Responsibility for Functions

Responsibility for Functions Exercised only by the County Council

1.01 Article 4 in Part 2 of the Constitution sets out the functions which may only be exercised by the Council and the powers delegated to the Cabinet (including individual members) or Committees and other bodies are subject to the provisions of that Article.

Cabinet Responsibilities and Functions

1.02 Article 7 in Part 2 of the Constitution provides that the Cabinet will carry out all of the County Council’s functions which are not the responsibility of any other part of the County Council, whether by law or under this Constitution. The functions which are the responsibility of the Cabinet are set out in Table 1 attached.

1.03 The Cabinet has delegated certain powers to individual Cabinet members. Details are set out in Table 2.

1.04 The Cabinet has delegated certain powers to the Chief Executive and Directors. These, together with the powers delegated by the Council to the Chief Executive and Directors are set out in Table 5. Separate delegations to the Chief Executive and Directors in relation to contracts are set out in the Contracts Procedure Rules and in relation to financial matters in the Financial Procedure Rules.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Responsibilities and Functions

1.05 Article 6 in Part 2 of the Constitution sets out the role and functions of the overview and scrutiny committees established by the County Council.

Responsibility for Council Functions

1.06 Article 8 in Part 2 of the Constitution enables the Council to appoint such committees as it considers appropriate to discharge functions which are not specifically the responsibility of the Cabinet, the overview and scrutiny committees or the Standards Committee. The County Council has appointed a Regulatory Committee with the role and functions set out in Table 2 attached.

1.07 The County Council has also appointed the following committees to undertake the functions of the County Council listed in Table 3 attached which are not the responsibility of the Cabinet or to assist the Cabinet by advising it on issues which are its responsibility.

Standards Committee Responsibilities and Functions

1.08 Article 9 in Part 2 of the Constitution sets out the role and functions of the Standards Committee established by the County Council.

Joint Arrangements

1.09 Article 11 in Part 2 of the Constitution sets out details of joint member bodies established by the County Council.

Structure

1.10 The various decision-making mechanisms of the County Council relate to each other as follows:

• At the top of the structure is the Full County Council.
  
  
• The Scrutiny Committees, Leader and Cabinet, Regulatory Committee, Governance Committee, and Standards Committee all report to the Full County Council.
  
  
• The Planning Committee and Specialist Panels report to the Regulatory Committee.