Reading Borough Council

What Reading Borough Council does

Reading Borough Council is a unitary local government authority serving the residents and businesses of Reading, Berkshire, England. It delivers a wide portfolio of statutory public services including waste and recycling, council tax administration, housing, parking regulation, adult social care, public health, planning and building control, benefits administration, and community wellbeing. The council operates from its Civic Office on Bridge Street, Reading, and reaches residents through a digital-first online portal (reading.gov.uk), in-person walk-in services, and an email newsletter subscription, supplemented by social media presence across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The council's most technology-forward offerings are its Digital Parking Permit System, which identifies electronic permits by scanning vehicle registration number plates (eliminating physical permit display and preventing copying or theft), and its Technology Enabled Care (TEC) service, which uses motion sensors to learn residents' daily routines and detect subtle behavioural changes that may signal health concerns, enabling vulnerable residents — including those with dementia — to live independently at home longer. Additional digital products include the AskSARA self-assessment tool for assistive equipment advice and a Connect to Work employment support programme (delivered in partnership with Palladium) for residents with health conditions or employment barriers.

The council's revenue is generated primarily through council tax (tied to property values), central government grants, and service fees including emissions-based parking permits (resident permits from £48, business permits at £331, tradesperson permits at £8 daily or £398 annually). It collaborates cross-boundary with Bracknell Forest, Wokingham and other Berkshire authorities through partnerships such as the re3 Partnership (waste management with FCC Environment), the Connect to Work programme, and the Independent Living TEC project with the University of Reading. As a publicly funded entity under UK municipal governance, the council is accountable to local residents through democratic processes and operates without private ownership.

Name

Reading Borough Council

Legal name

Reading Borough Council

Website

https://reading.gov.uk

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Reading Borough Council is a unitary local government authority serving Reading, Berkshire, providing statutory public services including waste, housing, parking, adult social care, and public health to borough residents and businesses through digital portals and civic offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Public Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs (92511), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Public service delivery
• Council tax administration
• Parking permit services
• Adult social care

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Council Tax: Primary local authority funding from residents based on property values
2. Parking Permits: Emissions-based charging for resident, business, and visitor parking permits. First resident permit from £48, second from £180, with surcharges for higher CO2 emitting vehicles.
3. Business and Tradesperson Permits: Annual business permits at £331, tradesperson permits at £398 annually or £8 daily, landlord permits at £398 annually or £8 daily
4. Community and Healthcare Permits: Free carer permits, first charity permit free then £145, healthcare professional and medical practitioner permits from £48

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Reading Borough Council is a unitary local government authority delivering statutory public services to residents of Reading, UK, including waste and recycling collection, council tax administration, housing, parking permits (digital visitor, resident, business and tradesperson permits), adult social care, Technology Enabled Care, employment support programmes, planning, and community services. Funded primarily through council tax, central government grants, and service fees such as emissions-based parking permits.

Product overview

Reading Borough Council operates as a local government authority offering a portfolio of digital and service-based products. The primary digital products include a digital parking permit system (with resident, visitor, business, and specialist permit types) managed through an external online portal, and a Technology Enabled Care (TEC) system that uses sensors to monitor residents' patterns of daily living for health and independence support. Additional services include employment support programmes (Connect to Work and Get Berkshire Working), an AskSARA assessment tool for assistive equipment advice, advocacy services commissioned from The Advocacy People, and public health initiatives including a toothbrushing programme for children. The council also participates in the re3read book reuse scheme. The digital parking permits and TEC services represent the most technology-forward offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Parking Permit System Electronic parking permits identified by scanning vehicle registration numbers. Residents apply and manage permits online through the reading-app.zatpermit.com portal. Permits cannot be copied, altered, lost or stolen. Emissions-based pricing applied.
• Digital Visitor Parking Permits Digital packs replacing physical scratchcard visitor permits. Each pack provides 120 parking credits (one-hour sessions) for resident visitors. First 2 packs free per household annually; up to 5 additional packs available at £26 each.
• Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Sensors and monitoring systems that learn residents' patterns of daily living to detect changes in behaviour that may indicate health concerns (e.g. illness, dehydration). Enables vulnerable residents, including those with dementia, to live independently at home longer. Contactable at [email protected].
• Independent Living TEC Project Research initiative conducted with the University of Reading over 18 months. Uses motion sensors to monitor 'pattern of life' data for vulnerable residents, including those with dementia. Worked with 130+ service users and supported sheltered housing residents to remain in the community.
• Connect to Work Voluntary employment support programme for people with health conditions, disabilities, or barriers to work. Provides up to 12 months of personalised one-to-one support. Aims to help approximately 2,300 people over 5 years across Berkshire, delivered by specialist provider Palladium.
• Get Berkshire Working Regional employment strategy aligning with UK Government goals to reach 80% employment rate. Focuses on inclusive growth and supporting residents into sustainable jobs across Berkshire.
• AskSARA Online assessment tool providing personalised advice about equipment for health, assistive technology and daily living ideas. Available via the council's adult social care section.
• Advocacy Services Commissioned advocacy services delivered by The Advocacy People since 2019. Includes Independent Mental Health Advocacy, Care Act Advocacy, NHS complaints advocacy, Social Care complaints advocacy, and Independent Mental Capacity Act advocacy.
• Supervised Toothbrushing Programme Free supervised toothbrushing programme for 1,800 children across 44 nurseries and schools in Reading, addressing child tooth decay rates above national average. Funded by government and Reading Borough Council's Public Health Grant, delivered with Community Dental Services CIC.
• re3read Book Reuse Scheme Waste management book reuse initiative redistributing second-hand books to over 60 local organisations including schools, nurseries, care homes and community groups across Bracknell, Reading and Wokingham boroughs.
• Council Tax Administration Statutory council tax collection and administration service for Reading Borough residents. Council Tax is the primary local authority funding from residents based on property values. Includes online payment, change of circumstances notification, and account management.
• Waste and Recycling Collection Statutory kerbside waste and recycling collection service for Reading Borough residents, including bin calendar lookup, missed bin reporting, and recycling guidance. Operated as part of the re3 Partnership with Bracknell Forest, Wokingham Borough Councils and FCC Environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported sheltered housing dementia resident to remain in community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PalladiumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Specialist provider delivering Connect to Work employment support programme in Berkshire, helping approximately 2,300 people over 5 years.
• re3 Partnership (Bracknell Forest, Wokingham Borough Councils and FCC Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Waste management collaboration between Reading, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham Borough Councils and FCC Environment. Includes re3read book reuse scheme that redistributed 18,000+ books to 60+ local organisations in first year.
• The Advocacy PeoplecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Commissioned advocacy services since 2019 including Independent Mental Health Advocacy, Care Act Advocacy, NHS complaints advocacy, Social Care complaints advocacy, and Independent Mental Capacity Act advocacy.
• University of ReadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Independent Living TEC project over 18 months to understand how technology helps people live independently at home. Sensors trial to learn 'pattern of life' for early detection of health issues.
• Six Berkshire Unitary Authorities (Bracknell Forest, Reading, RBWM, Slough, West Berkshire, Wokingham)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating councils awarded government grant funding for Connect to Work programme targeting people with barriers to employment across Berkshire.
• Reading & West Berkshire Carers Partnership (Age UK Berkshire, Age UK Reading, CommuniCare, Reading Mencap)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned carers provider offering range of support services including Carers Assessments, information, advice and support for family carers in Reading and West Berkshire.
• Community Dental Services CICminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementation partner for free supervised toothbrushing programme for 1,800 children across 44 nurseries and schools, addressing child tooth decay rates above national average.
• Department of Health and Social CarecoreOthersResearch report on Independent Living TEC project findings being presented to Department of Health and Social Care for policy consideration.
• Brighter Futures for ChildrencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupports Parent Carer's Needs Assessments and young carers (children under 18 with extra responsibilities due to disabled sibling or parent). Operates young carer groups for ages 6-9, 5-11, and 13-18.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Southampton City Council: Larger unitary city authority on the South Coast with a comparable service mix including digital parking permits, TEC, employment support programmes, and adult social care commissioning.
• Oxford City Council: Larger Thames Valley unitary-style authority serving an urban centre. Comparable digital service innovation programmes (parking, TEC, council tax) and similar high-density urban resident profile.
• Milton Keynes Council: Larger unitary authority in the South East with comparable digital-first service ambition (digital permits, smart city initiatives) and a similar growth-area demographic profile to Reading.

Direct peers

• Bracknell Forest Council: Berkshire unitary authority co-partnering with Reading in re3 and Connect to Work. Comparable scale and statutory responsibilities, including parking permits, council tax, and adult social care.
• West Berkshire Council: Neighbouring unitary authority in Berkshire sharing the Connect to Work and re3 partnerships. Operates identical statutory service portfolio (waste, parking, adult social care, council tax) for a similar demographic profile.
• Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: Sixth Berkshire unitary authority in the Connect to Work consortium. Operates the same statutory service catalogue as Reading across a comparable affluent commuter-belt demographic.
• Slough Borough Council: Fifth Berkshire unitary authority, Connect to Work partner. Similar unitary authority structure with overlapping statutory obligations and similar urban demographic profile to Reading.
• Wokingham Borough Council: Direct Berkshire unitary peer, partner in both the re3 waste partnership and Connect to Work consortium. Comparable resident population (~170,000) and service mix.

Regional players

• Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: Adjacent Hampshire/Berkshire-border district council facing potential reorganisation under the same devolution agenda. Operates equivalent statutory services for a more rural/suburban demographic.
• Wycombe District Council: Neighbouring Buckinghamshire district council operating the same statutory services within a 30-mile radius. Comparable affluent commuter demographic and similar pressure on local government reorganisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ReadingCouncil
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9MI4CQ3YjKUZGjA-SGhC_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/Readingcouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reading-borough-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/readingcouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reading Borough Council