Decision Making Arrangements
1 Constitution
The Constitution sets out the political decision making arrangements which have been adopted by the County Council.
2 Cabinet
The Cabinet comprises the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council and five other members of the administration appointed by the Leader. Its functions are set out in Table 1 of Part 3 of the Constitution. The Leader has delegated some of his/her decision making powers to the Cabinet and to individual Lead Cabinet Members (see Table 3 in Part 3 of the Constitution).
3 Scrutiny Committees
The roles and functions of County Council’s scrutiny committees are set out in Article 6 in Part 2 of the Constitution. Places are allocated to the party groups in proportion to the number of seats on the County Council held by each group. The number of chairs and vice-chairs from each party group reflects the proportion of seats it has on the Council.
4 Regulatory Committee
Regulatory functions are performed through a Regulatory Committee from which the Planning Committee and panels to undertake the quasi-judicial functions of the County Council are drawn. Again, places on the Regulatory Committee and the Planning Committee are allocated to party groups in proportion to the number of seats on the Council held by each group.
5 Other Committees
The Council also appoints a Governance Committee, a Standards
Committee and a range of other committees and panels to perform
specific functions. A complete list of committees and their
size and directions as to where their terms of reference can be
found in the Constitution are set out in paragraph 9
below7.
6 Committee Memberships
Where places are allocated in accordance with political proportionality, each group nominates the members to fill the places allocated to it. If you wish to change the committees on which you serve, you should discuss the matter with your Group Leader or Group Whip. They will inform the Chief Executive in writing of any changes.
7 “Substitutes” on Committees
Where a member is unable to attend a meeting, it is possible for them to resign temporarily and for their political group to nominate a replacement on the basis that the permanent member will subsequently resume his or her seat on the committee. Notice of the change must be given in writing to the Deputy Chief Executive before the start of the meeting. The notice must be signed by the Leader or Deputy Leader of the appropriate political group. Forms for this purpose are available from the Member Services Team. The arrangements are formalised in Standing Order 48.5, although the following specific points need to be borne in mind:
· “substitutes” are not permitted in relation to the Cabinet;
· the chairs of the scrutiny committees have agreed that there should be a presumption against the appointment of “substitutes” on scrutiny committees. This is on the basis that it will be very difficult for a member attending a meeting on a one-off basis part way through an investigation to make a meaningful contribution. Given the strong desire on the part of all party groups to work together on these committees, the chairs feel that full representation from each party group is less important than in other situations;
· only members of the Regulatory Committee may perform the functions of that committee or its sub-committees or panels. Accordingly, if a member is unable to attend, say, the Planning Committee any “substitute” must be drawn from the Regulatory Committee.
8 Committee Preferences
In thinking about your committee preferences, you will wish to consider whether there are committees or sub-committees on which it would not be sensible for you to serve because of your professional or other interests. You will wish to consider particularly whether you have personal interests which could involve you in conflicts of interest and, therefore, frequently having to declare an interest and leave meetings. This situation is most likely to arise in relation to the Planning Committee.
9 SIZE OF THE CABINET AND COMMITTEES
|
Cabinet (Quorum 4) |
Membership |
Terms of Reference (Articles and Sections below refer to the Constitution)
Part 3, Table 1 |
|||
|
Leader of the Council |
1 |
||||
|
Deputy Leader of the Council |
1 |
||||
|
Other councillors appointed by the Leader |
5 |
|
|||
|
|
Total 7 |
|
|||
|
Scrutiny Committees |
|
|
|||
|
(Members of the Cabinet may not serve on a Scrutiny Committee but will be expected to comply with a request to attend a meeting of a Scrutiny Committee to address issues relating to their area of responsibility – Standing Order 49.2) |
|
|
|||
|
People (Quorum 8, of whom 6 must be County Councillors)
|
|
Part 2, Article 6 |
|||
|
Councillors |
11 |
|
|||
|
Parent Governors |
2 |
|
|||
|
Denominational representatives |
2 |
|
|||
|
|
Total 15 |
|
|||
|
Health Overview and Scrutiny (Quorum 4 County Councillors)
|
|
Part 2, Article 6 |
|||
|
Councillors |
7 |
|
|||
|
Co-opted Members nominated by Borough & District Councils |
5 |
|
|||
|
Co-opted Members nominated by the voluntary sector |
2 |
|
|||
|
|
Total 14
|
|
|||
|
Place (Quorum 6) |
11 |
Part 2, Article 6 |
|||
|
Audit Committee (Quorum 4 County Councillors)
|
|
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
||
|
(Members of the Cabinet may not serve on the Audit Committee)
|
|
|
|
||
|
Councillors
|
7 |
|
|
||
|
Independent Members
|
2 |
|
|
||
|
|
Total 9
|
|
|
||
|
Regulatory Committee (Quorum 9) (Members of the Cabinet may not serve on the Regulatory Committee)
|
18 |
Part 3, Table 4 |
|
||
|
Planning Committee (Quorum 4) |
7 |
Part 3, Table 4 |
|
||
|
(Membership of the Committee must be drawn from the Regulatory Committee)
|
|
|
|
||
|
Governance Committee (Quorum 3) |
6 |
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Standards Committee (Quorum 4)
|
7 |
Part 2, Article 9 |
|
||
|
Pension Committee (Quorum 3)
|
5 |
Part 3, Article 5 |
|
||
10 Other Committees, Panels, Boards and Forums
Note: For Panels of the Regulatory Committee see list in Part 3.
|
|
Membership |
Terms of Reference (Articles and Sections below refer to the Constitution) |
|
1. County Joint Consultative Committee |
5 Councillors, 8 employee representatives (6 UNISON, 1 T&GWU, 1 GMB) |
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
2. Joint Advisory Committee (Schools) |
5 Councillors and representatives of teachers and support staff
|
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
3. County Consultative Committee (Governors) |
5 Councillors and representatives of Governors
|
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
4. Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education |
5 Councillors and other members in accordance with statutory requirements |
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
5. East Sussex Schools Forum |
Lead Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability plus representatives of other interests in accordance with statutory requirements. |
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
6. Corporate Parenting Panel
|
7 Councillors |
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
7. Fostering Panel |
1 Councillor and other members in accordance with statutory requirements
|
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
8. Recruitment Panels (Chief Executive and Directors)
|
5 Councillors selected as the need arises |
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
9. Recruitment Panel (management posts other than those listed in 8 above).
|
5 Councillors selected as the need arises |
Part 3, Table 5
|
|
10. Pension Board |
3 employer representatives, 3 scheme member representatives, independent chair |
Part 3, Table 5 |
|
3 Councillors drawn from the Standards Committee |
Part 2, Article 9.04 |
|
|
12. Hearings Sub-Committee (Standards) |
3 Councillors drawn from the Standards Committee |
Part 2, Article 9.04 |
|
13. East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board |
4 Councillors and other members in accordance with statutory requirements |
Part 3, Table 5 |