Southcote (/ˈsaʊθkət/) is a suburb of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. Located to the south-west of Reading town centre, Southcote has a population of about 8,500 (as of 2011). The settlement lies primarily between the London-to-Bath road and the River Kennet. Southcote forms an electoral ward in Reading. The area is seen as a safe seat for Labour, as the Conservatives have not held a seat on the council since the 1980s.