Norcot ward is the far eastern section of the Reading borough portion of the village of Tilehurst, where it merges into the western end of the more inner urban West Reading and the northern end of the suburb of Southcote. The neighborhood of Norcot, from which the ward takes its name, is smaller and less well defined than the ward, and is also split between Norcot and Kentwood wards.[3][4]
From the north-west in clockwise order the ward is bounded by Norcot Road, Oxford Road, the backs of the houses on the west side of Wantage Road, Wilson Road, Wantage Road, Waverley Road, Tilehurst Road and Honey End Lane. From Honey End Lane, the boundary threads its way behind houses between Hogarth Avenue and Cockney Hill, before joining Usk Road. From Usk Road, the boundary follows another back of houses route to Dee Road. From Dee Road, it follows the ridge line through Lousehill Copse back to Norcot Road.[3]
As of 2024[update], Norcot ward had an area of 1.628 square kilometres (0.629sqmi) and there were 11,965 people living there. Of these, 21.2% were under 15 and 13.2% were 65 and over; 69.1% classified themselves as White, 12.6% as Asian, and 9.4% as Black, Caribbean or African; 29.0% were born outside the UK. The population lived in approximately 4,500 households, of which 28.4% were in a flat, maisonette or apartment, and 71.6% were in a house or bungalow.[1][2]
Of the population aged over 16, 63.9% were in employment, 3.7% were unemployed, and 32.3% were economically inactive. Of those in employment, 41.6% were in managerial, professional or technical occupations. A total of 32.6% of the population were educated to university degree level.[2][6]
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 Alison Foster, Finn McGoldrick and Mamuna Naz, all of whom are members of the Labour party.[7][8]
