Got a problem? We're here to help....

As a ward councillor I am here to help Battle ward residents be it a parking issue, concern about your local area or a question about a Council service.

As I walk about the ward I do pick up a few issues - this week an example was a blocked gutter and some fly tipping.

Don't gift thieves your property!

Last night Cllrs Chris Maskell, Tony Page and Mohammed Ayub and I attended the Oxford Road Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG).  The Oxford Road NAG is a group of residents, local groups, council and Police officials all with the improvement of their local area at the top of their agenda.  It was a very interesting meeting covering littering, crime, and other local concerns.

I did discover something surprising and it has prompted me to take action.  If the Police raid a suspected thief's property and find what could be the proceeds of crime, they cannot prosecute unless it can be proven the items were stolen.  Unless you report your property stolen and provide a means of identification, like a serial number or you've marked it with a UV pen, the theft cannot be proved and the property returned to the suspect.  Suffice to say all our electricals are now marked. 

Of course it's better not to have things stolen in the first place and one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent burglary is to double lock your front door.  Burglars can very easily open an unlocked door from the inside using a bendy pole - they just pull the door handle and wander in - nasty.  So double lock your front door and make a note of serial numbers/mark your property with a UV pen and keep safe!

Slow down Mr Cameron!

The sheer pace at which the Tory-led Government is making changes scares me.  How well thought through are these changes?  We have already seen there have been problems with the proposed changes to child benefit and the u-turn on Bookstart.  After targeting disability benefit leaving many vulnerable people worried about how they are going to survive, they are now targeting the NHS.

Stop and think things through.  The NHS is too precious to be hacked to pieces in the name of reform.

Fantastic librarys

I have just been to Battle library.  What book did you get you may ask?  Well it was not for a book but for Rhymetime with my sons - an excellent half hour singing session that is in libraries throughout Reading see here.

The library also offers Storytime for Under 5's, craft sessions, Health Visitor drop-in clinic, breastfeeding drop-in as well as coffee mornings and other chances to meet up with like minded people.

I sincerely hope the library service in Reading retains the funding to continue to provide such an excellent service.

2010 finished, welcome 2011!

Another Christmas over.  The tree is down, we've all had a cold, I've had flu and the bin is overflowing. 

2010 was a funny old year.  It seemed quite straight-forward, I won my election in May, had a lovely family holiday in June then my youngest arrived 2 months early in July.  Thanks to the excellent staff at the Royal Berkshire Hospital he is a healthy little chap but it does rather knock you for six.  The staff in Maternity and Buscot Special Care Baby Unit could not be faulted and we should be proud of our NHS and should do anything we can to protect it.

2011 will be less complicated.  My fellow councillor and Dad is standing for  re-election is in May and I have every confidence he will be re-elected as he works very hard for the residents of Battle Ward - the ward he was born in!  He has an excellent website here.

What will happened through-out Reading?  Who knows.  Many Lib Dem votes I know feel betrayed and are adamant they will not vote Lib Dem again but who will they vote for?


So 2011 will be less complicated but certainly not dull!