KMC Lock Horns With Tories

The first six-monthly update of the King's Meadow Campaign has brought home the difficulties in returning the Edwardian Lido back into use for the first time since 1974.

Efforts at raising the estimated £2.5m funding required have been slow, according to group spokesperson Bob O'Neill, but this reflects the economic climate and the winter period, adding that a series of events would help boost coffers.

Bruce Tindall, who is RBC's council head of development explained, "When KMC made their initial proposals, the economic situation in the country was far rosier than it is today."

It was suggested that the reopening plan would be phased to enable income from the reopened pavilion to help fund the pool development, although this still appears to be some way off.

Anne Jessel explained for KMC group,

"The fact that the meeting was so short and sweet means they trust us to get on with this and that's great."

Elsewhere the issue of funding has turned into a major political fight as Conservative Cllr Richard Willis came under attack for his criticism of KMC's 'spin operation'.

He lays out his party's 'unchanged' policy towards the site, saying tories are "committed to work with any viable partner" on the project so long as taxpayers don't bear any cost and any development is 'of appropriate size and scale'.

He quotes his colleague Cllr Jeanette Skeats, who said she will "support a viable approach for the re-generation of this area."

But in a vigorous discussion tory-supporting commenters (including a pseudonymous candidate) are criticised for wishing to tear down the Grade II listed building, while KMC supporters accuse Cllr Willis of providing misleading information regarding the potential funding of the plans.


Oranjepan says:
Tory claims of an 'unchanged policy' have been subjected to ridicule because of continuing anger at their previous support for the massive redevelopment proposed by Askett Hawke.

Cllr Townend's statement that "any high-rise development is completely inappropriate" demonstrates a complete U-turn in his position as it does not correspond with his voting record or previous statements on the subject.

Both sides say they 'mean business', but each obviously have different ideas of what this means.

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More background stories on the King's Meadow Campaign

Two-Year Limbo For King's Meadow Lido

The proposed redevelopment of King's Meadow has been put on hold in what campaign supporters are describing as a humiliating climbdown for the Reading Borough Council.

Executive member for Leisure and Sport, Cllr Graeme Hoskins explained he felt the demands of the contractor Askett Hawke were excessive and didn't provide sufficient guarantee of public access, despite agreeing to progress their bid to redevelop the prime Thamesfront location under similar conditions back in July.

After multiple decades of deterioration it was decided to give community activists a 2-year period of exclusivity to come up with a realistic plan to bring the Victorian pavilion back into public use.

Campaigners celebrated but the suggestion remains that it was the realities of the economic situation not the popular appeal which has given a lifeline to this last vestige of local heritage.

Former Reading East MP Jane Griffiths recalls that this was an issue which began to split her from the Reading Labour party back in 1991, while she also remembers how prominent Labour group leaders attempted to thwart opposition to the lucrative plans.

Meanwhile LibDem Cllr Swaine is incandescent at the devious and duplicitous nature of local tories who have been willing to say whatever anyone wants to hear on this subject (and others too) in the hope that nobody will ask them about their voting records.

Green Party candidates Rob White and Adrian Windisch know a bandwagon when they see one and have also offered their congratulations to the campaigners.

Enterprising students have also offered their support to bring the pavilion back into community use.

Oranjepan asks:
In two years time market conditions will recover, making a hotel a more viable project and increasing commercial pressure to develop the site for profit. With the expected change to a more ruthlessly business-minded administration, aren't the celebrations a little bit premature?

History: King's Meadow Campaign Gets Contentious; Paralysis Hits King's Meadow Proposals

Paralysis Hits King's Meadow Proposals

Furious political manoeuvering has been going on in recent days as the future of a piece of Reading's vanishing heritage and environment remains under discussion.

The farrago over King's Meadow pavilion has been dragging on for decades as successive Labour-dominated councils twiddled their thumbs, but with the reality of minority control now upon them moves have been speeded up as they try to reach a conclusion.

The recent recommendation by an alliance of Labour and Conservative councillors to proceed with intensive commercial development of the under-appreciated site was put before Reading's Cabinet for approval, but was called in for reconsideration by the CCEA committee as Conservatives began to get cold feet about the appearance of their support for the Askett Hawke plans.

Cllr Willis gives a basic report explaining the need to buy time to work out a more rounded policy.

LibDem Cllr Swaine provides helpful insight into the tactics of Cllr Willis' Conservative colleagues. In a strongly worded critique of his opponents he says they "are riven with factions" and "led by the nose," with only one common goal - "power at all costs".

Green Party campaigners have been itching to get in on the action. Rob White describes his experience as an onlooker and says the only hope is to "force a public enquiry".

Adrian Windisch thinks the council has been actively trying to destroy the baths "through neglect".

Local satirist Mick Spreader disagrees. He credits Labour with no malice, only indecision. Which can often be worse.

King's Meadow Campaign Gets Contentious

As the decision over what to do with the dilapidated King's Meadow pavilion meanders its endless path towards a decisive conclusion, it appears that confrontation rather than agreement will be the most likely result.

RBC's Sport and Leisure Scrutiny Committee on March 25th voted to recommend proposals for redevelopment which include demolition of the historic buildings and their replacement with a hotel, bars and restaurants.

Although the voting split mainly along party lines with councillors Jim Hanley, Shirley Merriott and Richard Stainthorp (Labour) in favour and councillors Warren Swaine and Peter Beard (LibDem) against the proposals by Askey Hawke, the result was swung by the decision of the Conservatives to split their votes. Councillors Jennifer Rynn and Tim Harris abstained, while Cllr Tom Stanway voted in favour.

This gave a majority decision of 4 for and 2 against, with 2 abstaining.

The proposals will now be submitted for formal consideration by RBC's all-Labour Cabinet on April 14th, where it is expected to pass unopposed, although it is still several stages away from an actual planning application yet.

King's Meadow Campaign group leader, Bob O'Neil, who has lead the community activist group opposed to the commercialization of the river front and loss of green space says now is the time for the public to be listened to - with actual proposals on the table residents now know the choices to be faced.

LibDem Cllr Swaine and Green Party campaigner Adrian Windisch explain the ins and outs of the politics behind the debate.

Both describe the incoherence of the larger Labour and Conservative parties.

Warren questions why Rob Wilson, Conservative MP for Reading East, has moved to get the decision overturned through the 'call-in' procedure when it was the votes of his Conservative colleagues which were decisive, and Adrian pours scorn on the behaviour of Labour's parliamentary spokespeople for campaigning to save the site while Labour councillors voted against saving the site.

Meanwhile the Green Party's Rob White gets in on the act.

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Update: RBC minutes of the meeting.

Cllr Richard Willis tries to defend the Conservative party split.

He highlights a press release stating there is "no change in the Conservative policy" in which Conservative councillors Jeanette Skeats and Mike Townend both make the case for 'appropriate' regeneration, while avoiding taking a view on the specific proposals under consideration.

Howard Thomas is astonished by the ability of the Conservatives to make sudden policy reversals.

Linda Fort catches up on last Wednesday's public meeting.

Auntie says it's D-Day for the lido.

Reading Chronicle reports Labour's Cllr Hoskin accused the Conservative opposition of "trying to dodge the decision".

Oranjepan asks:
The debate continues over at Reading Forum: what would your policy be?