The Council Meeting of Stockport Council convened on Tuesday 20 May 2The Council Meeting of Stockport Council convened on Tuesday 20 May 2025 for its Annual Meeting. The primary focus of the meeting was the formal establishment of the Council's leadership and committee structures for the upcoming year. This included the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, the appointment of the Cabinet Leader and Deputy Cabinet Leader, and the allocation of places on various committees.

Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor

The meeting began with the formal election of the Mayor for the ensuing year. Councillor Kerry Waters was elected to this position. Following this, Councillor Gary Lawson was appointed as the Deputy Mayor. Both individuals were scheduled to make declarations of acceptance of their respective offices. The agenda also included votes of thanks to the Past Mayor and Past Mayoresses, and the Past Deputy Mayor and Past Deputy Mayoress, for their service during their terms of office, with presentations of badges as mementos.

Appointment of Cabinet Leadership and Responsibilities

A significant item on the agenda was the appointment of the Cabinet Leader (Leader of the Council). Councillor Mark Roberts was nominated for this role. Following this, a report was to be received from the Leader of the Council detailing the number of councillors appointed to the Cabinet, the appointments made, the designation of the Deputy Cabinet Leader (Deputy Leader of the Council), and the allocation of responsibilities or portfolios within the Cabinet.

Committee Appointments and Proportionality

A substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to the allocation of places on various committees in accordance with proportionality rules. This involved considering alternative arrangements for committee appointments to ensure political balance, as mandated by Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989¹. The report outlined the seat entitlement for each political group based on the Council's current composition: Liberal Democrats (30 councillors), Labour (21 councillors), Stockport Community Group (5 councillors), Green Party (3 councillors), Independent Ratepayers (3 councillors), and Conservative (1 councillor).

Specific committees to be appointed included Scrutiny Committees, the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, and their respective Chairs and Vice-Chairs. Additionally, Ordinary Committees, Area Committees, Working Parties, and other Member bodies were to be appointed. The Council was also scheduled to appoint Councillors to serve on various outside bodies, including those related to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority², the Bee Network Committee³, and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund Management Panel⁴.

Constitution and Scheme of Delegation

A key item for approval was the Council's Constitution and Scheme of Delegation⁵. This comprehensive document outlines the governance framework, roles and responsibilities of councillors and officers, decision-making processes, and the delegation of functions across different parts of the Council.

Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 – Councillor Colin MacAlister

The Council was also scheduled to consider a report from the Assistant Director for Governance concerning Councillor Colin MacAlister under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972⁶. This section relates to the requirement for members to attend meetings of the authority, with provisions for absence due to ill-health to be approved by the Council.