Our commitment to support you, Vote Labour

Southcote Councillors have represented residents of Southcote regardless of their political views.

We are committed to be your voice after the elections, keeping you informed by delivering Southcote Scene to you at least five times a year, representing you at Planning Application Meetings, pressing the council to go on improving the area and provide facilities for children, young people and elderly residents.

We have achieved success in many issues affecting Southcote residents including:

.Stopping the plans for 7.500 houses on Kennet Meadows, the last battle Labour Councilors have been fighting since the 1980's;

. Ensuring investment in Southcote schools, which have had over £16m spent on building works under this government;

. Building the Children's Centre in Coronation Square;

. Working with the Police to increase foot patrols around Southcote, where crime has actually been falling;

. Monitoring and pushing the council and the Police to tackle speeding traffic and parking problems throughout the ward;

. Supporting Southcote Lane residents in blocking a big development on the Elvian site;

. Ensuring residents' voices are heard and the anti-social behaviour at the YMCA in
Parkside Road is being dealt with;

. Working with residents to stop lorries breaking the lorry ban in New Lane Hill and Hogarth Avenue;

. Improving play facilities in Southcote Farm Lane, Virginia Way and Prospect Park for children and young people;

. Increasing Youth provision at the Southcote Youth and Community Centre;

. Working with local residents to have regular bingo sessions at the centre too;

We are not complacent, there is always more to be done and our ambitions for the future are detailed below:

As your local Southcote Labour Councillor I am committed to continue to work hard on your behalf and if I am re-elected my promises are:

To continue to campaign to make the Kennet Meadows a trust to protect the area into the future;

To consult on the future of the Elvian School site, including the possibility of enlarging Blessed Hugh Faringdon School and its playing fields to keep as much of the Elvian grounds as possible for school sports;

To secure a community resource for local people in Coronation Square- on the Happy Prospect site or elsewhere on the Square;

To improve the shopping area and to work with local businesses to ensure all shops are in use and successful and with the Post Office so it continues to thrive and to serve the people of Southcote;

To continue to tackle potential anti-social problems in the YMCA, Coronation Square, Brunel Road and elsewhere by working with local residents, the Police and Reading Borough Council;

To continue to work with tenants at Alan Place to tackle problems at the flats and make sure Shaftesbury and Sanctuary Housing Association meet their obligations to decorate, repair and maintain the blocks;

To work with tenants at Granville Road to secure the very real improvements that have been made and ensure Reading Borough Council tackles anti-social behaviour and other issues;

To work with local residents to reduce traffic problems such as speeding, breaches of the lorry ban and inappropriate parking in Southcote Lane, Parkside Road, Ashdene Gardens, Hawley Mews and New Lane Hill in particular;

To continue to push for improved play facilities for local children.

These are my commitments and promises to Southcote residents if I am re-elected on Thursday 6th May.

Vote Labour on Thursday in the General Election for Naz Sarkar in Reading West and myself, John Ennis in Southcote Ward local council elections.