Summer in our parks

This is a fantastic sight. Kensington Park is so busy with cricket, football, basketball, runners and cyclists as well as families having picnics or just playing on the equipment. Part of the Section 106 developer contribution from the Battle Hospital site was used to upgrade this park and it's been a huge success.

Reading and District Labour Party councillors fought hard to ensure the money was spent locally. The Battle Library extension is also being funded from this £1.6 million fund and will open in mid-September.

West Reading Great Get Together - Picnic In The Park!

"We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us" - Jo Cox MP

In my year as Mayor I met hundreds of people in Reading and got to know about their lives, hobbies, passions and challenges.  I loved Reading before I was mayor but the great people I met during that year made me love Reading more.

Reading has always had a strong community identity with thousands of different people getting along together all year long.  We decided to hold a Great Get Together event in West Reading to celebrate and strengthen our community.  So please join us:

Sunday 18 June

12pm-2pm

Kensington Road Park

Refreshments and BBQ for sale from 103rd Oxford Road Scouts

Join our Great Get Togther in Kensington Park, Reading. Pack a picnic and come along to meet your neighbours in Reading.

Any good at cricket, rounders or football? If you are bring a team game and get your new friends running around in the park.

We'll have story telling for children from Eddie Winship.

You'll be able to buy refreshments and BBQ from 103rd Reading Scouts who are supporting the event (£2 for a jumbo hot dog or 4oz burger. Vegetarian options available).

Reading has a wonderful community and has proved year on year we have more in common!

Print a poster to share here: Picnic In The Park Poster

RSVP to our Eventbrite event here: Picnic In The Park Event

Or join our Facebook event on my page here: Picnic In The Park Facebook Event 

Press release:  West Reading Great Get Together Press Release

We'd love to see you at our event however if you can't make it please share with as many people as you can.

There is parking at the park as well as two hours parking in nearby streets.  If coming by bus you can catch the 15, 16 and 17 and get off at the West Village - Tesco stop (inbound or outbound).

Subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances and bad weather - fingers crossed.

Oxford Road Fun Day & the NHS's 65th Anniversary!

My what a busy few weeks!  It doesn't get any less busy with our regular advice surgery 10.30-12 at Battle Library tomorrow morning and the Oxford Road Fun Day 12-4 tomorrow in Kensington Park

We will be there to hear what you have to say about living in Battle Ward. We'll also be handing out the now famous Battle Councillor pens and will have helium balloons for the kids (while we still have helium).

Victoria Groulef, our parliamentary candidate for Reading West will be with us celebrating 65 years of the NHS with a giant paper chain!  We have already had a couple of rather famous people sign links.  Visit the stall to find out who and add your message to the chain.  More info here: https://donation.labour.org.uk/page/event/detail/streetstall/jrl

The weather looks set to be brilliant with no repeat of last year where we had to hold on the gazebo to stop is blowing away.  There'll also be food, drink and loads of things to do.

Cllr Chris Maskell at last years fun day.  This years will look about the same but add balloons and, apparently, a bubble machine!

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.

More good news on dog fouling in #rdg

As I reported here,  Kensington Park in Battle was targeted as part of an anti-dog fouling campaign.  It's good to hear further irresponsible dog owners have been caught and fined for not cleaning up after their dog.  It's simple, you go out with your dog, you should be prepared to pick up after them.

'Reading Continues to Get Tough on Dog Mess

05/09/2012
Reading Borough Council Press Release

Up to five dog owners have now been caught and fined for not picking up after their pets.

Reading Borough Council's high-profile campaign to combat dog poo has encouraged local residents - including law abiding dog owners - to report incidents of fouling which Council officers have then acted on. This has resulted in 5 fixed penalty notices of £75 being issued to offenders to date.

Offenders have been caught in Kensington Park, outside a school in Wensley Road and Whitley Wood Road - all areas identified as fouling hotspots.

The fines were served under The Fouling of Land by Dogs (Reading) Order 2011 which was introduced by the Council last year. It is hoped it will act as a warning to other dog owners to always ensure they have a bag with them to clear up after their pets when they are out and about on walks.
Over the past few weeks the Council's Dog Warden Service and the Street Care Environment Team have together been touring various parts of Reading as part of an on-going education campaign on the need for dog owners to clear up after their pets. It follows last year's 'We Need To Talk' Council consultation which highlighted dog mess as one of the major gripes residents wanted strong action on.

Dog wardens and the Street Care team have already visited the Whitley, Kensington Park, Newtown and Coley areas, talking to residents, spray painting mess and handing out poop scoops to highlight the extent of this messy problem. The team will visit Tilehurst (Bromley Walk area) during the week beginning the September 10, with the main event day taking place on the 12th September.

Reading Borough Council's Lead Councillor for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Gittings, said: 'We never want to see people fined for such a preventable problem, but we really hate to see our neighbourhoods covered in dog mess. It doesn't take much effort to clean up after our pets and that is all we ask. This tour has been a fantastic success and I hope residents will recognise a positive difference in the near future..'

The dog owners now has 2 weeks to pay the fine. If it is not paid the Council can take legal action through the Magistrates Court with a possible fine of up to £1,000.'

See you at the Oxford Road Community Fun Day!

It's the Oxford Road Community Fun Day on Saturday, 12-4 at Kensington Park.  I have been for the last few years (though I was on my holidays last year) and have always enjoyed it but this year will be different.

Battle's dog fouling problem being tackled!

You may recall I wrote a blog post last year on the problems residents faced with inconsiderate dog owners failing to clear up their dog's mess: Dog Pooh Problem?

Despite getting new dog waste bins installed, the problem hasn't really got any better.  Dogs can't clear up their own mess so it is strictly down to their owners!  Battle councillors have been asking the Lead Councillor for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Gittings, for action on this horrible problem.

Battle councillors are very pleased to hear that Battle will be the first ward to have a dedicated campaign on dog fouling, starting on13 June in Kensington Park and surrounding areas.  Let's hope this helps educate owners and we see a reduction in the number of fouled pavements.

'Council To Call Foul on Inconsiderate Dog Owners

07/06/2012
Reading Borough Council Press Release

Reading Borough Council's Dog Warden Service and the Street Care Environment team is getting ready to call foul on inconsiderate dog walkers who fail to clean up their pets mess, thanks to a new borough wide campaign.