| Election Name: | 1984 Reading Borough Council election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1983 Reading Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1983 |
| Next Election: | 1986 Reading Borough Council election |
| Next Year: | 1986 |
| Seats For Election: | 15 seats of 45 on council |
| Majority Seats: | 23 |
| Image1: | Con |
| Leader1: | Deryck Morton |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Seats Before1: | 26 |
| Seats After1: | 23 |
| Seat Change1: | 3 |
| Popular Vote1: | 16,843 |
| Percentage1: | 42.4 |
| Swing1: | 3.7 |
| Leader2: | Mike Orton |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Seats Before2: | 13 |
| Seats After2: | 17 |
| Seat Change2: | 4 |
| Popular Vote2: | 13,286 |
| Percentage2: | 33.5 |
| Swing2: | 3.6 |
| Image3: | Lib |
| Leader3: | Basil Dunning |
| Party3: | Liberal Party (UK) |
| Alliance3: | SDP-Liberal Alliance |
| Seats Before3: | 6 |
| Seats After3: | 5 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Popular Vote3: | 9,216 |
| Percentage3: | 23.2 |
| Swing3: | 0.1 |
The 1984 Reading Borough Council election was held on 3 May 1984, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. One third of Reading Borough Council's 45 seats were up for election.
The election saw the Conservatives' majority on the council reduced to just one seat. After the election, the Conservatives had 23 seats, Labour had 17 seats, and the SDP-Liberal Alliance had 5 seats.[1] [2]
The leader of the Conservative group was Deryck Morton, and the leader of the Labour group was Mike Orton, both remaining in post after the election. The Liberal leader on the council prior to the election was Basil Dunning, but he was replaced immediately after the election by former leader Jim Day, who had lost his seat in 1983 but regained it at this election.[3]
The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk(*) were the previous incumbent standing for re-election, candidates with a dagger(†) were sitting councillors contesting different wards):[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
The Church ward by-election in 1984 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Dave Absolom.[11] [12]
The Battle ward by-election in 1985 was triggered by the death of Labour councillor Joe Bristow.[13] [14]