Reading Council Faces Major Governance Overhaul

Reading Borough Council must switch from its committee system to a leader-and-cabinet model after the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. The change is due to be implemented in May next year and background transitional work is already under way.

The council currently makes decisions through committees. Planning applications, licensing, audit & governance, standards and the health & wellbeing board will continue to meet and vote on matters.

A cross-party councillor working group has been set up to organise how the new system will function.

Green councillor Rob White told full council: "We recognise that the council has to comply with the law, but I want to put on record that Green councillors think this is a bad change, and a bad piece of central government interference again."

He added: "However, we are where we are, we support the work on the transition, because we've got no choice."

He later said: "As the main opposition party on Reading council, Green councillors will continue to hold the council to account, whatever system we are operating under, and we'll keep working to get the best for Reading residents."

Conservative Cllr Isobel Ballsdon said: "I support, which is rare, everything cllr White has said, we will be working constructively in the working group."

Council leader Liz Terry (Labour) said: "I support the system, and I think it's worked very well in Reading." She added: "I think the problem for the government is that it's recognised it actually hasn't worked very well elsewhere, and once again we're in a position where there is now legislation enacted and we are required to make this change."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter