New Reading Borough Council administration announced

The council will be headed by councillor Liz Terry (Labour, Coley) who was chosen as the presumptive leader of the council following the local elections.

Meanwhile, cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) will become the deputy leader, and will retain his position as lead councillor for planning & assets.

Other new starters in roles include councillor Wendy Griffith (Labour, Battle), who has been selected as lead councillor for children, and councillor Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) will become the new lead councillor housing.

Current members of the leadership team will take over new portfolios.

Councillor Ellie Emberson (Labour, Coley) who has long been the lead for housing, will take the reins as lead councillor for corporate services and resources.

Other councillors will retain their positions in the upcoming administration, who will all be appointed at the council’s annual general meeting on Wednesday, May 22.

Councillor Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) will stay on as lead for environmental services and community safety, councillor Paul Gittings (Labour, Coley) is keeping his role as lead for adult social care and councillor Ruth McEwan retains her position as lead for education and public health.

Councillor John Ennis will stay on as lead for climates strategy and councillor Adele Barnett-Ward keeps her portfolio as lead for leisure and culture.

Councillor Terry said: “The year ahead promises to be an extremely busy one for the council once again, with continued progress on a number of key projects, whether that is the continuation of our biggest ever road repair programme, the imminent opening of the new Rivermead pool, progress on our new Central Library, continuing to build more affordable council homes and improving ways residents can get around town.

“Every bit as important however is the day-to-day delivery of many hundreds of essential council services which are increasingly relied on by so many residents, and that is not without its own difficulties given the enormous financial challenges now facing all local authorities.

“I am nevertheless confident that this proposed front bench team has both the experience and the knowledge of Reading to tackle those challenges head-on and repay the trust once again put in us by the electorate.

“I look forward to working closely with councillor Leng, who like me has lived in Reading all his life, which brings with it an intimate knowledge of the communities, organisations and people which together make up our wonderful town.”

Cllr Leng added: “It is a privilege to be nominated as deputy leader by colleagues. Reading is the place I have always called home. Those who know me, know I am passionate about our town.

“I very much look forward to working closely with Liz who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to understanding what makes Reading tick and, like myself, we will put our town and its residents front and centre.

“I’m genuinely humbled to play such a central role in building on the progress the council has made in recent years, delivering improved facilities for Reading residents, and on focusing resources on those communities who need our support the most, and that is something I intend to continue in the new role.”

Councillor Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood), currently the deputy mayor, has been nominated as Reading’s new Mayor, with councillor Alice Mpofu-Coles (Labour, Whitley) nominated as his deputy.

The following councillors will chair the council’s committees:

• Cllr Mpofu-Coles – adult social care, children’s services & education
• Cllr Rachel Eden (Labour, Whitley) – housing, neighbourhoods and leisure
• Cllr Will Cross (Labour, Redlands) – strategic environment, planning & transport
• Cllr Jacopo Lanzoni (Labour, Caversham) – traffic management sub-committee
• Cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) –  planning applications committee
• Cllr Paul Woodward (Labour, Church) – licensing applications committee