Committee Structure

The full Council consists of all 50 Councillors who are democratically accountable to residents of their ward.

As well as being responsible for determining the composition (membership, terms of reference etc.) of the Cabinet, various committees and other bodies, it will also agree schemes of delegation to those bodies and to Officers.

The Council will also retain responsibility for approving the overall policy framework, set Council Tax and the Council's budgets.

Meetings of the full Council are held in public unless exemptions referred to in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply

 

The Mayor chairs council meetings.

The Cabinet is responsible for making sure that the Council's policies are achieved within the budgets set by the Council.

Councillors at an Annual Council Meeting, which is held in May each year, decide the membership of Cabinet. The Cabinet is made up of the Leader, who chairs the meetings, Deputy Leader and seven other Lead Members.

Each member of the Cabinet is allocated one of the following portfolio’s below for which they take lead responsibility.

Strategic Leadership	Councillor Mrs. A.M. Armstrong
Social Regeneration and Partnership	Councillor V. Crosby
Safer Communities	Councillor J.M. Khan
Leisure and Culture	Councillor Mrs. B. Graham
Environment	Councillor A. Hodgson
Housing	Councillor W. Waters
Planning and Development	Councillor D.A. Newell
Community Health	Councillor Mrs. K. Conroy
Learning and Employment	Councillor Mrs. L. Hovvels

 

Meetings of Cabinet are held in public unless exemptions referred to in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply.

There are three Overview and Scrutiny Committees who support the work of the Cabinet and the Council as a whole. They also monitor the decisions of Cabinet.

 

Those Councillors who are not members of the Cabinet sit on an Overview and Scrutiny Committee, except that is for the Mayor who must maintain impartial to chair Council meetings.

 

Strategic Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee is made up from 11 Members of the Council and is allocated the following Cabinet portfolio theme:-

 

·        Strategic Leadership

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can 'call-in' a key decision that has been made by the Cabinet before it is implemented. This enables them to consider whether the decision is appropriate. They may recommend that the Cabinet reconsider the decision if they think it was inappropriate.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can also set up Review Groups to examine issues in detail in order to improve services or to tackle a problem being experienced by communities within Sedgefield Borough

 

They may also be consulted by the Cabinet or the Council on forthcoming decisions and the development of policies, budget and service delivery.

Meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees are held in public unless exemptions referred to in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply.

Those Councillors who are not members of the Cabinet sit on an overview and Scrutiny Committee, except that is for the Mayor who must maintain impartial to chair Council meetings.

 

There are three Overview and Scrutiny Committees who support the work of the Cabinet and the Council as a whole. They also monitor the decisions of the Cabinet.

 

The Healthy Borough with Strong Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee is made up from 12 Members of the Council plus 2

co-optees (non voting) and is allocated the following Cabinet portfolio themes:-

 

• Community Health
• Leisure and Culture
• Housing
• Safer Communities

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can 'call-in' a key decision that has been made by the Cabinet before it is implemented. This enables them to consider whether the decision is appropriate. They may recommend that the Cabinet reconsider the decision if they think it was inappropriate.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can also set up Review Groups to examine issues in detail in order to improve services or to tackle a problem being experienced by communities within Sedgefield Borough

They may also be consulted by the Cabinet or the Council on forthcoming decisions and the development of policies, budget and service delivery.

 

Meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees are held in public unless exemptions referred to in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply.

There are three Overview and Scrutiny Committees who support the work of the Cabinet and the Council as a whole. They also monitor the decisions of the Cabinet.

 

Those Councillors who are not members of the Cabinet sit on an overview and Scrutiny Committee, except that is for the Mayor who must maintain impartial to chair Council meetings.

 

The Prosperous and Attractive Borough Overview and Scrutiny Committee is made up from 12 Members of the Council plus 2

co-optees (non voting) and is allocated the following Cabinet portfolio themes:-

 

• Learning and Employment
• Social Regeneration and Partnership
• Environment
• Planning and Development

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can 'call-in' a key decision which has been made by the Cabinet before it is implemented. This enables them to consider whether the decision is appropriate. They may recommend that the Cabinet reconsider the decision if they think it was inappropriate.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committees can also set up Review Groups to examine issues in detail in order to improve services or to tackle a problem being experienced by communities within Sedgefield Borough

 

They may also be consulted by the Cabinet or the Council on forthcoming decisions and the development of policies, budget and service delivery.

 

Meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees are held in public unless exemptions referred to in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply.

The Audit Committee is made up from 6 Members of the Council plus 1 co-opted member (non voting).

 

The Audit Committee will have the following roles and functions:-

 

·        To consider the effectiveness of the Council’s Risk Management arrangements, the control environmental and associated anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements.  To report at least annually to Cabinet on the effectiveness of the Risk Management arrangements.

 

·        To seek assurances that action is being taken on risk related issues, identified by Auditors and Inspectors.

 

·        To be satisfied that the Council’s Assurance Statements, including the Statement of Internal Control, properly reflect the risk environment and any actions required to improve it.

 

·        To approve the Council’s Internal Audit Strategy Plan, Annual Audit Plan  and monitor performance against all associated plans

 

·        To review summary Internal Audit reports and the main issues arising and seek assurance that action has been taken where necessary.

 

·        To receive an Annual Report from the Head of Internal Audit.

 

·        To ensure that there are effective relationships between External and Internal Audit, Inspection agencies and other relevant bodies, and that the value of the audit process is actively promoted.

 

·        To review financial statements, including the Council’s Statement of Accounts, External Auditor’s and other inspection agencies opinions and reports to Members and monitor management action in response to the issues raised by External Audit and other inspection agencies.

 

·        For the Chair and Vice-Chair to meet privately and separately at least once a year with the External Auditor and Head of Internal Audit.

 

·        To have the right to call any officers of the Council as required.

The Standards Committee has responsibility for promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct of Councillors and Co-opted members (Members of Committees who are not Councillors). It has 8 members, and is made up of 5 Borough Councillors, a Parish Council representative and 2 people who are independent of the Council. Meetings of the Standards Committee are chaired by one of its independent members.

This Forum aims to give residents from Spennymoor, Middlestone Moor, Kirk Merrington and Byers Green a greater say in Council affairs.

The membership of the Forum includes all Borough Councillors for the Wards covered by the Forum and also representatives from local bodies, community and voluntary groups and local businesses etc., as well as Councillors from the County, Town and Parish Councils.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in the Forum meetings.

This Forum aims to give residents from Ferryhill, Chilton, Bishop Middleham and West Cornforth a greater say in Council affairs.

The membership of the Forum includes all Borough Councillors for the Wards covered by the Forum and also representatives from local bodies, community and voluntary groups and local businesses etc., as well as Councillors from the County, Town and Parish Councils.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in the Forum meetings.

This Forum aims to give residents from Fishburn, Sedgefield and the Trimdons a greater say in Council affairs.

The membership of the Forum includes all Borough Councillors for the Wards covered by the Forum and also representatives from local bodies, community and voluntary groups and local businesses etc., as well as Councillors from the County, Town and Parish Councils.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in the Forum meetings.

This Forum aims to give residents from Shildon a greater say in Council affairs.

The membership of the Forum includes all Borough Councillors for the Wards covered by the Forum and also representatives from local bodies, community and voluntary groups and local businesses etc., as well as Councillors from the County, Town and Parish Councils.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in the Forum meetings

This Forum aims to give residents from Newton Aycliffe, Aycliffe Village and Middridge a greater say in Council affairs.

The membership of the Forum includes all Borough Councillors for the Wards covered by the Forum and also representatives from local bodies, community and voluntary groups and local businesses etc., as well as Councillors from the County, Town and Parish Councils.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in the Forum meetings.

This Committee is made up of all 50 Members of the Council and deals with planning applications and related matters such as advertisement consent together with planning enforcement.

Meetings of the Development Control Committee are held in public unless exemptions referred to in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply. In the interests of Human Rights and transparency of decision-making, the public are able to address the Committee.

The Committee meets every four weeks in order to assist the need to determine applications within the statutory timescale.

The Licensing Committee 1, which is made up of 19 members of the Council, will deal with the range of matters for which the Council grants permissions and licences, except where the Licensing Act 2003 applies.

 

The greater part of the licensing function and its enforcement is delegated to Officers but the Committee shall meet, as and when necessary, to consider any significant applications, objections or other irregular circumstances relating to a licensing matter and to review and amend existing policies and conditions in relation to all licensing matters.

 

Meetings of Licensing Committee 1 will be held in public unless exemptions referred to in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 apply.  In the interests of Human Rights and transparency of decision-making, the public are able to address the Committee.  The following matters will be dealt with at meetings of the Committee:-

 

1.         To review and amend as appropriate existing policies and conditions in  relation to all licensing matters.

 

2.         To discharge the Council’s functions as a licensing authority (except those functions transferred to Licensing Committee 2), within agreed policy, including enforcement.

 

3.         To take decisions on licensing matters where objections are received to the grant of a licence or irregular circumstances arise.

 

Licensing Committee 1 will be responsible for carrying out the following functions, which are identified in The Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000.  Functions marked with an asterisk (*) are Local Choice Functions, which are identified in the same regulations.  The table identifies in the right hand column where authority has been delegated to Officers.

	Functions	Officer Delegation Reference No.
	Licensing and registration functions (insofar as not covered by any other paragraph of this Schedule, or by the remit of Licensing Committee 2)
1.	Power to issue licences authorising the use of land as a caravan site ("site licences").	Director of Neighbourhood Services
2.	Power to licence the use of moveable dwellings and camping sites.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
3.	Power to licence hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
4.	Power to licence drivers of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.	Director of Neighbourhood Services

 

5.	Power to licence operators of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
6.	Power to register pool promoters.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
7.	Power to grant track betting licences.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
8.	Power to licence inter-track betting schemes.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
9.	Power to grant permits in respect of premises with amusement machines.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
10.	Power to register societies wishing to promote lotteries.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
11.	Power to grant permits in respect of premises where amusements with prizes are provided.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
12.	Power to issue cinema and cinema club licences.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
13.	Power to issue theatre licences.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
14.	Power to issue entertainments licences.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
15.	Power to licence sex shops and sex cinemas.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
16.	Power to licence performances of hypnotism.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
17.	Power to licence premises for acupuncture, tattooing, ear-piercing and electrolysis.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
18.	Power to licence pleasure boats and pleasure vessels.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
19.	Power to register door staff.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
20.	Power to licence market and street trading.  (Adoptive powers)	Director of Neighbourhood Services
21.	Power to licence night cafes and take-away food shops.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
22.	Power to licence dealers in game and the killing and selling of game.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
23.	Power of register and licence premises for the preparation of food.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
24.	Power to register scrap yards.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
25.	Power to licence premises for the breeding of dogs.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
26.	Power to licence pet shops and other establishments where animals are bred or kept for the purposes of carrying on a business.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
27.	Power to licence zoos.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
28.	Power to licence dangerous wild animals.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
29.	Power to licence persons to collect for charitable and other causes.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
30.	Power to grant consent for the operation of a loudspeaker.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
31.	Power to approve meat product premises.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
32.	Power to approve premises for the production of minced meat or meat preparations.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
33.	Power to approve dairy establishments.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
34.	Power to approve egg product establishments.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
35.	Power to issue licences to retail butchers' shops carrying out commercial operations in relation to unwrapped raw meat and selling or supplying both raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
36.	Power to approve fish products premises.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
37.	Power to approve dispatch or purification centres.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
38.	Duty to keep register of food business premises.	Director of Neighbourhood Services
39.