A proposal by Reading Borough Council to bring five West Berkshire wards under its jurisdiction as part of local government reorganisation has been branded a ‘land grab.’
Two out of three reorganisation proposals for Oxfordshire include West Berkshire Council merging with South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils to form a new ‘Ridgeway Council’.
Reading BC argued these proposals would see parts of the greater Reading urban area moved into a larger, mainly rural local authority area, which it says is ‘at odds’ with the Government’s reorganisation criteria.
It has called for a review of the boundary between Reading and West Berkshire and proposed the inclusion of Calcot, Tilehurst, Theale, Pangbourne and Purley-on-Thames wards into an expanded Reading borough.
Cllr Liz Terry, Reading Borough Council leader, said: ‘The Government’s clear guidance is that reorganisation plans should focus on sensible economic areas, and it is important proposals do not ignore the natural boundaries and connections of the town. It therefore makes more sense to link these urban areas to Reading, which we would argue is a better match.’
Leader of West Berkshire Council, Cllr Jeff Brooks, condemned the proposal as an ‘unsolicited attempted land grab.’
He added that the wards cited by Reading BC ‘have never, and should never, fall under the jurisdiction of Reading Borough.’
