The leader of Reading Borough Council has been accused of requesting a potential ‘land grab’ of the western suburbs of the town.
Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), the leader of Reading Borough Council, has proposed a potential boundary review to explore the possibility of expanding the borough westwards.
This would involve Calcot, Tilehurst Parish, Theale and Pangbourne being brought under the control of Reading Borough.
A boundary review request would need to be approved by the council’s policy committee in a submission to Angela Rayner, the secretary of state for local government.
Cllr Terry has made the proposal as a counteroffer to the possible creation of ‘Ridgeway Council’, which would fuse West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse together.
Ridgeway could stretch from Tilehurst in the east to Faringdon in the west, and has been devised as the Labour government is scrapping county councils.
However, cllr Terry’s proposal has been branded an ‘unhelpful land grab’ by Jeff Brooks, the leader of West Berkshire Council.
Cllr Brooks (Liberal Democrats, Thatcham West) said: “We strongly refute this unhelpful and unsolicited attempted land grab from Reading council. Our eastern communities have long been part of West Berkshire. Our links date back to 1894, when we came together under Bradfield Rural District Council.
“They have never, and should never, fall under the jurisdiction of Reading Borough.
“Reading’s report attempts to blur shopping habits with council effectiveness. Trips to Reading for shopping or leisure are a matter of geography, not governance.
“We’ve been undertaking a significant amount of engagement activity as part of the development of the Ridgeway proposal, and this has made clear that the majority of our residents see these communities not as extensions of Reading, but as thriving parts of West Berkshire.
“I am confident that West Berkshire delivers stronger services at lower cost, and that our performance and the investment we are making into these communities, ensure that they are best served by us.
“Examples of this include the award-winning social, emotional and mental health facility at Kennet Valley Primary in Calcot, the new Badgers Hill iCollege, and the recently-opened new pitches at Cotswold Leisure Centre.
“It’s not just us saying this, however; recent comparative data speaks for itself. For example, 92 per cent of our secondary schools are rated good or outstanding compared with 80 per cent in Reading – with more of our primary schools scoring better too. Just three per cent of our roads should be considered for maintenance – Reading’s is more than double that – while Children’s Services are Good in West Berkshire but Require Improvement in Reading. We have more sports facilities per 100,000 residents, we collect glass recycling at the kerbside…the list goes on.
“When you add to this lower council tax bills residents should be in no doubt as to which local authority offers them the better deal.
“Our proposal to form Ridgeway Council responds directly to the government’s vision for larger, more effective unitary authorities. It promises better resilience, joined-up service delivery, and cost savings without dismantling our current civic structures or impacting on local identity. The proposal includes the whole of West Berkshire, and we have no intention to change this position.
“We remain clear that our eastern parishes are, have long been, and will remain, integral to West Berkshire. We reject any suggestion that joining Greater Reading would benefit these communities. In contrast, West Berkshire offers better value for money, higher quality local services, and ambitious plans for the future of our district.
“This move by Reading Borough also begs the question if this is the limit of their ambition, or if they will begin to look at Wokingham’s boundary too.
“Here in West Berkshire we will continue to prioritise the interests and identity of every community in our area.”
All three councils that make up ‘Ridgeway Council’ are controlled by the Liberal Democrats.
Cllr Terry has pointed out that expanded Reading Borough west would not compromise Oxfordshire’s proposals for a new ‘Ridgeway Council’, as the combined population of the five wards is 32,000, meaning the remaining populations for the ‘Ridgeway’ proposals would be 387,000 and 431,000.
