Latest news with #ReadingBoroughCouncil
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Company fined for illegal flyposting in Caversham and Southcote
A business has been fined for putting up unauthorised signs and not responding when the council ordered them to be Borough Council took ResinPrint Drives Ltd to court after signs advertising a range of driveway work appeared in Caversham and Southcote in company did not attend the hearing at Reading Magistrates' Court on 11 July and was ordered to pay a £500 fine, a victim surcharge of £200 and costs of £1, company, which is based in South Wales, did not respond to the BBC's request for comment. Councillor Micky Leng, lead for planning, said unauthorised flyposting makes places look "messy and uncared for"."I'd like to thank the residents who took the time to report the flyposting to our planning enforcement team and would encourage other communities to do the same if they spot similar signage which clutters up our street and can hinder sightlines for road users, posing a potential danger to all," he further advertisements for ResinPrint Drives have since been observed at the bottom of London Road and Shepherds House Lane, the council authority said the planning enforcement team would continue to monitor it, and would bring further proceedings if needed. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Reading footbridge closes for eight days for safety work
A river footbridge is closing for eight days for safety Drive Footbridge has worn-out areas of exposed steel deck, posing a danger to pedestrians and cyclists, Reading Borough Council bridge over the River Kennett is due to reopen on Tuesday 5 council said it had spent £4m on similar projects over two years, including the replacement of King's Meadow footbridge and repairs to Grade II listed High Bridge in the town centre. The work at Kenavon Drive has been funded through a portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy, which is paid by developers, the authority Karen Rowland, in charge of environmental services, said: "We're fortunate to have the River Kennet running through Reading."We're making loads of improvements to ensure our residents can get around the town easily and sustainably by foot or by bike."Work also started recently to refurbish the Orbit Footbridge, which is scheduled to reopen in late October. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Reading glass kerbside recycling collections set to begin in 2026
Kerbside glass recycling collections are set to be introduced in Reading late next residents must recycle glass by using one of 49 bottle bank introduction of kerbside glass collections has been prompted by the government's Simpler Recycling Borough Council has agreed to fortnightly collections after waiting for funding arrangements to be clarified. The Simpler Recycling initiative requires all local authorities to collect from the kerbside the same core recyclable materials, including glass, paper, card, metal cans, plastic bottles, tubs and trays and food waste, by March kerbside glass recycling in Reading is set to begin next autumn, according to the Local Democracy Reporting bank locations in the town have become focal points for fly-tipping, with bad examples of rubbish dumping at Kensington Park and a bottle bank being removed in Erleigh Road due to persistent the Environment Act of 2021 set out the Simpler Recycling agenda, councils have been waiting for secondary legislation to determine how new recycling schemes will be funded - so-called new burden Rowland, lead councillor for environmental services said the authority would have to order trucks to allow glass to be collected from homes."I've constantly responded that we were not going to be spending taxpayers' money, that we were not going to move forward with it until we had new burdens funding and a specific outline of how we were going to take this forward so there is no risk there."Although "co-mingling" recycling in one collection was considered, this option was not deemed viable as it would have required changes to the Smallmead recycling centre that would cost £ agreed to introduce kerbside glass recycling at a recent meeting of its policy committee. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook and X.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reading council accused of 'hostile' takeover consultation
A council has been accused of a "hostile act" for asking people living in five West Berkshire villages how they would feel about coming under its Pangbourne, Calcot, Purley-on-Thames and Tilehurst all currently sit under the umbrella of West Berkshire Reading Borough Council says it wants to take responsibility for them instead, and has launched a is a move opposed by West Berkshire Council, but Reading says it would never have suggested it had its neighbour not announced it wanted to merge with two Oxfordshire authorities. Reading will now consult with the 32,000 or so people living in the five villages on its western will ask what they think of its plan to absorb them into what it is increasingly keen on calling Greater Reading. At a meeting to discuss its next moves, Reading councillor Adele Barnett-Ward said they had never planned to be in this position."I just find it bizarre - West Berkshire started it. We've just commented on it," she fellow councillor Rachel Ward said: "I don't think any of us in a million years would have suggested this proposal if it hadn't been for Ridgeway Council being created out of the ether."No matter how we got here, the people living in these villages now find themselves in the middle of a war of words between the two the next few months the people living in the villages at the heart of this political row can expect to be hit by a blizzard of councils will be eager to hear their views and get their points across, no doubt be couched in neutral with the leader of West Berkshire Council having already accused Reading of trying to pull off a "land grab" and a "hostile act", and Reading councillors calling its neighbour's behaviour "bizarre", neutrality does not appear to be the order of the day. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Reading shop fined over 'unattractive' roller shutter
A shop has been fined and ordered to remove an "unattractive" roller shutter after failing to comply with conservation area regulations.J&B Shisha & Charcoal on Reading's Oxford Road was prosecuted after repeatedly ignoring warnings from the borough authority said it did "not want to see any local business taken to court" but that planning legislation was in place "to promote and preserve the character of our high streets".The business, which pleaded guilty to ignoring an enforcement notice, was fined £666 by Reading magistrates and ordered to pay £1,505 in prosecution costs and a £266 victim surcharge. Councillor Micky Leng, of Reading Borough Council, said: "While they have a purpose, roller shutters are an unattractive addition to conservation areas and will be strictly controlled by the council's planning enforcement team."A well designed shopfront is one of the most effective advertisements to residents and visitors."The council said it had suggested the installation of an internal shutter to reduce the risk of crime without compromising the area's character. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook and X.
