Location: Home » The Council » Legal and Democratic Services » Democratic Services » Cabinet

Cabinet

The Council by law is required to have a Cabinet and has, after consultation, chosen the "Leader and Cabinet" model of the options available.

The Cabinet is not a Committee and does not have to be open to the public or be politically balanced.

The Council appoints (and can remove) the Leader and any other members of the Cabinet. Appointments are normally made at the Annual meeting of the Council.

The Cabinet comprises 8 Conservative councillors including Dr George Lord, Leader of the Council, who presides at meetings. The other Cabinet members all have specific areas of responsibility.

The Cabinet will take decisions collectively. No individual members of the Cabinet have delegated powers to take decisions on behalf of the Cabinet.

Roles and Responsiblities

The Cabinet will:-

(a) Carry out all of the County Council's functions except those which are required by the law or this Council's constitution, to be the responsibility of the Council itself or any other non executive part of the Council.

(b)  Consider and recommend for approval by the Council the current budget containing the deployment of revenue and capital resources including the issue of the precept, the borrowing of money and the determination of the Council's borrowing

(c)  Consider and recommend for approval by the Council any plan and strategy forming part of the policy framework of the Council.

(d) Consider and recommend for approval by the Council any plan or strategy which the Council has chosen to reserve itself.

(e)  Consider and recommend to Council the determination of any matter relating to the Council's budget or approved policy framework, if it is minded to determine the matter in a manner contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget, policy framework as the case may be or if it is not authorised by the Council's constitutional arrangements, standing orders, financial regulations, procedure rules or protocols.  

(f)  Consider and respond to reports and recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Steering Group.

(g) Have responsibility for the best value review programme and for the approval of completed best value reviews.  

(h)  Carry out such other functions as are set out in the Council's Constitution.


Key Decisions

Certain types of decision which are the responsibility of the Cabinet are called "key decisions". It is important to know what they are because only the Cabinet will be taking key decisions; and (generally) advance notice has to be given of key decisions to be taken through the procedure known as the Forward Plan

Key Decisions are executive decisions which are likely to:-

• result in the County Council incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant having regard to the Council's budget for the service or function to which the decision relates; or
• be significant in terms of their effects on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more electoral divisions in the County area

Forward Plan

The Leader of the Council has to publish each month a  Forward Plan which is a list of what key decisions the Cabinet is likely to take in the following four months, how and with whom consultation will take place on those matters before a decision is taken; when the decision will be taken by the Cabinet; a list of the documents the Cabinet will consider; and the steps to be taken by any person who wants to make representations to the Cabinet about the matter.

The purpose of the Forward Plan is to alert the public to the times at which key decisions are to be taken by the Cabinet so that they can raise matters of concern with the local councillor or member of the Cabinet; and so they can have advance knowledge of when key decisions are likely to be taken by the Cabinet.

Additionally it provides councillors with advance notice so that they may consider whether there is a need to scrutinise particular areas prior to discussions being taken.

The Forward Plan has to be updated monthly so that as more details become available more information can be included in the Plan.

Meetings of the Cabinet

The Cabinet will normally meet monthly in public unless the matter to be discussed is confidential or exempt. The Council has agreed that members of the public may participate by presenting a petition, asking a question or making a comment.

The Cabinet may also meet privately (with no public or local councillors present) when the business will only be the discussion of matters with officers and not the taking of decisions.

The Cabinet will allow certain other members to attend and speak at their meetings (but not vote), particularly an Adviser to a Cabinet Member, local Councillor or member of the Scrutiny Steering Group. Other Councillor's may attend as observers.

Decisions taken by the Cabinet are subject to a call-in procedure and, save in limited circumstances, will not take effect until the fifth working day after notification of the minutes of the relevant Cabinet meeting to members of the Council.

Call-in

Councillors who are not on the Cabinet have the right to call-in decisions taken by Cabinet before they are implemented, unless the matter has been identified as urgent in the minutes.

This right is important in enabling non-executive members to hold the Cabinet to account, but the Council recognises it should only be used in exceptional circumstances when there is evidence to suggest that the Cabinet has departed from the principles of decision-making.

Not less than two members of the Overview and Scrutiny Steering Committee, or eight members who are not members of the Cabinet, have the right to call-in decisions.  Details of the process can be found in the Guide to Overview and Scrutiny.

Members

Dr George Lord - Leader of the Council (Chairman)

The Members of the Cabinet with areas of responsibility are:

Mr Stephen Clee - Corporate Services

Mrs Liz Eyre - Children and Young People

Mr Simon Geraghty - Planning, Economy and Performance

Mr Philip Gretton - Adult and Community Services

Mr Adrian Hardman – Finance

Mr Derek Prodger - Environment

Mr J H Smith - Health Improvement

Programme of Meetings

Programme of Meetings

Contact Points

If you would like to know more about forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet or would like to present a petition, ask a question or make a comment please contact Nichola Garner in the Democratic Services Unit on 01905 766626.


Top