Councillors and party activists are campaigning hard across Reading as voters go to the polls on Thursday in May to elect 17 councillors across 16 wards. Elections have been fairly static since the all‑out vote in 2022, with 2023 and 2024 each seeing one change - both times the Conservatives lost to Labour in Caversham Heights and Emmer Green. This is the first council election since the Labour government took power in July 2024, and a number of seats could change hands.
West Reading looks closely fought. Battle ward is open after Independent councillor Sarah Hacker stood down. The Greens are pushing Zoe Mann, Labour have Patrikshya Gurung, while Ben Blackmore (Conservative), John Grout (Liberal Democrat) and Diana Whitehouse (Reform UK) are also standing.
Kentwood is a three‑way contest. Sitting Labour councillor Glenn Dennis, who served as mayor for 2024/25, wants to hold the seat. The Conservatives have fielded David Milne‑Buckley, with Raj Singh usually the ward's main Tory figure. Prediction site Britain Votes Now gives Green candidate Tim Liddle a 43 per cent chance of winning.
North of the river the battles continue. Clarence Mitchell became the sole Reform UK councillor for Emmer Green after defecting from the Conservatives earlier this year. The Tories want the seat back with Alex Smith. Labour, buoyed by Daya Pal Singh's 2024 win, are backing Ollie White, while the Greens have Hannah Conibear and the Lib Dems have Nisikant Gupta.
Caversham Heights will elect two councillors. Long‑serving Conservative Isobel Ballsdon (since 2006) is standing again and Saadia Saadat is the other Tory candidate. Sam Juthani (Labour) has stood down, so Labour's Jo Musominari and Richard Stainthorp are aiming to build on recent gains. The Greens' Adil Khan and Danny McNamara, the Lib Dems' Vania Kosta‑Krol and Jo Ramsay, and Reform's Ilayda Molloy and James Stothard complete a packed field.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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