The Worcestershire County Council meeting on Thursday, 14 May 2026, saw the election of a new Chair and Vice-Chair, with Councillor Paul Bennett taking on the role of Chair and Councillor Tony Miller as Vice-Chair. The council also appointed Councillor Matt Jenkins as the new Leader of the Council, following the resignation of Councillor Jo Monk.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The council elected Councillor Paul Bennett as its new Chair, with Councillor Tony Miller appointed as Vice-Chair. Both were elected following nominations and votes from councillors.

Appointment of Leader of the Council

Following the resignation of Councillor Jo Monk, Councillor Matt Jenkins was appointed as the new Leader of Worcestershire County Council. Councillor Alan Amos was also nominated for the role. The decision was made through a vote of the council members.

Constitutional Matters

The council discussed and agreed to recalculate political balance following changes in group membership. The current political balance was noted as: Reform (24 councillors), Conservative (12), GAIA (10), Liberal Democrats (7), Labour (2), and two Independent councillors. The council also addressed the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs for various committees, noting a vacancy for the Vice-Chair of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Reports of Cabinet and Cabinet Members

Future Delivery Location for Residential Replacement Care Provision for Adults with Learning Disabilities: The council approved the use of £831,000 of existing Capital grant and £250,000 from the Capital Maintenance budget to fund the refurbishment of Green Hill Lodge in Worcester. This will consolidate services from Worth Crescent, Pershore Short Breaks, and Worcester Resource Centre into a single location, aiming to improve facilities and generate capital receipts from the disposal of the vacated premises. The total project cost is estimated at £1,575,000.

Revised Capital Programme: The council agreed to add funding from the Environment Agency (EA) for the Severn Stoke Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) to the approved Capital Programme. The EA will fund the majority of the scheme, with the council's contribution capped at £250,000, which is already accounted for in the approved capital programme. The scheme aims to protect the village of Severn Stoke from flooding.

Worcestershire Children First Striking Off and Dissolution

The council noted that Worcestershire Children First (WCF), a company limited by guarantee, is now dormant. It was agreed to proceed with striking off the company from the Register of Companies and dissolving it. Councillor Justin Bowen was appointed as the authorised representative of the council in its capacity as the sole member of WCF.

Worcestershire Pension Fund Governance Arrangements

The council approved updated terms of reference for the Pension Board, Pensions Committee, and the Governance Policy Statement. It also approved the appointment of an independent person to advise the Pensions Committee and Pension Investment Sub-Committee. These changes align with the new Pension Schemes Bill 2025 and introduce a statutory requirement for a Senior LGPS Officer and an Independent Person.

Worcestershire County Council Divisional Funds Scheme and Locally Determined Fund

The council noted an amendment to the Worcestershire County Council Divisional Funds Scheme and Locally Determined Fund.

Notices of Motion

Councillor Behaviour: A motion concerning councillor behaviour was unanimously passed. The motion noted the murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, highlighted the significant levels of abuse and intimidation experienced by elected representatives, and resolved to mark the 10th anniversary of Jo Cox's murder by promoting the Great Get-Together and supporting efforts to increase civility and reduce abuse in politics, including the Local Government Association's Debate Not Hate campaign. Councillors shared personal experiences of abuse and intimidation, emphasizing the need for respectful conduct.

Question Time

Councillors asked a series of questions to Cabinet Members on various topics, including:

• The commencement date of the RSA Stage 4 report for the A4440 works.
• Infrastructure projects being considered for Redditch following Local Government Reorganisation savings.
• How the new growth and skills levy will support manufacturing jobs in Worcestershire.
• Plans for the 2029 waste contract and the council's approach to waste disposal.
• Where legally compliant yellow box hatchings can be implemented on the council's network.
• The number of pupils from Worcester offered places in Malvern schools.
• Measures to ensure rural communities have access to local schools.
• A review of the policy on installing H bars to deter parking across dropped kerbs.
• The provision of home-to-school transport for children attending designated schools.
• Reasons why residents of Kempsey cannot use the Worcestershire on Demand (WOD) bus service to access certain local amenities.
• The target for efficiency savings in pounds for the next 12 months and the specific measures to achieve it.
• Actions being taken to address a backlog of unresolved highways issues.

Reports of Committees

Audit and Governance Committee: The committee noted progress on the 2025/26 Statutory Accounts, approved accounting policies, and noted the Internal Audit progress report, which indicated an improving corporate governance picture. The committee also approved the Internal Audit Charter, Strategy, Annual Internal Audit Plan, and Counter Fraud Plan for 2026/27. A significant issue regarding debt management in the Adults and Communities Directorate was highlighted, with a request for increased direct debit payments and lobbying the government on the matter. The committee also noted updates on performance and risk management, business continuity, treasury management, and the appointment of independent members to the committee.

Pensions Committee: The committee noted the minutes of the Pension Investment Sub-Committee and Pension Board meetings. Updates were received on the 2025 Valuation, the Business Plan, and the Risk Register. The committee noted the progress on the Fund's Cyber Security Review and approved the secure destruction of legacy microfiche archived records. Discussions also covered the Investment Strategy Statement, Climate Change Risk Strategy, and an update on LGPS Central Limited. Exempt reports on the Pension Fund Budget Forecast Outturn and Pension Investment Update were also noted.

Standards and Ethics Committee: The committee noted the progress on the draft social media guidance for councillors and the recruitment process for two independent members to the committee.

The meeting concluded with Chair's announcements, including a reminder about the council's group photograph and a report on the outgoing Chair's attendance at various functions. The death of former County Councillor Clive Holt was also noted with sadness.