The Constitutional and Nomination Committee of Manchester Council met on Wednesday 23 September 2026 to discuss proposed changes to the Council's constitution and committee memberships, as well as submissions related to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's review of Manchester's electoral arrangements. The committee was also scheduled to consider appointments to outside bodies.

LGBCE Boundary Review for Manchester - Council Size Submission

The committee was set to consider a report from the Chief Executive regarding the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's (LGBCE) review of Manchester City Council's electoral arrangements. This review encompasses recommendations on the total number of councillors and the boundaries and names of wards. The report detailed the process and timetable for this review, which was triggered by electoral imbalances in several wards. The council's draft submission on council size and electorate forecasting for 2032 was presented for approval. This submission argued for an increase in the number of electoral wards from 32 to 33, served by three councillors each, which would increase the total number of councillors from 96 to 99. This proposal was based on projected electorate growth to 486,109 by 2032, an increase of 18.8% from the 2026 position, driven by population growth, new housing developments, and the planned extension of the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds. The report also highlighted the complexity of Manchester's diverse population and the significant workload of councillors, with many spending over 10 hours per week on constituent engagement and casework.

Constitution of the Council

A report from the City Solicitor was scheduled for discussion concerning proposed amendments to the Council's Constitution. These amendments were necessitated by legislative changes, including the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, which mandate a maximum of 13 members for planning committees. Consequently, the report recommended revising the size of the Planning Committee from 15 to 13 members, effective from 31 October 2026. The proposed changes also included revisions to the delegation of planning functions to officers, aligning with the new regulations, and adjustments to the Council's Constitution to reflect the renaming of the Planning and Highways Committee to the Planning Committee. Additionally, proposed amendments to the Members' Allowances Scheme were to be considered, including an uprating of allowances by 3.3% for 2026/27 and adjustments to reflect the sharing of the Main Opposition Group Deputy Leader role.

Appointments and Changes to Council Committees Membership and Outside Bodies

The committee was to consider a report from the City Solicitor detailing proposed changes to Council committee memberships and appointments to outside bodies. This included noting the overall political balance of the Council following Councillor Sarwar joining the Labour Group and the outcome of the Burnage Ward By-election. Recommendations were to be made to Council regarding revising the size of the Planning Committee to 13 members, aligning with the 2026 Regulations. Proposed changes to the membership of various committees, including the Art Galleries Committee, Constitutional and Nominations Committee, Licensing Policy Committee, Planning Committee, and Health Scrutiny Committee, were outlined. Changes to appointments to outside bodies, such as the GM Combined Authority, Integrated Care Partnership, AGMA, Police & Crime Steering Group, Police, Crime & Fire Panel, and GM Work and Skills Board, were also to be discussed, particularly in light of Councillor Garry Bridges' appointment as Leader of the Council.

Minutes of the Meeting Held on 15 July 2026

The committee was scheduled to approve the minutes of its previous meeting held on 15 July 2026.

Urgent Business and Appeals

The agenda also included items for urgent business, to be considered at the Chair's discretion, and any appeals from the public against the refusal to allow inspection of background documents or the inclusion of items in the confidential part of the agenda. Members were also to be given an opportunity to declare any personal, prejudicial, or disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in any items on the agenda.