Be the principal political adviser
and point of contact for appropriate officers for the services
included within the Portfolio for which the Executive Member has
been appointed the Portfolio Holder, and within any constraints
imposed by legislation, approved Council policy and budgets and the
Council's Scheme of Delegation, be responsible in relation to
services included in the Portfolio (and subject to the role of the
Leader in Policy and Performance Review):-
(1) Maintaining an understanding of
the issues involved in the delivery of those services.
(2) Being apprised of developing
issues and policies at Borough, County, Regional and National
levels, insofar as they relate to those services.
(3) Giving direction on and ensuring
the development of the vision for those services, consistent with
the overall strategic approach of the Council.
(4) Playing an appropriate part in
promoting and improving the economic, social and environmental
well-being of the Borough.
(5) Balancing the social,
environmental and economic components of sustainability in the
development of services and their delivery.
(6) Liasing with other Portfolio
Holders and in particular developing arrangements to ensure clear
linkages with cross-cutting issues being addressed by, or
affecting, the Council, and reporting thereon to the
Executive.
(7) With regard to the preparation,
amendment and revision of any statutory or non-statutory strategic,
technical or service plans relevant to those services:-
(i) identify the strategic element
of service objectives;
(ii) play an appropriate part in
promoting the principal policy issues to be included;
(iii) ensure adequate arrangements
are in place to fully involve all Councillors, employees where
appropriate, residents and all other stakeholders in the
preparation and reviews of any relevant plans;
(iv) identify and take full account
of any cross-cutting issues;
(v) play an appropriate part in
making provision to disseminate the content and implications of any
proposed or adopted plans throughout the Borough and where
appropriate regionally and nationally;
(vi) ensuring implementation and
regular reviews.
(8) Defining the standards of
service, targets and budgets for those services to include:-
(i) preparation of schemes for
implementation or proposals for submission to the Executive and
Council as part of the expenditure plan process;
(ii) monitoring service standards,
performance and budgets and initiating action to meet service,
performance and budget targets;
(iii) the content and implementation
of action programmes to achieve the aims of adopted strategies and
service plans;
(iv) being responsible for the
efficient delivery of the relevant services;
(v) implementing changes to meet
requirements of legislation;
(vi) an appropriate role in the
development of any annual process of policy and performance
reviews;
(vii) implementing arrangements for
involving the Council, Executive, Overview and Scrutiny Boards,
employees, residents and other stakeholders in the preparation of
strategies, policies and budgets;
(viii) developing strong
relationships between service policy aims and those of the Council
corporately, as well as between service aims and service
delivery.
(9) With regard to Best Value,
liaising with Overview and Scrutiny Boards to ensure that:-
(i) the applicable elements of the
programme and dates for review of services within the Portfolio are
met;
(ii) the adopted means of review are
used;
(iii) relevant cross-cutting issues
are fully considered during reviews;
(iv) the need for the development of
new policies and strategies following reviews is identified;
(v) following reviews, action plans
with challenging targets for continuous service improvements are
set and that progress against those plans is regularly
monitored.
(10) Ensuring the optimum use of
resources and skills by recognising the benefits of formal and
informal partnership working.
(11) Working in partnership with
relevant external organisations.
(12) Co-operating fully with the
Overview and Scrutiny Boards in any reviews undertaken by those
Boards.
(13) Ensuring that prior to
decisions being taken which affect a particular Ward that Ward
Councillors have been fully consulted.
(14) Promoting the core values of
the Council as set out in corporate plans.
(15) Speaking on behalf of the
Council in relation to Portfolio responsibilities and as otherwise
agreed.
(16) Representing the Council on
relevant external bodies.
(17) Facilitating and encouraging
public participation and consultation and ensuring the effective
communication of Council policies and strategies to all
Councillors, employees, residents, partner organisations and other
stakeholders.
(18) Receiving representations from
Councillors acting in their capacity as Ward Members in relation to
the provision of services to residents in their areas or as the
Council's representative on outside bodies, or as Councillors with
a specific interest in any topic.
(19) Attending, and taking part in,
such training sessions/courses as may be determined by the Council
or the Executive.
(20) Complying with the provisions
of all National and Local Codes of Conduct applicable to
Councillors together with all relevant Portfolios adopted by the
Council and in particular any provisions relating to
interests.