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27/12/09 :Jo Lovelock's best wishes for 2010 - "It's been a tough year but Reading has much to look forward to":
The Leader of Reading Council, Labour's Jo Lovelock, would like to wish all who live and work in Reading a happy New Year.
"The global recession" she says, "has meant 2009 has been a challenging year for many individuals and businesses, and I am very aware of the people who have either lost their jobs or had to accept reduced hours, and who are finding it difficult to cope financially.
"But Reading has always been said to be well-placed to recover from the down-turn more quickly than elsewhere, and there are signs that is happening.
Reading Borough Council, with its partners, will continue to give advice and support to individuals and organisations as we have over the past twelve months. Recent Government changes to Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit rules particularly help both pensioners and families with children, and I would urge people to make sure they claim their entitlements.
"Since May 2008 Labour has been in minority administration of Reading Council, and I am proud of what we have still been able to achieve - The detailed report can be read here.
"Among all the speculation about cuts in public spending, we have of course also been working hard on the budget for 2010/11, and are determined to protect front-line services, especially those for the vulnerable, while recognising as ever the balancing act between that and keeping the Council Tax as low as possible.
"We know that neighbouring Conservative Councils have been cutting support for the elderly and people with disabilities, only helping people in real crisis and even then operating a queuing system.
In Reading Labour believes in offering help before people's needs become critical, and we're helping about 2800 people who would be refused help in Wokingham or West Berkshire. We're determined to continue to provide that help, and also to continue to improve children's safeguarding by investing in the recruitment of more social workers.
"I am also delighted that we have managed to secure major investment in Reading, which will help create more jobs for Reading people under local labour schemes, including:
The redevelopment of Reading Station, which brings with it new bridges at Cow Lane to tackle the bottleneck
The regeneration of the Dee Park estate
Major transport schemes funded from the Government's Transport Infrastructure Fund to improve public transport, ban polluting HGV's which use Reading as a rat-run, and build a third Thames Bridge
Measures to reduce carbon emissions from our buildings and from private houses
"Reading is an exciting place to be, with great community spirit, as shown by the help so many people gave one another during the recent bad weather. I believe that spirit is taking us through the recession, and that we have a good future to look forward to in 2010."
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