Council's plan to serve more areas scaled back

Reading Borough Council's leader will propose bringing the three villages under its jurisdiction

A council that proposed expanding its boundaries into a neighbouring authority has scaled back its plan.

Reading Council said it still wanted to provide services for Calcot, Tilehurst and Purley-on-Thames but said it will not seek to serve Pangbourne or Theale as previously proposed.

All five of those areas are in West Berkshire but its council wants to join up with two Oxfordshire authorities if local government is reorganised as proposed.

Councils have until 28 November to submit their own proposals for changes, with decisions possible next summer and potential elections for new authorities in May 2027.

West Berkshire, Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire councils want to form Ridgeway Council, named after the ancient footpath.

A non-binding referendum – proposed by Theale Parish Council – was held on 6 November, with 95% of voters in Theale signalling that they wanted it to stay within West Berkshire Council's boundary.

But Reading Council said a plan to move some West Berkshire wards into that authority would "more accurately reflect" their geography and economic footprint.

At a council meeting later this month, Reading Council's leader Liz Terry will propose moving Tilehurst Birch Copse, Tilehurst and Purley, and Tilehurst South and Holybrook wards into her authority if the Ridgeway Council is formed.

She said that follows an "extensive period of work", including public consultations.

Reading Council said while data and modelling suggested a "good case" for including Pangbourne and Theale in Reading, it had "listened to the views of residents".

West Berkshire Council's leader Jeff Brooks said the changes to Reading Council's proposals "will come as a great relief for the people of Theale and Pangbourne but then they should never have been part of the conversation in the first place".

"It is a shame the people of Tilehurst, Calcot, Purley and Holybrook haven't been listened to in the same way," he said.

"In having to backtrack on a part of their already presumptive proposals it's clear their plans – already shortsighted – are now in disarray."

The Ridgeway Council forms part of five councils' plans for Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.

The Ridgeway Council's authorities are in favour of Oxfordshire having two councils. West Oxfordshire and Cherwell Councils also support that.

Oxford City Council favours there being three authorities in Oxfordshire, including the Ridgeway Council.

Oxfordshire County Council wants there to be one council that runs all the county's services.