Wiltshire Council's meeting on Tuesday 20 October 2026 was scheduled to address a range of important matters. Key discussions were anticipated regarding the council's ongoing response to the climate emergency, proposed changes to the council's constitution concerning planning and rights of way, and recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel on members' allowances. The council was also expected to review the annual report on Our Wiltshire Plan 2025-35 and consider several notices of motion submitted by councillors on diverse topics.

Climate Emergency Response and Environment Policy

The council was scheduled to receive an update on its climate emergency response, including the annual Greenhouse Gas Report for 2025/26. This report was expected to detail progress towards the council's commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, outlining reductions in its direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2) and efforts to influence Scope 3 emissions from outsourced services and procurement. The meeting was also scheduled to consider an updated Environment Policy for 2026-2028, which forms part of the council's Policy Framework. The report highlighted that while the council's direct emissions were reducing, Wiltshire-wide emissions were not falling at the rate required to meet the county's carbon-neutral ambition. Discussions were also scheduled regarding adaptation and resilience measures to prepare for the impacts of climate change, including increased spending on drainage and support for community resilience plans.

Proposed Changes to the Constitution

The council was scheduled to consider proposed changes to its Constitution, as recommended by the Standards Committee. These changes were primarily related to the National Scheme of Delegation - Planning and Rules of Procedure and Rights of Way. The national scheme of delegation for planning functions, mandated by government regulations taking effect from 31 October 2026, was expected to curtail the types of applications that could be determined by members, introducing a Gateway Test for certain applications. The proposed changes to the Constitution aimed to ensure compliance with these new legal requirements. Additionally, amendments to the Council Rules of Procedure were scheduled, including proposals for recorded votes on certain elections, adjustments to the number of substitutes for committees, and a reduction in the length of members' speeches. Changes to the handling of public rights of way orders were also to be considered, aiming for greater efficiency while retaining local member influence.

Independent Remuneration Panel Recommendations

A significant item on the agenda was the consideration of recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel regarding members' allowances. The Panel had conducted a review and was expected to propose changes to the existing scheme. Key recommendations included maintaining the basic allowance at £17,585 per annum, but reducing the number of Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) bands from eight to six and capping the entitlement so that no individual councillor could receive more than one SRA, with the highest SRA being payable. Several SRAs were recommended for removal or reduction, including for the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Area Board Chairs, while others were adjusted. The report indicated that the adoption of these recommendations would theoretically lead to a reduction in overall costs to the Council.

Notices of Motion

Several notices of motion were scheduled for consideration, reflecting a range of member priorities:

• Notice of Motion No. 2026-14 - Statutory and other advertising by Wiltshire Council: This motion was scheduled to be considered, proposing that Wiltshire Council should use the cheapest compliant option for all advertising, including for Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs). It suggested giving due consideration to more expensive options only when a single advert covers multiple TROs or when wider advertising is in the public interest. Supporting information indicated that the council was already reviewing its process for advertising TROs.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-15 - National Highways, A36, Salisbury: This motion called for Wiltshire Council to challenge National Highways to conduct a holistic review of the Salisbury section of the A36 trunk road to optimise traffic flow. The motion specifically requested consideration of the necessity of traffic signals at St Mark's, Castle Road, and St Paul's roundabouts, an explanation of operational and safety considerations during periods when signals were off, and an assessment of alternative lane arrangements.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-16 - Supporting Wiltshire's farmers, food security, and rural resilience in drought: This motion was scheduled to be discussed, requesting the establishment of a Wiltshire Rural Resilience and Food Security Partnership and the preparation of a Wiltshire Rural Drought Resilience Action Plan. It also sought a review of council planning policy to support farm-resilience infrastructure and the use of the County Farms Estate as a testbed for resilience measures.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-17 - Register of Wiltshire Council owned buildings: This motion proposed that the council undertake a complete audit and produce an updated register of all Wiltshire Council-owned buildings, excluding occupied family homes and land. The register was to be circulated to all members, and ward members were to be informed of any family homes that remained void for over six months.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-18 - Review of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Framework: This motion called for a national review of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) framework and its public consultation methodology. It aimed to improve the assessment of pharmacy provision to better reflect patient experience, pharmacy capacity, future housing growth, healthcare inequalities, and local community needs.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-19 - Review of Guidance for Temporary Event Signage and Event Advertising: This motion requested a review of the council's guidance and arrangements for temporary event signage and advertising. The review was to consider the clarity and accessibility of the guidance, its suitability for temporary events, and how to distinguish legitimate advertising from unlawful flyposting.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-20 - Fly-tipping and the Household Recycling Centre booking pilot: This motion called on Cabinet to publish baseline fly-tipping figures, monthly pilot data, and to run a county-wide campaign encouraging reporting of fly-tipping. It also requested a report on clearance costs, enforcement, and resident feedback before any decision on the future of the booking system.
• Notice of Motion No. 2026-21 - Reinstatement of the A350 Melksham Bypass: This motion called upon the Government to reinstate the A350 Melksham Bypass and fund interim safety measures on the A350 corridor.

Annual Updates and Policy Matters

The council was scheduled to receive the Our Wiltshire Plan 2025-35 - Annual Report 2026, providing a summary of achievements against the plan's priorities and outlining future activities. Additionally, the Annual Youth Justice Plan 2026/27 was to be presented, detailing the approach to preventing offending and reoffending by children. The Climate Emergency Response and Environment Policy report included an update on the Climate Strategy delivery and the annual Greenhouse Gas Report, alongside a proposed updated Environment Policy.

Community Governance and Committee Matters

The Community Governance Review 2025/26 was scheduled for consideration, with final recommendations from the Electoral Review Committee regarding proposed changes to parish governance arrangements in Purton/Lydiard Milicent and Devizes/Bishops Cannings/Rowde/Potterne. The council was also to determine requests from Group Leaders for changes to committee membership, including potential adjustments following a by-election. Finally, a report on Questions from Members of the Council was listed, indicating that members would have the opportunity to ask questions on council business.