Katesgrove Explained

Official Name:Katesgrove
Static Image Name:Southampton Street, Reading - geograph.org.uk - 713076.jpg
Static Image Caption:Southampton Street and St Giles' Church
Os Grid Reference:SU715726
Coordinates:51.444°N -0.968°W
Unitary England:Reading
Lieutenancy England:Berkshire
Region:South East England
Country:England
Post Town:Reading
Postcode Area:RG
Postcode District:RG1
Dial Code:0118
Constituency Westminster:Reading Central

Katesgrove is an inner-town district and electoral ward situated immediately to the south of the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The district and ward are largely, but not entirely, coterminous.

District

The traditional definition of the district of Katesgrove is bounded on the north by the Inner Distribution Road, on the east by Sidmouth Street, Kendrick Road and Northumberland Avenue, on the south by Long Barn Lane and Rose Kiln Lane and on the west by the River Kennet.[1]

Electoral ward

The Katesgrove electoral ward of the Borough of Reading corresponds closely to the district. In addition to the traditional definition of Katesgrove (as given above), the ward includes a strip of land between the A33 and the River Kennet, including the flats on the site of the Reading Central goods depot and the commercial buildings to the south, that would more normally be regarded as part of the districts of Coley and Coley Park. The ward is bordered by Abbey, Redlands, Church, Whitley and Coley wards and forms part of the Reading East parliamentary constituency.[2] [3]

Katesgrove elects three councillors to the unitary Reading Borough Council, with each elected in separate years for a four-year term.[4] Traditionally an area of strength for the Labour Party, one of Katesgrove's councillors was Labour's David Sutton, who was leader of the council for thirteen years before his defeat by a Liberal Democrat, Warren Swaine, in 2008.[5] The 2000s witnessed a surge in votes for the Liberal Democrats, resulting in 2007 with the election of Gareth Epps, the constituency's 2010 candidate who achieved second place in that election - culminating in 2010 with all Katesgrove councillors being Liberal Democrats.[6] [7] However, the 2011 council election saw Labour candidate Matt Rodda, who is now MP for Reading East, elected, and over the following years Labour regained the remaining seats.[8]

In the 2022 election, at which all councillors faced re-election because of boundary changes, a swing from the Labour Party to the Green Party led to the latter gaining two of the three seats. As a result, the councillors are Liam Challenger of the Labour Party, and Doug Cresswell and Louise Keane, both of the Green Party.[9]

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Katesgrove Community Association . Katesgrove Community Association . 25 June 2014 . 13 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140213101833/http://www.katesgrove.org/ . dead.
  2. Web site: Wards . Reading Borough Council . 5 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120509152107/http://www.reading.gov.uk/meetings/wards/ . 9 May 2012 .
  3. Election Maps . Ordnance Survey . 15 June 2022.
  4. Web site: Reading Councillors. Reading Borough Council. 22 December 2011.
  5. News: Leader Out After 20 Years – By a Whisker. 22 December 2011. Reading Post. 6 May 2008.
  6. News: Reading Election Snaps (2007). 22 December 2011. Reading Post. 4 May 2007.
  7. Web site: Katesgrove 2010: Final Result. Reading Borough Council. 22 December 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120415041030/http://www.reading.gov.uk/electionsdata/2010/local/staticwardboard.asp?ward=39. 15 April 2012.
  8. Web site: Katesgrove 2011: Final Result. Reading Borough Council. 22 December 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120322011013/http://www.reading.gov.uk/electionsdata/2011/local/staticwardboard.asp?ward=56. 22 March 2012.
  9. Web site: Your Councillors . 9 June 2022 . Reading Borough Council . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609103151/https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0 . 9 June 2022 . live.
  10. Web site: Potts VC. www.pottsvctrust.org.