Cabinet Working

Following the abolition of the old committee system, a ‘Cabinet’ made up of a Leader of the Council and five Cabinet Members - meeting usually every two months in open (public) session - now take most of the day to day political decisions.  The Cabinet was previously called "Council Executive".

Almost all Executive decisions must be given advance notice in the Executive Forward Plan which looks up to 4 months ahead.
 
Portfolio responsibilities
Councillors who sit on the Cabinet have personal decision making powers, and can be called to account for their decisions by local people and by other councillors.

The Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Members each has an area of interest within which they are empowered to make decisions. These areas of interest are called “portfolios”. The portfolios are as follows:

• The Leader of the Council (Councillor Francine Haeberling – Conservative) .
• Resources (Councillor Malcolm Hanney – Conservative).
• Adult Social Services and Housing (Councillor Vic Pritchard  – Conservative).
• Development  & Major Projects (Councillor David Hawkins – Conservative).
• Customer Services (Councillor Charles Gerrish– Conservative).
• Children's Services(Councillor Chris Watt– Conservative).

         See Cabinet members and portfolios

         See the Register of Cabinet Single member Decisions

Policy and Budget Framework
The Cabinet and individual Cabinet Members may only act within a broad framework of important policies and strategies, including the Council’s budget, which are approved throughout the year by the full Council of 65 Councillors. This is called the “Policy and Budget Framework”.

Overview and Scrutiny Panels

Councillors also sit on one of five  Overview and Scrutiny bodies. These have 2 main functions:

• to develop new ideas about how services can be provided and performance improved.
• to examine critically the decision making of the ‘executive’ and where necessary call decision makers to account. Panels have the power to require senior officers and Cabinet Members to appear before them to explain their actions.

Committee Memberships

Full details of all Committees and other bodies, their memberships and meeting arrangements may be accessed on the Council’s website or by contacting Democratic Services on 01225 394435.