Decision Making and Scrutiny

The Council Meeting is responsible for deciding the main policies for the Council and setting the budget each year.

The Council Meeting also appoints the Executive Leader (Leader of the Council), the Deputy Leader (Deputy Leader of the Council) and the other members of the Executive and allocates responsibilities (portfolios) within the Executive.

The Executive is made up of the Executive Leader and 9 other Councillors. It is responsible for implementing the policies of the Council Meeting in accordance with the agreed budget.

Certain Council functions, such as regulatory functions, and those which deal with applications from individuals e.g., planning applications and licensing are the responsibility of Ordinary Committees.

The five Scrutiny Committees (and Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee) support and monitor the work of the Executive and the Council as a whole.

In order to ensure that the Council stays in touch with local issues the Council has 7 Area Committees made up of ward Councillors for those areas. Area Committees are authorised to make decisions on and deliver a number of locally based services. They also decide some categories of planning applications and generally monitor the effect of Council services in their area.

Please note: the Council Meeting on 1st July 2010 agreed a revised programme of Committee meetings for 2010/11. The revised programme is available under the links on the right.