Councillors vote on 15 October to merge three planning committees into one as new rules send more decisions to officers. Plus school deficits and fireworks.
Three West Berkshire Council meetings have published agendas for the week from Monday 12 October. The biggest decision comes on Thursday. Full council is asked to replace the district’s three planning committees with one, as new national rules move most planning decisions to officers from 31 October.
On Monday, the Schools Forum hears that more of the district’s maintained schools are running deficit budgets than last year.
Thursday 15 October: full council
7pm, Council Chamber, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury. Agenda and papers.
Planning committees. A new national scheme of delegation comes into force on 31 October, under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. The officer report says the council has no choice over whether to adopt it, only over some local details.
Under the national rules:
- householder applications, minor housing schemes of one to nine homes, and several other routine types must always be decided by officers
- other applications can go to councillors only if they pass a “gateway test”: a significant planning matter, or an issue of significance to the local area
- that referral needs the agreement of a nominated councillor and a nominated officer; if they do not both agree, officers decide
The council proposes to scrap the District, Eastern Area and Western Area planning committees. A single Planning Committee of 11 councillors would meet monthly instead. The legal maximum is now 13.
The report says what does not change:
- anyone can still comment on any application
- ward councillors can still flag an application in their ward, or a neighbouring ward, within four weeks of it being validated
- all major applications will automatically be looked at for possible referral
- speaking rights at committee stay the same for parish councils, objectors, supporters and applicants
Officers accept that one district-wide committee “risks reducing local knowledge or representation”. They argue 11 members is enough to keep it. The new arrangements would be reviewed six to 12 months after they start.
Three motions. Councillors will debate:
- Protecting UK farming, from Councillor Tony Vickers. It asks the council to report within 12 months on support for the rural economy, and to write to the Environment Secretary backing equal food standards for imports.
- Cool spaces for summer 2027, from Councillor Carolyne Culver. It asks the Executive to look at opening council buildings as cool spaces in heatwaves, and to report back before 1 May 2027.
- Questions at scrutiny, also from Councillor Culver. It would add a public questions item to scrutiny committee meetings, which have none at present.
Also on the agenda: the Youth Justice Plan for 2026/27 and changes to committee membership. Public questions are listed as “to follow”.
Monday 12 October: Schools Forum
5pm to 7pm, online on Zoom. Agenda and papers.
Schools in deficit. The deficit schools report covers the council’s maintained schools. Academies are not included.
| Year | Schools with deficit budgets | Combined deficit |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 13 set deficit budgets; two more fell into deficit during the year | £1.29m budgeted; £1.39m at year end |
| 2026/27 | 17 | £1.74m |
The report blames falling pupil numbers, special needs costs, pay awards, energy and food costs, and lower income from wraparound care. It also lists weak budget control in some schools as a reason deficits drag on.
The wider schools grant. The first-quarter monitoring report forecasts a deficit of £13.55m on the Dedicated Schools Grant. That is £2.63m better than budgeted. It forecasts £15.8m in special needs top-up funding for mainstream schools and £8.6m for special schools and resource units.
For decision: whether to consult schools on next year’s funding formula. The consultation report proposes asking schools about moving up to 0.5% of the main schools budget to special needs. The consultation would run from 14 October to 6 November.
Monday 12 October: Joint Public Protection Committee
7pm, Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN. This committee oversees the trading standards, environmental health and licensing service that West Berkshire shares with Bracknell Forest and Wokingham. Agenda and papers.
It is asked to adopt a revised approach to fireworks, covering how the service enforces rules on selling, storing and using them. It will also look at its draft 2027/28 budget and fees, and its first-quarter performance report.
What it means for you
If you have a planning application in, or plan to object to one: from 31 October, fewer applications will go to a committee. Your comments still count either way. If you want councillors to decide a case, ask your ward councillor to flag it within four weeks of validation. Find current applications on our planning news page.
If you want to ask a question at full council: questions must be submitted in advance under the council’s procedure rules. Contact Democratic Services through the agenda page.
If you are a school governor or head: the funding formula consultation is due to open on 14 October if the forum approves it.
Sources
West Berkshire Council committee papers for Council, 15 October, Schools Forum, 12 October and the Joint Public Protection Committee, 12 October, read 11 October 2026.
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