May 3, 2008
THANK YOU
Liberal Democrats are celebrating another advance in Reading as Labour lost their leader and overall control of Reading Borough Council.
In the Reading East constituency, Phil Challis turned a Conservative victory last year into a Liberal Democrat majority of almost 400 in Loddon ward in Woodley and Jenny Lissaman comfortably held Bulmershe & Whitegates.
Lib Dem Warren Swaine beat Labour’s longstanding Council leader David Sutton to gain a seat in Katesgrove ward and Glenn Goodall gained Redlands from Labour.
There are now 8 Liberal Democrats on Reading Borough Council – the highest total for many years.
Commenting on the results and Reading’s status as a balanced council, Cllr Gareth Epps, acting leader of the Liberal Democrat group, says:-
‘I’m delighted with this result. It is particularly clear that in the urban areas of Reading it is the Liberal Democrats making advances – and the Conservatives falling back. While Labour have lost control, the Tories cannot be pleased with a result that saw them lose in a number of seats they were targeting to gain.
‘Now to the future. We have set out a very clear agenda, in much greater depth than the other parties. We now want to make the changes which the people of Reading have demonstrated clearly they want to see.
‘It is called “Real Change for Reading” and is available on this site. I look forward to hearing how the other groups on the Council now will seek to implement that chance.’
