Decision Making System
Councillors
Details of how to contact the Councillors are published in the council's City View magazine and available on our website under the section "How the council is organised".
The Council is made up of 48 Councillors. It meets six times a year (one to set the Budget and Council Tax) and makes important decisions that affect the whole Council. It also agrees the Policy Framework. This is a series of important plans (such as the Local Transport Plan and Community Care Plan) setting out the Council's key policies. You can ask questions or submit a deputation from a number of people to the Council but must let us know seven clear working days in advance.
The Leader of the Council
The Leaders' job is to provide political leadership for the city and the council. The Leader is elected by the whole Council, normally soon after the elections each year.
The Cabinet
The Leader chooses a Cabinet of other Councillors (called Cabinet Members) who will together make decisions on important subjects or matters affecting the city or Council as a whole.
The Cabinet Members
Each Cabinet Member has responsibility for a range of council activities, which are called a Portfolio. At present there are nine portfolios which are:
Adult Social Care and Health
Children's Services
Economic Development
Environment and Transport
Housing and Local Services
Leader's
Leisure, Culture and Heritage
Resources and Workforce Planning
Young People and Skills
The Cabinet Members can make decisions individually for their Portfolio area.
So most decisions are made either by the whole Cabinet or an individual Cabinet Member. However, these decisions must be in accordance with the Budget and the Plans in the Policy Framework, all of which have been agreed by the whole Council.
Committees and Panels
By law, some Council decisions still have to be made by Committees or Panels of Councillors. These include planning applications and taxi and entertainment licenses. These meetings are open to the public.
Last updated: 7 July 2008
