Reading Council’s proposal to take Tilehurst from West Berkshire was formally submitted to Government today (Nov 27).
Reading Council has submitted a proposal to the Government aiming to transfer Tilehurst from West Berkshire into Reading. This move concerns the Tilehurst Birch Copse, Tilehurst & Purley, and Tilehurst South & Holybrook wards, which currently face being included in a new ‘Ridgeway’ council that merges West Berkshire with South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.
The council argues that placing these suburban areas into a predominantly rural council goes against the Government’s directive for proposals based on ‘sensible economic geography.’ Reading Council has emphasised that they hope to see boundaries adjusted to better reflect geographic and economic realities.
The competition between the two councils stems from a larger reorganisation of local government. West Berkshire Council initially proposed the Ridgeway merger in spring without prior notice, prompting Reading Council to rally support and conduct surveys revealing that a substantial number of Tilehurst residents prefer decisions about local services to be made in Reading rather than Newbury.
Results show that two-thirds of residents have used Reading Buses in the past year, with over half utilising Reading car parks. Notably, 60% of those in Tilehurst Birch Copse wish for local decisions to come from Reading. Liz Terry, Leader of Reading Borough Council, stated that these wards are clearly suburbs of Reading, and should receive local governance reflective of their needs.
She noted how West Berkshire’s own Local Plan acknowledges the close ties these areas have with Reading and reiterated that the goal isn’t to obstruct the Ridgeway proposal, but to seek a beneficial outcome for Reading's residents.
In response, West Berkshire council leader Jeff Brooks expressed concern over Reading's proposal, labelling it as unwelcome and detrimental to inter-council relations. He affirmed that many residents wish to stay with West Berkshire and intends to make their viewpoints clear during the Government's review of local government reorganisation plans.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
