Labour in control as Greens make a gain
IT WAS almost no change in this year’s local elections – Labour gained a seat from the Conservatives, but lost one to the Green party, while the Lib Dems held Tilehurst.
The poll was held on Thursday, May 2, and counted overnight at Rivermead Leisure Centre.
It saw the Conservatives continue their decline, as they lost a seat in Emmer Green, while the Greens gained in Katesgrove.
This means the council chamber now has 32 Labour councillors, eight Greens, four Conservatives and three Lib Dems. There is also an independent councillor.
Reading East’s Labour MP Matt Rodda was at the count to witness the results come in.
“I’m utterly taken back that we’ve taken Emmer Green, and I want to congratulate Daya Pal Singh wholeheartedly on having done such an amazing job,” he told Reading Today.
“It was completely unexpected: the seat has never had a Labour councillor.
“Emmer Green was Conservative represented for many years, and jumped between LibDems and
Conservatives, so it’s absolutely unprecedented. We never thought we could take that seat.
“He’s done an amazing job so it’s a tribute to him and his team, who’ve worked incredibly hard.”
He said Labour’s performance in the local elections were indicative of a desire for a general election.
“It’s a sign of the way that the views of the public are changing: people want a general election for a muchneeded change of government,” he explained.
“It’s a good indication of that, so we congratulate our colleagues in west Reading, where Mark [Keeping] massively increased his majority.”
The opposition to Labour remains the Green party.
Its leader, Park Ward councillor Rob White, said: “It was a really hard-fought campaign, so we’re really pleased that Dave was reelected