Agenda and draft minutes

Mayor Making and Annual Council, Council - Wednesday, 20th May, 2026 6.30 pm

Venue: Bapsy Hall, Guildhall, Winchester and streamed live on YouTube at www.youtube.com/winchestercc

Contact: David Blakemore, Democratic Services Team Manager Tel: 01962 848217 Email: dblakemore@winchester.gov.uk

Media

Items
No.	Item
1.	Apologies PDF 114 KB To record the names of apologies given. Additional documents: 2026 COMMITTEE LIST MASTER , item 1. PDF 89 KB Minutes: Apologies for the meeting were noted as above.
2.	Disclosure of Interests To receive any disclosure of interests from Councillors or Officers in matters to be discussed. Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs), other registerable interests (ORIs) and non-registerable interests (NRIs) in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct. Minutes: No declarations of interest were made.
3.	To elect from amongst the Members of the Council a person to be Mayor of the City of Winchester for the ensuing year. View the background to item 3. Minutes: Proposed by Councillor Clear and seconded by Councillor Learney and unanimously resolved that Councillor Jamie Scott be elected the 827th Mayor of the City of Winchester for the period commencing 20 May 2026. RESOLVED: That Councillor Jamie Scott be elected the 827th Mayor of the City of Winchester for the period commencing 20 May 2026.
4.	To move a vote of thanks to the Retiring Mayor. View the background to item 4. Minutes: Councillor Scott (now Mayor) assumed the role of chairperson. Proposed by Councillor Tippett-Cooper and seconded by Councillor Reach and unanimously resolved that the best thanks of the Council be accorded to Councillor Sudhakar Achwal for his service to the council as Mayor. RESOLVED: That the best thanks of the Council be accorded to Councillor Sudhakar Achwal for his service to the Council as Mayor.
5.	To elect from amongst the Members of the Council a person to be Deputy Mayor of the City of Winchester for the ensuing year. View the background to item 5. Minutes: Proposed by Councillor Horrill and seconded by Councillor Warwick and unanimously resolved that Councillor Godfrey be elected Deputy Mayor of the City of Winchester for the period commencing 20 May 2026. RESOLVED: That Councillor Godfrey be elected Deputy Mayor of the City of Winchester for the period commencing 20 May 2026.
6.	To confirm the Leader of the Council for the ensuing year. View the background to item 6. Minutes: RESOLVED: That Councillor Tod be confirmed as Leader of the Council (Chairperson of Cabinet).
7.	The Leader to confirm the Deputy Leader (Vice Chairperson of Cabinet) and the other Members of Cabinet. View the background to item 7. Minutes: The Leader, Councillor Tod, confirmed the Deputy Leader (Vice Chairperson of Cabinet) and other members of Cabinet. RESOLVED: That Councillor Cutler be appointed as Deputy Leader (Vice Chairperson of Cabinet) and Councillors Becker, Cramoysan, Learney, Porter, Reach and Thompson as remaining members of Cabinet.
8.	To determine the number of seats to be allocated to each group and to confirm the Members and deputy Members of the following bodies (or other bodies as Council may determine) for the ensuing year: View the background to item 8. a) Scrutiny Committee b) Audit and Governance Committee c) Licensing and Regulation Committee d) Planning Committee e) Economy and Housing Policy Committee f) Health and Environment Policy Committee g) Joint West of Waterlooville MDA Planning Committee h) Housing Appeals Committee i) Any Task & Finish or other Committee to be established, or appointments to be made. Minutes: RESOLVED: 1. That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any minor consequential amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the decisions made. 2. That allocation of seats to political groups and memberships of the following bodies be confirmed be as follows: Scrutiny Committee (9) – Councillors Pett, Power, Laming, Murphy, Batho, Clear, Gordon-Smith (Liberal Democrats 7) and Councillor Horrill (Conservatives 1) and Councillor Wallace (Independent & Green) plus deputies – Councillors Achwal V, Small (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Warwick, Langford-Smith (Conservatives 2) and Councillors Cook and Lee (Independent & Green 2) Audit and Governance Committee (9) – Councillors Morris, Chamberlain, Bennett, Brophy, Achwal S, Aron, Adams (Liberal Democrats 7) and Councillor Godfrey (Conservatives 1) and Councillor Bailey-Morgan (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillors Pinniger, Latham (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Horrill, Warwick (Conservatives 2) and Councillors Lee, Wallace (Independent & Green 2) Licensing and Regulation Committee (10) – Councillors Laming, Morris, Gordon-Smith, Pett, Achwal S, Brophy, Wise, Latham (Liberal Democrats 8) and Councillor Langford-Smith (Conservatives 1) and Wallace (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillors Tippett-Cooper, Clay, (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Godfrey, Warwick (Conservatives 2) and Cook, Lee (Independent & Green 2) Planning Committee (9) – Councillors Aron, Gordon-Smith, Laming, Rutter, Small, Williams, Ablitt (Liberal Democrats 7) and Councillor Langford Smith (Conservatives 1) and White (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillors Clear, Pett (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Horrill, Godfrey (Conservatives 2) and Cook, Lee (Independent & Green 2) Economy and Housing Policy Committee (9) – Councillors Batho, Morris, Murphy, Achwal S, Brophy, Ablitt, Fleuren (Liberal Democrats 7) and Councillor Horrill (Conservatives 1) and Cook (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillor Bennett, Wise (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Langford-Smith, Warwick (Conservatives 2) and Councillors Bailey-Morgan and White (Independent & Green 2) Health and Environment Policy Committee (9) – Councillors Brophy, Pett, Power, Westwood, Achwal V, Pinniger, Tippett-Cooper (Liberal Democrats 7) and Councillor Warwick (Conservatives 1) and Lee (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillors Eve, Fleuren (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors Horrill, Langford-Smith (Conservatives 2) and Councillors Cook and Bailey-Morgan (Independent & Green 2) Housing Appeals Committee (3) - Councillors Batho, Power, Clear (Liberal Democrats 3) Joint West of Waterlooville Planning Committee (5) – Councillors Laming, Williams, Rutter, Small (Liberal Democrats 4) and Councillor Wallace (Independent & Green 1) plus deputies – Councillors Clear and Pett (Liberal Democrats 2) and Councillors White and Lee (Independent & Green 2) Further to the above, and pursuant to Section 16 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Chief Executive served notice of each of the leaders of the political groups on the Council as to the allocation of seats indicated above.
9.	To elect the Chairpersons of each of the following bodies (or other bodies as Council may determine) for the ensuing year:- View the background to item 9. a) Chairperson of Scrutiny Committee b) Chairperson of Audit and Governance Committee c) Chairperson of Licensing and Regulation Committee d) Chairperson of Planning Committee (including Chairperson of Joint West of Waterlooville MDA Planning Committee) e) Chairperson of Economy and Housing Policy Committee f) Chairperson of Health and Environment Policy Committee Minutes: RESOLVED: That chairpersons of the following bodies be confirmed as follows: Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Wallace Audit and Governance Committee – Councillor Morris Licensing and Regulation Committee – Councillor Laming Planning Committee – Councillor Rutter Economy and Housing Policy Committee – Councillor Batho Health and Environment Policy Committee – Councillor Pett Housing Appeals Committee - Councillor Power Joint West of Waterlooville Planning Committee – Councillor Rutter
10.	To pass the following resolution in respect of the Winchester Town Forum. View the background to item 10. “That the Winchester Town Forum be established for 2026/2027 with membership comprising all Members who represent the five Winchester Town Wards” Minutes: Proposed by The Leader, Councillor Tod and seconded by Councillor Cutler. RESOLVED: That the Winchester Town Forum be established for 2026/27 with membership consisting of all Members who represent the five Winchester Town Wards.
11.	To pass the following resolution in respect of the Housing (Appeals) Committee. View the background to item 11. “That alternative arrangements other than proportional representation apply for membership of the Committee for 2026/2027.” Minutes: Proposed by The Leader, Councillor Tod and seconded by Councillor Cutler. RESOLVED: That alternative arrangements other than proportional representation be agreed in respect of the Housing (Appeals) Committee.

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