The Constitutional and Nomination Committee convened to address committee membership changes and outside body appointments, ultimately approving the recommendations put forth by the City Solicitor. The committee also reviewed the progress of postal vote renewals, acknowledging the work being done to encourage voter participation in the statutory process.

Committee Membership and Outside Body Appointments

The committee considered a report from the City Solicitor regarding changes to council committee and board memberships, as well as appointments to outside bodies.

The following changes to committee membership were approved:

• Councillor Cooley was added to the Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Marlow replaced Councillors Reeves and Nunney on the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Nunney was added to the Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Doswell was removed from the Health Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Reeves was added to the Audit Committee.
• Councillor Johnson was added to the Executive – Standing Consultative Panel.

The committee also approved the following changes to outside body representation on the Health and Wellbeing Board¹:

• Patricia Davies (MLCO), Katy Ollerenshaw (VCSE), and Aydin Djemal (VCSE) were added.
• Ian Lurcock and Mike Wild were removed.

These recommendations were made in response to requests for changes since the previous appointments made on 14 May 2025.

Postal Vote Renewals

The committee discussed a report from the Chief Executive on the progress of implementing changes arising from the Elections Act² concerning postal voting applications. Under the new rules, postal votes are only valid for a maximum of three years, requiring electors who applied before 30 January 2024 to reapply if they wish to continue voting by post.

The report highlighted that in Manchester, this renewal process affected a significant number of electors, with 89% of the 61,641 postal voters needing to submit a new application by 31 January 2026. Failure to renew by this date would result in cancellation of their postal vote and a return to voting in person at a polling station.

The Elections Team began communicating with electors in March 2025 to raise awareness of the new requirements. As of 15 July 2025, 32% of postal voters had responded to the renewal campaign. The team planned to intensify their efforts through the annual canvass[^4] and a communications and engagement exercise. Electors who did not take action by 1 December 2025 would receive a final notification before their postal voting arrangements were cancelled on 2 February 2026.

The committee discussed the importance of ensuring postal voters are registered by the deadline and how to best raise public awareness of the renewal process. This included using digital and physical methods, with emphasis on clear messaging in emails and envelopes. The committee also stressed the importance of reaching out to all areas of the community, potentially with the help of voluntary groups.

The committee made the following decisions:

• Noted the progress of the Elections Team's program to renew postal vote applications.
• Supported the communications campaign to encourage electors to engage with the statutory process.
• Encouraged all Elected Members to promote the use of the 'online' postal vote application process.
• Noted the comments of the Committee.