Council reveals action against antisocial behaviour thanks to resident input

Reading residents are being urged to give their views on how safe they feel around the town by taking part in a new Community Safety Survey launched today. The results will help determine the issues and locations to focus on over the coming year.

A number of successful initiatives to help tackle antisocial behaviour in Reading were introduced as a direct result of last year’s Community Safety Survey, showing how residents’ feedback helps make Reading safer. 

By completing the survey at www.reading.gov.uk/cspsurvey26, residents have an effective platform on which to voice their concerns on anything which makes them feel unsafe, or which they feel needs to be addressed.

Feedback allows the Council and its partners – including Thames Valley Police – to consider what action can be taken through the Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

Evidence of how residents instigated change by voicing their concerns in last year’s survey include:

Concerns around retail crime, noting how much this has increased in supermarkets and shops across Reading:

Increased funding of the Townsafe Radio scheme and Reading Business Against Crime (RBAC) to support retailers with training and intelligence. The Community Safety Partnership also supported a targeted Police operation to disrupt theft in the town centre, which has led to arrests and charges against prolific perpetrators.

Worries about aggressive begging and harrassment, particularly around the train station and throughout the town centre:

The introduction of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has given TVP additional powers to deal with aggressive begging. The Tap for Reading scheme provides the public with an alternative means of giving to homeless people online and through tap points across the town centre, which helps reduce aggressive begging.

Concerns about the safety of women in Reading, particularly in the town centre:

The Reading Safe Space has continued to play a key role in supporting the safety of women in the Town Centre, with Reading’s First Stop and Street Pastors using it to support vulnerable night time visitors to town. The CSP is continuing to encourage bars, clubs and businesses to promote the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme, which offers a safe exit from risky situations in venues, along with Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training for venue staff.

The CSP has also secured funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to provide self-defence training to community representatives throughout 2026, who will then go on to share their skills by training others with the aim of empowering women.

Environmental issues which also contributed to residents feeling less safe – referencing fly-tipping and littering across the borough:

Last September the Council introduced a new Environmental Enforcement Partnership with Kingdom Local Authority Support. Five dedicated environmental enforcement officers patrol hotspot areas daily – including weekends and public holidays – with the ability for them to issue higher fines to reflect the seriousness of these offences. The pilot has seen a tenfold increase in the number of PCNs issued and the Council will be extending the scheme as a result of its success.

Complaints about the reckless and dangerous riding of e-bikes and e-scooters throughout Reading, and these vehicles being used in criminal activity, such as drug dealing and ASB:

Countered by the additional PSPO powers granted to Thames Valley Police. The Public Spaces Protection Order, which came into force in March, gave the Council and Police additional powers to deal with five key elements of antisocial behaviour across the whole of Reading Borough. As well as aggressive begging and the anti-social use of e-bikes and e-scooters, the order also deals with street drinking, dog fouling and dog control – all issues residents told the Council it wanted action taken on.

The PSPO was introduced as a tool to encourage people to amend their behaviour and allow dialogue and the potential for further action to help encourage compliance. Figures show the initiative has been well received, evidenced by interactions which have taken place with those offending, and resulting in the need for only 16 verbal warnings and 13 written warnings to date.

Finn McGoldrick, Lead Councillor for Community Safety, said:

“It is really encouraging to see the successful partnership initiatives which have been put in place as a direct consequence of feedback from residents in last year’s Community Safety Survey.

“Council and Police colleagues are working together to find new and positive solutions to the issues people have flagged with us and they are working hard to make Reading an even better place for residents and visitors to enjoy safely.

“Both the Public Spaces Protection Order and Environmental Enforcement Partnership are brand new initiatives which have come about thanks to the input of residents, and we now want to build on that success and focus again on the issues and places residents want to see improved.

“I would strongly encourage residents to complete this year’s survey, which is now live at www.reading.gov.uk/cspsurvey26.”

The Community Safety Survey launches during ASB Awareness Week, in which the Council is showcasing on its social media channels a range of other successful outcomes in the fight against ASB. These include working with TVP on closure orders of properties causing concern in local communities, taking action to reduce ASB in parks, BID warden patrols of the town centre and supporting businesses to take action against crime.