Proposed New Administration Announced
- Council Leader announces proposed new Administration for the year ahead
- Appointments will be ratified at the Council's AGM next Wednesday, where a new Mayor will also be confirmed
THE proposed new Administration has been announced for Reading Borough Council for the Municipal Year ahead.
Following on from this month’s local election results in Reading, the Labour group will again form the Administration for 2023/24. Earlier this week it was announced Councillor Tony Page has been nominated as the Mayoral candidate in his 50th year serving as a Reading Councillor, with Councillor Liz Terry Deputy Leader of the Council.
Proposed Lead Councillor portfolios are being announced today, ahead of next week’s Annual General Meeting, on Wednesday May 24 at the Town Hall, where appointments are set to be ratified.
The proposed portfolios and associated Lead Councillors are:
Adult Social Care – Cllr Paul Gittings
Children – Cllr Graeme Hoskin
Education & Public Health – Cllr Ruth McEwan
Environmental Services & Community Safety – Cllr Karen Rowland
Housing – Cllr Ellie Emberson
Leisure & Culture – Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward
Corporate Services & Resources – Cllr Liz Terry (as well as Deputy Leader of the Council)
Climate Strategy & Transport – Cllr John Ennis
Planning & Assets – Cllr Micky Leng
“This is a strong and vastly experienced front bench team, all with years of service as Lead Councillors previously, which brings with it a wealth of knowledge about our town, our residents, our communities and the Council services we deliver.
“It promises to be another busy year ahead and it is incumbent on us to deliver against the trust once again put in myself and my colleagues by the electorate. It means pushing ahead with our ambitious programme of delivering new flagship facilities for residents, whether that be new or refurbished train stations like at Green Park or Reading West, modern new pools and leisure centres like at Palmer Park and Rivermead, new playgrounds like at Prospect Park, and new cycle infrastructure being built along Shinfield Road and Bath Road.
“We are determined to redouble our efforts in tackling the important issues in our town, building even more affordable Council homes, working with partners to tackle anti-social behaviour, taking strong action on flytipping and graffiti, and continuing to build on our tremendous progress in driving towards net zero by 2030.
“All the while, we will continue to strive for excellence in all of the day-to-day services we deliver, including those that many residents do not see but that we know a great many people rely on – like caring for Reading’s vulnerable adults and children, for example.
“And, at a time when the on-going cost of living crisis continues to impact on the communities which need the most help, we will continue to do everything we can to support these residents, making full use of Reading’s buoyant economy to create new opportunities for people to share in the town’s success.”
The proposed Committee Chairs for 2023/24 have also been announced. They are:
Adult Social Care, Children’s Services & Education: Chair: Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles. Vice Chair: Cllr Jan Gavin
Housing Neighbourhoods and Leisure: Chair: Cllr Glenn Dennis. Vice Chair: TBC
Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport: Chair: Cllr Will Cross. Vice Chair: Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith
Traffic Management Sub-Committee: Chair: Cllr Mohammed Ayub. Vice Chair: Cllr Jacopo Lanzoni
Planning Applications Committee Chair: Cllr Jo Lovelock. Vice Chair: Cllr Matt Yeo
Licensing Committee: Chair: Cllr Paul Woodward. Vice Chair: Cllr Debs Edwards
The full agenda for the Council’s AGM on Wednesday May 24th can be found at https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=342&MId=5271.
Notes to editors
As the AGM takes place in the Town Hall, media are asked to note the meeting will not be webcast. Media are invited to attend but are required to confirm attendance with the Council’s Press Office in advance as entry is by ticket only.