Election drama has seen the ruling Labour Party on Reading Borough Council take a seat in north Caversham from the Conservatives.

Daya Pal Singh a former Labour councillor for Kentwood in Tilehurst managed to beat incumbent councillor Simon Robinson from the Conservatives in Emmer Green.

Mr Pal Singh said: "I feel very happy. I stood down from Kentwood due to health reasons, but the Labour Party gave me an opportunity there.

"I thought that I could take a risk there."

His daughter, Gurvinder Kaur, a former Labour councillor for Katesgrove from 2018-19 said: "He takes challenges, and he's a fighter.

"He pours his heart out to the local community when he's in, he did this for Kentwood and he will do this for Emmer Green."

Mr Pal Singh said: "Emmer Green ward has given me responsibility, they [the voters] have trusted me, now I promise to not break their faith and do the work for them."

Mr Pal Singh won 1,148 votes, a majority of 113 over Mr Robinson's 1,035.

Simon Robinson was first elected in 2014 as a councillor for the old Peppard ward and re-elected in May 2018 with an increased majority. He has lived in Reading for around 30 years.

Reading Chronicle: Simon Robinson, outgoing Conservative councillor for Emmer Green ward. Credit: Simon Robinson / Reading Central Conservatives Simon Robinson, outgoing Conservative councillor for Emmer Green ward. Credit: Simon Robinson / Reading Central Conservatives (Image: Simon Robinson / Reading Central Conservatives)

He was a member of the influential policy committee and planning applications committee.

As a councillor, he has advocated for council tax justice for residents of Lyefield Court, and spoke out against the "despicable" full scale of Ukraine by Russian armed forces in 2022.

Emmer Green was created in 2022 out of the old Peppard ward.