The agenda for the upcoming Wiltshire Council meeting includes the election of a new Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the appointment of a Leader of the Council, and the appointment of members to various committees. Councillors will also discuss a new overview and scrutiny committee structure and receive annual updates from committees such as the Audit and Governance Committee and the Health and Wellbeing Board. The meeting will also address public participation, including questions, statements, and petitions.

Election Results and Appointments

The council will receive the Returning Officer's report regarding the election results held on 1 May 2025. The report details the votes for each candidate in each electoral division. For example, in Aldbourne & Ramsbury, James Henry Sheppard of the Local Conservatives was elected with 723 votes, while in Amesbury East & Bulford, Kevin John Asplin of Reform UK was elected with 470 votes.

Following the election results, the council will appoint a Leader of the Council for the period 2025-2029. Nominations will be sought during the meeting, and the elected Leader will then advise the council on the membership of their Cabinet.

The council will also appoint members to various committees, area boards, and other bodies. This includes the appointment of committees and a review of the allocation of seats on committees to political groups. The report sets out the process for the council to:

• Constitute and re-appoint committees and allocate seats to political groups.
• Appoint councillors and substitutes to those committees.
• Appoint chairmen and vice-chairmen of committees.

The report notes that area boards are appointed by the council under Section 102 of the Local Government Act 1972, and all unitary councillors representing the electoral divisions covered by an area board will be appointed to their respective area board.

Annual Updates from Committees

The council is scheduled to receive annual reports or updates from various committees, including:

• Overview and Scrutiny (including the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, Children’s Select Committee, Environment Select Committee, and Health Select Committee). The Overview and Scrutiny - Annual Report 2024-2025 notes that Overview and Scrutiny has played a significant role in developing council policy, scrutinising the council’s performance, and holding decision-makers to account.
• Audit and Governance Committee. The Annual Update - Audit and Governance Committee 2024-2025 states that the committee has received many updates in relation to external audit activity, internal audit activity, the regulatory framework, and financial management and accounts.
• Electoral Review Committee. The Update - electoral review committee notes that the Electoral Review Committee oversees the provision of information required by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and is responsible for conducting polling district and polling place reviews, and community governance reviews.
• Health and Wellbeing Board. The Annual Update - Health and Wellbeing Board 2024-2025 states that the board considered whole-system and public health initiatives such as the approach to obesity, support for Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Boater communities, the activity of neighbourhood collaboratives, and the findings of the children and young people emotional wellbeing survey.
• Licensing Committee. The Annual Update - Licensing Committee 2024-2025 notes that the Licensing Committee has received a variety of reports in relation to the council’s responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005.
• Staffing Policy Committee. The Annual Update - Staffing Policy 2024-2025 states that the committee monitored, reviewed, and determined several staffing policies and practices.
• Wiltshire Pension Fund Committee
• Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel

New Overview and Scrutiny Committee Structure

The council will receive a report from the Director - Legal and Governance regarding a new Overview and Scrutiny Committee Structure. The report asks Full Council to make changes to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Structure, as recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee. The proposal is to authorise the Director of Legal & Governance to make arrangements for the Overview and Scrutiny committee structure set out in Appendix 2 of the report to be implemented, taking into account the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

Public Participation

The council welcomes contributions from members of the public. The Agenda frontsheet Tuesday 20-May-2025 10.30 Council notes that members of the public can make statements on any item on the agenda, and up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each. The council will also receive any questions from members of the public received in accordance with the constitution.

Petitions

The council will receive presentation of any petitions submitted for the meeting and an update on any petitions received by the council since the last meeting. As of 12 May 2025, there have been three new petitions received by Wiltshire Council since the last report to Council on 25 February 2025 which have reached the threshold to be reported to Council. The Petitions Report details these petitions, including a petition about a resident and his situation in a care home, an e-petition asking for pedestrian crossings on Pewsham Bypass, and an e-petition from a resident in Trowbridge asking the council to procure and install effective measures to mitigate flooding risk on the B3105 and B3107.