All non-essential meetings at Reading Borough Council (RBC) have been cancelled following a Coronavirus announcement from the Prime Minister.

Tonight’s Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport committee meeting, scheduled for 6.30pm at the Civic Offices, will no longer go ahead to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The decision was made by RBC following announcements by PM Boris Johnson and chief medical and scientific advisers that everyone should avoid “non-essential” travel and contact.

READ MORE: Reading Borough Council elections postponed by government because of Coronavirus

A spokesman for the council said: “In light of the announcement that has just been made, non-essential meetings have been cancelled.”

There are two other meetings scheduled to take place this week which are also unlikely to go ahead but the council has not yet confirmed their cancellation:

  • Licensing: A decision was due to be made on whether Reading Carnival would go ahead this year due to”extreme concerns” about safety after two stabbings at last year’s event (Tuesday, March 17)
  • Personnel: Councillors were due to meet to discuss the council’s gender pay gap and pay policy (Wednesday, March 18)

A full council meeting is planned next Tuesday, at 6.30pm, but also seems unlikely to go ahead.

Other measures announced by Mr Johnson alongside the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and government chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, include:

  • People should work from home where possible
  • People in at-risk groups will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks in the next few days
  • If one person in any household starts to display symptoms, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days, only leaving for exercise

The Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport committee had been set to vote tonight on whether to approve £9 million of road works, new tree and biodiversity strategies and a consultation on the new local transport plan.