Wokingham Borough Council
Local authority of the Borough of Wokingham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wokingham Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. Since 1998 the council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. It is based at the Civic Offices on Shute End in the town of Wokingham.
Wokingham Borough Council | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Susan Parsonage since March 2019 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 54 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | Third of council elected three years out of four |
| Elections | |
| Plurality-at-large | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 7 May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN | |
| Website | |
| www | |
The council was under no overall control from 2022 to 2025. Following the 2024 election, a minority Liberal Democrat administration formed to run the council. On 5 June 2025, the Liberal Democrats gained their 28th member in a by-election and took control of the Council.
History
The town of Wokingham was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1885.[2][3] The municipal borough was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, merging with the surrounding Wokingham Rural District to become a new non-metropolitan district called Wokingham.[4][5]
Until 1998 Wokingham was a lower-tier district council, with Berkshire County Council providing county-level services to the area. The county council was abolished in 1998 and Wokingham became a unitary authority, taking over the county council's functions in the area.[6] The council was awarded borough status in 2007, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[7]
Political control
From 2022 the council was under no overall control. Following the 2022 election a Liberal Democrat-led coalition with Labour and the independent councillors formed to run the council.[8] Following the 2024 election the Liberal Democrats had exactly half the council's seats and formed a minority administration.[9]
On 5 June 2025, the Liberal Democrats gained their 28th member in a by-election and took control of the Council.[10]
The first elections to Wokingham District Council were held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:[11][12]
Lower-tier non-metropolitan district
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1995 | |
| No overall control | 1995–1996 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1996–1997 | |
| Conservative | 1997–1998 | |
Unitary authority
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1998–2000 | |
| No overall control | 2000–2002 | |
| Conservative | 2002–2022 | |
| No overall control | 2022–2025 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2025–Present | |
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Wokingham, and is usually held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1995 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Etheridge[13] | Conservative | 1995 | 1996 | |
| Alan Spratling[14] | Liberal Democrats | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Simon Etheridge[15][16] | Conservative | 1997 | Sep 1999 | |
| Perry Lewis[17] | Conservative | Sep 1999 | 2000 | |
| Alan Spratling[14] | Liberal Democrats | 2000 | 2002 | |
| Frank Browne[18] | Conservative | 2002 | 4 May 2008 | |
| David Lee[19] | Conservative | 22 May 2008 | 12 Jun 2014 | |
| Keith Baker[20] | Conservative | 12 Jun 2014 | 18 May 2017 | |
| Charlotte Haitham-Taylor[21] | Conservative | 18 May 2017 | 22 Nov 2018 | |
| Julian McGhee-Sumner[22] | Conservative | 14 Dec 2018 | 5 May 2019 | |
| John Halsall[23] | Conservative | 22 May 2019 | 19 May 2022 | |
| Clive Jones[24] | Liberal Democrats | 19 May 2022 | 18 May 2023 | |
| Stephen Conway[25] | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2023 | Present | |
Composition
Following the 2024 election,[26] and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to June 2025, the council composition was:[27]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 28 | |
| Conservative | 19 | |
| Labour | 6 | |
| Green | 1 | |
| Total | 54 | |
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 54 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[28]
In October 2024 Labour Councillor Sarah Bell resigned and the Conservative candidate Jackie Rance gained the seat in November 2024. In January 2025 Labour Councillor Alex Freeney resigned the Labour whip and became independent.
In June 2025, following the death of Conservative Councillor Norman Jorgensen, a by-election was held and the Liberal Democrat Candidate, Mike Smith gained the seat, which meant that control of the Council went to the Liberal Democrats.
Premises
The council's main offices are the Civic Offices at Shute End in Wokingham. The building began as a house, built c. 1870 as the rectory for nearby St Paul's Church. It was purchased by Wokingham Rural District Council in 1939 and converted to become their offices. The building passed to the new Wokingham District Council when local government was reorganised in 1974. A large extension was added to the west of the original house in 1988.[29]