The Annual Council meeting saw the election of Councillor Jim Adcock as the new Mayor of Melton Borough Council, and Councillor Helen Cliff as Deputy Mayor. The meeting also addressed the council's political balance, committee appointments, and constitutional updates, including a proposed amendment to the constitution regarding the Standards Sub Committee.

Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Councillor Jim Adcock was elected as the new Mayor of Melton Borough Council for the Municipal Year 2026/27, with Councillor Helen Cliff elected as Deputy Mayor. Both took their declarations of acceptance of office. The outgoing Mayor, Councillor Ziggy Atherton, was presented with a past Mayor's Medallion. Councillor Adcock announced the Air Ambulance Service as his chosen charity for the year.

Political Balance and Committee Appointments

The council formally appointed its committees for the forthcoming year, including the Scrutiny Committee, Audit & Standards Committee, Employment Committee, Licensing Committee, and Planning Committee. The political balance of these committees was confirmed, with seats allocated to the Conservative, Labour, and Independent groups, as well as non-aligned members.

A proposed amendment to the council's constitution to make the Standards Sub Committee not subject to political proportionality rules was debated. Councillor Allnatt raised concerns about the implications of this change, particularly regarding impartiality. Despite the debate, the amendment was ultimately defeated as one member voted against it, meaning the Standards Sub Committee will remain politically balanced.

Elections were held for the chairs and vice-chairs of various committees. Key appointments included:

• Audit and Standards Committee: Elaine Holmes was elected Chair, and Simon Orson was elected Vice-Chair.
• Licensing Committee: Pat Cumbers was elected Chair, and Marilyn Gordon was elected Vice-Chair.
• Planning Committee: Christopher Evans was elected Chair, and Tim Webster was elected Vice-Chair.

Appointments to outside bodies were also confirmed, with Sharon Butcher and Donald Pritchett elected to the Melton Business Improvement District (BID) board, and Joe Orson appointed as the council's representative on the Police and Crime Panel.

Constitutional Updates

Several amendments to the council's constitution were approved. These included changes to the Financial Procedure Rules to align capital and revenue budget carry-forward procedures, and an amendment to the Cabinet Scheme of Delegation to resolve a conflict with financial procedure rules. A provision was also added to the Council Functions and Procedure Rules to grant members a right of reply if they are named during the Leader's Announcements. The council also reaffirmed the financial threshold for key decisions at £50,000.

Programme of Meetings and Climate Change Working Group

The programme of meetings for the Municipal Year 2026/27 was approved. Additionally, the Terms of Reference for the Climate Change Working Group were amended to incorporate the monitoring of biodiversity action through the council's Biodiversity Duty Action Plan. This change reflects the interconnectedness of climate change and biodiversity and aims to provide efficient member oversight.

Leader's Announcements and Review of the Past Year

Councillor Ronan Browne, the Leader of the Council, provided a verbal review of the past year, highlighting achievements in areas such as leisure centre investment, crime reduction partnerships, housing service improvements, and regeneration projects. He also outlined the administration's immediate priorities, including the ordering of a new country park bridge, the installation of new car park machines, an environmental audit of the town centre, and a review of the planning and enforcement service.

Councillor Browne also addressed the significant implications of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. He confirmed that the government's decision to create two unitary councils would mean Melton Borough Council would be part of the unitary authority for the remaining parts of Leicestershire and Rutland. He outlined the transitional period, the establishment of an implementation team, and the commitment to cross-party working and public engagement throughout the process.

Other Business

The meeting also included the confirmation of minutes from previous meetings, declarations of interest, and mayoral announcements. A motion regarding support for domestic abuse survivors was unanimously passed, requesting that housing policies clearly outline support for housing choice and that public consultation be undertaken on any future policies. A motion regarding the provision of weather refuge spaces was noted, and a motion concerning car parking machines was also noted, with concerns raised about potential delays in implementation. The council also approved the Treasury Management Annual Report 2025/26 and noted the Scrutiny Committee's and Audit and Standards Committee's Annual Reports for 2025/26. An updated appointment to the Planning Committee was also confirmed.