Motions approved by Council

Council Meeting Wednesday 17 July 2024

Proposer: Councillor A Tisi Seconder: Councillor Taylor.

Lead Officer: Lin Ferguson, Executive Director of Children's Services

Resolved: That This Council: 
i) Agreed that care experience be considered as a protected characteristic in addition to any other relevant protected characteristic for an individual;
ii) the council and its partners should actively seek out and listen to the voices
of care-experienced people when developing new policies; and
iii) other bodies, including key council partners, be formally urged to consider
care experience as a protected characteristic until it is introduced by
legislation.

Update: Council agreed this.

Council Meeting Wednesday 17 July 2024

Proposer: Councillor Larcombe Seconder: Councillor Coe.

Lead Officer: Councillor Coe, Cabinet Member for Household & Regulatory Services

Resolved: 
i) that bearing in mind recent changes in the Government, it was agreed that Councillor Coe should amend and reissue the ‘River Thames Scheme Channel One’ letter.

Update: Joanna Bolam, Executive Assistant, confirmed that an amended and reissued River Thames Scheme Channel One letter was sent to the Secretary of State for Environment, and the Minister of State for Environment from Councillor Richard Coe on Monday 22 July 2024.

A second letter was sent to Secretary of State for Environment and Minister of State for Climate from Parish Council representative, Cllr Richard Coe, Cllr Simon Werner and Stephen Evans – Chief Executive. Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead on Friday 19 April 2024. 

Council Meeting Wednesday 17 July 2024

Proposer: Councillor Carpenter Seconder: Councillor Cross.

Lead Officer: Andrew Durrant, Executive Director of Place Services 

Resolved: That this Council:
i) Notes recurrent water leaks throughout the Royal Borough, disrupting residents and businesses. Key issues include frequent leaks, repeated repairs, road closures, impact on major roads, vulnerable residents, and dissatisfaction. 

This Council resolves to demand that the CEO of Thames Water and South East Water attends the next Place Overview and Scrutiny meeting to explain to our residents and their customers, why Thames Water and South East Water has failed the residents of the Royal Borough and what is going to be done.

Update: An invite has been extended to the relevant parties to attend the next meeting. 

Council Meeting Wednesday 25 September 2024

Proposer: Councillor Knowles Seconder: Councillor Werner

Lead Officer: n/a

Resolved: That this Council:
i) Support and lobby for a Public Inquiry into child abuse at the closed Green Fields Children's home and the circumstances that led to it being able to continue for so long without action by Berkshire County Council and other agencies. 

Update: Councillor Knowles confirmed the letter was written, replied to, no other action necessary. 

Council Meeting Wednesday 20 November 2024

Proposer: Councillor K. Davies Seconder: Councillor Wilson 

Lead Officer: n/a

Resolved: That this Council will: 
i) Join 369 other councils in supporting the Bill. 
ii) Ask the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Biodiversity & Windsor Town Council to write to our Borough's MPs to thank Joshua Reynolds MP for supporting the Bill and to encourage Jack Rankin MP to support the Bill, and to ask both to attend the debate in January.

Update: Councillor Davies confirmed that RBWM have been added to Zero Hour Climate and Nature Bill campaign team Supporting Councils.

Council Meeting Wednesday 20 November 2024

Proposer: Councillor J. Tisi  Seconder: Councillor Coe

Lead Officer: n/a

Resolved: That this Council will: 
i) Deplore the effects of the current First Past the Post electoral system, which fails to represent voter wishes and which has sometimes led to super-majorities for winning parties both at local government and national level, including the 2024 General Election, which was the most disproportionate in UK history, thus risking lack of proper scrutiny of decisions. 
ii) Call for a proportional and preferential voting system to be used for UK General Elections and English local elections, noting that such electoral systems are already used to elect the Parliaments and - Assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 
iii) Ask that the Leader of the Council write to H.M. Government calling for a change in our outdated electoral laws and to enable a proportional and preferential voting system to be used for UK general elections and for local elections in England.

Update: Council agreed this.

Council Meeting Wednesday 22 January 2025

Proposer: Councillor Bermange   Seconder: Councillor Knowles 

Lead Officer: Oran Norris-Browne, Governance and Democratic Services Manager

Resolved: 
i) That in reviewing the political balance, notes the current number of Councillors in each of the recognised Political Groups are as follows:

• Liberal Democrats - 21 seats (51.2%)
• Conservatives - 7 seats (17.1%)
• Local Independents - 7 seats (17.1%)
• Independent Alliance - 6 seats (14.6%) 

ii) Delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer, Mayor and four Political Group Leaders and as soon as is practicable, to agree and publish an amended allocation of seats on individual committees, panels and forums of the Council in accordance with the provisions set out in Sections 15 and 16 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as supplemented by the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990.

Update: This was updated and published within the Constitution shortly after the meeting.

Council Meeting Wednesday 23 April 2025

Proposer: Councillor Sharpe   Seconder: Councillor W DaCosta (But amended by Councillor Wilson & Councillor Jones)

Lead Officer: Ian O'Donnell, Executive Director of Resources & S151 Officer

Resolved: 
That this Council will:

1. Acknowledge the work the current administration has undertaken to resolve the financial problems caused by previous administrations.

2. Request a report is brought to a future Council meeting on the failures of financial management and governance as already detailed in the 2 previous CIPFA reviews and external auditor's comments including the potential costs, benefits, scope and feasibility of a further investigation.

Update: Ian O’Donnell and his team are working on the report, this will be presented at Tuesday 23 September 2025 Cabinet meeting.