Live @ReadingCouncil for Full Council. We've got plenty of questions from the public and councillors. After that there will be a debate on a petition to consult the people of Reading on Arthur Hill. Also coming up: Adoption of Local Plan, ward boundary changes and a few motions
@ReadingCouncil Minutes silence held for Mr Dick Taylor, former head of legal services, who passed away in October.
@ReadingCouncil First question from Richard Stainthorpe asking what the statutory responsibilities, duties and obligations of the council are? Cllr Jason Brock, leader of the council, reveals all councils were asked to appoint Brexit Lead Officer 10 days after Boris Johnson became PM.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Brock says Reading is responsible for a wide range of services including delivering social care, providing decent housing, lesser known services such as licensing and pest control and less popular services such as council tax.
@ReadingCouncil Roger Lightfoot asks what is being done about unsatisfactory cleaning of facilities at the pop up pool in Rivermead. He says the toilets msell, blood appears to have been on the wall near the clock for months and hair is frequently in the shower drains.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Graeme Hoskin says the cleaning has fallen short of standards expected but council has been working to improve this.
@ReadingCouncil Mr Lightfoot asks if the planned flats at Arthur Hill are studio/bedsits? Cllr Brock says it would be a mix of 1 and 2 bed flats - not studios or bedsits.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Brock insists the homes will be of an "impeccable high standard"
@ReadingCouncil Peter Burt, of the Arthur Hill Campaign, asks Cllr Brock to justify claim the council consulted people of Reading on closure of the pool? Cllr Brock says petitions, knocking on doors and talking to people all count as consultation.
@ReadingCouncil Michael Sage of @xrReading calls for Reading's citizen's panel to become a citizen's assembly and consider measures to tackle climate change. Asks what impact the citizen's panel has had?
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Brock says citizen's panel input led to proposals to remove concessionary bus fares for disabled being scrapped
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Stuart Kinton says the council seems to be basing its support for Heathrow expansion partly on the false hope of technologies that don't yet exist. Asks the council to reconsider its current position on Heathrow.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Page says support for expansion is heavily qualified and dependent on significant improvements to public transport. Says the council will review Heathrow policy again in March.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Page says all forms of public transport from and to Heathrow need to be expanded. It is the only airport in the world that does not have a bus lane within it.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Onto cllr questions. Cllr Rob White asks if Cllr Page agrees with Friends of the Earth report which criticises council's climate performance. Cllr Page says he does not - says the methodology is incomplete and dated
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Page says Reading Friends of the Earth has itself criticised the national group's methodology
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Update on ERAPA at Palmer Park: Cllr Rowland says she is continuing to engage with residents about keeping the area open and is looking for sources of funding both public and private to replace the equipment
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Grashoff asks what the council is doing to meet need for leisure activities in Reading so people do not have to travel to Bracknell, Windsor and Newbury to do so? Cllr Rowland says an ice rink is planned at the Madejski as well as cinema at Broad Street Mall and two pools
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Onto the debate on Arthur Hill. Peter Burt, lead petitioner, says "every single week I meet former swimmers from Arthur Hill pool whose health is deteriorating". Calls for s106 money to be spent on bringing Arthur Hill back.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Mr Burt says "the only fair way is to let the public decide". Says Arthur Hill and his family would have been very proud of the campaign but not so impressed with the council. Asks council to learn that it "does not know everything" and "it needs to lesson to local people".
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Brock says closure of Arthur Hill was a considered decision not "on a whim" as Mr Burt suggested. Says council remain committed to new pool at Palmer Park and key worker housing at Palmer Park.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Josh Williams says people of east Reading do not feel their voice was heard. Says Palmer Park pool talked about since 2003. Says councillors chose to give themselves a pay rise rather than keep Arthur Hill pool open.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Hoskin says to "change tack on Arthur Hill would be tearing up a v. long and complex process". Says there would be no new pool for east Reading. Says council did consider suggestions to turn Arthur Hill into a pool.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Hoskin says Palmer Park pool will be cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly saving the council money.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Ricky Duveen says he doesn't think anyone believes Palmer pool will be ready by 2023 and council "should admit it made a cock-up". Says re-opening of Arthur Hill needs re-examining.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr John Ennis says "there is a lot to reflect on as a council" and asks for campaigners to continue to press and hold council to account. Says council needs 21st century leisure facilities and has real opportunity to use the Arthur Hill site for key worker housing.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading This debate on Arthur Hill is taking place after the decision to turn it into key worker housing has been made - subject to planning permission. The petition is to consult the people but council is not a fan of this idea and wants to push ahead with its key worker housing plans.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Opposition Lib Dem and Conservative councillors say Arthur Hill should have been kept open till Palmer Park opens. Cllr Simon Robinson ask why was nothing was done about repairing Arthur Hill before austerity?
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Tony Jones, a Labour cllr, says he regrets that the pool closed before Palmer Park opened. Says his family didn't like the pool and would walk to Central Pool but appreciates it was important to some people. Expresses "sincere apology".
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Jones asks if everyone is committed to pool at Palmer Park. Says idea of re-opening Arthur Hill is 'dishonest'. Accepts responsibility that "there should have been diggers in the ground at Palmer Park". Says council within days or weeks of "giving people some hope"
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Jones says he will "continue to speak the truth" and "there will be a new pool in Palmer Park as soon as we can make that happen" - "That will be before 2023"
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Getting heated after Cllr Brock hits out at Lib Dem-Tory coalition of one year in Reading for their impact on swimming. Cllr O'Connell calls on him to "take some responsiblity". Cllr Brock says council cannot justify re-opening the pool and it won't happen.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Onto the council's recommended boundary changes for local elections. Cllr Rob White says some ward boundaries are being manipulated by the labour group for political reasons - "gerrymandering". Cllr Richard Davies says this suggestion is "disgraceful"
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Lib Dem and Tory cllrs have supported the changes to boundaries while Green cllrs oppose.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Page says the Green group can make their own submission - deadline is midnight tonight however.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Page says the proposal for new Thames ward is the best considering growth in the area.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Brock says he is delighted the Conservatives and Lib Dems are in support and he hopes the commission backs the proposal. All but the four green councillors in support.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Onto the Local Plan. Cllr Page says he is proud to adopt the plan tonight. Process started 5 years ago. Plan is from now till 2036. Every new development in Reading will have to contribute towards affordable housing.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Brenda McGonigle says there are contradictions in the plan - says the Coal Woodland is protected by the plan yet East Reading MRT - twice rejected by Wokingham - is still expected to be built there according to the local plan.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Duveen says there is a crisis in housing in Reading not just in terms of the number of houses but also the type of houses being built
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr McKenna, chair of planning, says document will be the basis for providing zero carbon homes. All future new developments of 10 homes or more must be zero carbon under the local plan about to be adopted.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Barnett-Ward says "this is a great plan" and she is disappointed the Green group is not supporting it. Cllr Page says it is one of the most radical plans in the south east and the other Berkshire authorities have something to learn from it.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading The local plan is adopted with all but the four green councillors in favour
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Next up a construction charter devised by Unite to protect health and safety of construction workers. Cllr Emberson says it will ensure ethical practice. Cllr O'Connell says the "excellent" enhances the council's reputation. Green cllrs also in support.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Carnell says there is already robust health and safety legislation and no need for further health and safety investigations. Adds: "There is no need for union meetings on the scale hinted at." Says council should represent charter that supports construction industry.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Hacker says she is not surprised the "anti-union and anti-worker" Tory cllrs are rejecting the charter
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Hacker says it is "astonishing that anyone could go against this".
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading The charter has been approved
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Ashley Pearce, Education lead, puts forward motion opposing high-stakes testing in primary schools. Conservative cllr Clare Grashoff says her son's school goes to great lengths to ensure children do not even know they are being tested.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Grashoff says it is not acceptable to run the risk of children leaving primary school with inadequate levels of literacy and numeracy. Labour cllr Hoskin says children can be assessed without SATs tests. Calls testing a waste of the precious time.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Councillor Barnett-Ward says "we need to trust teachers and give them the freedom to teach children as individuals and not statistics". Cllr O'Connell agrees. Asks do we continually test doctors, lawyers and bankers?
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr O'Connell asks for same decency for teachers
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Pearce says the tests are flawed and have a detrimental effect on teachers, parents and children. The motion is carried with opposition from all 7 conservative cllrs
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Finally, another motion from the council calling on the governmental to fully fund a pay rise for local government workers. Conservative cllr Raj Singh says he is appalled by the language used - says workers are being used as political weapon.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Singh says the Labour group's "failed past led to a rise in food banks and austerity". Says Labour cllrs do not have the moral right to talk about government's local cuts. Cllr Brock responds: "Where did you find this guy?"
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Sophia James says he has derailed a proposal about raising local government workers wages. Says Cllr Singh is an "absolute disgrace".
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Cllr Duveen says council "dilly-dallied" on equal pay claims. Supports motion however for more funding for local government workers.
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading Green cllrs in support of the motion. Cllr Brock, leader of the council, says he is "embarrassed for Cllr Singh". Cllr Emberson agrees.Motion passed - again without Conservative cllrs support
@ReadingCouncil @xrReading End of the meeting
