PLANS which would have seen parts of Reading subsumed under the local authority in another county have been put on hold amid potential legal challenges from UK councils.
Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner announced in Parliament on Monday, September 7, that she would be halting plans to “shake-up” local governance laid out earlier this year.
Proposals covering a number of local authorities across England would have seen smaller councils subsumed into larger authorities in four counties, as well as reorganisations and mergers in over a dozen other regions.
Parts of Berkshire were among them, with plans outlined that would see parts of Reading coming under a new Ridgeway council, along with parts of nearby Oxfordshire.
These included parts of Tilehurst, Purley, and Birch Copse, which currently fall under the West Berkshire authority, but which are widely considered extensions of Reading.
The government received a number of letters outlining potential legal challenges over the proposals, with councils in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Hampshire threatening to lodge judicial reviews.
Reading Borough Council also expressed disappointment over the plans, and gave counter proposals that the West Berkshire wards of Tilehurst Birch Copse, Tilehurst & Purley, and Tilehurst South & Holybrook should be moved into Reading.
These were not agreed upon, however.
They argue that moving them into a predominantly rural new ‘Ridgeway’ Council contradicts the government’s prescribed criteria that proposals should be based on ‘sensible economic geography.’
Councillors argued that residents in the affected parts of West Berkshire were heavily reliant on Reading services, such as local transport, and that while they disagreed with the conclusion of the government shake-up, they shared its aim to promote economic growth driven by towns and cities.
Ms Rayner said in Parliament that as a result of legal advice, she wanted to ensure “the right process was in place” and “robust” before moving ahead with proposals.
In light of the pause, she also confirmed that local elections set to take place in May next year would go ahead under their current local authority boundaries.
