The council leader and a former cabinet member clashed over ‘personal attacks’ as changes to the political make-up of Royal Borough panels and a cabinet reshuffle were discussed on Tuesday. Cllr Douglas also left his cabinet position. Local government rules mean seats on panels and committees should be proportionately allocated by political group ‘so far as reasonably practicable’. But Cllr Douglas said he ‘can’t vote for this’, raising questions around the changes to councillors’ portfolios. Cllr Werner said: “I think these personal attacks that are being made are just, sort of the lowest form of politics.

Source: Express January 22, 2026 15:37 UTC