The County Council of Oxfordshire Council convened for an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday 20 May 2026. The primary item scheduled for discussion was the election of a new Leader of the Council, following the recent resignation of Councillor Liz Leffman.

Election of the Leader of the Council

The meeting was called to elect a new Leader of the Council, as Councillor Liz Leffman had resigned from the position on 12 May 2026. The report pack indicated that the election would follow the procedure specified in Council Procedure Rule 17.8, which outlines the process for voting on appointments. This procedure includes provisions for situations where one, two, or more than two candidates are nominated, detailing how votes would be cast and how a winner would be determined through electronic voting and potential elimination rounds. The report stated that there were no financial implications arising from this recommendation. The Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer, Anita Bradley, presented the report, with comments checked by Jay Akbar, Head of Legal and Governance Services. Colm Ó Caomhánaigh, Democratic Services Manager, was the contact officer for this item.

The report pack also included guidance notes on declarations of interest, reminding members of their general duty to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests, and non-registrable interests. It detailed what constitutes a disclosable pecuniary interest, which relates to employment, sponsorship, contracts, land, licenses, corporate tenancies, and securities, and stressed that these must be declared orally at the meeting and recorded in the Register of Interests. The guidance also explained the implications for participation in discussions and voting if a member has such an interest, and outlined the test for determining whether a member should remain in the meeting when a matter affects their financial interest or wellbeing, or that of a relative or close associate.