What do Reading's neighbours think of its city status bid?

Those who’ve been in Reading for a while will know the suburban towns of Woodley and Earley are in Wokingham Borough and other suburb areas of Tilehurst and Calcot are in West Berkshire.

Indeed, there are no physical boundaries between Reading and Earley.

The places to the north of the Three Tuns crossroads such as The Three Tuns pub and the BP petrol station are in Reading Borough, while the places to the south like the Co-op, Sen Sushi and the Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church are all in Wokingham Borough.

READ MORE: KFC opens in Lower Earley but still snubs Wokingham

Meanwhile, Woodley is barely separated from Reading by the A3290.

So what do these people living outside of Reading Borough but within its urban area think about its bid for city status?

In four unscientific polls started by the Local Democracy Reporting Service on local Facebook groups, a total of 238 people supported the city status bid, with 105 people opposing it, a majority of 133.

Do you support Reading’s bid for city status?

Yes: 238

No: 105

But what do the area’s politicians think?

One councillor who represents Lower Earley opposes the city status bid.

Speaking in a personal capacity, councillor Pauline Jorgensen (Conservative, Hillside) said: “I don’t support it.

“I think the way Reading Borough would acheive status may involve taking off suburban areas in order for it to be big enough, and I don’t want them to do that.

“I’m not sure what it does for residents either.

The Three Tuns junction, the border of Reading and Earley. Credit James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

“[There’s a reason] why people move from Reading to Earley.

“There are good services and good schools here, I don’t believe in a Greater Reading.

“If it’s just Reading Borough applying for city status, that’s up to them.

“But the way it’s being positioned is the expansion of Reading to cover the whole urban area.

“The areas around Reading have been separate from Reading since before the Doomsday Book.”

READ MORE: Could 'new' Earley and Woodley parliament seat become a political battleground?

Meanwhile, councillors from the two other main parties were supportive.

Asked whether she supports the bid, Shirley Boyt (Labour, Bulmershe & Whitegates), said: “Of course, I think it’s a really good idea.

“I have supported the bids in the past which have failed unfortunately.

“If it’s good for Reading then it should be good for my ward which borders Reading.

“If Reading gets investment that will benefit my residents.

“I know all the people who live in my ward who are so close to Reading use it more than Wokingham for recreation and other services.”

READ MORE: Shirley Boyt calls Earley yellow line painting 'a fiasco' as drivers are hit with fines

Does she fear that Earley and Woodley could become agglomerated into Reading Borough?

Cllr Boyt replied: “Not really, I can’t see that happening, some people might think it could happen.

“The  A3290 and the rail line do make an adequate boundary, I think it would be unlikely, but if it does happen that would have to be something that is looked into quite closely, I can’t see it being on the table personally.”

Cllr Clive Jones (Liberal Democrats, Hawkedon) also supports the bid.

READ MORE: New Lidl supermarket plan REFUSED due to 'overbearing' impact on neighbours

He said: “I’m basically in favour of it. I think it would be good for Reading.

“I don’t think Earley and Woodley would be swallowed up, perhaps some time in the next 30-40 years there will be a redrawing of the council boundaries but I can’t see it happening in the next 10-15 years.

“I think given the size that we are we deserve to be a city. The strange thing is in our post it says ‘Earley, Reading’ not ‘Earley, Wokingham’ and it never has been.”

The city status bid was officially submitted by Reading Borough Council leader cllr Jason Brock (Labour, Southcote) in December.

An established settlement will be given city status in a competition as part of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Sir John Redwood, the MP for Wokingham, was asked about whether he supported the bid but did not reply to our email request.