READING’S new Liberal Democrat leader says he will hold Labour to account.
Cllr James Moore is taking over the role from Cllr Meri O’Connell. Along with freshly re-elected Cllr Anne Thompson, all three represent Tilehurst ward on Reading Borough Council.
“Across the coming year in the face of a shambolic Conservative government we’re still holding Labour to account, they still have a responsibility to run things effectively,” he said.
“We’ll be looking at everything critically. Labour cannot just excuse themselves because of what the national government is doing.
“We’ll be critical friends of the Labour group – we’ll hold them to account when needed but we won’t be taking cheap shots.
“In February, we supported their budget because we felt there were not many other options, but we did not support their corporate plan, because it was not ambitious enough.
“We’ll be judging things with an even hand and will take that across any other issue that comes up.”
Cllr Moore will retain his position on the Planning Applications Committee, Strategic Environment, Planning and the Transport Committee Traffic Management Sub-Committee.
He was elected in the all-out elections in 2022.
Away from politics, he is a product manager for the LEGO Group and a former chairman of the Reading Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
