That's it for this debate. You can listen back on BBC Sounds and soon the debate will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer below.

Many thanks for joining us.

Helen Belcher from the Liberal Democrats said as a former business owner: "I think entrepreneurs throughout the constituency need much more support."

She added that the process of setting up a small business needs to be simplified.

Olivia Bailey who's standing for Labour said she would work "tirelessly to support and back" small businesses.

"That means reforming business rates, bringing banking hubs back to high streets and tackling anti-social behaviour on our high streets.

"The way that businesses will succeed and thrive is stability."

For the Greens, Carolyne Culver says a lack of public transport is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses.

She says: "Those business are struggling to get the staff. People can't get to work at the right times of day."

Conservative Ross Mackinnon says small businesses are the "lifeblood of our economy".

He says: "The number one thing we can do to support local entrepreneurs is keep their tax regime low."

Mr Mackinnon says the Tories would remove National Insurance completely for all self-employed people.

He adds that Brexit has removed "red tape" for businesses,

The economy will be a key battle ground in this election with voters desperate for answer on how parties will address the cost-of-living crisis.

When we were out and about in Tilehurst the other day one of the local people we spoke with was J.D, and he wanted us to put his question about local business to you.

Helen Belcher from the Liberal Democrats said the subsidy schemes "keep changing so it's really difficult for the farmers to do anything.

"Even a medium term plan let alone a long-term plan - and farmers need to thing three,four, five years in advance.

"If your scheme continually changes, farmers cannot do that it's practically impossible."

Conservative Ross Mackinnon says:

The Conservatives' Ross Mackinnon says farmers need a more "streamlined" system of government grants, so that they do not "drown in paperwork".

He adds: "In terms of food security... we do need to grow more of our food at home so we're less reliant on abroad.

"I'm really, really keen to help farmers to diversify... to do other things with their land."

He says he has worked as a councillor to reform planning policies to make diversification easier.

Olivia Bailey from the Labour Party said: "Labour is going to back our farms and I am going to back our farms in this constituency. First of all we are going to make sure the ELM scheme (Environmental Land Management) is rolled out smoothly because there are too may delays with payments.

Secondly the botched Brexit deal has made it a lot harder for farmers to trade so we are going to have things like a veterinary agreement and break down some of those barriers to trade.

We are also going to back and buy British produce - we have said that a minimum of 50% of procurement in our public services will come from high quality British farm produce which I think will really help.

"And then more broadly, are are going to bring down energy bills with Great British Energy which will help our farmers immensely."

Carolyne Culver says the Green Party would rejoin the European Union at the right time.

She says that would compensate for the loss of agricultural workers, benefitting workers and students.

She adds that many farmers are concerned about the environment.

But she says some feel that environmental management subsidies after Brexit have "not kept up with the reduction in the Common Agricultural Policy".

The debate is being broadcast live on BBC Sounds. Tap the link below to listen now - even if you are catching up after it has finished.

Reading West and Mid Berkshire has a considerable rural economy.

Across the UK farmers face huge issues including a post brexit labour shortage and climate change.

We spoke to one farmer on this patch and he wanted to ask you all this question.

Helen Belcher from the Liberal Democrats: "I think to put it into context it's a national problem which has very specific local impacts here.

The problem has been monitored for a number of years so we've seen that problem grow enormously - whilst this spring has been wet and it's been wetter than most it's not that much wetter than most so something is going badly wrong.

"We would want to put Thames Water and a number of other water companies changed into public benefit companies so they are not for profit companies..."

Green Party candidate Carolyne Culver says Thames Water should be taken back into public ownership.

She says: "Ultimately they're not accountable to us. They're accountable to shareholders for overseas pension funds.

"We need more investment, we need more money for the Environment Agency.

She acknowledges that nationalising the water firms would come at a cost to the taxpayer.

Olivia Bailey who's standing for Labour said: "I think it is remarkable to hear people are experiencing this in their day to day lives.

"People are selling their houses, people are getting ill, it's been going on for months and nothing is happening to fix it - the government, the council, Thames Water, it's simply not good enough. If I am elected as the local MP I will not rest until we clean up the problem in rivers and streams locally..."

Conservative candidate Ross Mackinnon says it will take hundreds of billions of pounds to solve the issues caused by Victorian-era pipes.

He says the party's manifesto promises criminal prosecutions for unnecessary sewage discharges and water company bosses should not get bonuses if that happens.

Mr Mackinnon says the Conservatives made water firms monitor the issue, adding: "It's highly likely that the water is in a better condition now than it has been for decades."

Looking out of the window the sky is blue, while the leaves on the trees which are surprisingly numerous here at Thames Valley Park sway in what is the gentlest of summer breezes.

Easy to forget that spring was the wettest we've had in 40 years.

At one point barely a day passed without us hearing about river flooding in places like Pangbourne or of raw sewage running down the streets in villages like East Ilsley.

Pollution has been one of the big stories so far this year, no more so than in this new constituency.

So let's talk specifics. What do you think should be done to stop water companies from pumping untreated water out into our environment?

Ross Mackinnon - Conservative

A big football fan, Ross will be hoping his Scotland team can do better in tonight’s game against Switzerland than they did in the opening game of Euros 2024, losing 5-1 to Germany. Saying yes the rumours are true, I’m a full-blooded Scot he says he’s lived in Berkshire for half his life.

Calling himself a true Conservative, he says family values, hard work and unleashing everyone’s potential are the core planks of his campaign. A conservative councillor in West Berkshire since 2019 he says the role’s given him a good insight into what people in the area need.

He’s also frustrated that people voted for major changes in 2016 when they voted for Brexit, yet successive governments have struggled to meet those aspirations.

One thing Ross is keen to make clear. If Scotland fail to make the final of the Euros but England do, he’ll put country loyalty to one side and back the boys in white.

Olivia Bailey - Labour

A former aide to the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Olivia was born in Reading’s Royal Berkshire Hospital. Her dad was a local policeman and her mum taught in a nearby secondary school.

She stood as the Labour candidate for the former Reading West seat in 2017, losing out to the Conservatives’ Alok Sharma by a couple of thousand votes. Mr Sharma has since decided not to fight this election.

She lives in the constituency and her and her partners’ two boys go to school in Tilehurst. She says that if she’s voted in as the MP for the area she’ll put the local community first and bring the NHS back to health.

She says she’s ready for the challenge ahead and that having run national campaigns as part of Sir Keir’s top team she knows how to get things done.

Olivia says one of the keys to her campaign is breaking down the barriers which she says are stopping people making the most of their lives.

Helen Belcher - Liberal Democrat

Born in West Reading, Helen grew up in the constituency, in Burghfield Common. She’s stood for election for the Liberal Democrats before in both Berkshire and Wiltshire and was appointed an OBE in the New Year's Honours List in 2023 for services to the transgender community.

She says people in Reading West and Mid Berkshire need a local champion who is vocal and visible, addressing the issues they care about. Her top priorities should she be selected are the NHS, the economy and the environment.

On a more personal front she was once a secondary teacher in Leeds before moving into IT. Helen says she’ll fight to end cynical culture wars and stop the demonisation of minorities, refugees and protestors.

Helen says she understands the demands on schools, parents and small businesses and that she’s very different from your usual politician.

Carolyne Culver - Green

Like the Conservatives’ Ross Mackinnon, Carolyne’s been a West Berkshire councillor since 2019. She’s worked at the University of Oxford, Save the Children, War on Want and the local Wildlife Trust.

In a varied career she’s worked as an A-Level teacher, an associate lecturer and a journalist.

As you’d expect from someone representing the Greens she says it’s vital we protect the environment, investing in green jobs, renewable energy and home insulation, arguing this wouldn’t just improve peoples’ lives but boost the economy as well.

Away from the environment the Reading West and Mid Berkshire candidate says we need an end to austerity and a return to long term financial settlements for cash strapped local councils.

Carolyne says a vote for her on July 4th would be a vote for humanity, honesty and hope.

Kate Bosley - Reform

Kate calls Reading home and having spent ten years living in Pangbourne she says she knows the constituency well.

She’s spent many years in the UK’s car industry, working with luxury and bespoke car manufacturers to develop industry leading practices across the UK and Europe.

She’s also volunteered as a board member for Citizen’s Advice Reading which she says was both an honour and a privilege. Kate says she’s representing her town and her country and that the UK is unique in pioneering humanitarian efforts and encompassing a warm welcome to those in need.

However, in recent years she says these principles have been diluted and that civilians have been subject to indoctrination of our education system, abuse of the NHS and the mismanagement of public spending.

While new to politics, Kate says she’s "not new to life".

She had agreed to come along today but unfortunately has had to pull out after a gardening accident.

She says she's very disappointed not to be able to be here and passes on her apologies to the listeners and fellow candidates.

Adrian Abbs – Independent

Another West Berkshire resident, Adrian isn’t aligned to any of the mainstream political parties and says that independents like him have never been more important to our democracy and way of life.

Adrian says that if he’s voted in as the MP for Reading and West Berkshire he’ll donate a third of any pension he’d receive as a member of parliament to charity.

If selected he says he’ll work with whoever forms the next government on the environment, NHS, energy and housing while also tackling issues like the cost of living and sewage spills.

He also says he would push for a planning system that ensures infrastructure is delivered as well as homes and that it’s time we moved towards a community-led development system rather than a purely developer led one.

Adrian says old keys can’t unlock new locks, so it’s time for a new key.

The new constituency takes in the very western fringes of Reading and several villages on the eastern fringes of West Berkshire.

We've been on the streets of one part of the new constituency, Tilehurst, to find out what people have to say about the upcoming election...