A neighbour has made complaints about drinking, drug use and anti-social behaviour coming from tents in Reading, while accusing the council of ‘inaction’.
People living in tents are currently occupying a patch of grass in Great Knollys Street near the town centre.
They are camped out opposite the Reading Buses depot and the New Beginnings charity based out of the old Queens Arms pub.
There is a bottle bank at the grass patch, which is also located opposite Reading Borough Council’s Cattle Market car park and a short walk away from the Civitas Academy primary school.
A neighbour has raised alarm about the unauthorised encampment, accusing the council of failing to act.
The man, who asked to be anonymous, said: “Despite contacting the council several times over recent weeks, no meaningful action has been taken.
“The number of tents continues to grow, and there are persistent issues with antisocial behaviour, alcohol and drug use, and littering.
“The area has become unsafe and unsightly, with local residents and children now avoiding the area.
“This situation is escalating and visibly worsening by the day. It’s deeply frustrating that despite repeated reports, there has been no resolution from the council.”
The man argued that local authorities should be held ‘accountable for inaction’, calling it a matter of safety for the community.
Replying to the points raised, a spokesperson said: “The council is aware of the tent encampment along Great Knollys Street, which is currently made up of four individuals repeatedly known to bed down at this location.
“We are working to not only take possession of the site, but also to create a permanent solution so the land can’t be encroached upon in future.
“We are also aware that those in the encampment have contributed to anti-social behaviour in the area which is unacceptable for both local residents and the nearby school, making resolution of this situation and the prevention of future encampments a priority. We are also directing extra resources within the Council’s Streetcare team to the area to deal with increased environmental issues such as litter and fly-tipping around the site.”
The spokesperson went on to explain that the council must follow a legal procedure before eviction action can take place.
It is now a stage where the council is waiting for a confirmed court date to seek possession of the land.
In the meantime, it has encouraged neighbours to report any incidents of anti-social behaviour to either Thames Valley Police or the council, and incidents of litter and flytipping via the Love Clean Streets app.
The spokesperson added: “The council continues to regularly visit the encampment to ensure the inhabitants have access to relevant support through its commissioned services, such as St Mungo’s homeless outreach services.”
