I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Andrew Harper while on duty in West Berkshire. I send my condolences to his family. The whole local community is shocked by the tragedy.
It reminds us to thank  all those in the police and our other uniformed services who put themselves at risk to help the rest of us to live in safety.
I have received this letter from the Government detailing the launch of the brand new 16 – 17 Saver, which offers discounted rail tickets to young people. They are also launching an independent review of rail fares to ensure the railways offer value for money to passengers:
Dear John
I am pleased to inform you that today the Department for Transport, together with the rail industry, has unveiled the brand new 16 – 17 Saver, which guarantees half-price travel for young people in England and Wales.
Whether starting or returning to sixth-form or college, beginning an apprenticeship or entering the world of work, teenagers can start using their discounted tickets on Monday 2 September.
It is forecast to save young people and their families an average of ÂŁ186 every year and set to boost education opportunities, communities and businesses with young people able to travel more affordably.
The launch comes as the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) confirmed that over 327,000 people are now saving a third off their journeys after purchasing the 26-30 Railcard, saving an average of ÂŁ19 per month since it launched in January.
Today’s announcement means that passengers aged between 16 and 30 will now benefit from significant savings on their travel. Available for purchase for £30 online at www.16-17saver.co.uk or by calling 0345 301 1656, the Saver will be on sale at 9am on Tuesday 20 August
From this date, up to 1.2 million young people are eligible for the 50% discount it offers on most rail travel, including peak and season tickets. The 16-17 Saver will be valid across England, Wales and services into Scotland, but not on ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services.
This is a positive step, but we need a rail system where passengers of all ages get a fair deal. While the government has frozen regulated fares in line with inflation for the seventh year in a row, there is a need to do more. Which is why the government has launched an independently-led Government review of the railway, including looking at fares reforms and value for money for passengers.
This review will report in the Autumn with reforms expected to begin in 2020.
I look forward to updating on progress in this area.
Yours sincerely
Chris Heaton-Harris MP
Minister of State for Transport
Councillor Pauline Jorgensen, the Executive member for transport and highways said ” We are delighted that the government has given us ÂŁ24 m of funding to help reduce congestion in Arborfield and Arborfield Cross by funding the infrastructure we so badly need”
Construction is starting this summer with an estimated completion date for the by pass next summer. The village needs relief from too much traffic through it at the moment, and growing traffic volumes require extra roadspace to cut congestion and delays.
At my surgery on Friday I had an interesting conversation with people concerned about a range of environmental matters.
We discussed the government’s targets for CO2 emissions, the state of the fossil fuel industry, the contribution of meat and agriculture to emissions, taxation of domestic heating fuel and aviation, family size, population growth and female education in low income countries, food miles and other important matters.
We found considerable common ground over energy conservation, helping countries out of poverty, more local produce, more holidays in the UK, better balanced diets and the role technology can play in improving our quality of life and protecting the environment. As readers of the blog will know I am keen to promote more tree planting, to have more home produced food, to make it cheaper and easier to insulate homes, improve heating and control systems and reduce energy usage through greater energy efficiency.
I did not feel able to support ideas to make domestic fuel dearer by higher taxes given the impact this would have on fuel poverty  nor to unilaterally make UK air flights dearer when we cannot do the same to competitors.
Best of luck to the new independent shoe and handbag shop, Elle Won, which has recently opened in Wokingham town centre.
It is great to see the resurgence of independent businesses in Peach Place and it is a pleasure to see a lively atmosphere in the town once again.
The Government  has announced it is conducting a review of criminalising unauthorised encampments, setting this out on the DHLG website.
There have been a number of illegal encampments in Wokingham and West Berkshire in the last week. I and my office have been working closely with the police, residents and councils so that these illegal encampments are removed as quickly as possible. The police have powers where there is criminal activity involved. Where the Council owns the land they have direct rights as landowner to seek the removal of trespassers. The police have made contact with residents in one case where there are particular concerns, and are engaged in the problem.
Current powers include Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act:
“61 Power to remove trespassers on land.
(1)If the senior police officer present at the scene reasonably believes that two or more persons are trespassing on land and are present there with the common purpose of residing there for any period, that reasonable steps have been taken by or on behalf of the occupier to ask them to leave and—
(a)that any of those persons has caused damage to the land or to property on the land or used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards the occupier, a member of his family or an employee or agent of his, or
(b)that those persons have between them six or more vehicles on the land,
he may direct those persons, or any of them, to leave the land and to remove any vehicles or other property they have with them on the land.
(2)Where the persons in question are reasonably believed by the senior police officer to be persons who were not originally trespassers but have become trespassers on the land, the officer must reasonably believe that the other conditions specified in subsection (1) are satisfied after those persons became trespassers before he can exercise the power conferred by that subsection.
(3)A direction under subsection (1) above, if not communicated to the persons referred to in subsection (1) by the police officer giving the direction, may be communicated to them by any constable at the scene.
(4)If a person knowing that a direction under subsection (1) above has been given which applies to him—
(a)fails to leave the land as soon as reasonably practicable, or
(b)having left again enters the land as a trespasser within the period of three months beginning with the day on which the direction was given,
he commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale, or both.”
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I am also in touch with the Secretary of State at the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government to press the Government to get on with their review , examining what has been done in the Republic of Ireland in their criminal law. Here in England there are civil law remedies for landowners.
I have received the e-mail below from the Post Office regarding the closure of McColl’s who currently run the service there. The store will close in December 2019 and the Post Office is looking for an alternative operator.
Dear Mr Redwood
I’m contacting you to provide you with an update on Maiden Erleigh Post Office.
We have been advised that McColls, who operate the store and Post Office in Maiden Erleigh, will be closing their store in December 2019 which means that the Post Office in the store can no longer operate from there. I want to reassure you that we are currently looking for an alternative operator to provide a service and will share an update when we have a confirmed proposal.
We are also advertising the opportunity to run a Post office in the local area on our website. If you are aware of any retail businesses in the area who may be interested in running a branch please do pass on this link and encourage them to apply: https://runapostoffice.co.uk/home/result/show/maiden-erleigh-post-office-reading-rg6-7nz
If you have any further questions then please don’t hesitate to contact me,
Kind regards,
Laura
| Laura Tarling External Affairs Manager |
Following a recent Environment Lobby in Parliament, I wrote on behalf of constituents to Wokingham Borough Council to ask what they are doing to improve waste management locally. I have now received the enclosed response from them:
I have received the enclosed letter from the Secretary of State for Transport. I am encouraging both Wokingham and West Berkshire Council to bid for funding to help improve our local roads:
I was pleased to see today that there has been a further relaxation in public sector pay restraints, to allow rises above inflation for various groups of employees.
• Teachers – the average classroom teacher will see a 2.75 per cent pay increase, worth on average £1,000.
• Armed Forces – a soldier at Corporal level on average wages will see a 2.9 per cent raise worth £995, while the starting salary for an officer will rise by £769.
• NHS – Doctors and dentists will receive an increase of 2.5 per cent, with hospital doctors seeing an average £1,500 more to their salary. Nurses are seeing a pay increase of 6.5 per cent over three years, as agreed as part of a 3-year deal in 2018.
• Police – police constables will see a 2.5 per cent average pay increase, earning up to £978 more this year.
• Prison officers – prison officers will get at least a 2.2 per cent rise this year, with many receiving 3 per cent.