The Labour administration in control of Reading has been sworn in at a crucial annual council meeting.

The annual general meeting of Reading Borough Council is held at the start of the municipal year each May.

Following its victory at the local elections, the Labour Party held power, with the leadership of the Reading Labour councillors making changes to which councillors will take leadership roles.

The biggest change was the departure of councillor Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) from his position as deputy leader to the ceremonial role as Mayor of the council.

The deputy leader position has now been taken by cllr Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), who will also keep her role as lead for corporate services & resources.

READ MORE: Reading councillor who has 50 years of service set to become mayor

In another change, cllr Paul Gittings (Labour, Coley) has taken on the role of lead councillor for adult social care.

The position was previously held by cllr John Ennis (Labour, Southcote) who is now the lead councillor for transport & climate strategy.

Those were the biggest substantial changes, with many of the lead councillors retaining the briefs they held in the council’s administration since 2022.

Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) has stayed on as lead for planning & assets, and cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) has kept her position as lead for environmental services & community safety.

Cllr Ellie Emberson (Labour, Coley) has retained her role as lead for housing, and cllr Graeme Hoskin will stay on as lead for children.

Meanwhile, cllr Ruth McEwan (Labour, Church) will continue as lead for education and public health and cllr Adele Barnett-Ward (Labour, Thames) will retain her brief as lead for leisure & culture.

But it wasn’t just the Labour administration that was agreed at the meeting, as which councillors will serve on which committees was also determined.

The balance of the committees is weighed in favour of the Labour Party, with other seats being filled by the Green Party, the leading opposition group, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

READ MORE: New Liberal Democrat leader on Reading council pledges to hold Labour to account

The positions which each councillor was appointed to was determined at the annual general meeting at Reading Town Hall on Wednesday, May 24.

Councillors also agreed on which of them would chair each committee.

Cllr Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood) has taken on the position of chair of the housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee.

The previous chair cllr Sarah Hacker (Independent, Battle) who was expelled from Labour earlier this year, remains on the committee.

Cllr Dennis was also elected for the ceremonial role as deputy mayor by fellow cllr Mark Keeping (Labour, Kentwood).

Cllr Will Cross (Labour, Redlands) will be chair of the influential strategic environment, planning & transport committee alongside vice-chair cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith.

The traffic management sub-committee will be chaired by cllr Mohammed Ayub (Labour, Abbey) again with cllr Jacopo Lanzoni (Labour, Caversham) being vice chair.

The planning applications committee will be chaired by cllr Jo Lovelock (Labour, Norcot) with cllr Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) taking the position as vice chair.

Cllr Paul Woodward (Labour, Church) remains as chair of the licensing committee, alongside vice-chair cllr Debs Edwards (Labour, Southcote).

Finally, the adult social care, children’s services & education committee will be chaired by cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles (Labour, Whitley) with cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) serving as vice chair.