AN INVESTIGATION has looked into how councillors “ignored” a complaint from a local resident and has led to the authority apologising.

After Christchurch and Kings Meadows were damaged following various events, local resident Jason Collie complained to Reading Borough Council that work to restore the grass had not been completed.

The council even invoiced organisers of one event — the beer festival in May run by the Campaign for Real Ale — asking for £960 to pay for restoration works, which did not take place for several months.

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Mr Collie complained to two councillors, Sarah Hacker and Richard Davies, who were responsible at the time for neighbourhoods and parks, respectively.

But they did not personally respond to his emails. Mr Collie said: “I asked them questions about policy, and they just ignored me.”

Mr Collie then submitted a formal complaint to the council, arguing that councillors should respond to residents. 

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He said: “It’s incumbent on councillors to respond to constituents and taxpayers. They’re voted in by us, funded by us and they’re there to represent us.”

Both councillors have now apologised to him. And following the investigation, the council could change its rules to ensure councillors respond to all future enquiries. 

Mr Collie added: “Now the council is looking at making it a formal requirement. That’s at least a positive, out of this whole sorry saga. If councillors don’t need to respond, that would be a sad day for local democracy.” 

David Millward, council spokesman, said: “The investigation into Mr Collie’s complaint regarding two councillors has now been concluded. 

“Although council officers provided comprehensive responses to Mr Collie’s enquiries at the time, the councillors themselves failed to reply directly to his emails and have now apologised for this.

“The wider matter of a review of the member code of conduct regarding councillor responses to residents’ correspondence is being considered in consultation with the independent chair of the standards committee and the independent person, who assists the council in dealing with code of conduct complaints.”