The council
The council is run by councillors who are elected by the local community. Councillors are responsible for making decisions on behalf of the local community about:
- local services
- budgets
- council tax.
Each councillor represents a specific area and serves for a period of four years. The work of a councillor includes:
- holding surgeries to help local people
- supporting local organisations
- campaigning on local issues
- developing links with all parts of the community.
Councillors are not paid a salary or wage, but are entitled to allowances and expenses to cover some of the costs of carrying out their public duties. All councillors abide by a code of conduct, part of which requires them to declare any financial interests, gifts or hospitality that could influence any decisions they make.
Please see councillors allowances and councillors code of conduct for more information.
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The leader
The leader of the council is currently Cllr Wal Chahal. The post of the leader is elected by all members of the council. The leader chairs all meetings of the council’s cabinet and leads on policy development and implementation.
The cabinet
The cabinet is an executive group responsible for the overall business of the council. The cabinet comprises of:
- the leader of the council, who is the chairperson
- nine other members appointed by the leader.
Each of the members of the cabinet has a defined portfolio of responsibilities:
- Leader of Council and Lead Member for Improvement, Transformation, Strategic Planning and Governance
- Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Corporate Resources
- Lead Member for Customer Experience and Access
- Lead Member for Public Health, Wellbeing and Equalities
- Lead Member for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning
- Lead Member for Adult Social Care
- Lead Member for Housing, Homelessness and Communities
- Lead Member for Public Protection and Regulatory Services
- Lead Member for Highways, Transport, and Parking
- Lead Member for Environment and Public Realm
The decisions of the cabinet are subject to scrutiny by a different group of councillors, who meet in overview and scrutiny panels to check and monitor what the cabinet does.
Council staff
Whilst the elected councillors provide the policies, the paid employees - council officers, put them into practice. The council employs about 1,400 staff (not including school teachers) who are responsible for a wide range of services that benefit the local community.
Council budget
The net annual budget of the council is around £97 million.
The senior management team
The senior management team manages the activities of the council staff and advises councillors on the potential implications of political decisions.
By law, senior council staff are not allowed to take part in any party political activity and are expected to advise and assist all councillors irrespective of their political affiliation.