News

Choirs are being given a unique opportunity to take centre stage at the Hexagon in March at the Mayor of Reading’s ‘Let’s Sing’ competition.

Showcasing the Borough’s best choral groups, the competition is open to amateur choirs from schools, community groups, churches and workplaces.

There are two ways of entering the competition:

· Uploading a video of your choir performing a song of your choice to YouTube and sending the link to [email protected], or share with our Facebook page ‘The Mayor of Reading’

· Submitting a CD/MP3/tape recording of a song of your choice to The Mayor’s Parlour, Civic Centre, Reading RG1 7AE

Entries should be submitted by category – Young People (aged 18 years and under); Workplace; Community Groups and Churches – and include the name and contact details of the choir leader and a short paragraph about the choir. Closing date is Monday 24 February 2014.

Semi-finals will take place week beginning 3 March. Three choirs from each category will then go forward to take part in the ‘grand final’ on The Hexagon stage on Wednesday 26 March. There will be a winner in each category.

Homes can become empty due to a change in ownership or tenancy, or during a refurbishment. Of the 2,500 unoccupied homes in Reading, around 400 have been empty for 6 months or longer. These figures peaked at 550 in 2008 – the year the Council launched the Empty Homes Strategy, which will be reviewed and refreshed in the next few months.

As part of the review, residents will be urged to report empty homes in their areas. Empty homes blight neighbourhoods, encourage anti-social behaviour and are a waste of accommodation, particularly for a town like Reading where housing is at a premium.

The Council offers personalised support for owners struggling to maintain their unused property and can use enforcement powers on owners who are unwilling to deal with vacant homes.

The new Empty Homes Strategy is needed in order to reflect the Government’s approach to empty homes. In the first ever National Empty Homes Strategy, the Government pledged cash to help owners renovate their properties; reduced the empty homes Council Tax discounts that owners received; and brought in the New Homes Bonus, a scheme that gives financial rewards to Councils that reduce numbers of empty homes year on year.

Residents in ten blocks of Reading flats have been selected for the three-month trial, which will see recycling facilities increased and people given more options on how to recycle, including the distribution of re-usable bags for residents to store recycling and then take it down to their communal recycling bins.

It is hoped the initiative will help to reduce the high number of plastic bags which are currently put in bulk recycling bins, but which cannot be recycled.

The recycling drive will also be supported by a comprehensive education programme to help people understand the importance of separating domestic waste from recycling, and recycling the right items. This will include door-knocking, roadshows, letters, leaflets, posters, bin store signs and a guide for managing agents or landlords.

Any lessons learnt from the trial properties will then be used when the scheme is extended later this year to include other blocks of flats in Reading.

More information can be found at http://www.reading.gov.uk/recycling or by calling 0118 937 3787.

A social club for older people in Caversham is being launched on Friday 31st January, 10.00 am – 3.00pm at the Amersham Road Community Centre.

The Club is being funded and supported by Reading Borough Council but led by volunteers from the Caversham Older People’s Steering Group with support from Age UK Berkshire Active Living – and offers fun, accessible activities for local over 50’s.

The free launch event includes table top games, bingo and seated yoga for all abilities. Refreshments on offer will include tea, coffee, cake and a free fish and chips lunch.

If you would like to book a place for lunch or if you need assistance with transport, please call Michelle on 07834 335103 or email: [email protected]

More than 2500 people have now signed a petition for a third bridge to be built in Reading, connecting the A329M to Caversham.

Plans for a third bridge from Caversham to Reading were mooted in 2007 but were shelved due to a lack of funding.

Pressure for a new bridge is now growing following a week of long delays after flooding closed Sonning Bridge.

Petition at: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/reading-borough-council-rob-wilson-mp-petition-for-a-review-into-build-a-third-bridge-in-reading-connecting-a329m-to-caversham