The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy has submitted a report asking Council to appoint committees and the members serving on those committees for the Council year 2025-2026 in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (Section 15) and other relevant legislation. Appendices 2 and 3 will be circulated in the Briefing Note published before the meeting, and any outstanding nominations to committee seats may be announced, or agreed, as appropriate at the meeting.

Recommendation(s): Council is recommended to:

1. Approve the structure of the Council committees, as defined within the Council’s Constitution and set out in Appendix 1: Committee Structure 2025-2026;
2. Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2025-2026;
3. Appoint to committee seats in accordance with the requirements of political proportionality and the nominations made by political groups, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2025-2026;
4. Agree that all members of Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies;
5. Appoint one non-executive member to the Joint Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2025-2026.

Council had before it a report from the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) asking Council to appoint committees and the members serving on those committees for the 2025/26 council year, in accordance with the provisions under Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and other relevant legislation.

The Lord Mayor noted the late amendment to Appendix 3 to the report which nominates Councillor Jupp to the Audit and Governance Committee, explaining that the reallocation of the seat would mean that political proportionality rules would not be met across committees.

On being moved by Councillor Brown and seconded by Councillor Smowton, the recommendation was put to the vote. Council approved the recommendations and nominations to committee places, with no member voting against the amendment.

Council resolved to:

1. Approve the structure of the Council committees, as defined within the Council’s Constitution and set out in Appendix 1: Committee Structure 2025-2026; 
2. Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2025-2026;
3. Appoint to committee seats in accordance with the requirements of political proportionality and the nominations made by political groups, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2025-2026;
4. Agree that all members of Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies;
5. Appoint one non-executive member to the Joint Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2025-2026.