The leader of Reading Borough Council has announced his intention to stand down ahead of the local elections in May.
Cllr Jason Brock was first elected in a by-election in 2016. He became leader of the council just under three years later, in May 2019.
He said it had been a ‘huge honour and privilege’ to lead the council despite ‘some extremely challenging periods’ such as the pandemic and the Forbury Gardens terror attack in 2020.
He commented: ‘It has been my huge honour and privilege to lead the Council in a town as wonderful as Reading, and to represent residents of Southcote.
‘After a period of five years at the helm, however, this is the appropriate time to step aside and allow colleagues the opportunity to build on everything we have achieved together over the period.'