Councillor Dale Keeling was elected as the new Chair of Warwickshire County Council, securing 33 votes to Councillor Kate Rolfe's 21. Councillor Luke Shingler was subsequently elected as Vice-Chair, with 30 votes to Councillor Judy Phelps's 24. The Council also adopted its new four-year Council Plan, Recalibrating Warwickshire, following a lengthy debate and the rejection of two amendments.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The meeting began with the election of the Chair of the Council. Councillor Kate Rolfe was nominated by Councillor Bowe and seconded by Councillor Brown. However, Councillor Dale Keeling, the former Deputy Chair, was also nominated by Councillor Warrick and seconded by Councillor Barker. Following a vote, Councillor Keeling was elected Chair with 33 votes to Councillor Rolfe's 21.

Subsequently, Councillor Luke Shingler was nominated for Vice-Chair by Councillor Finch and seconded by Councillor Bannister. Councillor Judy Phelps was nominated by Councillor Scott and seconded by Councillor Nicki Scott. After a debate, Councillor Shingler was elected Vice-Chair with 30 votes to Councillor Phelps's 24.

Council Plan Adopted

The Council debated and ultimately adopted its new four-year Council Plan, Recalibrating Warwickshire, for 2026-30. The plan, which sets the strategic direction for the council, was proposed by Councillor George Finch, Leader of the Council.

During the debate, three amendments were proposed. An amendment from Councillor Jonathan Chilvers, seeking to adjourn the meeting to allow for circulation of amendments, was not accepted. Councillor Bould proposed an amendment focusing on strengthening areas such as adult social care and youth mental health, and reaffirming commitment to climate change. Councillor Christopher Kettle proposed a Conservative amendment that sought to rebalance climate change concerns with residents' immediate needs during the cost of living crisis. Councillor Will Roberts proposed a Green amendment to reintroduce climate change as a key focus area.

Councillor Finch accepted the Conservative amendment as a friendly amendment, stating it confirmed the council would not be bound by previous climate emergency declarations. However, he rejected the other amendments.

Following extensive debate, the Green amendment was defeated by 29 votes to 26. The Liberal Democrat amendment was also defeated. The substantive motion, incorporating the Conservative amendment, was then put to a vote and carried.

Urgency and Call-in Procedures

The Council reviewed the Annual Monitor of the Use of Urgency and Call-in Procedures for May 2025 to April 2026. Fourteen decisions were made under the urgency procedure, an increase from the previous year, primarily due to external deadlines and timeframes outside the Council's control. The report noted that the call-in procedure had been used four times, with no indication of it being used to cause unnecessary delay.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report

The Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26 was received. The report highlighted an increase in the number of scrutiny meetings held and noted that all committees were chaired by opposition members. It detailed the work of the four Overview and Scrutiny Committees: Adult Social Care and Health, Children and Young People, Communities, and Resources and Fire & Rescue. The report indicated that members of the public had spoken at a third of all committee meetings, and that four executive decisions had been called in for consideration.

Appointments to Committees and Other Bodies

The Council confirmed the committee structure, delegations, and appointments to various committees and other bodies for the upcoming municipal year. This included the confirmation of Martyn Burke as Chair of the Audit and Standards Committee. The report also detailed the allocation of seats between political groups on various committees, aiming for political proportionality.

Notices of Motion

Several notices of motion were debated and voted upon:

• Restore Britain Group Motion: This motion, concerning support for farmers and the rural economy, was amended by the Liberal Democrats to broaden its scope to include countryside and wildlife management. The amendment was defeated, and the substantive motion was carried.
• Liberal Democrat Group Motion: This motion welcomed and supported the National Year of Reading, committing the Council to working with various partners to promote reading across communities. The motion was carried unanimously.
• Reform UK Group Motion: This motion proposed establishing a cross-party Member working group on supporting farmers and the rural economy. Amendments from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups were accepted as friendly, and the amended motion was carried unanimously.
• Conservative Group Motion: This motion expressed concern about the deteriorating road conditions and the current administration's response to potholes. It resolved to review pothole repair processes, conduct an audit of junctions, and call on the Leader to write to National Highways. The motion was carried unanimously.

Other Business

An emergency motion was unanimously carried to commission an external investigation into the release of confidential information relating to a Member Code of Conduct investigation.

The meeting concluded with the Chair noting that decisions on cabinet appointments were still being considered and would be made in due course.