GREN lobbies Council for a Sustainable Reading

GREN representatives met with the Council Leader, Deputy and Lead for Environment & Sustainability at the end of September to present our members' Vision for a Sustainable Reading and discuss action toward achieving it.

As well as outlining what GREN members are already doing in the community to work toward a more sustainable town, we raised a number of key issues from the Vision developed by GREN members in June-July this year.

Transport:

GREN emphasised that there needed to be a major modal shift in the way we get around Reading toward cycling and walking. This needed a serious attempt to identify blockages, create coherent routes and slow down traffic speeds to make cycling safer. A 20mph limit was needed across the Reading urban area, alongside the Low Emission Zone to get HGVs off our roads. Cllr Cumpsty agreed to set up a meeting with the lead Councillor on Transport to discuss these issues.

Energy in Buildings:

Your reps for the meeting set out the need for an urgent programme of mass insulation, particularly in the domestic sector, alongside promotion of renewable micro-generation. We have submitted proposals for a community-based not-for-profit company to focus on the least efficient housing and poorest neighbourhoods. Councillors said the new government was committed to taking serious action, but would look at our suggestions for what more could be done. 

Sustainable Local Economy:

GREN members' vision was for a town that had many more local independent shops and businesses, with a more balanced economy that wasn't so dependent on big corporate HQs in IT and Finance, bringing in lots of commuters. Councillors were sympathetic to local shops and business, but claimed their ability to promote these was limited. They were however committed to reproviding the market in any redevelopment, which was an incubator for local business. The return of local business rates would enable greater scope for action, but GREN also emphasised the roles the Council could play in shaping the way the town develops.

Asking local people:

Finally, we emphasised the importance of engaging with local people and what they want to see happen in their town; this has not worked well in the past and the new Council said it was committed to improving this.

The full notes of the meeting are in the Resources section of the website under GREN meeting agendas & minutes.