Council

The Council comprises all 49 Members and has the following functions:

a.         Adopting and changing the Constitution, except in so far as this function has been delegated to             the Monitoring Officer.          

b.         Approving or adopting the Policy Framework, the Budget and any application to the Secretary of             State in respect of any Housing Land Transfer. 

c.         Subject to the urgency procedure contained in the Access to Information Procedure Rules in             Chapter 8 of the Constitution, making decisions about the discharge of an Executive Function             where the decision maker is minded to make it in a manner which would be contrary to the             Policy Framework or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the Budget.

d.         Electing or removing the Leader. 

e.         Agreeing and/or amending the terms of reference for Committees of Council, deciding on their             composition and making appointments to them.

f.          Appointing representatives to outside bodies unless the appointment is an Executive Function             or has been delegated by the Council.

g.         Adopting a scheme for Members’ allowances.

h.         Changing the name of the area.

i.          Appointing or dismissing the Chief Executive.

j.          Making, amending, revoking, re-enacting or adopting bylaws, or promoting or opposing the             making of local legislation or personal Bills.

k.         All other functions which the Council lawfully decides should be undertaken by itself rather than             the Leader / Cabinet and which are set out in this chapter of the Constitution.

l.          All other matters which, by law, must be reserved to Council.

Members of the public are welcome to ask one question of the Leader of the Council, a Cabinet Member or the Chair of a Committee and must submit this by 5.00pm, six clear working days before the meeting. Members of the public can also present a petition at a meeting and must give notice of this to Democratic Services by 12 noon the day before the meeting takes place. This meeting is open to the public, although in considering some items of business, the press and public may be requested to leave the meeting.