Severe weather update (and other news)

We hope you've been coping during this extended period of extraordinary weather.

I'm pleased to say the burst water main on London Road we reported on Friday was fixed very rapidly by Thames Water.

We hope you were not one of the thousands of households in Redlands who were without water for several hours and you were not too badly affected.

Kirsten and I were in close touch with Thames Water throughout the incident and we were very impressed with the quick, calm and professional way they sorted the problems out.

I picked up a complaint over the weekend from a constituent that the on campus car parks and access roads leading to Foxhill House/Child's Hall had not been cleared of snow by Reading University.

Given that the University term starts next week it was a shame the University didn't act more quickly to keep this area clear.

These problems led to students and their parents parking around the Foxhill entrance on double yellow lines etc making entrance quite hazardous and making getting around local roads even more difficult.

We'll be raising this urgently with Reading University to try and get this sorted.

I was in the Town Centre on Friday during the day and I was pleased to see Council teams out clearing the large slabs of ice that had formed both with trucks and manually.

It seemed as though things were thawing a bit this morning (although there has been snow in places tonight) - let's hope we don't get more bad weather this week.

Many roads and pavements around Redlands remain very icy and slippery: please take extra care.

We received this severe weather update from Reading Borough Council earlier today:

'Highways and Transport

Highways staff worked in the town centre yesterday manually clearing  walkways and JCB's and other vehicles are still being deployed to clear bus routes where possible.

Reading Buses are getting back to normal check update www.reading-buses.co.uk

Waste and recycling

The Bin collections, the situation will be assessed tomorrow

The Household Waste Recycling Centre has reopened

Schools/Education

Reading's secondary schools are aiming to open on Monday (January 11) for students who are due to take modular GCSE, A Level and A/S Level exams next week and we will be supporting the schools by are clearing pedestrian access around the schools.

Decisions will be made by individual schools as to whether they will open on Monday.

Housing and Community Care

Over the weekend  Housing and Community Care Staff have been supported by teams from other directorates, many using their own vehicles, in the delivery of Meals on Wheels and shopping trips to ensure service users have essential provisions. 
More deliveries have taken place to Sheltered Housing over the weekend

Emergency Cover

The Emergency Operations Centre has been open and dealing with issues as there are reported (9am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday)
An Emergency Planning conference call will take place tonight
Emergency Planning Meeting will take place at 10.30am and 3pm on Monday"

And finally in other news... you may have heard that I have been selectedto fight Reading West constituency for the Lib Dems at the next General Election.

Readers of this blog will know I have been campaigning for several years to improve the lives of local residents in Redlands and across Reading.

The opportunity to stand for Parliament came out of the blue after the previous candidate unexpectedly resigned and I jumped at the chance to help campaign on a national stage for a better quality of life for local people in Reading.

I'm not one of those people who got into politics because they liked the sound of their own voice.

I want to become an MP to help get the voices of ordinary people in Reading heard in Westminster.

And there are so many issues and problems in Reading that need sorting out.

Better housing, reducing health inequality and effective action against anti-social behaviour - these are a few of the issues that get me out of bed in the morning and the areas I feel most passionate about.

I feel strongly that we need a fairer, more just society, and to make sure the poor and vulnerable don't get overlooked.

Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have put fairness at the heart of all Lib Dem polices.

Labour politicians nationally and locally have let a lot of local people down over the past few years in Reading and people I speak to are looking for an alternative (and it's not the Tories!)

Martin Salter has been a hardworking MP who is popular with many people but he has already announced that he will be retiring at the next election.

People in Reading West are looking to elect a new local champion - someone who will stand up for them and their interests.

I have already demonstrated my ability to campaign for people of all backgrounds and all ages all year round, on the issues that matter.

I'm part of the local team providing the only really effective opposition to Labour-run Reading Borough Council on a range of issues.

And in case you were wondering - I remain as I always have been - totally, 100% committed to my constituents in Redlands, and, as Kirsten blogged a few weeks ago I will be defending my Council seat in May.

I have worked hard as a councillor since I was elected in 2006 and I will continue to work hard alongside my  ward colleagues to get things done for the  local people who elected me.

I would like to say a special thank you to my ward colleagues Kirsten and Glenn for their unfaltering support (they are the best ward colleagues anyone could ask for), as well as my Council group colleagues and local Party for supporting me throughout the selection process, and finally a massive thank you to all the people who have contacted me over the weekend to express their support and to wish me luck.

Exciting times!