More Trees For Reading

At local level the Lib Dems in Reading have campaigned for many years for Reading's urban trees to be protected and enhanced. Trees have been disappearing from our streets in many parts of Reading - not least in my own ward of Redlands and have not replaced. This has been a source of frustration for many local residents and despite warm words Labour failed for many years to develop a strategy to protect this important public asset .
Lib Dems in Reading have campaigned energetically both in our wards and in the Council chamber (tabling questions and motions to Council) to get action on this issue. Last March we forced the then Labour administration of the Council to stump up with cash for trees at the eleventh hour ahead of the local elections.
Credit for this successful campaign should go to my colleague Cllr Glenn Goodall who led this campaign which culminated in the adoption of a new Tree Strategy in June 2010.
When the new Coalition running Reading Borough Council was formed both the Lib Dem and Conservative groups made it clear they were committed to maintaining this important investment in our local environment - despite huge budget pressures.And as a team we have also been very pleased by the supportive response we have had from our Conservative colleagues who are working with us on the Council to implement the strategy.

• As part of the Council's newly adopted Tree Strategy a new Tree Warden Scheme has been launched encouraging people to help conserve local trees in their area. Recently residents were encouraged to nominate their favourite tree - to raise public awareness about important trees in our Borough.
• The Liberal Democrat - Conservative Coalition Administration of the Council has also committed to investing £50,000 this year and next year to planting new street trees.

From the Council's press release:

"The street tree planting programme has been put together following the adoption of the Council's Tree Strategy in 2010. It involves planting around 100 trees on verges and pavements in various locations around the borough up until the end of March 2011. £50,000 was set aide for the work this year, with an additional £50,000 set aside for an additional 100 trees to be planted in 2011/12."

In these incredibly difficult times financially for councils it's heartening to see the two political parties running Reading Borough Council working together to protect and enhance the local environment for future generations.