Committees and Forums
The Council is composed of 48 Councillors who are each elected to serve for four years and are divided into the following political groups, as of May 2008:
Click on the name of the Committee or Panel below to view more details and the Councillors who sit on them.
The
Executive Committee is the part of the Council which is responsible for most day-to-day decisions. The Executive Committee is made up of a leader and up to 9 Councillors, appointed by the Council.
The four
Policy and Scrutiny Committees support the work of the Executive Committee. They may also be consulted by the Executive Committee or the Council on forthcoming decisions and development of policy. They also monitor the decisions of the Executive Committee and can "call in" a decision which has not yet been implemented.
The
Development Control Committee considers Planning Applications.
The
Audit Committee considers audit and internal control matters.
The
Licensing Committee is responsible for specific Licensing matters.
The
Regulatory Services Committee is responsible for certain Licensing functions, Electoral and miscellaneous matters and external Health & Safety at Work.
The
Standards Committee advises the Council on ethics and standards of conduct expected of District and Parish Councillors.
The
Environmental Forum comprises Councillors, Parish Councillors and representatives from a variety of environmental groups.
Local Area Forums provide an opportunity for the public to raise matters and express their opinions.