As always, please consider sharing this Round Up. The more people involved in caring for our community the better. Can you help spread the word?

Open Meeting

Everything is in place for the open meeting at 7.30pm, Wednesday 13 November in Caversham Baptist Church. We welcome our speakers from South Central Ambulance Service and Thames Valley Ambulance, who will bring a defibrillator to demonstrate CPR.

It is also a good opportunity to join or renew CADRA membership and buy books for Christmas or local cards at just £1 for 10. There will be a retiring collection for the Thames Valley Ambulance, by cash or card.

There is free Parking behind Waitrose subject to their usual restrictions and also behind Iceland where there is a 3-hour limit. Chester Street car park is £1 after 6pm Chester Street Car Park. Please let us know if you need a disabled space by the church.

Changes at CADRA – Can you help?

In May next year, Helen Lambert will have completed 20 years as CADRA Chair and she has decided it is time for her to stand down and join the outer Committee Support team, who do not generally attend committee. A great deal has been achieved under her leadership and Helen is well-respected locally. She will be much missed, and we wish her well for the future.

The appointment of Chair will be decided by the Committee after the AGM, under the terms of the constitution.

To ensure CADRA’s work in general can be sustained in the future, the Committee will review how it is undertaken. But help is urgently needed, particularly with communication - newsletters, emailed briefings, social media and marketing - also with reviewing national and local planning policy, as well as individual applications. And generally tracking what’s going on locally.

If you think you might be interested in getting more involved in the running of the association, either as a member of the committee or by contributing to a particular strand as part of our wider committee support group, please email info@cadra.org.uk and please pass the details onto anyone else you think might be interested.

CADRA has been at the heart of Caversham for almost 60 years. With your support, it can move forward and adapt, sustaining our strong community spirit, and helping to make Caversham and Emmer Green a great place to live!

Planning

The final Consultation on the updates to the Reading Local Plan will close on 18 December before submission to the Secretary of State. Changes for our area are limited but Hemdean House School is now identified for education, community use or 22-34 dwellings. Requests to reference possible development sites in South Oxfordshire within the Reading Local Plan were not accepted, on the basis that Reading expects to meet its housing needs in full, without assistance from neighbouring authorities. If you are interested in the detail, we have produced a paper with relevant extracts - CADRA Summary.

An appeal has been lodged against the enforcement action requiring removal of the riverside canopy to the Persian Palace on 2 Bridge Street (APP/E0345/C/24/3354043). In the meantime, the facility can continue in use, despite concern over the impact on river flow in times of flood. 

The application for 18 Bridge Street for change of use and flats above has been refused (PL/24/1151).

The application for five terraced houses on the corner of George Street and Gosbrook Road has also been refused (PL/24/0900).  The nine reasons for refusal included flood risk, landscaping and the impact on open space.

The retrospective application for the lockers outside Tesco on Church Street has also been refused (PL/24/1174).

Norman Place, lying between Vastern Road and the Thames is the subject of an application to demolish and rebuild, including new facilities on the waterfront. CADRA met the developer prior to the formal application and commented at that stage.

Regulations require that the Local Planning Authority notify neighbours of planning applications submitted by either posting letters to neighbours whose boundary adjoins the application site or by placing a notice on site. Reading Borough Council previously used both methods, with the applicant being responsible for placing the site notice. As part of cost saving measures, the Policy Committee on 21 October agreed that letters would no longer be sent. Instead, the case officers will be responsible for installing the site notice. CADRA identifies all the applications of wider interest in the Monthly List but smaller applications like extensions will need to be identified from the site notice.

Licensing

The Licensing panel granted the application for Spill Bar on Church Street without requiring a planning application.

The Alto Lounge plan to expand their seating area into the adjacent vacant space and have applied to remain open to half-past midnight, with alcohol sales stopping at midnight. CADRA welcomed the application but submitted a formal objection to facilitate detailed discussions on practical measures which may reduce the disturbance to those living close, both late at night and very early in the morning. We appreciate the work of the Licensing team in trying to achieve a balance.

Safer Neighbourhood Forum

Nick Haskins is currently Chair of the North Reading Safer Neighbourhood Forum. In view of likely changes with the Forum going forward, he is determining the best way to ensure that the community maintains its strong relationship with the Police and the Safer Reading Forum. CADRA has always worked closely with the North Reading Safer Neighbourhood Forum, and we are delighted that Nick has agreed to join the CADRA Committee.

Banking Hub

We have heard from Matt Rodda, MP, of changes which might improve the chances of getting a much-needed banking hub in Caversham. Some of changes to the criteria that LINK uses to assess a community’s need for access to cash services will allow Caversham to be considered as a ‘local area’ in its own right, separate from Reading town centre.  There have also been changes to the criteria used to determine what would constitute a reasonable journey on public transport to your nearest bank.

Kidmore End Road TTRO Parking Restrictions

Despite approval in May to reinstate lines and notices, and CADRA escalating with Vistry, RBC Officers and Councillors we are still waiting for this to be done. We continue to push!

Reading Gaol

The planning application to use Reading Gaol as a Firearms Training Centre was withdrawn and the new owner has given more information about his plans. BBC News Owner shares plans

Henley Road Allotments

The Consultation to resolve the shortage of burial space closes on 6 December, after which the Policy Committee will make a final decision in the new year - Burial Ground Consultation

Christmas

The popular evening event Cavmas in Caversham village will be from 4pm on Friday 6 December.

If you are looking for Christmas activities, the lovely colouring sheets produced by local artists Janina Maher and Liz Real are free to download at Happy Caversham Christmas.

And finally

We look forward to seeing many of you next week at the open meeting. Please do think about whether you, or someone you know, could help take CADRA forward into the next chapter. And why not invite them to come to our open meeting.