Caversham (Reading ward)
Electoral ward in Reading, Berkshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caversham is an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. In a set of boundary changes in 2022, the boundaries of Caversham ward were significantly changed, gaining area from the former Thames ward in the north, but losing it in the south to the new Thames ward. The two Thames wards have nothing in common other than their name.[3][3][4][5]
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| Caversham Ward, Borough of Reading | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top left: St Peter's Church, Balmore Walk, Caversham Court, St Martin's precinct | |
  Caversham Ward, Borough of Reading Location within Berkshire | |
| Area | 2.192 km2 (0.846 sq mi) [1] |
| Population | 11,317 [2] |
| • Density | 5,163/km2 (13,370/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU717752 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Royal Berkshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
Location
The ward lies in Caversham, a village and suburb that was once a independent town on the north bank of the River Thames opposite Reading. As an area, Caversham also includes the wards of Caversham Heights and Emmer Green, together with part of the cross-river Thames ward. Caversham ward does, however, include both Caversham's village centre and its church, St Peter's.[3]
From the south-west in clockwise order, the ward is bounded by the River Thames, The Warren, The Mount, Kidmore Road, Oakley Road, and Rotherfield Way. It then takes a behind the houses route to the north of Balmore Drive and south of Surley Row to Peppard Road. From here, it runs between the back of the houses on Chiltern Road to the Henley Road, from where it follows the borough boundary to Paddock Road. It then follows Gosbrook Road to School Lane and Abbotsmeade Place back to the River Thames.[3]
The ward is bordered by Caversham Heights, Emmer Green and Thames wards of Reading Borough Council, and by the civil parish of Eye and Dunsden in South Oxfordshire. The whole of the ward lies within the Reading Central parliamentary constituency.[3]
Profile
As of 2024[update], Caversham ward had an area of 2.192 square kilometres (0.846 sq mi) and there were 11,317 people living there. Of these, 18.9% were under 15 and 15.8% were 65 and over; 81.6% classified themselves as White, 7.6% as Asian, and 3.7% as Black, Caribbean or African; 20.5% were born outside the UK. The population lived in approximately 4,700 households, of which 22.5% were in a flat, maisonette or apartment, and 77.4% were in a house or bungalow.[1][2]
Of the population aged over 16, 65.6% were in employment, 3.4% were unemployed, and 31.0% were economically inactive. Of those in employment, 64.1% were in managerial, professional or technical occupations. A total of 50.6% of the population were educated to university degree level.[2]
The ward includes Caversham primary school, Queen Anne's School and Caversham preparatory school. It also has public parks at Caversham Court and Balmore Walk.[3]
Representation
As with all Reading wards, the ward elects three councillors to Reading Borough Council. Elections since 2004 are generally held by thirds, with elections in three years out of four. As of May 2026[update], the ward councillors are Jan Gavin, Jacopo Lanzoni and Matt Yeo, who are all members of the Labour party.[6][7]