Ridgeway Council- a proposal for all West Berkshire residents

Their comments, which were made following West Berkshire Council's submission of a proposal to create a new Ridgeway Council with South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council, suggest that Reading and West Berkshire's boundaries could be re-drawn if the proposal is accepted.

The Government's Devolution White Paper was published in late 2024 and will see the creation of new, larger unitary authorities of c.500,000 people. These new unitaries are intended to be created by merging existing local authority areas with neighbouring districts which share clear geographical, economic and social links; there is no suggestion that splitting existing local authority unitary areas is being considered.

The Ridgeway proposal, which was approved by Executive last week, has been submitted in response to a government invitation following its announcement in December 2024 to end two-tier authorities, like those in Oxfordshire.

Responding to these comments, Councillor Jeff Brooks, Leader of West Berkshire Council, said: 

"The Ridgeway proposal is an excellent way forward for the whole of West Berkshire and its two Oxfordshire neighbours, and has the potential to improve services for everyone who lives in the area. It is very disappointing that those who do not represent our area have decided to comment on our proposal without fully understanding the benefits it can bring.

 

"Calcot and Tilehurst became part of Newbury District Council in 1974. Before that, they formed part of Bradfield Rural District Council, which dates back to 1894. They have never been part of Reading Borough, and there is no reason why this should change.

 

"Residents from Tilehurst may travel to Reading to do their shopping, just as residents from Hungerford may go to Swindon to do theirs. These are not services provided by the council and are not relevant to the important conversation about local government reorganisation. Those that we are responsible for- schools, roads, recycling, leisure- are what this is about, and it is across these that residents living in West Berkshire benefit from demonstrably higher quality services and lower levels of council tax.

 

"And we've invested in our eastern communities, too. In the past year alone, we have opened the new award-winning facilities for Social, Emotional and Mental Health facility at Kennet Valley Primary School and the Badgers Hill i-college in Calcot; and will be opening a new pitch at Cotswold Leisure Centre in a few weeks.

 

"I have personally engaged with the Parish Councils in the area and visited several of them. West Berkshire Council looks forward to continuing to provide services to our residents in the east of our lovely district for many years to come.

 

"To suggest that West Berkshire residents would be better served in Reading is unwelcome and we are confident that the Ridgeway proposal will deliver for everyone in West Berkshire."