How Reading Borough Council will review the Highmoor/Albert Road junction changes

I've blogged before about Council officer feedback following the changes made to the Highmoor/Albert Road junction.

On behalf of several of my residents I asked "if and when officers are going to review the changes and, if the answer is that they have no plans to review it, what would it take for them to change their minds?"

Below is the response:

"Attempts to install potential solutions to the historic road safety issue at this junction have been the subject of significant correspondence, debate, committee reporting and discussion with residents and campaign groups for many years. Proposed solutions have been met with considerable opposition, but we have now managed to deliver a phased scheme to address the road safety issue.

"This is a road safety scheme, so we will be reviewing it on the basis of monitoring a hopeful reduction or removal of incidents involving casualties at the junction, particularly those arising from motorists driving through the STOP on the eastbound Highmoor Road approach – this has been the issue. This will be conducted by using Police-supplied data that we receive for such incidents across the borough. Although some may not like the presentation of the junction and it may require time for people to get familiar with it and overcome the change, if it achieves the anticipated road safety benefits, it will be considered a successful scheme."

Try your hand at Tennis and Croquet this weekend!

Today, 11 May, Mapledurham Lawn Tennis Club is opening its courts up to the public for their "Try Tennis for Free Open Day".

From 10 am until 2 pm the public are invited along to the club which is based on a corner of Mapledurham Playing Fields, Upper Woodcote Road, Caversham Heights, Reading RG4 7LD.

If you're unable to make it to the event, why not book a free taster lesson for another day?

For more details, see the poster to the right.

You can access background information about Mapledurham LTC here. The reverse side of the flyer can be accessed here.

Tomorrow, 12 May, between 10 am and 5 pm, Supporters of Albert Road Park are hosting a free "Croquet Open Day" at the Croquet Club in the park.

The event marks National Croquet Day. Equipment and tuition will all be provided for free.

Croquet is a sport suitable for all ages.

Answers: Albert/Highmoor Road junction changes

Updates from an officer in italics 12 June 2019
On 10 April Reading Borough Council (RBC) made changes to the priorities at the Albert/Highmoor Road junction. My earlier post sets these out.

View north along Albert Road

I've had a lot of questions from my residents and below is an RBC officer's response:

• Qu: How does the Highway Code say the junction should be driven? Does anyone have right of way?
• A: The junction is made up of 2 STOP approaches and 2 Give-Way approaches. Vehicles approaching the STOP approaches must stop and wait for a safe gap before moving off. Vehicles approaching the Give-Way must give way to traffic on the main road (i.e. the junction), so they must be prepared to stop. Therefore, traffic approaching along Albert Road must prepare to stop and give way if traffic emerging from Highmoor Road considered that it was clear to move off (or if turning traffic considers that it is clear to conduct this manoeuvre) and is entering/has entered the junction. This overcomes the prior situation, where traffic on Albert Road considered that it had the right of way and where many motorists would be making no alterations to their driving (speed) to take into account their approach to this junction.
  Officer update: "This approach will have a far greater impact on traffic speeds and behaviour than a reduction of the speed limit and/or traffic calming would achieve."
  In a situation where vehicles on Albert Road approach the junction in both directions, reasonable motorists could be expected to take turns in proceeding, depending on their indicated direction of travel.
• Officer update: "This proposal puts the expectation back on drivers to consider what is happening around them across the entire junction and to consider their movement around this.
  How drivers should approach a Give Way and STOP junction are in the Highway Code, but this is not an exhaustive document, so this will be the case with numerous layouts that you will see."
  
• Qu: Will RBC be reviewing the success of the changes and if so, when?
• A: Casualty data obtained from the police has evidenced the historic road safety issues at this junction. This data is monitored and, following the implementation of these changes, we expect to see a reduction in - and hopefully no further - accidents involving injury at this location.

Black arrow marks position of the original STOP line

• Qu: Why, having told the local residents’ action group HARC, and local councillors that the STOP line on the west side of the junction could not be moved nearer the junction (thereby improving visibility - which is one of the actions originally requested) has it been done? This improvement could have prevented the need for making Albert Road drivers from needing to GIVE WAY?

• A: While I do not have the context of the statement made to HARC, I expect that this was stated because the junction is on a slight bend in the road and that the road is also not particularly wide at this point. Traffic travelling along Albert Road (particularly in a southbound direction) was slightly cutting this bend, reducing the width on the west side even further during free-flow. Moving the stop line out in this context would have created a risk of collision with the stopped traffic and the 'pinched' northbound lane. Now, however, Albert Road traffic will be considerably slower through the junction and must be prepared to stop/give way, and the cutting of the bend should also no longer be an issue. We have, therefore, been able to slightly move out the stop line.
  
  This has been a change in a particularly sensitive area and it will take a little while for motorists to become familiar with the new layout.

Do get in touch with feedback, email: Isobel.Ballsdon@reading.gov.uk

Drivers beware: priority changes Albert/Highmoor Road junction

Reading Borough Council implemented changes to the cross roads of Albert and Highmoor Road yesterday afternoon, Wednesday 10 April. Now drivers along Albert Road should give way, having always previously had the right of way across the junction.

View north up Albert Road this morning

On my way to work this morning I was horrified to see that no warning notices had been put up alerting Albert Road drivers of the changes. 

I parked up and watched, powerless, as the first of 3 near collisions happened.

I rang the police and then an RBC Highways officer (who I know always gets in early) with my safety concerns. Another 2 near collisions happened whilst I was talking. The RBC officer promised to take action so after about 15 minutes there I continued on my journey to work.

I was called back at 8.41 am by another officer who reassured me that RBC people were attending and that notification signs warning drivers of the priority changes would be installed later this morning.

To recap, these junction changes were brought in to improve safety following a series of collisions, one of which led to the tragic death of a pedestrian. Ironically, to my knowledge there haven't been any collisions in the last few months.

UPDATE: "New road layout ahead" signs put up

The changes implemented yesterday, however, were not what the local community, supported by my Conservative colleague Cllr Ed Hopper and me, had called for, but a compromise. Originally, apart from asking for the faded white road markings to be freshly painted, we had asked for the Highmoor Road stop line to be moved forward a foot, improving the sight lines. We also asked for the markings in the centre of the junction to be removed. 

I will be monitoring the junction carefully as so many of Mapledurham Ward residents and others in Caversham Heights go through it on a daily basis, including my family and me.

[To see previous posts I've done on this junction, select "Transport" under Labels on the right hand side and scroll down through to find them all]

UPDATE: Red signs have been put up saying "New road layout ahead" following my request first thing today. Do let me know if you think this is adequate or if more should be done.

Highmoor/Albert Road junction: Outcome of last night's meeting

Faded/broken white stop line at junction

Last night local campaigners, CADRA (Caversham and District Residents Association) and Conservative councillors all spoke against the council’s proposal to change priorities at the Highmoor/Albert Road junction at RBC’s Traffic Management Sub Committee meeting (see my last post for further background).  I am pleased to report that the locally unpopular proposal was not agreed.  

The persuasive arguments against the proposal had Cllr Tony Page (committee chair) announcing his view that a decision to change the priority should be deferred before he had even asked the views of the committee members. 

Campaigners' outstanding frustration was Cllr Page’s refusal to instruct officers to repaint the white stop lines at the junction, despite requests from locals, my colleagues Cllrs Ed Hopper, Claire McDonald and me to immediately improve visibility of the signage at this tricky junction.  As you can see from this photo, what is meant to be a thick white line beyond the STOP is faded and broken. Officers committed only to inspect it.

What the committee did agree was that RBC officers would work with representatives from CADRA and HARC (Highmoor Albert Residents Campaign) to bring back a proposal which hopefully will gain local support in September.

You can watch the meeting proceedings of last night's meeting on RBC's webcasting. You can forward to the relevant sections which are 1a for questions followed by presentation of the petition and 7 for the public speaking, report and debate. 

RBC Pushes for Change of Priority at Dangerous Crossroads

Reading Borough Council (RBC) officers are recommending a change of priority from Albert Road to Highmoor Road at this local crossroads where numerous accidents have happened, the last of which on 14 May caused the tragic death of a 72 year old pedestrian.

Strength of feeling demonstrated by over 50 gathering
to protest with just a couple of hours' notice

RBC’s Traffic Management Sub Committee’s public meeting tomorrow (Wednesday 15 June), agenda item 7, the report sets out the officer preference to change the priorities as “This option is by far the most cost effective solution…[it] can be delivered without any further legal process so it is the easiest and quickest option to deliver...it is worth reducing the impact of the very restricted visibility within the Highmoor Road”

However RBC’s report admits that “This option does not change the visibility problem and relies on Albert Road drivers obeying the stop signs and giving way to crossing drivers from Highmoor Road...it has its limitations and does not meet the wider concerns of the original petition”.

View north up Albert Road. Photos by Tell Tails Photography

The Highmoor Albert Road Campaign (HARC), formed by local residents, is calling on RBC to improve safety of this dangerous junction.  They’ve carried out a survey of over 100 local households close to the junction to find out from a choice of 5 alternatives whether there is a popular option. The result is 90% of 134 households are in favour of option 1: A raised table designed to slow down the approaching traffic from all four directions.

RBC’s preference to change the priority of the traffic dates back to January 2015 when officers first made the proposal.  Back then residents, local Thames Ward Cllr Ed Hopper and I (Mapledurham Ward) all spoke against it.  A survey I took had 84% of households opposed to a change of priority.

I am canvassing opinion again (see my post detailing the outcome of January 2015 meeting) and would be grateful for feedback before tomorrow evening’s meeting so that I can speak up on behalf of my electorate.  Please email me: Isobel.Ballsdon@reading.gov.uk mobile: 07717 292003 or drop a letter through my door: 10 Fernbrook Road.  Thank you.

Published: The Heights Consultation Results

Reading Borough Council (RBC) has just published the keenly awaited results of the public consultation.  Residents were asked to list in order of preference the five possible sites for locating The Heights Primary School.

The results can be read on RBC's website.  The EFA will now review the consultation responses as part of its further work to decide which site it will pursue as the permanent site for the Heights Free School. It aims to announce how it will move forward in July.

Update: The Reading Chronicle's report

Publication of The Heights Consultation results

The question on most people's lips in Caversham Heights over the last few weeks has been 'when will The Heights Consultation results be published?'

I am not privy to the results (though I assume the Labour administration is), as the RBC officer in charge has replied this evening to my question:

"We will be sending all of the information to Luke Kennedy of the Education Funding Agency in a large parcel early this week.  It is their decision about what is released and when, however I hope that residents will not have to wait too much longer for a view of the survey response,  while a decision by the EFA may take a while."

I will write again as soon as I have further information.

Proposal Drawings for Arthur Clark Site

For those unable to go to yesterday's public viewing of A2 Dominion's proposal to build 44 apartments for the over 55s I've got permission to publish the indicative drawings here.

Please note that A2 Dominion is consulting the public at the moment and is yet to submit a planning application to Reading Borough Council (RBC).

As regular readers of my website will know, I sit on RBC's Planning Committee and therefore keep an open mind to avoid the risk of predetermining planning applications.

Yesterday I provided a little more information about this particular proposal so please refer to my last post.  Thank you.

The Heights: Consultation Survey Is Live!

Today Reading Borough Council (RBC) has opened its online consultation survey for The Heights.  Residents need to choose from five possible sites giving their preference of permanent site for The Heights primary school.

There are a series of questions which will enable people to state the reason for their choice as well as what one thing would make them change their mind.

The sites put forward by the Stakeholder Groups, agreed by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), are:

High Ridge, Upper Warren Avenue

Mapledurham Playing Fields (MPF)

Albert Road Recreation Ground (ARP)

Shipnells Farm (better known as Bugs Bottom [BB])

Dysons Farm (Land at the junction of Shepherd’s Lane and Kidmore Road)

The survey runs from today (30 March) until 5 pm on Friday 1^st May.  When complete, RBC will pass on the responses to the EFA.  The EFA will then take into account all geographical data when making a final decision on the permanent location for The Heights.

Hard copies of the survey will be available at the Civic Centre in Bridge Street, local libraries and leisure centres.

The EFA’s Information Pack which, as indicated by its name, provides information about the permanent site options to help aid people making an informed choice. 

Please note that information on Stakeholder Group’s own websites/Facebook pages or literature may not be accurate.  For example Bugs Bottom is actually 32.47 acres (including some houses in the north east corner) – not 40 acres as described by one group.

One last thing: Due to popular demand and for transparency I have asked RBC to publish on its website the Trust/ownership details relating to the three sites it has responsibility for, ie MPF, ARP & BB.  If successful I will update readers accordingly.

Update
Unfortunately RBC has not agreed to publish the Trust/ownership details relating to the three sites in the council's website

Published: EFA's Information Pack - The Heights Primary School

The Education Funding Agency's Information Pack for The Heights primary school has been published.  You can read it on RBC's website.

Please see my earlier posts (10 & 17 March) for background information.

Wait and see: Highmoor Road junction with Albert Road

Regular readers will know that Rob Wilson MP, local residents and Conservative councillors have been pressing Reading Borough Council (RBC) to improve safety at the Highmoor Road junction with Albert Road.

Junction from east before the tree (see arrow) was felled

RBC’s latest proposal was shelved at Thursday’s Traffic Management Sub Committee meeting thanks to representations by two local residents, my colleague Cllr Ed Hopper and me, as all of us were concerned the proposal would make the junction more - not less - dangerous.

Last year RBC recommended closure of the west side of the junction to general traffic (travelling from the west) with access remaining only for buses, emergency & refuse vehicles.  The proposal was deeply unpopular, with 91% of residents objecting in their responses to Rob Wilson MP’s survey.  The Traffic Management Sub Committee asked RBC officers to have a rethink.

At Thursday’s meeting, a change of priority from Albert Road to Highmoor Road was proposed, meaning that traffic travelling north or south would have had to stop at the junction whereas east or west traffic would have been able to drive straight through, no longer having to stop.

In the run up to the meeting it appeared to me that there was far less awareness of this latest proposal amongst Mapledurham Ward residents [the geographical part of Reading I am elected to represent], so I distributed over 200 letters to those most likely to use the junction regularly.

The results were that 84% of households strongly objected to RBC’s proposal to change the priority from Albert Road to Highmoor Road as they felt it would increase the number and quite possibly the severity of collisions.  This left 12% who supported the proposal and 4% who didn’t feel they knew the area well enough yet to give an informed opinion.  [The response rate was 12.5%]

West side - newly painted double-yellow lines, tree felled

Points raised included that: "If people cannot obey stop signs then why should changing the priority change anything?"  "The majority of cyclists commute along Albert Road: A number are a law unto themselves and will ignore traffic priorities." "Albert Road traffic has had priority for time immemorial and the public will forget!"  "It would be a worse situation all round: I can foresee numerous accidents!"

Suggested alternatives mentioned included improved signage.  There is only one STOP sign on the western side of the junction, which is where Police have identified drivers had failed to stop in three crashes they investigated.  A matching second STOP sign on the right hand side would get over the problem of the sign on the left hand side sometimes being obscured by a parked vehicle or overhanging branch.

I asked the Committee to reject RBC's proposal.  I asked them instead to slow down (speeding) traffic on Albert Road, enhance signage at the junction with an additional STOP sign on the right hand side of the western approach, and further improve visibility on the western side of the junction.  

The Committee decided that as sight lines have been improved by the recent painting of double yellow lines around the corners of the junction; and a large tree in the front garden of a corner property has been felled by the homeowners (which had overshadowed the junction), they would ask officers to improve signage and review the junction at the Committee's November meeting before putting forward any new schemes.

Fresh Proposal for the Dangerous Highmoor/Albert Road Junction

Rob Wilson MP with residents July 2014

It has taken Reading Borough Council’s (RBC’s) Labour administration many years to finally acknowledge that action needs to be taken to tackle the accident hot spot at the Albert Road/Highmoor Road junction. 

When I represented Thames Ward (within which the junction is located) I lobbied RBC for improvements to be made, the conclusion of which you can read here but sadly the administration failed to prioritise the matter.

Last summer, following further crashes, Rob Wilson MP campaigned with local residents putting renewed pressure on RBC to prioritise works to reduce the junction’s accident risks.  This resulted in RBC recommending a closure of the west side of Highmoor Road at the junction to general traffic with access only remaining for emergency & refuse vehicles and also buses.

The results of Rob Wilson’s survey showed strong opposition (91%) to RBC’s proposal and, having submitted my own objections, I was happy to see RBC accept that an alternative solution be sought.

A report to next week’s Traffic Management Sub Committee on 15 January proposes the junction’s priorities are changed to make traffic stop on Albert Road instead of Highmoor Road, and permitting Highmoor Road traffic to drive through the junction without stopping.

If you live in Mapledurham Ward, which is the area that I represent (the polling station for which is Mapledurham Pavilion) do let me know what you think before the meeting.  My email address is:  mail@isobelballsdon.com  Do copy your thoughts to RobWilsonMP@parliament.uk  If you live closer to the junction (and your polling station is St Andrew's Hall) then write to my Conservative colleague Ed.Hopper47@gmail.com as he sits on the Traffic Management Sub Committee, as well as being one of the 3 local Thames Ward councillors.

EFA Feedback on location for The Heights

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has asked RBC to help find a community-backed permanent location for The Heights.  Reading Borough Council has published a press release welcoming the EFA's request to help engage with the public.

The facts:

• The EFA has agreed to Rob Wilson MP's request that there should be a thorough public consultation on where the permanent location for The Heights is built.  Rob's statement can be read on his website
• The EFA has indefinitely put on hold pursuing High Ridge in Upper Warren Avenue as the solution.  A stated reason is "we recognise that developing the school there would be unpopular with a section of the local community"
• However the EFA states that "High Ridge presents a deliverable if not ideal solution...We are confident that a good school can be delivered on this site."
• The EFA states that the "only real alternatives to High Ridge are sites within LA ownership or held in Trust"
• The sites listed are:  Mapledurham Playing Fields, Albert Road Recreational Ground and Bugs Bottom
• RBC's Policy Committee will be discussing the report (referred to in RBC's press release), on Monday 1st December. The report has this map of Mapledurham Playing Fields appended

It is important to note that the school's temporary site is incapable of becoming the permanent site as it is not big enough (leaving aside the fact that it is in the wrong location, being outside the catchment area).  However RBC's Kevin McDaniel has clarified with me this afternoon that he believes the school could remain on the temporary site for up to one year more than originally given as the end date in order to deliver the right final solution (ie extending the date of moving to a permanent location to September 2017 at the latest).

You can read the EFA's letter to Rob as well as their letter to RBC.

The Reading Chronicle has published this report and GetReading this slightly longer report.  Other reactions can be read on The Heights' Facebook page.

There is a lot to be worked out and disseminated by the EFA/RBC such as how to carry out the consultation and what information is needed to ensure the consultation will generate meaningful results.  I will be working hard at my jobs as councillor for Mapledurham Ward and Chairman of the Mapledurham Playing Fields Management Committee, studying the matter carefully and updating readers regularly.

Arthur Clark Care Home Site to be Leased

Arthur Clark Care Home before closure

Tonight, Reading Borough Council's Policy Committee is being asked to agree to the leasing off of the old Arthur Clark Care Home & Albert Road Day Centre site to A2Dominion Housing for the development of an extra care housing scheme.

The Labour administration has been desperate to crack on with enabling the disused site to provide for the needs of older people in order to redeem its deeply unpopular decision back in July 2013 - opposed by Rob Wilson MP and the Conservative Group - to close the much loved local facilities.  Thousands signed a petition against the closure to no avail.

You can read the report going to the Policy Committee tonight here.

Flasher in Balmore Park Today

Please see notice below from Thames Valley Police:

"Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a man exposed himself to three young girls in Balmore Park, Caversham.


"Between 8.15am and 8.20am today (15/9), an offender exposed himself to three school children, aged between 12 –years-old and 15-years-old, who were walking to school.

"The offender is white, in his thirties and wore a black hooded top and tracksuit bottoms with trainers and sunglasses.

"Police are appealing to anyone who has any information regarding the incident or may have seen the man in the area to please get in contact via the non emergency 101 enquiry centre.

"If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers (opens new window) anonymously on 0800 555 111 No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court."

Site Selection for The Heights: EFA's Response to Rob Wilson MP

BREAKING:  Rob Wilson MP has published the Education Funding Agency's (EFA's) letter received today following his meeting with them on 23 June, together with an open letter to residents in The Heights primary school's catchment area.  Both can be read here.

Public Meeting Introduction

As a result of some requests, I am publishing the introduction I gave at the start of the public meeting on Tuesday 17 June.  I haven't checked it against the Youtube footage but anyone is welcome to.

"Good evening,

My name is Isobel Ballsdon. I represent Mapledurham Ward. I am joined by Cllr Ed Hopper who is one of the three councillors for the neighbouring Thames ward.

We have called this meeting to hear the views of Thames and Mapledurham ward residents.  Tonight was the first possible opportunity to hold this meeting. 

Before I go into our objectives I would like to thank the church wardens who have been incredibly supportive and gone to a lot of trouble to prepare for the meeting. As I was given a reduced rate to hire the church I hope you will consider making a donation towards the church's funds.  Gift Aid envelopes are available to increase the value of your donation if you so wish and the donations bowl is at the back of the church.

The objective in the first instance is to listen to your views about the news on 5 June that the Education Funding Agency has bought the site on Upper Warren Avenue for the permanent home of The Heights primary school. 

In addition we hope to be able to provide answers to some of your questions. Anything we can’t answer we will take away and put to the relevant authorities.

To explain the process by which the point has been reached where the EFA has purchased the site

(i)                A group of wonderful and inspirational residents made a detailed bid for a primary free school to serve the west of Caversham

(ii)             (ii) The DfE determined through consultation, including consultation with the Council, that there was a justifiable demand for a school in the Heights catchment area and, having satisfied themselves that there was indeed a demand, they then instructed the EFA to find and purchase a site within the catchment area.

The EFA is an independent arm of the DfE and has not consulted with the councillors or the MP or the council, though they will have asked the Council if they owned any land in the catchment area which they were prepared to offer.

We hope it may be possible for us as a community to work towards a shared goal: namely to deliver the primary school that a generation has needed and that generations to come will benefit from, to ensure our community thrives.

In attendance we have:

Kevin McDaniel   -        Head of Education, Reading Borough Council (RBC)

Cllr John Ennis    -        The Labour administration’s Lead for Education, RBC

Dan Pagella          -        The Heights primary school, parent group’s land adviser

Karen Edwards    -        Head teacher, The Heights

Mark Richards     -        Chair of Governors, The Heights

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) does not send representatives to attend public meetings before it has information on which to consult, eg outline plans to share about any free school project.

To ensure transparency for the planning process, Reading Borough Council is not sending representatives from Highways nor Planning.

I am delighted that it has been possible for Rob Wilson, our local Member of Parliament, to join us tonight and he will be chairing the meeting."

Line up for tonight's public meeting about The Heights

There is even more interest in tonight’s meeting, 7.30 pm in St Andrew’s Church, than I had anticipated.  I hope that everyone arriving will be considerate towards the young children leaving, who will have been enjoying the “Rainbow” group in St Andrew’s hall.

The line-up of attendees for the public meeting, in no particular order, is as follows:

Kevin McDaniel -   Head of Education, Reading Borough Council (RBC)

Cllr John Ennis   -   The Labour administration’s Lead for Education, RBC

Dan Pagella         -   The Heights primary school, parent group’s land adviser

Karen Edwards   -   Head teacher, The Heights

Mark Richards    -   Chair of Governors, The Heights

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) does not send representatives to attend public meetings before it has information on which to consult, eg outline plans to share about any free school project.

To ensure transparency for the planning process, Reading Borough Council is not sending representatives from Highways nor Planning.

For health and safety reasons if the church reaches capacity, further people will not be admitted.

The church wardens have been incredibly supportive and gone to a lot of trouble to prepare for the meeting. As I was given a reduced rate to hire the church (as it is for the community) I hope you will consider making a donation towards the church's funds.  Gift Aid envelopes will be available to increase the value of your donation if you so wish.

I hope that comments and questions tonight are constructive, and that by the end of the meeting we, the local community, will be trying to work together, united in the shared goal: to deliver the primary school that a generation has needed and that generations to come will benefit from, to ensure our community thrives.

Update on Public Meeting: Upper Warren Avenue's High Ridge Site for The Heights Primary School

The location of the Public Meeting that I and my colleague Cllr Ed Hopper have arranged for Tuesday 17 June has been moved from St Andrew's Hall into the Church next door.

Due to the large number of residents who have told me of their intention to attend, the church wardens have kindly agreed to this change.  The church has a greater seating capacity than its hall, plus it benefits from a sound system. The start time remains 7.30 pm.

Ed & I will be listening to you, the people who elected us to our wards (Thames and Mapledurham respectively).  To be able to represent you we need to understand your views so that we can work effectively on your behalf, as well as keep you informed on this huge issue for our community in the coming weeks and months.

I trust you will appreciate that we are doing our due diligence, so will not expect us to have answers at this stage to every single issue that you may raise.  However we are working hard preparing for the meeting, including firming up the list of representatives who will be in attendance.

So far the following have confirmed:
Karen Edwards, The Heights - Head Teacher
Dan Pagella, The Heights - Parent Group's land expert
Kevin McDaniel, Reading Borough Council's (RBC's) officer in charge of Education
Cllr John Ennis, RBC's Lead Councillor for Education

As it was the Education Funding Agency (EFA) that chose and bought the High Ridge site in Upper Warren Avenue (UWA) I'm keen that the EFA sends a representative.  In addition I have asked that someone from RBC's Highways Department attends because of the major challenges that would have to be overcome to ameliorate the school's impact on the roads in the area.

I have been speaking to lots of people since the announcement and I have received many emails and phone calls too.  I understand the impact this has had through the heartfelt concerns many have expressed to me. I am glad that the vast majority accept that Caversham Heights does indeed need The Heights primary school.

As one of many whose own children had problems getting a local primary school place I know first-hand what a nightmare the process is.  This is why I have been supporting The Heights' Trustees, who are opening this September in temporary accommodation in the old Caversham Nursery site off Gosbrook Road, as without the school even more children from Caversham Heights would be forced to primaries south of the river or, north of the river beyond the established, over-subscribed local primaries.

It is neither within my scope nor expertise to fathom how the EFA can deliver a school on UWA whilst overcoming all the planning issues including impact on the highways: However it is my duty to represent all my ward residents whether they are supportive or not of the EFA's choice of site.

If you are unable to come to the meeting, or feel it would be too stressful to attend, please do feel free to email your views to whichever of us is your local councillor (if you go to vote at Mapledurham Pavilion, I am your councillor).  My email address is:  mail@isobelballsdon.com  Ed's RBC email address is: Ed.Hopper@reading.gov.uk