Oranjepan Profile

Latest Blog Posts

• Milking the Expenses Gravy Train
  on Jun 1, 2013 in policing expenses
  Questions have been raised about the use of expenses by elected officials after reports showed unusual discrepancies. In Reading deputy leader of RBC, Labour's Cllr Tony Page, defended his choice to claim nearly 20-times more in travel expenses than...
• 'Milking' the Expenses Gravy Train
  on Jun 1, 2013 in policing expenses
  Questions have been raised about the use of expenses by elected officials after reports showed unusual discrepancies. 'Entitled to be fed' In Reading deputy leader of RBC, Labour's Cllr Tony Page, defended his choice to claim nearly 20-times more...
• Round-up: PCC Elections not HP
  on Nov 27, 2012 in Round-up policing crime Oranjepan asks
  A 66-year-old former helicopter commander who served in Borneo and the Falklands War has been elected as the first Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Police, describing it as an 'honour' and a 'privilege'. The Public Interface: TVP Ch...
• The knives are out for Newbury MP Benyon
  on May 30, 2012
  Oh dear! Newbury's Conservative MP and Defra Minister Richard Benyon keeps attracting negative headlines. On the day his department introduced the hosepipe ban The People's investigative team discovered a 15ft hosepipe 'gushing in the grounds' of hi...
• Local Government: Now & Then
  on May 9, 2012 in Oranjepan says
  Following on from yesterday's 'Then & Now' post, here is RBC's own video from last Thursday's election and the count held at the Rivermead Centre.   Oranjepan says: Beyond the significant changes to the role and responsibility of local cou...
• Local Government: Then & Now
  on May 7, 2012 in Oranjepan asks
  Things have changed a lot in local government in the 70 years since the 1940's when the British Council made this wonderfully evocative information film. Oranjepan asks: can you spot the differences? Are they for the better or the worse?
• Racism in Reading?
  on Apr 9, 2012 in Oranjepan says
  Reading Borough Council's local election campaign exploded into controversy this week as accusations and counter-accusations exposed the political divisions between the parties. Following the deselection of sitting Conservative councillor, Jamie Cha...
• The Anti-Bully Ball!
  on Feb 29, 2012 in Oranjepan says
  Local charity Red Balloon has teamed up with new celebrity patron Danyl Johnson to help promote a 'Black & White' charity fund-raising ball.  The event will take place  from 7-11.30pm on Saturday 17th March at Shehnai Banqueting Suites, 75-77...
• The shock of the cold
  on Feb 5, 2012 in weather issues
  Winter weather traditionally inspires giddy childlike enthusiasm, as can be seen on Bracknell's slopes (video) - and this has been replicated on the blogopshere too. Ceramix notes the generally mild winter to date, but gets excited by his rapidly...
• What's that you say?
  on Feb 3, 2012 in eclectica
  Cyclists and journalists may seem like occassionally odd bedfellows, but local bloggers appear to think they talk the same language. Groovy Yank pokes some fun at the self-importance of guardians of public information. And Andrew Sykes puts a spoke...
• Checkout #14, please
  on Feb 1, 2012 in Oranjepan asks
  #rdgnews - Tesco's remarkable recent growth in the local area has lead to suspicion of backroom favours and secret deals are propping up political interests at the expense of local businesses. The decision to award a £27m contract for a new 84...