Case Made for ‘Greater Reading’ Should West Berkshire join Oxfordshire Reorganisation

THE Leader of Reading Borough Council and the MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire have separately written to Government to set out the case for an expanded Greater Reading Unitary Authority, should proposals to include West Berkshire in Oxfordshire’s local government reorganisation be accepted.

Last week, Oxfordshire County Council submitted interim reorganisation proposals to Government, two of which include proposals for the current West Berkshire Council to form part of its reorganisation proposals.

Councillor Liz Terry, Leader of Reading Borough Council, and Olivia Bailey MP, have separately written to Jim McMahon, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, stating the impact on Reading of any proposal which sees West Berkshire joining a local government reorganisation programme within Oxfordshire.

While acknowledging geographic and historic connections between West Berkshire and the southern part of Oxfordshire, the letter from Cllr Terry to Government states:

“West Berkshire also includes areas that are part of Greater Reading. It is important to recognise that the Reading geography does not end with the local authority boundary, which was set over 50 years ago and does not reflect the Reading identity held by many residents or communities in parts of West Berkshire.”

Making the case for a Greater Reading should West Berkshire be included in Oxfordshire’s reorganisation, Cllr Terry adds: “I would ask that this only be considered on the basis that those parts of West Berkshire where residents would more readily identify as being part of Reading become part of a larger Reading Council area.”

Cllr Terry makes clear in her letter that it was only West Berkshire’s intention to form part of Oxfordshire’s reorganisation plans which prompted her to write to Government. She states: “(West Berkshire’s Leader) will be unsurprised that Reading would register its interest so as not to disadvantage its position given there is no current plan to reorganise Berkshire Councils.”

Olivia Bailey,  MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, said:

“Residents in Tilehurst and other communities within the Greater Reading conurbation look towards Reading for services, shopping and leisure – and often raise with me that they feel forgotten by West Berkshire Council.

 ‘If West Berkshire’s proposals to join with parts of Oxfordshire are taken forward, I support Reading Borough Council’s proposals to ensure residents who live in Greater Reading are part of Reading Borough Council.'

Ahead of the reorganisation proposals from Oxfordshire County Council and its District Councils, Reading’s focus has been to work with neighbouring areas to develop options for a Mayoral Strategic Authority to deliver the economic growth and benefits which the Government set out in the English Devolution White Paper.