The Council Leader
appoints a Cabinet, currently made up of six Councillors
(including The Leader of the Council), which is responsible for
most day to day decision making, and the framing of policy. The
Council has set up a Scrutiny Board responsible (amongst other
things) for holding the Cabinet to account for its actions
throughout the year; and what are called regulatory committees
responsible for development control and licensing.
Whilst seats on the Scrutiny Board and the regulatory
committees are allocated to political parties in proportion to the
number of their members elected to the Council, this does not have
to be so for the Cabinet. The Cabinet and Scrutiny Board report to
meetings of the full Council as necessary, and the Council remains
the decision making body for some major policy issues.
The Development Management Committee's central function is to deal with applications for planning permission and the conduct of planning appeals. It considers the larger more controversial applications.
Langstone Harbour Board
The Licensing Committee is responsible for licensing and registration functions.
Review and/or scrutinise decisions made or actions taken.
List of the responsibilities of Portfolio Holders 2011 to 2012
The Staffing Matters Committee deals with the appointment of Chief Executive/Managing Director, Directors and other Senior Staff, superanuation matters, appeals, grievances and dismissals.
The Standards Committee is responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by the members and co-opted members of the authority; assisting members and co-opted members of the authority to observe the authority's code of conduct; advising the authority on the adoption or revision of a code of conduct; monitoring the operation of the authority's code of conduct; and advising, training, or arranging to train members and co-opted members of the authority on matters relating to the authority's code of conduct
The Cabinet is responsible for virtually all day-to-day decision making within a policy and budget framework it will have recommended to and had approved by, the Council.