Agenda and decisions

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive held on 6 and 12 November 2025.

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by members of the public in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

Councillors or Members of the public may present any petition which they have received. These will normally be referred to the appropriate Committee without discussion.

Purpose: the report seeks Executive approval to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to Government in response to the Government’s devolution policy following Full Council support at its meeting on 27 November 2025.

Resolved that:

·       That Executive is informed of the benefits from the proposed devolution of powers and functions, and agrees to continue building on the collaborative approach across the region to date

·       That the Executive agrees that that an informal Devolution Board will oversee discussions with Government, ensuring robust governance and stakeholder engagement by elected members throughout this process.

·       That the Executive approves the Expression of Interest (EOI) to submit to Government, noting that the EOI is designed to proactively position the Thames Valley for early consideration in the next wave of the Devolution Programme.

·       That Executive supports that a further report will be brought to Council and Executive prior to any final decision on the creation of a Strategic Authority

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     a delay in implementing the decision this would cause the Council serious financial implications or could compromise the Council's position.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the Council is pro-actively responding to the financial position that it, and many other Councils across the country, faces. The report sets out the Finance Improvement Plan, the external assurance review and implementation of a Finance Improvement Group to provide even greater focus on the Council’s finances.

Resolved that:

·       To inform the members that the Council is responding to the CIPFA resilience review.

·       For the Executive to approve the Financial Improvement Plan and associated Financial Improvement Group.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     a delay in implementing the decision this would cause the Council serious financial implications or could compromise the Council's position.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose:  the report aims to update the Executive on the provision of the shared Building Control Service and recent developments in the sector. 

Resolved that Executive is INFORMED of the matters set out in this report.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the report sets out proposals for the establishment of a Youth Council for West Berkshire in order to give young people a voice in local decision making.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Agree to establish a Youth Council.

·       Approves the draft terms of reference and code of conduct as set out in Appendices C and D, which will be presented to the Youth Council following its creation for review and adoption (subject to any amendments).

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 2 January 2026, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to respond to the Task and Finish Group report and recommendations presented to the Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee on 16 September 2025 which sought to determine whether there was a strategically and financially sound business case for the Monks Lane Sports Hub, whether the project was well managed, and whether reliable and consistent advice was given to members about the project to assist them in their decision-making roles. The report considers any lessons learnt and responds to the recommendations to inform the Council’s approach to future sports and leisure projects.

Resolved that: Executive considers the proposed responses to the recommendations of the Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee as set out at 5.4 and agrees the responses and to undertake the following actions:

·       Strengthening the Projects service to centralise project delivery including a review of the Council’s project management methodology to ensure that key projects are governed by and monitored through appropriate, robust processes from inception to closure.

·       Undertake a review of project management documentation including business case templates, prioritisation tools and project health checks.

·       Embed the output of this review through training for all who have roles within project delivery (i.e. PMs, sponsors)

·       Introduce quarterly status reporting for all Tier 1 projects in an appendix to the finance quarterly monitoring reports to the Executive

·       Review how time recording can be implemented and the level/type of projects that this would apply to. 

·       Share the recommendations of this Sports Hub Task and Finish Group and the LRIE Task and Finish Group of 2020 with the Chairman of the Project Management Task and Finish Group and log the Sports Hub Task and Finish Group the report in the central Corporate Programme Office repository.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 2 January 2026, then it will be implemented.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by Councillors in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

Transcription of the questions and answers from the meeting.