MP calls for extended time to submit community plan for Reading Prison
Reading East Labour MP Matt Rodda has written to the Ministry of Justice to try and extend the March deadline
Reading East MP Matt Rodda says he's hoping the Ministry of Justice will give the town more time to put together a community arts & culture bid for Reading Prison.
The M-O-J had asked for a proposal by next month, but it's now hoped they'll extend that deadline.
Mr Rodda says there's growing momentum for a strong bid to purchase the prison for the town:
"We've had a growing number of high profile actors come forward and support the bid. The Council are working hard at approaching funders. What I'm doing now is writing to Robert Buckland, the Justice Secretary to ask him for more time to develop a local bid, we're on teh cusp of a fantastic local bid we just need more time"
Mr Rodda says he spoke informally to Robert Buckland just before Christmas and feels confident the MOJ will listen to the request. The MP says he genuinely believes the council's bid could succeed:
"I'm really excited by interest from the University of Reading and other organisations, but it's difficult as well. This isn't an easy building to work with, it's a very old building, very sensitive as well but we need to keep at it, redouble our efforts and get a bit of extra time as well".
His reference to sensitivity is because as well as the historic building and its connection to its most famous inmate Oscar Wilde, it has valuable archaeology on the site from Reading Abbey. The burial site of Henry I is just a few metres from its boundary.
The MP's new hope is significant because previously the Ministry of Justice had flatly refused to consider a community bid from Reading Borough Council, instead preferring to find the highest bidder for the historic site. The preferred bid later withdrew from the process.
Mr Rodda said the council is applying for various grants to help finance the bid, and although he wouldn't say publicly who they were he was genuinely enthused by the 'organisations' he says are interested in joining the bid.