Committees

Bracknell Town Council is comprised of 28 councillors representing 13 Wards. Councillors are elected every 4 years, the last elections having been in May 2023. The Council is served by a Town Clerk, the senior officer of the Town Council, and approximately 40 other staff, 19 of which are full time. The majority of the staff work to maintain the outdoor spaces, sports fields, play areas and pavilions for which the Town Council is responsible.

Council Meetings

Members of the public are welcome to attend the majority of  Council meetings; click here for the agendas.   The schedule of meetings can also be found on the notice board outside Brooke House.  Meetings are held at either 6.30pm or 7.30pm on Tuesday evenings in the Council Chamber at Brooke House.  Access is via the High Street.

The decision making process of the Council is informed by various committees reporting back to the full Council. In turn, each committee may form sub-committees (working groups) to look into prescribed areas and research options to inform its parent committee, and ultimately the full Council.

Councillors are assigned to committees at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council which is normally held in May.  Committee membership can be found in the Councillor profile.  All Town Councillors meet at Full Council (held four times a year) to ratify the decisions made by the Town Council’s delegated committees.

Planning

The Town Council has the opportunity to comment on all Planning applications within the Bracknell Town area prior to their being considered by the Bracknell Forest Borough Council Planning Committee, where the final decisions on permission are made.

Environmental Services

The committee oversees the management of the Town Council’s recreation grounds, play areas and pavilions and is responsible for establishing future work plans for play area renewal and refurbishment. Environmental issues are also considered by the committee.

Strategy & Finance

The committee recommends and monitors the Town Council’s budget and advises on financial management as well as other matters which do not fall within the remit of the Environmental Services Committee.

Staffing

The Staffing Committee has delegated authority to consider issues, make enquiries and make responses on behalf of Bracknell Town Council in respect of the areas for which it has responsibility, including to the staff establishment, job descriptions, pay scales, personnel policies, training and other terms and conditions where appropriate.

The Annual Meeting

The Council is chaired by the Town Mayor who is elected each year at the Annual Meeting in May. Also at the Annual Meeting, Town Councillors are voted in to serve on a number of committees which consider planning, environmental services, strategy and finance, and personnel issues. Other working groups will also be formed to make recommendations in relation to matters of local relevance and importance, for example youth work and health and safety.

Relationships with Outside Bodies

Councillor representatives are appointed yearly to act as liaison with various outside bodies such as Community Associations and Neighbourhood Action Groups, and also to local organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Youth Line and Berkshire Association of Local Councils.