Our new Council Plan for 2025-2028 is made up of five key priorities, underpinned by objectives and projects which together will dictate our direction of travel as an organisation over the next three years. And while some objectives have been updated from the previous incarnation, what hasn’t changed is our overarching vision, which is to help Reading realise its potential and to ensure that everyone who lives and works here can share in the benefits of the town’s success.
We know Reading continues to be a town of contrasts, on the one hand a major economic player in the south-east and home to some major employers. On the other, there are pockets of communities in the town where residents experience disadvantages and where not everybody is fortunate enough to enjoy the same life chances as the rest of us. The Council remains determined to narrow that that gap, but one of our big challenges is reaching those people and communities who might need some support but, for a variety of reasons, don’t always come forward. That’s where the town’s voluntary and community sector continues to be an invaluable resource to the Council which we continue to tap into.
We are extremely fortunate in Reading to be home to a large and incredibly varied third sector, which is made up of dozens of organisations, groups and volunteers, who give up their valuable time to host support groups or run activities, training and volunteering or participation opportunities for residents in their local communities. It can be difficult to fully appreciate the depth and breadth of activities and support on offer, but these are opportunities which can open doors for people and, in some instances, change the direction of people’s lives.
Much of this work is not possible of course without the funding needed to back it up. At a time of strained local council budgets everywhere, I remain incredibly proud that Reading Council continues to provide support its voluntary and community sector, over and above what most other councils offer.
Last year grants payments totalling £636,449 were awarded to voluntary and community organisations across Reading. The money is sourced from a variety of national fundings streams, such as the Better Care Fund, the Household Support Fund, Creative Lives and Homes of Ukraine for example, and the Council’s own popular Small Grants Fund. While the Council is the front door for much of this money, it also falls to us to ensure it reaches the people it needs to. Year after year, it’s been proven the most effective means we have of doing that is to direct the funding through the town’s voluntary and community sector.
It’s also important to note that the overall grant figure for last year does not include services the Council procures from voluntary organisations through separate contractual arrangements. Analysis showed that the total figure for grants and services procured from the voluntary sector was £8.7 million the previous year (2023/24).
Local councils do not work in isolation. Much of what we hope to achieve through our new Council Plan will be delivered in conjunction with partners, whether that is Thames Valley Police, health services or the University for example. The town’s voluntary and community sector also plays a vital role and are the ones out on the ground delivering the benefits of these funding streams directly to residents. Their work, and the difference it makes to people’s lives, is not something we ever take for granted
You can read more about the Council Plan at https://www.reading.gov.uk/the-council-and-democracy/council-strategies-plans-and-policies/corporate-plan/
Cllr Liz Terry is the leader of Reading Borough Council
