Article 6 – The Leader of the Council

6.1 Role

The Council will appoint a Leader annually. He/she will be the political head of the Council and the focus for policy direction and community development. The Leader will also be the chief advocate and spokesperson for the whole of the Borough and will chair the Council’s Corporate Policy & Resources Committee.

If the Council does not appoint a Leader, the Leader of the largest political group becomes the Leader. Should a vacancy arise for the position of Leader, the Head of Paid Service will convene a meeting of Council at the earliest opportunity so that a new Leader may be appointed.

The Council will also appoint at its Annual Meeting the Deputy Leader(s), who is/are able to exercise the functions of the Leader when they are unavailable, or where in the opinion of the Head of Paid Service, the Leader is incapacitated for such a period of time that the efficient operation of the Council would be significantly impaired.

Once appointed, the Leader and Deputy Leader(s) will hold office until the next Annual Meeting unless they:-

(a) resign from office;
(b) are no longer a member of the Council;
(c) are removed from office by resolution of the Council