Redlands Liberal Democrats

Erleigh Road Burglary

You may have read in Get Reading the terrible news that a 91 year old woman was burgled while she slept on Erleigh Road on Sunday.

According to the news report two thieves broke into the back door of the woman's house in Erleigh Road using a shovel and searched the downstairs of the house before moving upstairs and waking the woman by searching her bedroom at around 2am.

This is a disgusting crime and I have written to Inspector Penny McKenzie of Thames Valley Police to ask her what the Police is doing to support residents and reduce the number of burglaries in our area.

If you have any information about this incident you can call Det Sgt Wappner on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 08458 505 505.

Burglary remains the Redlands & University Neighbourhood Police team’s main priority with 9 reported to the police from the 1st to the 22nd of October.  The main items taken were small electrical items such as lap tops, mobile phones etc. 

The team would like to remind residents hat you can get these types of items security marked at a police surgery ( time and dates are listed below), and to remember to close and lock doors and windows when going out.  With the darker evenings, leaving a light on in the property will also help to deter offenders.

Redlands & University area Neighbourhood Police Team Have your say meetings.

15/11/11 17.00hrs Erleigh Road
06/12/11 17.00hrs Donnington Road

Police Surgeries
Co-op 17.00hrs until 18.00hrs
19/12/2011
RBH 12.00HRS Until 13.00hrs Craven road Entrance.
14/11/2011
15/12/2011

As your local councillors If we can be of any further assistance on this or any other local matters please do not hesitate to contact us.

UPDATE

Since writing this post I've received this very reassuring response from Inspector Penny McKenzie:-

Fortunately this type of offence in terms of the time of the offence and age of the victim is rare and although the offence occurred in Erleigh Rd, it is the only burglary to a house in that road since 1996 and there have only been three others in that area in the last month – one in London rd, one in Hatherley Rd and one in cardigan Gardens.

The local area has been designated as a patrol hot spot so all patrolling officers pay particular attention to this area. The local Neighbourhood officers have also increased their patrols and are offering on going support to the victim.

 The PCSO’s have been travelling on the local buses in the morning to hand out crime prevention leaflets. This is to target those working as their homes are likely to be empty for most of the day as we do generally see an increase in burglaries at this time of year as it is dark so early, it is easy to see which houses are probably empty.

The team have been delivering cards to those houses that appear empty to remind people of the crime prevention measures they can take and as always, we conduct thorough investigations when a burglary is reported.'

Residents Join Lib Dem Fight for Redlands' Precious Trees

I was really proud yesterday evening when my constituents Colin Eastman (pictured) and Annette Juckes attended a meeting of Reading Borough Council's Cabinet to quiestion Cllr Tony Page, Labour Lead Member for Strategic Planning and Transport on the fate of well-loved trees on Cintra Avenue and Warwick Road.

I have been working closely with local residents Colin and Annette in recent weeks. They have both actively supported our local campaign which we launched over the Summer to get the Council to take extra care of these special trees.

I encouraged them to come along to a Council meeting to help me fight for Redlands' local beautiful environment and they got stuck in!

In response to their expert questioning Cllr Page pledged to replace historic trees on Cintra Avenue "as soon as possible" and agreed to meet with Annette and I to see what more can be done to ensure the survival of strees on Warwick Road.

Well done guys!

I called on the Council to take better care of existing street trees to reduce the need to replace trees further down the line.

We will continue to campaign alongside residents to ensure Labour councillors keep their promises on the environment in Redlands.

Whitley Park Lane - Fly Tipping Hot Spot: Action Needed

I'm grateful to constituent @Myriad_Comm for tweeting me recently about a return of environmental problems on Whitley Park Lane.

Over the past year we have been supporting local residents who want to see the shopkeepers on Christchurch Road keep the lane behind the shops on Whitley Park Lane tidier. We held a meeting with the Council and shopkeepers earlier this year to reinforce the concerns of residents about the state of areas.

As the picture I took earlier today shows this area is once again being used as a place to dump rubbish. Further down the lane I noticed two dumped mattresses.

I have written to Reading Borough Council's Streetcare team asking them to raise this matter urgently with shopkeepers and remind them of their responsiblities as regards waste management and the local environment.

Redlands 'Eco Home'

Today I went to visit a new Eco Home in Redlands. The property (pictured) on Addington Road is owned and managed by Catalyst Housing association which have a number of social homes to rent in Reading and across the South East.

This is the first major scheme in the development of Catalyst Housing's sustainability strategy for existing housing stock - we are very chuffed that they chose a property in Redlands to pilot this work!

The project comprises the eco-refurbishment of two, three-bedroom, semi-detached Victorian properties in Reading (12 Palmer Park Avenue and 47 Addington Road). Both homes were void and dilapidated and had been identified as suitable for sale on the open market because o the high costs of bringing them up to scratch.

The house I visited on Addington Road is a 'performance house' where budgetary constraints have been secondary to the overal building performance. It is being seen by Catalyst as a model for what can be achieved  when additional funding becomes available.

As well as studying how effective retrofitting an existing property can be, the project will also monitor the way in which new tenants interact with their homes and this should provide valuable information about how individuals can improve their environmental performance by changing their behaviour.

I had a tour of the property - main features are as follows:

• Insulation - all external walls were insulated either internally or externally.
• Micro generation - electricity-generating photovoltaic tiles were installed to the front section of the roof. Solar thermal panels were also installed together with a range of efficient mechanical and electrical installation.
• A green roof was installed to the new rear extention - these retain 70-90% of precipitation.
• Rain watering harvesting systems mean that no surface rainwater will be sent to the local drainage system.
• SUDSCAPE sustainable urban drainage system was used to reduce risk of flooding.

The property itself has undergone extensive internal and external renovation. The house was transformed inside and outisde. It is great to see a national organisation investing in a property in our area. It will now make a very welcoming, warm affordable home for a Reading family and make a great addition to the Redlands neighbourhood.

These improvements mean that 47 Addington Road actually exceeds the energy efficiency requirements of new housing - this is some achievement although clearly it is very costly not only for housing associations but individuals to achieve this.

The SAP Rating on 47 Addington Road is now 87 (up from 17 before retrofitting) and there will be an estimated 91% reduction in CO2 emissions.

The Government's Green Deal is designed to help people cut emissions and cut their fuel bills. It will be rolled out later this year.

Aside from the work that has been done turning the property into an 'eco' home, I was pleased to see that Catalyst have worked hard to reduce the impact on the local environment. Where possible, all deliveries to site were combined

• Cycle stores have been fitted in the gardens will encourage the use of bikes
• Transport to and from site meetings were shared
• Information on local transport will be given to the new residents
• Local labour was used throughout the project

Wouldn't it be great if all local developments could be like this!

Carbon emissions from existing homes account for the majority of carbon emissions in the UK. Well done to Catalyst Housing Association a landlord of 20,000 for showing leadership on this issue. 

Currently there is no funding available for housing associations to retrofit their stock in this way. I will be raising the issue with Andrew Stunell MP to see if there is more the Government can do to encourage and incentivise housing associations to improve the energy performance of their stock.

Apparently officers from Reading Borough Council's housing and sustainability teams visited the house - hopefully we will see more exciting innovations like this across our Council housing stock and in privately owned and rented homes soon.

Helping Residents Make Their Voices Heard on Houses of Multple Occupation

Last week the Council held an open meeting inviting feedback from residents on plans to make changes to planning rules affecting houses of multiple occupation.

I attended the event and spoke to the small number of residents who attended.

We know from talking to residents on the doorstep that the issue of HMOs in the University area is of concern to more than just the handful of residents who attended the meeting last week.

We would like as many residents as possible to have their say on this important issue so we have set up an online survey.

We will pass on all comments on to Reading Borough Council.

The deadline for comments is 30 November 2011.

Working together to Cut Crime in North Whitley

Worrying news this week about an attack on a pizza delivery man on Newcastle Road in Redlands. Residents or readers with any information should report it to the Police on 0845 8 505 505.

However, overall the picture in relation to crime in this part of the ward is positive. According to the latest crime statistics published by Thames Valley Police crime in North Whitley has fallen. Burglary has fallen by 25% to 59 reported burglaries in the past 12 months. Theft from vehicles and theft of vehicles are both down (to 33 and 9 in the past year).

Anti-social behaviour incidents remain static at 54 - suggesting more work needs to be done to make inroads into this persistent problem in our area.

You can find out crime statistics for your street and your neighbourhood at www.police.uk - via the Home Office's recently launched website.

If you want to be updated about local crime matters you might also want to sign up for Thames Valley Police's Community Messaging service. I recently did this and the updates come via email. You can do this via their website - http://www.tvpcommunitymessaging.org/.

 

One of the reasons the crime statistics are as positive as they are is down to the hard work and dedication of our local Whitley North Police team - led by Inspector Penny MacKenzie (Inspector for South & East Reading). I am pleased that staff numbers in the team have not been cut and the number of Police on the beat in our area remains the same - despite budget cuts.

The latest Police update reports that two new PCSOshave recently joined the team PCSO Donella Morahan and PCSO Navdeep Gohsal - welcome to them!

I recently met with Inspector Mackenzie to discuss crime issues in our area and to get an update on action to tackle ant-social behaviour in Northumberland Avenue -something I've been campaigning on for a number of months now.

Inspector Mackenzie reported that the new CCTV installed by the betting shop Corals has had a big impact. It's really encouraging to see local businesses working with the Police, the Council and the community to stamp out anti-social behaviour that had made this area a no-go area for locals.

It's also positive to see the extral patrols by the Police team we called for have led to a reduction in crimes in the area.

The Dispersal Order currently in force around the shops is time-limited - making it even more crucial that the Police and the Council ensure that Northumberland Avenue does not drop off the radar even if crime levels fall. We will be campaigning to ensure that North Whitley continues to get regular patrols and Police attention to help residents go about their daily lives without fear of crime.

Finally, I asked Inspector Mackenzie if there were other emerging issues that residents should be aware of. She mentioned that there had been a spate of thefts from vehicles at the top of North Whitley - around Christchurch Road area. She told me that residents can help reduce the chances of this by removing all personal items from their cars - including and especially SatNavs: a particular targets for thieves.

Obviously the Police can only tackle crime if residents report crimes. Please do report anything untoward you see in this or any other part of the ward or indeed Reading to the Police on 0845 8 505 505. I have reported issues to the Police this way many times - it is quick and easy and I would encourage all residents to use it to help the Police cut crime.

A public meeting is being held by the Whitley North Neighbourhood Police team and Neighbourhood Action Group on 24 November at the South Reading Youth and Community Centre at 7pm. This meeting is open to all and I would encourage any residents with crime concerns to attend.

Tidying up Bede Walk

 
Today I went down to Bede Walk (off Hexham Road) to update residents about the action we had taken to sort out some issues that had been causing them some frustration.

Litter and blocked gullies

Last month residents reported problems of litter and blocked gullies. Reading Borough Council officers have since confirmed to me that Bede Walk will be added to the list of locations on the estate in receipt of enhanced litter picking. They are also investigating the possibility of adding Bede Walk to the gulley clearance contract which will ensure that overgrown vegetation is cut back twice a year

Overgrown trees and litter in the fence
A number of residents complained about the trees on Bede Walk which are reducing light into properties and also blocking the street lights. The trees on the edge of Bede Walk are the responsibility of Reading Girls School.

Over  the past few years we have repeatedly raised the need to prune them with the School. We would like to see the School being much more proactive and diligent in regards to its responsibilities to the neighbourhood.

I recently wrote to the Chair of Governors and former Redlands Labour Councillor Peter Kayes about this issue and to request action by the School. I'm pleased to say the School has responded today to say that a contractor will be trimming the tree line of Bede Walk during the October half term (24-28).

The School’s Facilities Manager has also promised that a litter pick of the area will be carried out by the School following the trim. This is welcome news.

I have written to him about the state of the fence which attracts litter and really needs to be replaced. 

Over the years we have led a number of improvements to Bede Walk including:

• Got the Council to introduce anti-motorcycle barriers to reduce anti-social behaviour
• Got RBC to tackle flooding issues  
• Successfully campaigned for additional street lighting

Today following my visit to the area I have written to officers requesting additional litter bins, a sweep of the gullies (which are full of lives and are at risk of flooding) and calling for action to sort out the overgrown area adjacent to number 31 Bede Walk.

We will continue to campaign all year round to make Bede Walk a pleasant place for residents to live.

News on the University-Hospital area Transport Study

I wanted to update you on the latest news I have about the University-Hospital parking study.

I, along with Cllr Goodall attended a meeting of the steering group yesterday where the following information was made public:-

There were 376 responses to the RBC transport survey: a response rate of 10%.

Therefore, although a relatively high response to a Council transport consultation the views expressed do not reflect the majority of residents living in the area.

92% of respondents were ‘permanent’ residents, 2% were ‘temporary’ residents and 6% were not residents in the area.

47% of the respondents were customers in local shops.
The main frequent travel destination (other than work) was Central Reading as highlighted by 34% of all of the respondents.

9% of all of the respondents travel to London for purposes other than work.

52% of all of the respondents utilised on-street parking within the area.

45% of all of the respondents utilised off-street residential parking within the area.

The most popular bus service was 9/144 as highlighted by 31% of all of the respondents.

Main issue highlighted by 65% of all of the respondents related to on-street parking congestion.

47% of all of the respondents selected ‘Other’. 

The responses of the 47% that selected ‘Other’  of these responses, 37% highlighted parking as an issue.  

122 respondents provided their contact details and indicated that they would like to be part of a neighbourhood working group.
  
RBC will now be setting up resident and stakeholder workshops to start to scope the sort of solutions that residents would like to see put into action. 
 
RBC will also be organising an open public meeting to explore possible solutions to transport problem. 

I will let you know when a date has been agreed.
 
Officers have also been meeting with the hospital and university to talk with them about how they might contribute to solving some of the issues identified by residents. 

This is something we urged officers to do some time ago and we are glad these discussions are continuing.
 
Points to note

So far there has been very little details what any possible schemes might look like or what options they could include.

There was a discussion last night about what it might include - however, due to the Council's protocols I am unable to publish further details.

However, I would encourage residents to keep a close eye on this study as it develops - particularly if they are opposed to the introduction of pay and display/parking meters - something the Lib Dems have long been opposed to in residential areas such as this.

Last night I asked officers if introducing parking meters in the University were part of the Labour administration's plans.

The Labour administration is keen to progress the study and proposals via public meeting/workshops - all part of their 'new approach to consultation', apparently.

To have credibility there must be maximum public involvement as part of this study.

While these are good in principle, I am concerned that not all residents will get to hear about the plans to take part so I have requested that the Council takes advantage of online consultation tools as well.

Any future proposals must not not be forced on residents without their prior consent.

We do not want another Shinfield Road!

We will continue to campaign for maximum public involvement before any decisions are taken or schemes are progressed.

Campaigning to tackle Redlands' Empty Homes

On Saturday as part of my regular ward visits I spoke to residents on Alexandra Road and Upper Redlands Road about a property that has been empty since February 2011.

It lies at the top of Alexandra Road in the heart of the Alexandra Road Conservation area. Once a well-loved family home it now lies empty. This is a real shame - particularly when we know that pressure on housing in Reading is intense.

I heard that this property recently become infested with rats and saw for myself how the garden had become overgrown through lack of attention.

 
Thankfully following the successful Lib Dem campaign I led a few years ago Reading Borough Council has an effective empty homes strategy which includes prioritising empty properties in Conservation areas. 

And, as a result of the Budget we agreed with Conservative councillors earlier this we have resources devoted to actively reducing the number of long term empty properties in the Borough.

We will be lobbying Labour councillors to continue the work we started and continue funding this vital work.

I wrote to the empty homes officer about this particular property over the weekend and was reassured by him today that the owner is working as hard as he can to get themselves into a position to sell their property.

This is good news for all concerned.

I have asked the officer to keep an eye on proceedings to ensure that the property owner is helped to bring the property back into use swiftly and so this property does not become an eyesore.

Keeping Erleigh Rd Clean & Tidy

 
We work hard all year round helping to keep Redlands clean and tidy for the benefit of residents.

Earlier this week a constituent contacted me to complain about this eyesore on Erleigh Road.

There is no excuse for people leaving rubbish all over the place like this. It adds to a sense of degradation at local level which we have worked hard over the years to stop and turn around.

However, it is a constant battle - particularly in streets with a high turn over of residents like this one in the University area.

I have written to the Council asking them to contact the property owner directly to clean up this rubbish.

Please let us know of any other problem areas in the ward and we would be happy to raise these with RBC.