A new mayor is set to be appointed in Reading, with other political appointments also being decided next week.

The annual full council meeting, where a new mayor is officially appointed each year, was due to be held on June 2, 2020, but will be cancelled until coronavirus social distancing guidance allows it to take place.

Reading Borough Council's (RBC) virtual Policy committee is set to approve the appointment of the new leadership roles at the council next Wednesday, May 27.

Councillor David Stevens has been nominated for mayor, while Cllr Rachel Eden has been put forward for deputy mayor.

READ MORE: Road repair delays in Reading confirmed - How major roads and side-streets will be affected

A Conservative member of the council for Thames ward, Cllr Stevens is the current deputy mayor as well as chairman of the Audit & Governance committee. He is set to take over from Cllr Paul Woodward.

Cllr Eden is a Labour member for Whitley and stood as a candidate in Reading West in the general election last year, finishing second toAlok Sharma. She is in set to take over from Cllr Deborah Edwards.

READ MORE: "It has not been easy - we had no financial help": Greek restaurant finally opens for takeaway only

Other planned appointments will see:

  • Councillor Adele Barnett-Ward taking over from Cllr Sophia James as lead member for Neighbours and Communities
  • Councillor Paul Gittings taking over from Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward as chairman of the Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport committee

Meanwhile, committee meetings that have been postponed, such as the Audit & Governance and Traffic Management sub-committee, are provisionally set to return in July.