Reading's City Bid Approved

Councillors have agreed to move forward with a plan to make Reading a city.

The charter for city statue requires royal assent and submissions are being made to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year in 2012, which will mark the 60th anniversary of her coronation.

Reading looks to be favorite among the competitors, which includes Medway in Kent, Croydon, Milton Keynes and Perth.

Leader of Reading Borough Council Cllr Jo Lovelock commented, "We want to put Reading on the map and becoming Berkshire's only city will certainly do that."

A range of events will be scheduled throughout the year if assent is granted and officials are hoping it will be 'third time lucky' after the town failed in two recent bids in 2000 and 2002.

Some controversy surrounded the decision which came at the full council meeting earlier this week, as opposition representative Cllr Dave Luckett tweeted, "Very bizarre and baffling that [the motion] wasn't unanimous."

Perhaps he should read the range of opinions expressed on Reading Forum.

But his colleague Cllr Richard Willis goes further and turns attack dog against the LibDems.

He makes a range of vicious comments calling the group 'unprincipled' for voting 'en bloc' against the motion, accuses them of not being grown up and perversely saying they resorted to sniping and cat-calling!

In addition he makes it clear that Conservatives support a 'land-grab' to redefine the boundaries of the borough to include in 'Greater Reading' the areas of Tilehurst, Woodley and Earley which are currently in West Berkshire and Wokingham boroughs.

Cllr Warren Swaine responds for the LibDems by publishing his speech in full. He says a change in title to "the City of Reading will make absolutely no difference to people in their ordinary life."

And Reading West PPC Cllr Daisy Benson copies out her speech too. She asks "Is bigger, necessarily better?"

The motion approved the creation of a steering committee to include representatives from political parties, business and community groups and members of the town's voluntary sector.

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