Cllr Rob White
Well done to Katesgrove Green campaigner Kate Nikulina for handing in the petition calling on the council to take action over the NHS dentist shortage in Reading.
Green research has previously shown that no dentist is taking on new NHS patients in Reading. Reading is a dental desert. Disgracefully, people are left in pain with some resorting to drastic measures.
The problems are national and stem from the Conservative government but disappointingly the response from the Labour-run council was weak. Their powers are limited, but they didn’t even commit to publicising the pilot which is currently running at Bespoke Dental.
The way the pilot works is if you meet certain criteria (new to the town, not had a check-up for two years etc) you may be able to get a one-off NHS dental checkup from Bespoke Dental (previously called Gentle Dental) in Tilehurst.
They are also offering emergency NHS treatment to people who are not registered with them.
You cannot register with them as a NHS patient though.
Contact them for details: https://www.bespokedentalreading.co.uk/
As this crisis is continuing we are still collecting signatures on our petition. Please sign the petition here where we will also post further updates: https://bit.ly/dentistpetition.
Greens welcome ticket office closure U-turn
It is great that the government has dropped plans to close rail ticket offices following overwhelming public opposition.
Like Green party co-leader Carla Denyer, I think this is a huge victory for people power and a massive defeat for the government’s attempt to run down public services.
Up and down the country, people have protested, signed petitions, responded to the consultation, written to their MP, written to the local newspaper, organised in trades unions and more.
The result has been so clear and overwhelming that even this government could not ignore it.
People can have renewed confidence that coming together on issues that really matter can produce positive change.
Greens are the second largest party in Reading
As the main opposition party on Labour-run Reading Council Green councillors will continue to work constructively to get the best for Reading residents.
There are now seven Green Party councillors and we are now two councillors ahead of the Conservatives. We will keep working hard all year round on the issues that matter to residents.
If you’re keen on being part of the change in Reading, get involved and help us make Reading fairer, greener and cleaner: reading.greenparty.org.uk/get-involved
By Green Party councillor Rob White, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council
