Meeting:	Council
Meeting date:	26 March 2026
Report of:	Bryn Roberts, Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer
Portfolio of:	Councillor Douglas, Leader of the Council

Decision Report: Calendar of Meetings 2026/27

Subject of Report

To consider the meeting arrangements and agree the calendar of meetings for the 2026/27 Municipal Year, as set out in Annex A, in accordance with the Council Constitution.

Benefits and Challenges

1. Approval of the calendar of meetings will enable forward planning for the upcoming municipal year and provide a framework for the Council’s democratic and decision-making functions.

2. Non-approval of the calendar may delay forward planning and the maintenance of an appropriate schedule of municipal meetings.

Policy Basis for Decision

3. An appropriate calendar of meetings provides an essential framework for the democratic and decision-making functions required to support the delivery of the Council Plan and other key corporate priorities.

Recommendation and Reasons

4. It is recommended that:

i. The calendar of meetings for 2026/27, attached as Annex A, be approved.

ii. That the Director of Governance be authorised to make any changes to the calendar as may prove necessary from time to time in consultation with the Chair of the relevant Council Committee.

Reasons:

i. To provide a framework for the democratic and decision-making functions which will underpin delivery of the Council’s corporate priorities.

ii. To ensure that the calendar of meetings is implemented to assist with the forward planning and better management of meetings.

Background

5. The calendar has been scheduled with the following general principles in mind:

i. Maintaining the existing number and frequency of meetings of each Committee.

ii. Each Committee meets wherever possible on the same day of the week.

iii. Avoiding clashes between meetings wherever possible.

iv. Maintaining summer and Christmas breaks in August and mid-December to early January respectively, and for school holidays and half-terms, as far as possible.

v. Meetings have been scheduled to enable the timely consideration of ordinary business, with flexibility for additional meetings to be called if necessary.

6. Once agreed by Council, provisional room bookings will be confirmed and the calendar will be published on the Council’s website. 

Consultation Analysis

7. The calendar was circulated to appropriate officers and to Group Leaders for consultation. The version presented to Council incorporates suggestions made during the consultation.

Options

8. The following options are available to Council:

i. Approve the calendar. This is the recommended option.

ii. Not approve the calendar and consider alternative meeting arrangements. This option is not recommended.

Organisational Impact and Implications

9. There are no known organisational implications associated with the preparation of the annual calendar of meetings, other than potential resource implications for Members and Officers if the calendar was not appropriately scheduled and spaced. 

Risks and Mitigations

10. There are no known risks associated with this report.

Wards Impacted

11. All wards.

Contact details

For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.

Author

Name:	Bryn Roberts
Job Title:	Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer
Service Area:	Legal and Democratic Services
Report approved:	Yes
Date:	5 March 2026

Co-author

Name:	Julie Gallagher
Job Title:	Head of Democratic Services
Service Area:	Democratic Services
Email:	julie.gallagher@york.gov.uk
Report approved:	Yes
Date:	5 March 2026

Background papers

No background papers were used in the preparation of this report.

Annexes

Annex A: Calendar of meetings for 2026/27