Unitary authority · England

Reading

Reading is a unitary authority. It is a single-tier authority, so it runs both local and larger services.

What this council is responsible for

Reading
Unitary authority · E06000038
  • Planning applications
  • Bin and recycling collection
  • Council tax and business rates collection
  • Housing and homelessness
  • Licensing
  • Environmental health
  • Parks and leisure
  • Local elections
  • Schools and education
  • Adult social care
  • Children’s services
  • Roads and highways
  • Waste disposal
  • Libraries
  • Trading standards
  • Public health
Official website →
Type
Unitary authority
Single tier
Official code
E06000038
ONS GSS code
Nation
England
Local planning authority
Yes. Decides planning applications in its area.

Other bodies covering this area

Royal Berkshire
Fire and rescue authority
  • Fire and rescue
26
Postcode sectors
15
Wards
3
Constituencies

8 of these postcode sectors are shared with a neighbouring council. Postcode sectors are a Royal Mail construct and do not follow council boundaries.

Boundary

Map loads when it scrolls into view

Ultra-generalised boundary (500 m) from the ONS Open Geography Portal, Open Government Licence v3. Indicative at this scale; not for legal or planning use. See it among its neighbours on the UK map →

Towns in this area

Parliamentary constituencies

Wards

15 wards recorded in this council area.

Abbey · Battle · Caversham · Caversham Heights · Church · Coley · Emmer Green · Katesgrove · Kentwood · Norcot · Redlands · Southcote · Thames · Tilehurst · Whitley

Postcode sectors

RG1 1 · RG1 2 · RG1 3 · RG1 4 · RG1 5 · RG1 6 · RG1 7 · RG1 8 · RG1 9 · RG19 9 · RG2 0 · RG2 6 · RG2 7 · RG2 8 · RG27 7 · RG30 1 · RG30 2 · RG30 3 · RG30 4 · RG30 6 · RG30 9 · RG31 5 · RG4 5 · RG4 6 · RG4 7 · RG4 8

Sources: ONS Open Geography Portal (boundaries and names, retrieved 2026-09-05, Open Government Licence v3); National Statistics Postcode Lookup May 2026; Wikidata (official website, CC0). Official code E06000038.