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Abbey Ward, Borough of Reading
Abbey Ward, Borough of ReadingLocation within Berkshire
Area	1.02 km (0.39 sq mi)
Population	13,503
• Density	13,238/km (34,290/sq mi)
OS grid reference	SU713738
Unitary authority	Reading
Ceremonial county	Berkshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Royal Berkshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Reading Central
List of places UK England Berkshire 51°27′30″N 0°58′21″W / 51.458264°N 0.972501°W / 51.458264; -0.972501

Abbey is an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The ruins of Reading Abbey lie within the boundaries of the ward, a fact from which it derives its name. The ward covers the centre of the town, south of the River Thames, and is bordered by Battle, Thames, Redlands, Katesgrove and Coley wards. The ward lies entirely within the Reading Central parliamentary constituency.

As of 2016, there were some 13,500 people living in Abbey ward, of whom 16.1% were aged under 16, 6% were aged 65 and over, and 44% were born outside the UK. The population lives in a total of just under 6,800 dwellings, of which 57% are in purpose-built blocks of flats, just over 20% each are terraced houses, and just over 10% are flat conversions or shared houses, with detached and semi-detached houses making up the rest. Of the population aged between 16 and 74, 72.4% are in employment and 5.1% are unemployed. Of those in employment, 60% are in managerial, professional or technical occupations, with 34% in professional occupations.

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, although the 2022 elections were for all councillors due to the boundary changes. The ward councillors are currently Mohammed Ayub, Karen Rowland and David Stevens, all of whom are members of the Labour party.

References

1. ^ "Ward profile for Abbey Ward" (PDF). Reading Borough Council. January 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
2. "Final recommendations on the future electoral arrangements for Reading" (PDF). Report to the Electoral Commission. Boundary Committee for England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
3. Election Maps (Map). Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
4. "Your Councillors". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.

• Wards of Reading