"Cherry-picked Statistics" — Lib Dems Demand Answers on Soaring ASB and Reading's Above-average Crime Rate
Reading Liberal Democrats have raised concerns that Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber's annual report hides a sharp rise in anti-social behaviour and a worsening picture for Reading residents behind selective positive statistics — concerns now reinforced by the findings of an independent national inspection.
Reading Liberal Democrats are calling on Conservative Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber to answer for a significant deterioration in anti-social behaviour and rising demand on the force, after scrutinising both his 2025/26 annual report and the latest independent HMICFRS PEEL inspection report published this week.
While the Conservative PCC's annual report — and coverage of it — highlighted falls in knife crime, vehicle theft and shoplifting, Liberal Democrats warn that several troubling trends were omitted from the headline figures.
Most strikingly, reports of anti-social behaviour rose from 7,232 to 9,565 over the past 12 months — a rise of 32% — affecting the quality of life of residents across Thames Valley, including in Reading. This figure did not feature in the coverage of the report. Overall incidents recorded by the force rose by 7% to over 500,000, including a 4% rise in 999 calls — pointing to significantly rising demand that complicates the "things are improving" picture the PCC has sought to present.
Independent crime data also shows that Reading's crime rate remains higher than the Thames Valley average, meaning that force-wide improvements do not necessarily reflect what residents in the town are experiencing. Robbery offences have shown a significant upward trend over the past three years, with the local rate now running at more than double the level it was three years ago relative to the national average.
Violence against the person also increased by 1% in Thames Valley over the period, while the national figure moved in the opposite direction — falling by 1% — suggesting the force is falling behind comparable areas on this measure.
On domestic abuse, the Conservative PCC's report cites improved positive outcomes but does not state whether incidents increased or fell. The charge rate for rape and sexual offences stands at just 10.6%, meaning nine out of ten cases still do not result in a charge. Victim support services also faced a 4.2% cut to core Government funding this year, creating financial uncertainty for specialist services across the area.
Crucially, the independent HMICFRS inspection — which carries far greater authority than the PCC's own self-assessment — identified specific weaknesses in how Thames Valley Police investigates crime and in its safeguarding processes. These are not Liberal Democrat criticisms; they are the findings of the national inspectorate responsible for holding police forces to account.
The PCC himself acknowledged in response to the inspection that further improvement is needed and that significant financial pressures mean that prioritising resources in one area inevitably limits what can be done elsewhere — an admission that the force is making difficult trade-offs that will affect services to residents.
“The PCC deserves credit where it is due — falls in knife crime and vehicle theft are genuinely welcome, and we note the inspectorate recognised some improvements in crime prevention. But this annual report reads like a press release, not an accountability document. A 32% surge in anti-social behaviour, rising overall demand, weaknesses in investigations and safeguarding identified by independent inspectors, and a charge rate of just 10.6% for rape and sexual offences — these are not minor footnotes. Reading residents deserve an honest picture of public safety in their town, not a carefully curated set of metrics from a Conservative PCC seeking to protect his own record.”
— Councillor James Moore, Reading Liberal Democrats
Reading Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative PCC to publish a Reading-specific breakdown of crime trends, provide a clear explanation for the sharp rise in anti-social behaviour and overall demand, and set out how identified weaknesses in investigations and safeguarding will be addressed without further detriment to frontline services.