Wokingham Borough Council
Wokingham Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. Since 1998 the council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. It is based at the Civic Offices on Shute End in the town of Wokingham.
The council was under no overall control from 2022 to 2025. Following the 2024 election, a minority Liberal Democrat administration formed to run the council. On 5 June 2025, the Liberal Democrats gained their 28th member in a by-election and took control of the Council.
History
The town of Wokingham was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1885. The municipal borough was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, merging with the surrounding Wokingham Rural District to become a new non-metropolitan district called Wokingham.Until 1998 Wokingham was a lower-tier district council, with Berkshire County Council providing county-level services to the area. The county council was abolished in 1998 and Wokingham became a unitary authority, taking over the county council's functions in the area. The council was awarded borough status in 2007, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.
Political control
Since 2022 the council has been under no overall control. Following the 2022 election a Liberal Democrat-led coalition with Labour and the independent councillors formed to run the council. Following the 2024 election the Liberal Democrats had exactly half the council's seats and formed a minority administration.On 5 June 2025, the Liberal Democrats gained their 28th member in a by-election and took control of the Council.
The first elections to Wokingham District Council were held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:
Lower-tier non-metropolitan district
'''Unitary authority'''
Leadership
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Wokingham, and is usually held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1995 have been:Composition
Following the 2024 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to June 2025, the council composition was:The next election is due in May 2026.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 54 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council elected each time for a four-year term of office.In October 2024 Labour Councillor Sarah Bell resigned and the Conservative candidate Jackie Rance gained the seat in November 2024. In January 2025 Labour Councillor Alex Freeney resigned the Labour whip and became independent.
In June 2025, following the death of Conservative Councillor Norman Jorgensen, a by-election was held and the Liberal Democrat Candidate, Mike Smith gained the seat, which meant that control of the Council went to the Liberal Democrats.