Bexley Council has formally approved its committee structure and appointed members to various roles for the upcoming municipal year, following decisions made during the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

The council reviewed and agreed upon the committee structure for the 2026/27 municipal year, including membership sizes and the allocation of seats to political groups. The rationale behind this allocation is to ensure that no committee comprises members from only one political group, that the majority of seats on each committee are allocated to a political group if that group forms a majority of the authority's membership, and that the total number of seats allocated to each political group on all ordinary committees reflects the political balance of the council. Specific allocation details were outlined in a supplementary report.

Following nominations from the respective political groups, members were appointed to various committees, panels, and other bodies, including substitute members. Representatives were also appointed to serve on outside bodies.

While the specific committees were not detailed in the initial announcement, a review of the agenda indicates that the council would determine the Committees and other bodies to be appointed for the following year and that a proposed Committee structure will be set out in the Supplementary Report. Minutes from a previous meeting on April 15, 2026, list several committees that were received, approved, and adopted, implying their confirmation for the new municipal year. These include the Civic Recognition Panel, Constitution Review Panel, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Licensing Committee, Members' Code of Conduct Committee, Pensions Committee, Planning Committee, Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Children's Services and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Finance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Places Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

During the review of the working conventions for 2026/27, Councillor Cameron Smith raised concerns regarding the number of opposition members required to call in executive decisions, expressing disappointment that the Labour and Reform UK groups were grouped together. Councillor Leaf responded by explaining the rationale behind the numbers and reiterating the commitment to constructive engagement with all council members.

Further details regarding the meeting's proceedings can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.