No change in Reading after local elections

Labour's Daya Pal Singh

Labour's Daya Pal Singh celebrates being elected to Reading Borough Council

At a glance

  • Labour keep control of Reading Borough Council

  • Greens gain a seat

  • Lib Dems finish with 27 seats in Wokingham, with no party gaining overall control

  • Thames Valley police and crime commissioner (PCC) result due on Saturday.

Stephen Stafford
BBC News

Labour has maintained its grip on Reading Borough Council following the local elections.

The Greens gained a seat and kept their position as the leading opposition party.

All of the seats on Wokingham Borough Council, along with a third of those on Reading Borough Council, were up for election.

The Liberal Democrats, who have controlled Wokingham Borough Council for two years without a majority, finished just one councillor short of gaining overall control.

Votes in the election for Thames Valley police and crime commissioner (PCC) are due to be counted on Saturday.

Labour's ward count on Reading Borough Council remained the same, with 32 seats.

The Greens picked up a seat in Katesgrove, with their candidate Kate Nikulina, who has run in the last three elections.

She took the seat vacated by Labour councillor Liam Challenger.

It left the party as the main opposition with eight seats

Simon Robinson, the Conservative councillor for Emmer Green ward, lost his seat to Labour challenger Daya Pal Singh, who returns to the council.

It leaves the Tories with four councillors, while the Lib Dems keep three.

The Lib Dems remain the largest party at Wokingham Borough Council, finishing the elections with 27 seats.

With the Conservatives gaining 19 and Labour gaining 8, the council remains under no overall control.

It was the only other local authority in Berkshire holding elections.

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