Opportunities for residents and businesses to have their say on crime: Attend one of our upcoming Safer Neighbourhood Forums

Residents with an interest in improving their local communities and helping provide input to tackle crime locally are being encouraged to attend one of a series of Safer Neighbourhood Forums beginning next week.

The latest schedule of ten forums, spread across the borough to ensure specific, localised issues can be discussed at each one, begin in North Reading on 19 January and conclude with South Reading on 26 March.

The free-to-attend collaborative evening events provide a face-to-face platform for those who live in Reading to have their say on issues of safety, crime and anti-social behaviour in their local communities, giving opinions, asking questions and suggesting solutions to make the town safer for residents.

Officers from Thames Valley Police and Reading Borough Council, along with local Councillors, will attend all ten events to discuss locals’ concerns with them and address crime and anti-social behaviour issues specific to their area.

Residents and local businesses are encouraged to come along to the following events. The events run from 7pm to 8.30pm EXCEPT where noted below:

• Monday 19 January, North Reading Forum (at the Weller Centre, RG4 5NA) – focused on Emmer Green, Caversham, Caversham Heights and Thames
• Wednesday 21 January, Oxford Road Forum (at the Argyle Community Church, RG1 7YL) – focused on the ward areas of Abbey, Battle, Coley - south of Tilehurst Road and the western section of Norcot
• Thursday 22 January, West Reading Forum (at Lyndhurst Road Community Centre, RG30 6UB) – focused on Norcot, Tilehurst and Kentwood wards
• Thursday 29 January, South Reading Forum (note later start time: 7.45pm – 9pm at Hexham Road Community Centre, RG2 7UD) – focused on the Hexham Estate area
• Thursday 26 February, South Reading Forum (at South Reading Community Hub, RG2 7QA) – focused on the Central Whitley area
• Thursday 26 February, Coley Forum (at Coley Park Community Centre, RG1 6DW) – focused on Coley ward
• Thursday 5 March, Town Centre Forum (at the Civic Offices, RG1 2LU) – for those concerned about the Town Centre, and residents and businesses in Abbey and Thames wards
• Tuesday 17 March, Southcote Forum (at Southcote Family Church, RG30 3BL) – focused on Southcote ward
• Wednesday 25 March, East Reading Forum (at Sun Street Community Hub, RG1 3JX) – focused on the east Reading area in Thames, Park and Redlands wards
• Thursday 26 March, South Reading Forum (note later start time: 7.15pm – 8.45pm at Whitley Wood Community Centre, RG2 8UG) – focused on the area of Whitley Wood

Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, and Chair of the Community Safety Partnership, said:

“The New Year is a great time to pledge to do something positive to make a difference in your community and your town. One way you can do this is to join us at one of our upcoming Safer Neighbourhood Forums so that you can help inform the Police and the Council about issues you see in your area as needing greater focus.

“We know the best way for us to take effective action to improve and resolve localised problems is with positive communication and listening to input from the residents and businesses in our local communities.

“The recent Community Safety Survey highlighted concerns people have across Reading about the Town Centre, as it belongs to each of us. If you have concerns about the Town Centre, you are invited along to that forum also to contribute your thoughts.

“Please do take 90 minutes out of your schedules to come along, chat with us and open up some really positive dialogue to work together with the Police and the Council. Together we can ensure 2026 is a year in which we take effective action to remedy those issues that blight our communities.”

More Safer Neighbourhood Forums will be announced in due course as they continue throughout the year, with details appearing here when available: https://www.reading.gov.uk/crime-and-safety/safer-neighbourhood-forums/