News

Helen Belcher – Liberal Democrats

Published

1 year ago

June 15, 2024

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Helen’s journey began in west Reading, where she grew up in Burghfield Common, a proud member of our community. Her dedication to advocacy has been widely recognised, having stood for election with the Liberal Democrats in Berkshire and Wiltshire. She has consistently campaigned for robust local services and environmental issues, standing against Conservative cuts and fighting against issues like sewage dumping and the Conservatives’ culture war. In 2023, her commitment to the transgender community earned her an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List.

Reflecting on her selection, Helen expressed her delight, stating, “I grew up in this constituency, so in many ways, this is a homecoming for me. I’m thrilled to have this amazing opportunity to represent this beautiful area. For too long, people in our area have been let down by the Conservatives…”

Helen brings a wealth of experience to the table. From her early days as a secondary school teacher in Leeds to her ventures in IT as a systems analyst, she has navigated diverse landscapes. In 2004, she founded her computing company, which provided innovative solutions to FTSE 100 companies, employing around a dozen staff before she sold the company in 2019 to focus on her campaigning efforts.

Helen’s Pledges for Reading West

Sort out the NHS
The NHS has been in a permanent state of crisis for years. It’s breaking at every level: key personnel aren’t being paid enough, meaning that people leave the profession, which means the rest are overworked. But there’s a wider crisis at work: adult and social care is on its knees too. Any medical professional will tell you that prevention is better than cure. Helen will fight for a root-and-branch fix for our whole care and health system, including restoring NHS dentistry, putting mental and physical health on an equal footing, filling vacancies to cut waiting times, and working for better integration of our social care systems with the NHS.
Sort out the economy
The cost-of-living crisis is bringing whole communities down. Inflation is coming down but is still dangerously high. For too many people, the country is fundamentally broken. Helen will fight to restore fairness to the system, making the taxation system fairer, helping people by bringing down the cost of living, and investing in our country’s crumbling infrastructure, which will also provide more and better jobs.
Sort out the environment
The climate crisis is making itself felt through droughts, extinctions, and floods even before the water companies started pumping sewage into our rivers. Helen will fight to reform water companies like Thames Water into public benefit companies, forcing them to invest in their networks and stop sewage dumping before they start paying millions of pounds in bonuses or dividends to their shareholders. She will fight to halt the decline of our natural environment and ensure the UK recommits to CO₂ reduction to protect the planet for future generations.

Other areas Helen cares about
Helen’s background is as a campaigner for civil rights, first in the Leveson inquiry into press intrusion and phone hacking, and later for the rights of trans people, for which she was awarded an OBE in 2022. Helen is passionate about the civil rights and freedoms that help define our society, and will be vigilant against attempts to roll them back. She will fight for fair votes, ensuring that no-one has to vote tactically and all votes count equally. She will fight to end the cynical culture wars funded by the far right, and stop the demonisation of minorities, refugees, and protestors.

News

Reading Labour MPs Vote Against Assisted Dying Bill

Published

3 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

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A deeply emotional and historic vote took place this week. The House of Commons approved the Terminally Ill Adults Bill—law that proposes to grant terminally ill persons under English and Welsh jurisdiction the right to have assisted death by a medical practitioner if it should pass the House of Lords.

The bill passed with a thin majority of 314 votes to 291 and sparked national debates brimming with saxophonic emotion. It was a free vote; that is, members of Parliament could vote according to conscience, and the party was not expected to bind them. The bill secured the support of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer but apparently was rejected by Leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

All three of Reading’s Labour MPs, Matt Rodda (Reading Central), Olivia Bailey (Reading West and Mid Berkshire), and Yuan Yang (Earley and Woodley), voted against the bill. They may well have objections rooted in such concerns as the safeguarding of vulnerable people, possible pressure being put on those with life-limiting conditions, and just the sheer moral gravity of a change of that kind.

For many people in Reading and elsewhere, this bill goes well beyond politics. It arises out of dignity, choice, and compassion for the hardest moment. Respect goes to those who voted with care and conviction; passing of this bill has been another step toward giving people in unbearable suffering the freedom to choose how and when their life ends-on their terms, with support, been one of the options, and without pain. It’s a difficult subject to deal with, but at its basic level, one of a few simple human desires is to die with dignity.

News

Reading Buses Fares to Rise from 2nd June as Government Cuts Funding

Published

1 month ago

June 1, 2025

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From Sunday 2 June, fare adjustments will take effect across the Reading Buses network. Updated pricing details are outlined below.

These changes have been introduced in response to rising operational costs, including higher employer National Insurance contributions and changes in government support. For most passengers, the fare increase will be minimal. In many cases, customers can avoid the higher fares by choosing multi-journey, weekly, or season tickets.

Government Fare Cap

On routes where single fares exceed £3, prices will continue to be capped at £3 as part of the UK Government’s Help for Households initiative.

Changes to Reading All-Bus Tickets

Government funding that previously subsidised the Reading All-Bus day ticket ended in March. As a result of this and increasing costs, some All-Bus ticket prices have been raised.

Updated Fare Information

Single Fares within Reading
Single journey fares will increase by 10p.

simplyReading Day Tickets

Adult: £4.50 via the app or contactless tap on, tap off; £5 if purchased from the driver
Boost (for young people): £4, available both via the app and from the driver
Group ticket (valid for up to 4 people):
- £8 during off-peak hours (after 9.30am on weekdays, and all day on weekends and bank holidays)
- £10 during peak hours (before 9.30am on weekdays)
- Available on the app and from the driver

Reading All-Bus Tickets
Valid for travel on Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses, Carousel Buses, and Thames Travel within the simplyReading zone.

Adult: £4.90 via the app or tap on, tap off; £5.40 from the driver,
(Currently, it costs £4 on the app and £4.50 on the bus)
Young person (under 18): £4.20 (currently £3 if bought on the app)
Group ticket: £8.80 off-peak / £10.80 peak

News

Opinion: Reading’s RingGo-Only Parking System Is Ridiculous, Not Revolutionary

Published

2 months ago

May 16, 2025

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Reading Borough Council’s recent move to scrap cash and card payments for parking in favour of RingGo-only app payments isn’t just inconvenient — it’s verging on the ridiculous.

Across the town, parking machines have been “covered” — not with proper signage or professional notices — but with what look like black bin bags and hastily stuck-on paper notes held in place with bits of sellotape. These make-do signs read: “This machine is only accepting RingGo payments. Location code…” as if that explains everything.

Frankly, it’s comical — if not insulting. This slapdash presentation makes a mockery of a serious change that impacts thousands of residents, workers, and visitors.

The council claims the shift will save money, cutting annual costs from £44,000 to a leaner £29,000 by removing cash collection and maintenance fees. But what about the cost to the public?

Not everyone owns a smartphone. Not everyone is comfortable navigating apps or calling an automated line to pay for a simple parking space. This move sidelines the elderly, the less tech-savvy, and anyone without reliable access to mobile data and tourists unfamiliar with the app.

Worse still, these makeshift signs — flimsy bits of paper stuck to bin bags — give the impression of a temporary issue, not a carefully considered, permanent change. It’s a poor substitute for clear communication and thoughtful planning.

Yes, the council wants to modernise and save money. But that shouldn’t come at the expense of accessibility and common sense. Reading deserves a parking system that works for everyone — not just those who have the right app and enough battery.

If the council insists on digital-first, it must still provide physical, well-marked options and a respectful transition. Bin bags and sellotape won’t cut it.