North Reading Conservatives

06/09/2021

Conservatives from both Reading East and Reading West - and the surrounding areas of Berkshire - were proud to take part in Reading Pride once again over the weekend (Sat Sept 4th).

With the easing of pandemic restrictions allowing the resumption of Reading Pride for 2021, we took part in the annual parade through the town centre to King's Meadow, where we ran our usual stall throughout the afternoon.

The atmosphere was great, the weather stayed dry and we met many members of Reading's LGBTQ+ community to celebrate their diversity and discuss their ongoing concerns and issues.

More than 100 people signed our petition calling on the Government to set a firm timeline for its intended introduction of legislation to ban the abhorrent practice of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy as soon as possible.

We also highlighted what the Conservatives have recently been able to do for the LGBTQ+ community including:

- changing blood donation criteria so that more gay/bi men can donate.
- legalised same s*x marriage in Northern Ireland.
- reduced the cost of a Gender Recognition Certificate from £140 to just £5.
- set out plans to ban conversion therapy in the Queen's Speech.
- and launched preparations for the UK's first ever international LGBTQ+ conference - Safe to be Me.

Among the guests of honour were the Mayor of Reading Councillor David Stevens and the Mayor of Wokingham Councillor Keith Baker.

All in all it was a great day and local Conservatives were proud to be a part of a very Happy Pride 2021!

26/08/2021

With Reading Festival 2021 about to start this weekend, here’s just a quick reminder of the precautions that are being taken to help keep everyone – festival goers, staff and emergency workers – safe from Covid 19.

Everything that can be done is being done to ensure that the Festival is a huge success for our wonderful town and its economy.

Every ticket holder has been informed of the strict entry requirements for the event (proof of double vaccination, proof of natural immunity or negative lateral flow test). This information is also available via the Reading Festival website and via its app which has previously been used by over 75,000 people.

Reading Festival | COVID-19 Entry Requirements | Information

Other site safety protocols have been introduced as part of the Government’s national test events programme, such as the use of contactless payments only.

All staff, including third party organisations and the emergency services will be required to complete and upload their lateral flow test before they will be allowed on site, without exemptions.
Staff will also be required to undertake a lateral flow test every 72 hours and the organisers, Festival Republic, have a robust enforcement system which will allow them to track down those who fail to comply and are on site.

• Bus/coach travel providers are able to carry out the Covid checks in advance of festival goers arriving on site. This will not only ensure that those using the transport are safe at the point of getting on the bus/coach, but also means that upon arrival they will not be required to perform their site Covid check – meaning that there will be more efficient flows at the gates.

• Festival Republic are working with train operators to put out regular messages on the trains about ensuring that the Covid checks have been completed and reminding passengers of entry requirements.

• Festival Republic are also working with the ferry service to ensure that those using the Car Parks in White Camp (Mapledurham) and using the facility to enter via Green Gate will be required to prove they meet the entry requirements before being allowed on the boat.
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Once festival goers are on site, whilst there will be no restrictions on them leaving the site to go to shops or use local facilities, there are re-entry requirements. Visitors will be checked on re-entry and if they have been on site for more than 72 hours and have not re-tested, they will be directed to re-test before they will be allowed back in. Festival-goers are being reminded via signs to ensure they have retested and have their phone with them before they leave the site.

As in other years, there are a lot of facilities on site which can minimise the need for people to leave the site, but it is anticipated that most visitors will leave at some point.

Here’s to a great - and safe - Reading Festival 2021!

02/07/2021

A reminder of tomorrow's Meadow Day organised by The Friends of Clayfield Copse. It's a great chance to experience and explore the natural beauty and biodiversity of Emmer Green. Everyone is welcome from 11am - 3pm.

06/05/2021

Matthew is the Conservative candidate covering Caversham. Please vote for him. He is experienced having served as Deputy Police and Crime Commisioner. Please vote for him and remember to take your own pen!

✅Strong local policing👮🏻‍♀️
✅Fighting serious organised crime 🔪
✅Tackling cyber crime & fraud👨‍💻
✅Improving criminal justice⚖️
✅Tackling illegal encampments🚐

Download my election leaflet and find out more about my plan at MatthewBarber.co.uk/leaflet

06/05/2021

Just a reminder that some residents in Caversham are now voting at Thameside school. See post below from Reading Borough Council. And don’t forget your mask and your pen!

If you live on the following roads in Caversham, your polling station location will have changed from Caversham Primary to Thameside Primary School:

Auburn Court
Church Road
Buck Side
Clifton Park Road
Hemdean Hill
Hemdean Rise
Hemdean Road (Only some properties are affected – check on your poll card or at http://rdguk.info/Where_Do_I_Vote_YZidz)
Knighton Close
Priest Hill
Queen Street
St. Annes Road
The Cloisters
The Mount

Your polling cards will have the correct station on them. You don’t need a polling card to vote, but it makes the process quicker if you are able to bring it.

Some areas of Caversham remain voting at Caversham Primary. If you are unsure, you can check at http://rdguk.info/Where_Do_I_Vote_KVEEq by searching on your postcode.

02/05/2021

Great to have so many activists out supporting Adam Phelps our excellent Church Ward candidate during our Super Sunday canvassing session this afternoon. Lots of backing from residents for Adam's positive vision for Reading. The final push to polling day this Thursday is underway...

02/05/2021

The Heights primary school has announced that sadly the DfE has pushed back the school's planned relocation to Mapledurham Playing Fields (M...

28/04/2021

Two more strong canvassing sessions today meeting and listening to residents in Reading's Thames and Peppard wards, with lots of roads completed despite the onset of heavy rain..(!)

Thanks to our Group Leader Jeanette Skeats, Association Chairman Shahid Younis and our Caversham and Katesgrove candidates Ian Binge and Abdoulaye Diouma Sow for supporting our Thames candidate Paul Carnell and Peppard candidates Jane Stanford-Beale and Clarence Mitchell.

There's now just over a week to go until polling day when the people of Reading will have the chance to have their say on the future administration of our great town by voting for our positive Conservative vision.

28/04/2021

It’s been a very busy month for our hard-working campaign teams out on the doorsteps in the run-up to the Reading Borough Council elections on May 6th - and with just eight days to go until polling day, it’s about to get busier still!

Reading East Conservative Association candidates, activists and supporters have been out and about every day across our wonderful town, canvassing, delivering and talking to residents, listening to their concerns over the provision of their RBC services and highlighting to people why a Conservative vote next week will bring about much-needed positive change for Reading.

The reception we’ve been getting from voters has been great, with our doorstep conversations across all our North Reading wards - Caversham, Thames, Peppard and Mapledurham - covering everything from the rollout of the new RBC bin scheme, food recycling and potholes to traffic congestion and, of course, the Labour-led administration’s high level of Council Tax and its annual failure to have its accounts filed on time.

We’ve also, of course, been supporting Matthew Barber, our great Conservative candidate to be the next Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, who’s also standing for election on May 6th.

And with beautiful blossoms out in Reading's spring sunshine, it’s been perfect weather for campaigning too. So if we haven’t called on you yet to listen and to explain why voting Conservative next week makes sense for our town's future, we’ll do our very best to be with you soon.

Thank you for your support on May 6th.

20/04/2021

Isobel Ballsdon, who is re-standing for election again this year, has provided an account of how The Heights' new school building and also the Pavilion's car park are coming along.

On Friday 16 April John Hempton, Kier's Project Manager, kindly showed me around The Heights primary school's new building at Mapledurham Pl...

08/04/2021

https://www.readingeastconservatives.com/news/introducing-your-reading-east-conservative-association-candidates-local-council-elections-may

With the next local council elections shortly due to be held on Thursday May 6th, Reading East Conservative Association is fielding a full slate of 12 candidates who will be standing in the 11 Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council wards across its area

06/04/2021

Cllr Jane Stanford-Beale was out with The Conservation Volunteers in Clayfield Copse last week, clearing invasive variegated yellow archangel, which has been spreading across the woodland floor. It is probably a garden escapee as garden waste has been tipped in Clayfield Copse. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact [email protected].

This week they are in Bugs Bottom.