......

Tackling Poverty in Reading

Press Release 

12/11/2013 

TACKLING Poverty in Reading is the theme of the town’s Annual Conference this year which takes place at the Town Hall on Tuesday November 19.

Organisations, residents, community groups and charities from across the borough are all being invited to attend the event and play their part in helping to develop a strategy to tackle poverty in Reading.

Welfare reforms, reducing public sector expenditure and the slow economic recovery are all combining to create increasing hardship for many residents, including some of the most vulnerable. The Local Government Association estimates that welfare reforms will see working people whose wages are so low that they have to claim some benefit in order to keep a roof over their head, lose an average of £1,660 per year. In Reading nearly 11,000 working people will be affected. For 7,693 people out of work, the loss of income figure is higher at £1,671 a year.


Reading’s ‘Tackling Poverty’ event on November 19th runs between 5.30pm to 8.30pm. Chaired by Professor Gavin Brooks, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), University of Reading, the event will begin with an introduction by Reading Borough Council Leader Jo Lovelock. That will be followed by a keynote address from Alison Garnham, CEO, Child Poverty Action Group, key facts and figures from the organisations that work everyday with people in poverty, and testimonies of real-life experiences of poverty in Reading.

The proposed schedule is:

•  6.00pm: Welcome by Reading Borough Council Leader Jo Lovelock

•  6.10pm: Key note address - Alison Garnham, CEO, Child Poverty Action Group

• 6.30pm: What does poverty look like in Reading – Christian Community Action Reading / Citizens Advice Bureau Reading / Reading CIC / Welfare Rights

• 6.45pm: What does poverty feel like in Reading - First hand testimonies (video and short play by 'Spotlight on Diversity')

From 7pm the event will split into a series of workshops, all based around the theme of poverty, which are aimed at discussing, exploring and developing practical actions to deliver a plan to tackle poverty. The workshops will be facilitated by a variety of different groups and organisations and the 10 themes will be: 
• Advice on tax credits and benefits
• Affordable Credit
• Support into Work
• Best start in life
• Tackling In work poverty
• Affording Basic Needs
• Disabled People
• Older People
• Tackling poverty in a multi-cultural community
• Health and Wellbeing 

Groups or residents who would like to take part in a specific themes workshop are asked to book ahead and register at http://tacklingpoverty.eventbrite.co.uk/. Alternatively people can just turn up on the night and decide which workshops suits them best.

The workshops will then be followed by pledges of action and the outline of a way forward, before finishing at 8pm.

Reading Borough Council Leader Jo Lovelock said:
“Five years on, the economic downturn has shown us that Reading continues to perform well in comparison to other places. We also know very well that there remain a great many people out there in Reading who continue to struggle financially as a consequence of the increased cost of living and the reforms and changes that are being made. Many of the people affected are working long hours and still having to choose between heating and eating; the need for foodbanks in Reading has increased by 400%; 1 in 5 children in Reading are officially living in poverty. The theme of ‘Tackling Poverty’ is therefore the right one for this year’s conference. 

“The event will include real life experiences of poverty in Reading. I hope organisations including public services, businesses, schools, voluntary and community organisations, charities or faith organisations, will want to make their own pledges on the night that will go towards helping us to develop a plan for tackling this key issue in Reading. 

“The event on November 19th is open to anyone in our community who is concerned about poverty and who has any ideas about how we can help tackle it.”

Approx £8,500 available to community groups working in Battle Ward

Once again I am privileged to be on the panel for Battle Community First.  We have just short of £8,500  available to community groups working in Battle Ward and would love to see applications that address our priorities:

• Improving anti-social behaviour
• Improving the local environment
• Improving community cohesion

We like the projects we award funding to to benefit as wide a range of people as possible. for more information please take a look at our blog.  You can also download an application form.  We look forward to receiving a wide range of interestng applications.  You have until the end of the year to apply.

http://communityfirstbattle.blogspot.co.uk/

Proud to be standing in Battle in 2014! Our candidates have been selected.

I'm delighted to say I have been selected to stand as the Labour candidate in Battle ward in the 2014 local elections.  Labour party members have given me their 'seal of approval' by selecting me again.  All our other candidates across the town have also been selected and it's a very strong team!

I have enjoyed the last 3 years as a Labour councillor for Battle ward.  It's hard work but worth it when I see changes in our community or someone pops into our advice surgery to say thank you.  You can see a snapshot of my work here:

In The Press
Into Battle 2013
Into Battle 2012
Into Battle 2011
Into Battle 2010

Looking forward we still have lots or work to do.

• We await the publication of the results from the consultation on the £1.5 million secured for local residents. 
• We have the Oxford Road to look at and how the opening of the Cow Lanes bridges will change its character.
• We have fly-tipping to tackle.
• We have residents to work with to prevent Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) in various sites.
• We have to work with the Police & Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) to work with to find a solution to streetworkers in and around Lorne Street.

Please continue to get in touch with any issues you have within Battle ward. You can visit me at one of our regular advice surgeries, tell us when we knock on your door or contact me using any of the details in the Get In Touch page.

I can promise I'll be working hard for residents in the next year, and if elected again, for many years after.

Tackling dog mess in Battle - another day of action

Tomorrow the Dog Wardens and the Streetcare team will be holding another day of action in regard to dog mess, this time in and around Kensington Park.  A couple of week ago they were in the East of Battle ward, around George Street. 

I called for action in March after being contacted by residents (you can see the press article here) and asked the lead councillor, Paul Gittings, for further activity in Battle. 

As a resident I am fully aware how disgusting the streets can be when careless dog owners fail to clean-up after their dogs.  Only the other day I had to clean dog mess from my sons pushchair wheels.  There is no need for this to happen.  You take a dog out, chances are it will go to the toilet - CLEAN IT UP!

I was asked if there was a poster residents can print and put up and here it is:

Reading Continues Campaign to Target Dog Mess

Press Release

14/05/2013

ANTI-SOCIAL dog owners are being targeted in a new campaign by Reading Borough Council in a bid to encourage them to clear up after their pets.

Dog Wardens and the Streetcare Environment Team will be taking part in six events around the borough over the next five months to explain to dog owners the importance of clearing up after their animals.

During a major ‘We Need to Talk’ consultation last year the subject of irresponsible dog owners who fail to clear up after their animals was regularly raised by people as an issue they found most annoying. This led to the launch of a ‘Dog Fouling Campaign’ last year.

Since last August, a total of 31 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued resulting in a £75 charge for owners who failed to clean up after their dogs.

This year’s events are taking place in the following areas:

• 15 May – Victoria Recreation Ground, George Street/Little Street
• 29 May – Kensington Recreation Ground
• 19 June – Silchester Road, Southcote and surrounding area
• 17 July – Beverley Road/Westwood Road, Tilehurst
• 14 August – Prospect Park
• 18 September – Boults Walk, Aveley Walk.

Do you rent your home privately? We want to hear your views!

Reading Borough Council are launching a series of consultations on housing - 'Let's Talk Housing'.  

Cesnsus data from 2011 shows the number of people renting their homes privately in Battle ward has risen.  I often see tweeters using the #rdg and #rdguk hashtags to complain about the treatment they have received as a tenants and similar complaints on Facebook.  

The first consultation is about private rented accommodation and we would like to hear your experiences.  The consultation launches on 1 June and there's a link top right.  Please also feel free to get in touch with me directly if you have an issue Reading Borough Council and I can help with.  The Get In Touch tab above has my contact details

‘Lets Talk Housing’ – Private Rented Sector

READING Borough Council today launches ‘Let’s Talk Housing’ - a three part consultation which takes a closer look at the housing issues which affect people in Reading the most.

Running from June until December, ‘Let’s Talk Housing’ will focus on talking to residents about strategies and policies that aim to improve the ways that the people in our town are housed. 

The Council wants to engage with the community regarding a number of changes, new policies and new initiatives that could affect residents of Reading across all housing sectors.  We want to hear from home owners and tenants of both the private rented and social sector, so that we can ensure that residents views are reflected in the decisions made and the way services are delivered in the future. We will also be listening to organisations that work in the housing sector and with homeless people to ensure that their experiences are included.

‘Let’s Talk Housing’ begins on 1 June with a detailed consultation on Reading’s Private Rented Sector.

Could this be good news for residents of Beresford Rd and Barnwood Close?

Every year Reading Borough Council review the on-road waiting restrictions.

This year the existing single yellow lines 'No Waiting Mon-Sat 8am - 6.30 pm' on Beresford Road  and on the corner of Barnwood Close are being review with a view of them becoming double yellow lines otherwise known as 'No Waiting At Anytime'.

I have logged numerous complaints from residents about vans parking on these single yellow lines.  Beresford Road is a difficult, narrow road anyway.  With vans blocking sight lines and parking on the pavement, it just makes things worse for road users and pedestrians.  I believe changing the restrictions will be a good thing and said so at the Traffic Management Advisory Panel the list was passed at.

There are also proposed changes to restrictions in Loverock Road.

The consultation notices have been put up and comments in support of the change are just as welcome as those against.  I welcome your comments too: sarah.hacker@reading.gov.uk

You can view the map here.

You can view the notice here.

Open letter to Alok Sharma - Residents Parking Fact Check!

UPDATE: 6 March 2013

Well I've still not had a reply.  I hope he doesn't treat his other constituents like this but, having spoken to a few, he does!

Dear Mr Sharma

In reference to your recent ‘report back to Battle Ward’.  I was surprised to see you claim credit for persuading the council to:

• Increase the number of free books of visitor permits to households located in a permit parking zone from one to two.
• Begin issuing visitor permits, valid until 10am the following day, rather than 8am.
• Look favourably upon, and within reason grant, requests for allocation of visitor permits above the total official annual allowance of seven books per household.

 I am sure you will recall that the changes you claim to have reversed were brought in by the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition council in 2010/2011.  You did not object to these changes when your Conservative colleagues on the Council were making them and you suggest the changes were not properly consulted, presumably by the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition?

Only at a later date did you object to these changes AFTER the Labour controlled Council had already reversed the unpopular and unfair changes to the residents parking scheme by increasing the number of free books of visitor permits to two and pledging to return the 10am cut off time once the existing stock of permits has been used.

As a Labour council we have listened to residents and made the changes they asked for when we were back in control of the council. 

We have also recently re-affirmed our commitment to the first parking permit being free and we ensure any changes to the residents parking scheme are fully consulted, as you well know.

I hope to see more care taken in your claims in future literature.

Yours sincerely

Sarah Hacker

Labour Councillor, Battle Ward

UPDATED:

Evidence!

Press at the time:  The article in the Reading Chronicle makes it clear he was criticising the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition yet on his leaflet (below) makes it seems he was criticising Labour!  Both articles make it clear the unpopular changes he refers to were made by the coalition and that they had already been changed by Labour when Alok Sharma decided to speak up!  I wonder if we'll get a leaflet correcting these mistakes?

Reading Chronicle October 2011

Get Reading October 2011

Never mind the picture's in Abbey ward too!