Council Constitution

Part 3b - Cabinet Positions - Portfolios

The council has a Cabinet as part of its constitution.

Each member of the Cabinet has a portfolio setting out their role and responsibilities. Job descriptions have also been drawn up for Councillors who support the Cabinet.

There are ten members of the Cabinet which is chaired by the Executive Leader. The Cabinet is supported by 9 Assistant Executive Members.

Portfolios for these posts are set out below.

Cabinet

• Executive Leader
• Deputy Executive Leader
• First Deputy (Performance and Finance)
• Executive Member - Children and Families
• Executive Member - Neighbourhoods
• Executive Member - Business and Community Development
• Executive Member - Environmental Services
• Executive Member - Learning and Achievement
• Executive Member - Adults
• Executive Member - Transport and Development

Support to the Cabinet

• Assistant Executive Members
  • Heritage and Tourism
  • Sport and Leisure
  • Carbon Reduction
  • Personal and Community Services
  • Economic Services/Technical Services
  • First Deputy (Performance and Finance)
  • Deputy Executive Leader/Services for Children & Young People
  • Music, Culture, Performing Arts and Town Twinning Development
  • Policy Advisor

Responsibilities of all Executive Members

Preamble

There are occasions when matters affect more than one portfolio, on such occasions, the Executive Members concerned shall act in conjunction with one another.

In discharging any functions that have been delegated, the Executive Member must act lawfully. This means that the Executive Member must act within the scope of the authority that is delegated to him or her in accordance with any limits within the delegation, this Constitution, Council policies, procedure rules and the Members’ Code of Conduct, taking advice of the Statutory Monitoring Officers - the Borough Solicitor and Borough Treasurer.

Each Executive Member is responsible for:-

1. The proper administration of the Council's services.
   
   
2. Ensuring adequate staffing, premises and other resources to secure agreed standards and target outcomes in the area of each portfolio.
   
   
3. The efficient use and day to day maintenance of Council premises insofar as it relates to their portfolio, subject to the overall strategy agreed by the Executive Member for Economic Services.
   
   
4. Ensuring budget control.
   
   
5. Ensuring that the £10,000 budget expenditure of each Executive Member and Assistant Executive Member, that is allocated at the start of each Municipal Year, will be spent in accordance with the terms of the individual Warrant of Office and such expenditure will be reported quarterly to Board.
   
   
6. Approving use of specific grants and/or funding from non-governmental sources, and any annual delivery plans and agreements in relation to such funding.
   
   
7. The continuous improvement of the Council’s services through a programme of work.
   
   
8. Liaising with the relevant Council Scrutiny Panel.
   
   
9. All decisions proposed and made within the Portfolio.
   
   
10. The promotion of the Council’s policies and communication with the public as appropriate through local and other media, ensuring always that publications are compliant with the Council’s publications, guidelines and/or any advice provided by the Borough Solicitor.
    
    
11. The promotion of the Council’s existing policies.
    
    
12. Speaking up on matters of local concern and acting as the main Council spokesperson on issues within their Portfolio.
    
    
13. Approving exemptions to Procurement Standing Orders in conjunction with the Borough Solicitor and Borough Treasurer.
    
    
14. Giving approval to proceed to advertisement or other method of securing competition by procurement procedure rules; and for inviting and accepting tenders and quotations related to matters within their portfolio in excess of £60,000 and approving all specifications/tender documentation.
    
    
15. Applying for planning permission; conservation area consent; listed building consent or any other permissions or consents necessary to progress the Council’s own development schemes.
    
    
16. In conjunction with the Senior Management Officer, setting new external charges and revisiting current ones.
    
    
17. In consultation with the Executive Leader, to represent and act as an ambassador for the Authority.
    
    
18. To represent the Council’s views on matters of corporate or strategic policy and any other matters which are within the Executive Members’ Terms of Reference.
    
    
19. To request or commission research and other studies on any matters of policy or service provision within these Terms of Reference.
    
    
20. To appoint or nominate the Authority’s representatives on outside bodies/organisations that fall within these Terms of Reference.
    
    
21. To take up corporate Membership of any appropriate body or organisation whose objectives are considered to be beneficial to the pursuit of the Authority’s own activities.
    
    
22. To take urgent decisions on matters which fall within the Executive Members’ Terms of Reference.
    
    
23. To work with other Executive Members on matters, as directed by the Executive Leader.
    
    
24. To submit to the Executive Cabinet:-
    
    
    • Proposals on how to agree annual budget allocations between services covered by these Terms of Reference
    • Recommendations in respect of strategic policy concerning matters covered by these Terms of Reference
    • All responses to consultation papers, relating to these Terms of Reference, issued by the Government and outside organisations
    • Annual estimates of expenditure and income in respect of services covered by these Terms of Reference
    • All policy and/or operational matters which have corporate implications or which cross the remits of other individual Executive Members.
      
      
25. To oversee the timely progress of Service Reviews within the remit of the Executive Member.