# 1996 Reading Borough Council election

The 1996 Reading Borough Council election was held on 2 May 1996, at the same time as other local elections across England. Sixteen of the 45 seats on Reading Borough Council were up for election, being the usual third of the council (15 seats) plus a by-election in Redlands ward, where Labour councillor Tony Jones had resigned.
Labour increased its majority on the council, and David Sutton remained leader of the Labour group and leader of the council. The Liberal Democrats became the second largest group on the council, overtaking the Conservatives, who were left with just four seats. The leader of the Conservative group ahead of the election was Tony Markham, but he lost his seat at the election. Ed Young was appointed leader of the Conservative group shortly afterwards. The Liberal Democrats also replaced their leader after the election, with outgoing leader Jim Day being appointed mayor of Reading, and Ian Fenwick appointed the new leader of the Liberal Democrat group in his place.

## Results

Reading Borough Council Election, 1996 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 13 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 81.3% | 55.3% | 18,282 | -1.3 |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 6.3% | 22.8% | 7,541 | -1.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 12.5% | 20.8% | 6,865 | +2.9 |
| Green | 0 | | | | 0% | 1.1% | 380 | 0.0 |

### Ward results

The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk* were the previous incumbent standing for re-election):
Abbey Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jane Griffiths* | 1,317 | 72.4 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Willis | 288 | 15.8 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julian Fertray | 214 | 11.8 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,819 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.5 | |
Battle Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Tattersall* | 1,170 | 74.9 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | Heather Jones | 254 | 16.3 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Canning | 139 | 8.9 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,563 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.45 | |
Caversham Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Stainthorp | 1,511 | 54.8 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Mark Anderson | 962 | 34.9 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Bentham | 284 | 10.3 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,757 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.35 | |
Church Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maureen Lockey* | 1,012 | 67.7 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Mark Graves | 287 | 19.2 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Orchard-Doughty | 131 | 8.8 | −3.5 |
| | Green | Richard Bradbury | 65 | 4.3 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,495 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.2 | |
Katesgrove Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Sutton* | 959 | 65.9 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative | Shirley Mills | 275 | 18.9 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Coleman | 159 | 10.9 | n/a |
| | Green | Philip Unsworth | 62 | 4.3 | −4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,455 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.3 | |
Kentwood Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sandy Scaife | 1,200 | 48.1 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Duveen | 711 | 28.5 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | John Oliver* | 586 | 23.5 | −3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,497 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.7 | |
Minster Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leighton Yeo | 1,414 | 56.7 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | Tony Markham* | 805 | 32.3 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Hayes | 275 | 11.0 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,494 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -2.6 | |
Norcot Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Helen Hathaway | 1,355 | 72.4 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Scott | 236 | 12.6 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Vanessa Jones | 226 | 12.1 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Joseph Loudon | 54 | 2.9 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,871 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.05 | |
Park Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jonathan Hartley | 1,607 | 79.1 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Preston | 424 | 20.9 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,031 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.4 | |
Peppard Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Bolt | 1,496 | 51.2 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Mary Irwin* | 981 | 33.5 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Adam Wood | 447 | 15.3 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,924 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.1 | |
Redlands Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jonathan Morris* | 1,258 | 57.3 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | James Wilson | 407 | 18.6 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Hannan | 376 | 17.1 | +3.6 |
| | Green | Mary Westly | 153 | 7.0 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,194 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.25 | |
Redlands Ward (by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Winfield-Chislett | 1,359 | 65.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Fitchett | 715 | 34.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,074 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Southcote Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Askar Sheibani | 1,345 | 65.3 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | Susan White | 455 | 22.1 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deon Pheiffer | 261 | 12.7 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,061 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.8 | |
Thames Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeanette Skeats | 1,435 | 46.2 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Reilly | 1,014 | 32.7 | +5.4 |
| | Labour | Betty Tickner | 654 | 21.1 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,103 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.5 | |
Tilehurst Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Day* | 1,444 | 62.8 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | John Ennis | 489 | 21.3 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | David Jones | 322 | 14.0 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Judith Green | 46 | 2.0 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,301 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.0 | |
Whitley Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Hanley | 1,185 | 82.1 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Lloyd Henry | 258 | 17.9 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,443 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.0 | |