Reading Borough Council has appealed for residents to complete its latest Community Safety Survey, saying the results will determine the town's policing and prevention priorities for the coming year.
Council wants public input to guide action
In a letter to local residents, the council leader, Liz Terry, urged people to spend a few minutes completing the questionnaire so councillors and partner agencies can identify the issues and locations needing attention. The council said last year’s survey directly influenced a range of initiatives aimed at reducing anti‑social behaviour and retail crime.
The measures introduced since the previous survey include a mix of enforcement powers, partnership schemes and support services:
- Retail security: additional funding for the Townsafe Radio scheme and for Reading Business Against Crime (RBAC) to provide training and intelligence support for shopkeepers.
- Public order around the station and town centre: a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) giving Thames Valley Police (TVP) extra powers to tackle aggressive begging.
- Alternatives to cash for giving: the Tap for Reading initiative to allow donations to homeless people electronically, aiming to reduce instances of aggressive panhandling.
- Night‑time safety for women: continued operation of the Reading Safe Space, used by First Stop and Street Pastors to assist vulnerable visitors to the town centre after dark.
- Environmental enforcement: a joint partnership with Kingdom Local Authority Support and the deployment of five dedicated environmental enforcement officers to patrol hotspot locations daily, which the council says has led to a tenfold rise in penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued for matters such as fly‑tipping and littering.
- E‑bike and e‑scooter concerns: the PSPO was also cited as a response to complaints about reckless or criminal use of electrically assisted vehicles in public spaces.
“Please spare a few minutes this week to complete our Community Safety Survey, which will help us determine the issues and locations to focus on over the coming year,”
The council emphasised that public feedback had a measurable impact, saying several of the steps introduced were a direct result of residents’ responses to the previous consultation.
Partners and powers
The initiatives described rely on a combination of local authority action, volunteer and charity services, and police enforcement. The PSPO was highlighted as a means to grant Thames Valley Police specific tools to manage nuisance behaviours in public places, while schemes such as Townsafe Radio and RBAC focus on prevention and intelligence sharing within the retail sector.
On environmental crime, the partnership with Kingdom Local Authority Support places dedicated officers in frequent patrols of known problem areas; the council reported a significant increase in PCNs issued as a result, and has indicated plans to extend the scheme.
| Issue raised by residents | Response introduced |
|---|---|
| Retail crime | Extra funding for Townsafe Radio and RBAC |
| Aggressive begging | PSPO and Tap for Reading alternative giving scheme |
| Women's safety at night | Reading Safe Space with First Stop and Street Pastors |
| Environmental offences | Partnership with Kingdom; five enforcement officers; more PCNs |
Council leaders say the current survey will help refine where continuing resources and enforcement should be directed, and which interventions residents most want to see extended or introduced.
Residents concerned about anti‑social behaviour, reckless scooter or e‑bike use, retail offences or environmental crime in Reading have been asked to take part so their views can be factored into the partnership’s next steps.
