Tory councillors on the Civic Board have put forward a radical suggestion to solve the problem of how to pay for the new civic offices.

Their planning spokesperson without portfolio told us: "It is clear that the council has not done enough to bring into use other sites owned by them in the town centre before commissioning designs for new offices in Hosier Street. We've had a good look around the town and there are empty council building's all over the place. One in particular has been lying derelict and severly under-utilised for centuries and we owe it to the people of Reading to bring it back into use. There is no reason why with a lick of paint the abbey ruins couldn't be renovated. Just think of the money we'd save on building materials, there's loads just lying around."

Tory plans for the new civic include a serfs entrance, a supplicants gallery for the public to view council meetings and a villeins reception for those late paying their council tax.