Council is recommended to resolve to elect a Lord Mayor to the start of the Annual Council meeting in May 2026.

Councillor Upton, outgoing Lord Mayor, invited nominations for the office of Lord Mayor.

Councillor Fry moved, and Councillor Lancaster seconded, that Councillor Chewe Munkonge be elected Lord Mayor for the 2026/27 Council Year. There being no other nominations or dissent, Councillor Munkonge was duly declared elected Lord Mayor.

Councillor Henwood requested clarification on the rules around the selection of the Lord Mayor. The Monitoring Officer responded that the rules of the selection and appointment of civic officer holders is part of 11.2 of the Council's Constitution. The Monitoring Officer further noted that although there is a selection process concerning councillors who have served at the council for an extended period, this does not guarantee that they will be selected as Lord Mayor.

Council resolved that Councillor Chewe Munkonge be elected Lord Mayor for the 2026/27 Council Year.

Council is recommended to resolve to appoint a Deputy Lord Mayor to the start of the Annual Council meeting in May 2026.

The Lord Mayor invited nominations for the office of Deputy Lord Mayor.

Councillor Rowley moved, and Councillor Kerr seconded, that Councillor Louise Upton be appointed Deputy Lord Mayor for the 2026/27 Council Year. There being no other nominations, Councillor Upton was duly declared appointed.

Council resolved that Councillor Louise Upton be appointed Deputy Lord Mayor for the 2026/27 Council Year.

Council is recommended to resolve to appoint a Sheriff to the start of the Annual Council meeting in May 2026.

The Lord Mayor invited nominations for the office of Sheriff.

Councillor Lygo moved, and Councillor Taylor seconded, that Councillor Linda Smith be appointed Sheriff for the 2026/27 Council Year. There being no other nominations, Councillor Linda Smith was duly declared elected.

Council resolved that Councillor Linda Smith be elected Sheriff for the 2026/27 Council Year. 

There were no declarations.

Announcements by:

1.     The Lord Mayor

2.     The Sheriff

3.     The Leader of the Council (who may with the permission of the Lord Mayor invite other councillors to make announcements)

4.     The Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer

Councillor Mundy arrived at the meeting.

The Lord Mayor announced his chosen charity for the 2026/2027 Civic Year was Sobell House Hospice.

There were no announcements from the Sheriff, Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive.

The City Rector announced that it was the anniversary of the first colour photographs and said that he hoped the council would continue to bring colour into people’s lives.

Council is asked to elect a Leader of Council in accordance with the Council’s executive arrangements as set out in the Constitution for a term of office beginning immediately and ending at the annual Council meeting immediately following the end of their current term of office.

The Lord Mayor invited nominations for Leader of Council.

Councillor Turner moved, and Councillor Railton seconded, that Councillor Susan Brown be appointed Leader of Council.

There being no other nominations, Councillor Susan Brown was duly declared elected.

Council will receive and note a report from the Leader on:

1.       The appointment of the Deputy Leader of the Council;

2.       The appointment of up to 8 additional members of the Cabinet;

3.       The responsibilities of the Leader, Deputy Leader, and other Cabinet Members;

4.       The Council’s representative and their substitute on the Oxfordshire Joint Leaders Committee;

5.       The appointment of Members to the Shareholder and Joint Venture Groups which has responsibility for acting as shareholder of the Council’s companies and for safeguarding and furthering the Council’s interests and investments in its companies and joint ventures.

6.       The Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution dated 26 January 2026 (and agreed by Council on 26 January 2026); and

7.       Any other matters.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council moved the report which set out the appointment and responsibilities of the Deputy Leader, Cabinet portfolio holders and other executive appointments. They were as follow:

Deputy Leader and Cabinet appointments and responsibilities

Shareholder Joint Ventures Group Appointments

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 2026-2027 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: 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 2026-2027;

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 2026-2027;

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 2026-2027;

4.             Agree to appoint Councillor David Newman of Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the co-opted, non-voting member of the Standards Committee representing the four Parish Councils in Oxford until May 2027;

5.             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;

6.             Appoint one non-executive member to the Joint Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2026-2027.

Appendices 2 and 3 will be published as part of the Briefing Note.

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 2026-2027;

2.    Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on the Council’s committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2026-2027;

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 2026-2027;

4.    Agree to appoint?Councillor?David Newman?of?Blackbird Leys?Parish Council?as the?co-opted, non-voting?member of the Standards Committee?representing?the four Parish Councils in Oxford?until?May 2027; 

5.    Agree that all members of the Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies; and

6.    Appoint one non-executive member to the Joint Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2026-2027.

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 Council year 2026-2027 in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (Section 15) and other relevant legislation. 

On being moved by Councillor Brown, and seconded by Muddiman, 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 2026-2027;

2.    Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on the Council’s committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2026-2027;

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 2026-2027;

4.    Agree to appoint?Councillor?David Newman?of?Blackbird Leys?Parish Council?as the?co-opted, non-voting?member of the Standards Committee?representing?the four Parish Councils in Oxford?until?May 2027; 

5.    Agree that all members of the Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies; and

6.    Appoint one non-executive member to the Joint Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2026-2027.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy has submitted a report asking Council to approve amendments to the Constitution, including updated delegations to approve Ward Member Budget spend applications

Recommendation: Council is recommended to:

1.    Approve the changes to the Constitution, as listed in Appendix 1;

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) to make any other consequential amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in appendix 1 to the extent that they have not been identified in the above, provided such changes are purely required as a direct consequence.

Council resolved to:

1.    Approve the changes to the Constitution, as listed in Appendix 1; and

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) to make any other consequential amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in appendix 1 to the extent that they have not been identified in the above, provided such changes are purely required as a direct consequence.

Council had before it a report from the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy submitted a report asking Council to approve amendments to the Constitution, including updated delegations to approve Ward Member Budget spend applications

On being moved by Councillor Brown, and seconded by Muddiman, 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 changes to the Constitution, as listed in Appendix 1; and

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) to make any other consequential amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in appendix 1 to the extent that they have not been identified in the above, provided such changes are purely required as a direct consequence.