The Wokingham Borough Council was scheduled to consider a range of important matters at its meeting on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Key discussions were scheduled to include the renewal of a significant contract for adult social care services, the approval of a new strategy for safer communities, and the adoption of the annual timetable for council and committee meetings. Additionally, a period of absence for Councillor Chris Johnson due to ill health was scheduled for consideration.

Optalis Contract and Shareholders Agreement Renewal

The Council was scheduled to consider the renewal of its contract with Optalis, a Local Authority Trading Company that has been delivering adult social care services for 15 years. Optalis is jointly owned by Wokingham Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The proposed renewal is for a ten-year period, commencing on 3 April 2027, with an estimated annual value of approximately £15.2 million. The report highlighted that continuing the partnership was expected to ensure continuity and stability of care for residents, protect service quality, and improve resilience in the local care market. The recommendation was for the Council to approve the contract renewal and delegate authority for its completion.

Wokingham Borough Safer Communities Partnership Strategy 2026-2031

The Council was scheduled to consider the Wokingham Borough Safer Communities Strategy for 2026-2031. This strategy integrates the responsibilities of the former Community Safety Partnership and the Safeguarding Adults Board into a new Wokingham Borough Safer Communities Partnership (WBSCP). The strategy aims to maintain Wokingham Borough as one of the safest areas in the country by focusing on six key priorities: Antisocial Behaviour and Hate Crime, Safeguarding, Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), Serious Violence and Exploitation, Drug Activity, and Online Safety. The development of the strategy was informed by extensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement, with a strong emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and reducing inequalities.

Timetable of Council and Committee Meetings 2027/28

The Council was scheduled to consider the timetable for its meetings for the municipal year 2027/28. This is a statutory requirement to ensure transparency and allow the public and stakeholders to view the dates of all formal, public-facing meetings. The proposed timetable was detailed in an appendix to the report, with efforts made to avoid scheduling Full Council meetings during school holidays.

Approval of a Period of Absence from Meetings for Councillor Chris Johnson

The Council was scheduled to consider a period of absence for Councillor Chris Johnson due to ill health. Under the Local Government Act 1972, a councillor ceases to be a member if they fail to attend any meeting for six consecutive months. Councillor Chris Johnson had been unable to attend meetings since 1 June 2026. The recommendation was to approve his non-attendance due to ill health until 28 May 2027, which would prevent him from ceasing to be a member of the Council.

Public Questions

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be allocated to public questions. These questions covered a wide range of topics, including:

• Gray's Farm Sports Facility: Ted O'Neill was scheduled to ask about the optimum level of facilities and access points for the planned Gray's Farm sports facility.
• Hydrotherapy Pool: Daniel Woolford was scheduled to ask if the Council could provide a fully-heated hydrotherapy pool for people with physical disabilities.
• School Funding: Ashley Pearce was scheduled to ask about the number of schools in Wokingham that had to submit a deficit budget and the total deficit for all schools.
• Traffic Enforcement in Earley: Peter Bebb and Helen Bilton were scheduled to ask about enforcement failures and dangerous parking on roads in the Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates area, including concerns about ratrunning and contractor parking. Paul Buckley was also scheduled to ask about car parking enforcement in Ramsbury Drive.
• Planning Application Appeals: Al Neal was scheduled to ask if the Executive Member agreed that the refusal of the Thamesfield Retirement Village planning application demonstrated the value of allowing local ward members to list applications.
• Disabled Parking and Blue Badges: Majid Nagra was scheduled to ask about measures to prevent misuse of disabled parking bays and blue badges in Woodley.
• Crime and Anti-social Behaviour in Earley: Rohit Ahlawat was scheduled to ask about additional measures to reduce crime and improve public safety in Earley, including CCTV coverage.
• Riverside Park Bridge Replacement: Mike Smith was scheduled to ask for an update on the replacement of a bridge in Riverside Park.
• Racial Incidents: Chris Cooke was scheduled to ask for advice for residents who feel unsafe or targeted due to race.
• Earley Station Footbridge Accessibility: Carol Jewell was scheduled to ask about installing runnels on the refurbished footbridge at Earley station to improve accessibility.
• Home Office Hotel Impact: Dave Edmonds was scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council to explain the administration's eagerness to sign Wokingham up for national sanctuary commitments given the disruptive impacts of facilities like the hotel in Sindlesham.
• Graffiti Removal in Shinfield: Andrew Gray was scheduled to ask when graffiti along the Eastern Relief Road in Shinfield was scheduled to be removed.
• Local Plan Housing Numbers: Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask if the Council would publish the number of houses proposed for each site in the local plan consultation.
• Overgrown Alleyway Maintenance: Nagi Nagella was scheduled to ask for assurance that an overgrown alleyway behind Warren House Road would be cleared and maintained.
• Shire Hall Development Vibrations: Vishal Srinivasan was scheduled to ask about authorised high-impact operations and enforcement of monitoring under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 concerning the Shire Hall development.
• Woodlands Avenue Zebra Crossing: Yusra Salman was scheduled to ask about road safety assessments carried out before installing a new zebra crossing on Woodlands Avenue.
• Barkham Solar Farm and Battery Storage: Rebecca Margetts was scheduled to ask if the Council planned to add a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to the Barkham Solar Farm and if the proposal would be reviewed by Full Council.
• Burglaries Targeting South Asian Residents: Richa Singh was scheduled to ask about assessments and measures taken regarding a spate of residential burglaries that have alarmed South Asian residents.
• Woodlands Avenue Cycleway Issues: Moses Iyengunmwena and Pauline Jorgensen were scheduled to ask about the design and safety of the Woodlands Avenue cycleway, particularly concerning accessibility for wheelchair users and confusion for drivers.
• Home to School Transport: Catherine Glover was scheduled to ask for an update on the number of children being transported and the cost of the Home to School Transport service.
• Cantley Park Cafe Facilities: Roberta Brooks was scheduled to ask for an update on Cantley Park and its cafe facilities.
• Nine Mile Ride Road Surface: Peter Harper was scheduled to ask for an improvement to the road surface on Nine Mile Ride in Finchampstead.
• Arborfield Green Community Centre Progress: Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask for an update on the progress of the Arborfield Green community centre project.
• Three Tuns Junction Traffic Signals: Rohit Ahlawat was scheduled to ask about the causes of reported signal failures at the Three Tuns junction and actions taken.
• New Development Infrastructure Adoption: Nagi Nagella was scheduled to ask about tangible progress on adopting infrastructure on new developments and the difference made to residents.
• Pavement Parking: Beth Rowland was scheduled to ask what could be done to stop cars and vans being parked on pavements, forcing mobility scooter users onto the road.
• Lidl Shinfield Development: Andrew Gray was scheduled to ask for an update on the development of land next to the Lidl in Shinfield, intended to be a connecting road to the medical centre.
• Garrett Drive Property Management Fees: Vishal Srinivasan was scheduled to ask about limitations on adopting properties and fines for management companies charging residents twice.
• Age Concern Twyford Facilities: Martin Alder was scheduled to ask for an update on the Age Concern facility in Twyford and its future.
• A4 Vegetation Management: Sam Akhtar was scheduled to ask about the frequency of vegetation cuts along the A4 through Sonning and Charvil and if an additional cut could be scheduled.
• Barkham Ride Development Impact: Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask for a coordinated effort to minimise the impact of multiple developments on Barkham Ride.
• Minimum Income Guarantee Age Threshold: Dave Edmonds was scheduled to ask if it would be preferable for Executive team members to give up additional allowances rather than raising the age threshold for the minimum income guarantee.
• Woodley Tree Safety: Majid Nagra was scheduled to ask about measures being taken to keep residents safe from weak and dry trees, particularly in light of expected El Nino storms.
• Road Maintenance Programme Performance: Mike Smith was scheduled to ask for an update on the performance of the entire roads maintenance programme.

Councillor Questions

The meeting was also scheduled to include a session for councillors to ask questions. These questions were to cover a range of local issues, including:

• Disabled Parking and Blue Badges: Councillor Majid Nagra was scheduled to ask about measures to ensure disabled parking bays are not misused and if there is a checking system for blue badge holders.
• Crime and Anti-social Behaviour in Earley: Councillor Rohit Ahlawat was scheduled to ask about additional measures to reduce crime and improve public safety in Earley, including CCTV coverage.
• Riverside Park Bridge Replacement: Councillor Mike Smith was scheduled to ask for an update on the replacement of a bridge in Riverside Park.
• Racial Incidents: Councillor Chris Cooke was scheduled to ask for advice for residents who feel unsafe or targeted due to race.
• Earley Station Footbridge Accessibility: Councillor Carol Jewell was scheduled to ask about installing runnels on the refurbished footbridge at Earley station.
• Home Office Hotel Impact: Councillor Dave Edmonds was scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council to explain the administration's eagerness to sign Wokingham up for national sanctuary commitments given the disruptive impacts of facilities like the hotel in Sindlesham.
• Graffiti Removal in Shinfield: Councillor Andrew Gray was scheduled to ask when graffiti along the Eastern Relief Road in Shinfield was scheduled to be removed.
• Local Plan Housing Numbers: Councillor Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask if the Council would publish the number of houses proposed for each site in the local plan consultation.
• Overgrown Alleyway Maintenance: Councillor Nagi Nagella was scheduled to ask for assurance that an overgrown alleyway behind Warren House Road would be cleared and maintained.
• Shire Hall Development Vibrations: Councillor Vishal Srinivasan was scheduled to ask about authorised high-impact operations and enforcement of monitoring under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 concerning the Shire Hall development.
• Woodlands Avenue Zebra Crossing: Councillor Yusra Salman was scheduled to ask about road safety assessments carried out before installing a new zebra crossing on Woodlands Avenue.
• Barkham Solar Farm and Battery Storage: Councillor Rebecca Margetts was scheduled to ask if the Council planned to add a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to the Barkham Solar Farm and if the proposal would be reviewed by Full Council.
• Burglaries Targeting South Asian Residents: Councillor Richa Singh was scheduled to ask about assessments and measures taken regarding a spate of residential burglaries that have alarmed South Asian residents.
• Woodlands Avenue Cycleway Issues: Councillor Moses Iyengunmwena and Councillor Pauline Jorgensen were scheduled to ask about the design and safety of the Woodlands Avenue cycleway, particularly concerning accessibility for wheelchair users and confusion for drivers.
• Home to School Transport: Councillor Catherine Glover was scheduled to ask for an update on the number of children being transported and the cost of the Home to School Transport service.
• Cantley Park Cafe Facilities: Councillor Roberta Brooks was scheduled to ask for an update on Cantley Park and its cafe facilities.
• Nine Mile Ride Road Surface: Councillor Peter Harper was scheduled to ask for an improvement to the road surface on Nine Mile Ride in Finchampstead.
• Arborfield Green Community Centre Progress: Councillor Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask for an update on the progress of the Arborfield Green community centre project.
• Three Tuns Junction Traffic Signals: Councillor Rohit Ahlawat was scheduled to ask about the causes of reported signal failures at the Three Tuns junction and actions taken.
• New Development Infrastructure Adoption: Councillor Nagi Nagella was scheduled to ask about tangible progress on adopting infrastructure on new developments and the difference made to residents.
• Pavement Parking: Councillor Beth Rowland was scheduled to ask what could be done to stop cars and vans being parked on pavements, forcing mobility scooter users onto the road.
• Lidl Shinfield Development: Councillor Andrew Gray was scheduled to ask for an update on the development of land next to the Lidl in Shinfield, intended to be a connecting road to the medical centre.
• Garrett Drive Property Management Fees: Councillor Vishal Srinivasan was scheduled to ask about limitations on adopting properties and fines for management companies charging residents twice.
• Age Concern Twyford Facilities: Councillor Martin Alder was scheduled to ask for an update on the Age Concern facility in Twyford and its future.
• A4 Vegetation Management: Councillor Sam Akhtar was scheduled to ask about the frequency of vegetation cuts along the A4 through Sonning and Charvil and if an additional cut could be scheduled.
• Barkham Ride Development Impact: Councillor Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask for a coordinated effort to minimise the impact of multiple developments on Barkham Ride.
• Minimum Income Guarantee Age Threshold: Councillor Dave Edmonds was scheduled to ask if it would be preferable for Executive team members to give up additional allowances rather than raising the age threshold for the minimum income guarantee.
• Woodley Tree Safety: Councillor Majid Nagra was scheduled to ask about measures being taken to keep residents safe from weak and dry trees, particularly in light of expected El Nino storms.
• Road Maintenance Programme Performance: Councillor Mike Smith was scheduled to ask for an update on the performance of the entire roads maintenance programme.

Presentation from Thames Valley Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner

A presentation from the Deputy Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, was scheduled to take place, followed by questions.

Motion on Fly-Tipping

Councillor Moses Iyengunmwena was scheduled to submit a motion concerning fly-tipping. The motion noted the significant annual cost of clearing fly-tipped waste and concerns about the affordability and accessibility of current waste disposal arrangements. It proposed that the Council's representatives on the re3 Waste Board explore alternative policy options for waste disposal, develop proposals for pilot schemes or policy adjustments to simplify resident access to bulky waste services, request a report on comparative costs and preventive models, and write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.

Statements by the Leader of the Council and Executive Members

Statements were scheduled to be received from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Conway, and Executive Members. Councillor Conway was expected to provide an update on devolution and changes to Executive responsibilities, including Councillor Stephen Newton taking responsibility for playparks and public protection. Councillor Prue Bray, Executive Councillor for Children's Services, was scheduled to brief the Council on the auto-enrolment for free school meals project. Councillor Stephen Newton, Executive Councillor for Recycling, Waste, Public Protection, Green Spaces and Play Parks, was scheduled to provide an update on the re3 pre-loved pop-up shop.

Statements from Council Owned Companies

This item was not scheduled to be considered due to time constraints.

Minutes of Committee Meetings and Ward Matters

An opportunity for Councillors to ask questions in relation to the latest circulated volume of minutes of meetings and ward matters was scheduled. Councillor Leon Cook was scheduled to ask a question regarding families not in school and the lack of secondary school places across the Borough. Councillor Beth Rowland was scheduled to ask about pavement parking issues. Councillor Andrew Gray was scheduled to ask for an update on the development of land next to the Lidl in Shinfield. Councillor Vishal Srinivasan was scheduled to ask about residents feeling double-taxed by property management companies and the Council. Councillor Martin Alder was scheduled to ask for an update on the Age Concern facility in Twyford. Councillor Sam Akhtar was scheduled to ask about vegetation management along the A4. Councillor Charles Margetts was scheduled to ask about the impact of developments on Barkham Ride. Councillor Dave Edmonds was scheduled to ask about the Council's consideration of raising the age threshold for the minimum income guarantee.