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Question to council: William Marshal

Richard Stainthorp to ask the Lead Councillor for Culture Heritage and Recreation: William Marshal As I am sure the Lead Councillor is awar...

28 Mar 2014

Into Battle Update: Sherwood Street and Beresford Road

We don't sit on our laurels in Battle ward!   Just after our Into Battles went to print we made a huge step forward with two of the issues highlighted.

Beresford Road:  it's being proposed that Beresford Road and surrounding streets, shown below, become a 20mph zone after residents expressed concerns about safety.  We brought this up with officers a few weeks ago and it was included in the latest Oxford Road Corridor Study (ORCS) update at the last Traffic Management Sub-committee.

As a regular user of Beresford Road I know only too well how tight the road is for drivers and how hard it is to cross!

It will also be reviewed in phase two of the ORCS once both new Cow Lane bridges are open and changes to traffic flow can be considered.

Google Map.  https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=beresford+road&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&ie=UTF-8&ei=xlw1U-2XDYKThgeM9YD4Dw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ


Sherwood Street:  At the last Traffic Management Sub-committee there was a request to look at Little Johns Lane as a potential area for residents parking.  I saw little use in looking at just one road in this area so requested so, in the meeting, I asked for the whole area to be considered for residents parking. 

The Sherwood Street area is an enclosed area with the only entry/exits being Chester Street, Little Johns Lane, Gordon Place and Alma Street into the Oxford Road.  If a small area is given residents parking, the parking issues will just be shifted into a nearby street which just moves the problem, not solves.  This is why the whole area is being considered and I have asked it include the following streets:

Sherwood Street
Little Johns Lane
Chester Street
Gordon Place
Alma Street
Dorset Street
Westbrook Road
Fulmead Road and Thornton Mews

We will of course consult residents and the results of the consultation will determine what happens.  If most people don't feel they need residents parking, the scheme will not go ahead.


20 Mar 2014

Into Battle Spring 2014 - read it here......

Here is the latest edition of Into Battle, our ward newsletter.  They should be dropping through Battle resident's doors over the next couple of weeks.  If you haven't had one, let us know or just read it here!  Just click on the image for the full edition:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4wRZ6CQT7TPeTBBVnFiOVpVVHc/edit?usp=sharing



16 Mar 2014

Reading Food Growers Network & flexing my green fingers

Well spring appears to have finally arrived.  I know I have probably jinxed the weather and we'll be under 10 cms of snow next week so I shall apologise in advance - sorry.

After a ridiculously wet winter I am finally getting my food green fingers into gear.  Last June I finally got the allotment I had been waiting for.  It really was a awkward time of year as I'd missed the start of most veggies but I bought some youngs plants from eBay, got in a few seeds and started growing.

I won't lie, an allotment in a lot of hard work, especially when it is a grassy as mine was when I got it, but it has been so rewarding.  It's been lovely to get digging and see the things I plant actually grow.


Getting my allotment has 'levelled me up' in terms of growing food but, as I've said before, I've grown fruit and veg for years, starting off in pots when we rented and now in my back garden.  I was delighted to find that there was a food growers network in Reading and last year I attended it's launch.

I was pleased to get an email this weekend telling me about their Spring Event.  Here is some info in case you want to get involved too.  You can contact them at rfgn@risc.org.uk.:

'Planned for our Spring Event:

Saturday 5th April 2014 from 12.00 - 14.00

RISC Hall, RISC, 35-39 London St, Reading

1. New RFGN Website Launch:

The new Reading Food Growing Network website will be demonstrated and officially launched.

2. Seed Swap Event

As requested by many at the launch event we will be hosting a seed swap event.
Please bring with you any seeds you wish to swap.
Please also bring any old shoe boxes and envelopes you have to spare.

3. Mobile Seed Swap Event Workshop

So that you run your own local seed swap events, there will be a short workshop on how to do this.

4. Committee Launch

The new RFGN Committee will be introduced.

5. Future Events

The Events Team will announce the dates of future events they are planning, so that you can put these dates in your diaries.

Saturday 26th April  - RFGN will have a stall at the Bean Pole Day, Caversham Court Gardens.

Saturday June 7th  - Plant swap and Question & Answer Session.

Saturday October 4th - Harvest Event, What to do with all your surplus produce.  The Abundance group will run an apple day and there will be cooking demonstrations.

February 2015 - Social event with bulk buying of seeds.'