Reading steps up campaign for boundary change
They want to expand west into an area currently administered by west Berkshire council
Reading borough council is stepping up its efforts to have its boundary with West Berkshire revised.
The council is planning to submit a request for a boundary change in response to Oxfordshire’s Local Government reorganisation proposals to merge West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Council’s to create a new Ridgeway Council
Reading Council will be formally asking the Government for a change to Reading’s boundary as the largely urban areas to the west of Reading naturally form part of greater Reading. They say it makes sense for them to formally become part of Reading rather than the proposed much larger and predominantly rural Ridgeway Council.
The wards potentially affected are: Pangbourne, Theale, Tilehurst and Purley, Tilehurst Birch Copse, and Tilehurst South and Holybrook.
This month the council is holding drop-in events in the local community.
Thu 4 Sep 4pm – 7pm Tilehurst Community Centre
Sat 6 Sep 10am – 1pm Theale Village Hall
Tue 9 Sep 4pm – 7pm Calcot Sainsbury’s
Thu 11 Sep 4pm – 7pm Pangbourne Village Hall
Thu 18 Sep 4pm – 7pm Tidmarsh Village Hall
Sat 20 Sep 10am – 1pm Purley Memorial Hall
West Berkshire council say the boundary change is a 'land grab' and a 'hostile' act. But Reading say it's only become necessary because west Berkshire wants to merge with councils in Oxfordshire.