What local government reorganisation could mean for Bracknell has been explained.
Councils up and down the country are in discussions about local government reorganisation as the Labour government has announced that county councils will be abolished.
High-level discussions are taking place in Berkshire and neighbouring counties about the creation of a mayoral strategic authority.
This mayor has decision-making powers over planning, housing, transport and major projects similar to the West of England and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough combined authorities.
An explanation of how Bracknell Forest fits into these reorganisation and devolution plans has been given after councillor Robert McLean (Conservative, Whitegrove) asked for an update and whether any changes would affect the council elections in 2027.
A written response by Mary Temperton, the council leader, stated that there will be no changes to the Bracknell Forest Council elections in 2027.
She also gave a verbal answer at a full council meeting.
Cllr Temperton (Labour, Great Hollands) said: “All the Berkshire leaders and all the Oxfordshire um county and district leaders are talking together when we meet together.
“We’re not actually talking about local government reorganisation, it’s entirely on the mayoral strategic authority, which is the one which would be a new tier and which is when government devolves its money down into local areas.
“So it’s bringing money into the area, and as such, Bracknell would be part of this big unit, but it wouldn’t actually change very much about how we organise the governance and the council and everything within Bracknell Forest.”
She then explained that negotiations are taking place over which areas will form the strategic authority Bracknell will fit into, as a larger authority could include Swindon.
Addressing members, cllr Temperton said: “We need you to all know about this and we need the pros and the cons.
“No decision will ever be made until you’ve been fully informed of what the arguments are for and against, and that will be debated in this council.
“So, no decisions at all have been made. No decisions are being made. It’s still in the air.
“Other areas like Oxfordshire are now concentrating quite heavily on their local government reorganisation because they have to change from Oxfordshire Council into unitary authorities. Berkshire has already done that.
“So we’ve already got six Berkshire authorities ready to go in this mayoral strategic authority, but Oxfordshire will do that parallel to the mayoral strategic authority.
“In September, we’ll come back with the pros and the cons and other arguments of what to include in the mayoral strategic authority.”
The answer was given at the full council meeting on July 9.
The only Berkshire council that is actively involved in reorganisation is West Berkshire, which is seeking to unite with South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse to create Ridgeway Council.
