Roles of Different Councillors
The Council has recognised that councillors appointed to certain roles have additional responsibilities and these are set out below.
Leader of the Council
· To act as the political head of the Council and the focus for policy direction and community development.
· To chair the Council’s Corporate Policy & Resources Committee
· To lead in the development of the Council’s policy, strategy and budget proposals
· To lead on the implementation of effective service delivery and the Council’s approved policies and strategies
· To act as the Council’s chief advocate and principal spokesperson at local, County, regional and national level
· To ensure good working relationships are established with external public and private sector networks which affect the Borough
· To provide leadership to the Council as a whole
· To lead in the development of good working relationships between political group leaders
· To lead in ensuring that the Council’s strategies, plans, objectives and targets are monitored, implemented and achieved.
· To ensure that the Council is open and responsive to the community, so that accountability is seen to operate.
· To ensure that decisions are taken properly, openly and, where appropriate, publicly and that key decisions are properly programmed and subject to effective public consultation.
· To develop and maintain a good relationship with the Chief Executive of the Council and other staff, providing a contact point between the majority political group and staff, and setting an example to the whole organisation.
· To nominate councillors from his/her political group to serve on all appropriate councillor bodies including, as appropriate, other Outside Bodies.
· To deputise for the Leader of the Council in his/her absence, undertaking those duties expected of the Leader.
· To share and support in general the full workload of the Leader.
· To act as vice-chair on the Council’s Corporate Policy & Resources Committee
· To ensure their party contributes effectively, positively and constructively to the Council’s activities
· To act as the principal political spokesperson for their group
· To provide leadership to the party group
· To nominate councillors from his/her political group to serve on all appropriate councillor bodies including, as appropriate, other Outside Bodies.
· To chair the committee and ensure its overall effectiveness
· To have a working knowledge of the Council’s relevant policies and strategies and ensure he/she is sufficiently and effectively briefed on matters coming before the committee
· To coordinate and manage the work of their committee
· To act as the Council’s spokesperson on the work of his/her Committee, Sub-Committees, Panels and Groups in accordance with the Council’s communications protocol.
· To enable the smooth and orderly conduct of business within the Council’s Constitution.
· To provide leadership and direction for the committee.
· To determine priorities in light of the volume of work presented to the Committee.
· To ensure an orderly debate or deliberation of the business in hand.
· To report on the workings of his/her Committee, Sub-Committees, Panels or Working Groups to the Council, and to present, where appropriate, recommendations to the Council.
· To allow proper consideration of any item.
· To ensure that their Committee, Sub-Committees, Panels or Working Groups take balanced decisions based on all relevant evidence, with impartiality and fairness.
· To ensure, with the Chief Executive, that Committee decisions are recorded with full justifications/reasoning.
· To develop a thorough understanding of the subject area of the Committee, including relevant legislation and policies.
· To bring, where appropriate, the views of co-opted members (if any) to the attention of the Council.
· To liaise with staff, in association with the Vice-Chair, in formulating agendas and future work plans to enable delivery of the Corporate Plan, and to attend any meetings with staff to discuss matters relevant to the business of the Committee, Sub-Committees, Panels or Working Groups.
· Where appropriate, to liaise with other interested parties in establishing co-opted membership, and topics for consideration.
· Where applicable, to liaise with other tiers of local government and to contribute to any other joint working arrangements.
· Where applicable, to lead such site visits that may assist councillors arriving at a considered decision.
· To undertake specific training including updates in the law pertaining to the work of the Committee.
Committee Vice-Chairs
· To fully support the Chair in the execution of his/her duties as agreed between the two postholders.
· To deputise for the Chair in his/her absence, undertaking those duties expected of the Chair and encompassed in the role description for that position.
· To act as the Committee’s spokesperson on relevant issues in the absence of the Chair in accordance with the Council’s communications protocol.
Committee member
Key duties
· To participate in Committee discussions.
· To give proper consideration to items before and during meetings.
· To consider before each meeting any possible conflicts of interests arising from the agenda items and register/declare those interests as appropriate in accordance with the Council’s Members Code of Conduct
· To offer opinions based upon an understanding of the legal requirements of the subject discussed.
· To inform the Committee of constituents’ opinions (if appropriate).
· To take into consideration a range of views and issues when reaching a decision and to keep an open mind before reaching a decision.
· To be clear as to reasons for taking decisions and be ready and able to articulate those reasons if required.
· To be accountable for decisions taken
· To conduct oneself with dignity and decorum when offering views which differ from those of other councillors.
· To undertake appropriate site visits.
· To undertake specific training including updates in the law pertaining to the work of the Committee.