Church (Reading ward)
Church is an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It is covers an area south and south-east of the town centre, and is bordered by Whitley, Katesgrove and Redlands wards of Reading Borough Council, and by the civil parishes of Earley and Shinfield in Wokingham. The whole of the ward lies within the Earley and Woodley parliamentary constituency.[1][2]
In a set of boundary changes in 2022, the boundaries of Church ward were significantly changed, losing areas to both Redlands and Whitley wards, whilst gaining a considerable area from Whitley ward west of Northumberland Avenue. One rather strange consequence of this is that the geographical centre of the suburb of Whitley, as depicted on Ordnance Survey maps, now lies in Church ward rather than Whitley ward.[1][2][3][4]
As with all Reading wards, the ward elects three councillors to Reading Borough Council. Elections since 2004 are generally held by thirds, with elections in three years out of four, although the 2022 elections were for all councillors due to the boundary changes. The ward councillors are currently Andrew Hornsby-Smith, Ruth McEwan and Paul Woodward, who are all members of the Labour party.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Election Maps (Map). Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Wards". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ "Draft recommendations consultation for Reading Borough Council has now closed". Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "The boundaries of Reading Borough Council wards have changed – find out about your new ward and where you can vote". Whitley Community Development Association. 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
- ^ "Your Councillors". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.