Committees - Terms of reference

This page provides a brief introduction to and allows you to link to more detailed pages should you wish to do so. If you want to know more please contact the head of democratic and member services on 01925 442120.

Full Council

The Council is composed of 57 councillors who serve on the Council for a four-year term. All councillors meet together as the Council every eight weeks. Here councillors decide the Council's overall policies and set the budget each year. Click the following link to view the Council minutes & agendas facility.  Here you will be able to find out about the various committees and individuals who represent you on your local council. Find out who sits on which committees, any decisions or declarations they have made, examine agendas and minutes of any meeting and find out how to contact any member of your local council.

The Council will carry out all those functions set down in Statute and Regulations as being the function of a Council delegated to another committee, sub-committee or officer or by a subsequent resolution of the Council. A full list of these functions can be found within the Constitution

Executive

Composition – 10 members

The Executive Board of the council is accountable for certain functions operated by council officers. It has to operate in line with the council’s constitution and has the power to set up sub committees where appropriate.

The Executive Board is made up of the Leader of the Council, Cllr Ian Marks, and Deputy Leader, Cllr Keith Bland, and has eight further members responsible for:

• Cllr Bob Barr – Planning, regeneration and housing
• Cllr Fiona Bruce – Finance and value for money 
• Cllr Alan Litton – Environment and transport
• Cllr Liz Smith – Neighbourhoods and communities
• Cllr Bob Timmis – Leisure and skills
• Cllr Roy Smith – Health and wellbeing
• Cllr Sharon Wilson – Service to customers
• Cllr Sheila Woodyatt – Children and young people

They have public meetings every four weeks. You can view the agendas and minutes here.

Executive Board responsibilities:

• To make key decisions that either have a significant impact on the community or have considerable financial implications
• Full authority to implement the policy and budgetary frameworks of the council. This means that most decisions do not need the approval of full council
• The Executive Board can delegate decisions to an individual executive member or senior officer. However all key decisions must be included in the council’s forward plan

Overview and scrutiny committees have the remit to hold the Executive Board to account.

Appeals Committee

Composition - 7 members

To discharge the following functions on behalf of the Council as provided in and in accordance with the Council's policies:-

a) hearing and determining any appeal lodged by an employee under the Council’s Disciplinary or Capability Procedures;

b) hearing and determining any dispute concerning remuneration, conditions of employment and working conditions to the extent that they are not the responsibility of some independent arbitrator or judicial body;

c) hearing and determining an employee appeal against dismissal

d) hearing and determining any appeal relating to any matter that is not the responsibility of any other committee of the Council.

Chief Officer Employment Committee

Composition – 5 members

To discharge the Council’s role and responsibilities in selecting and/or appointing chief and deputy chief officers in accordance with the council’s management structure and recruitment policies with particular regard to the requirements of the staff employment procedure rules.

To discharge similarly the role and responsibilities of the Council in the dismissal of a chief of deputy chief officer again having particular regard to the requirements of the staff employment procedure rules.

Governance Committee

Composition - 11 elected members

The delegated functions of the committee are:

(a) to oversee the borough council’s role and responsibilities as necessary under the requirements of corporate governance

(b) to develop, maintain, monitor and review the council’s code of corporate governance and to undertake, as appropriate, an assessment of wider governance issues, including the constitution and responsibilities of council, Executive Board, regulatory & other committees and the administration and conduct of the council’s business and report to Council as necessary

(c) to oversee, monitor and review the Finance procedure rules and report to Council as necessary

(d) to monitor and review the council’s audit functions and requirements in relation to both internal and external audit

(e) to agree, monitor and review the council’s risk management strategy and to ensure that effective risk management is embedded throughout the council

(f) to ensure the council has in place appropriate policies and processes to safeguard the council’s resources and their use including appropriate mechanisms for anti-fraud and corruption.

(g) to monitor and review the Section 151 Officer (the council’s chief finance officer) and his/her appointed deputies in the performance of their duties and responsibilities

(h) to approve the council’s Statement of Accounts and Statement of Internal Control as authorised by the full Council and as required under the relevant Account and Audit Regulations

(i) to approve the council’s Council Tax base each year

Licensing Committee

Composition - 15 elected members

The delegated functions of the committee are:

(a) To receive reports in respect of the operation of the ‘Licensing Reviews’ under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Acts 2003;

(b) The determination of applications for licences under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005 to which relevant representations have been received and not withdrawn.

(c) To determine a review or variation of any licence under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005.

(d) To establish sub-committees and determine the procedure to be followed for hearings.

(e) To set fees payable for all licensing and gambling matters.

(f) To consider and make recommendations in relation to the making of alcohol consumption in designated public places orders under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

Licensing Sub-Committee

Composition - 3 elected members (constituted from the 15 Licensing Committee members)

The delegated functions of the committee are to consider the following when an objection has been made:

1. Application for personal licence
2. Application for premises licence/club premises certificate
3. Application for provisional statement
4. Application to vary premises licence/club premises certificate
5. Application to vary designated premises supervisor
6. Request to be removed as designated personal licence holder
7. Application for transfer of premises licence
8. Application for interim authority
9. Application to review premises licence/club premises certificate
10. Decision on whether a representation is irrelevant, frivolous, vexatious or repetitious etc.
11. Decision to object when local authority is a consultee and not the relevant authority considering the application
12. Determination of a police objection to a temporary event notice
13. Determination of contents of notice seeking additional information
14. Decision to dispense with a hearing if all persons required by the Act agree that such a hearing is unnecessary
15. Appointment of authorised officers for the purposes of the Act
16. Determination of all administrative matters arising in relation to applications under the Act

Taxis and Other Licences Committee

Composition – 15 members

The delegated function of the committee is to determine applications under the various provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 in cases where the council has received a relevant representation or police objection. 

Taxi Sub-Committee

Composition - 3 members (constituted from the 15 Licensing Committee members)

a)     (a) to determine an appeal for a Hackney Carriage or private hire driver's licence where the applicant has failed to meet the criteria of a fit and proper person;  

b)    (b) to determine an appeal from the decision of an authorised or delegated officer to suspend, revoke or refuse to renew any existing licence; 

c)    (c) to determine the procedure to be followed by the sub-committee for hearings; and 

d)    (d) to determine any matter relating to Hackney Carriage and private hire driver’s where the decision is delegated to an officer and in the view of the strategic director of environment and regeneration that decision should be referred to the sub-committee for determination;

Employee Appeals Committee

Composition – 7 members.

The delegated functions of the committee are:

a) To hear and adjudicate on appeals arising from the operation of the council's employment procedures.

b) To determine non-collective grievance cases.

c) To hear and adjudicate on claims against salary grading submitted in accordance with paragraph 80 of the former National Conditions of Service of APT & C employees. 

Development Control Committee

Composition - 12 elected members

The delegated function of the committee is:

The discharge the following functions of the borough council as the local planning authority as set out in the Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000 and any subsequent amendments thereto:-

a) applications for development which, in the opinion of the strategic director of environment is contrary to the provisions of the council's development plan and would materially conflict with its policies and guidelines and which is recommended for approval;

b) applications which in the opinion of the strategic director of environment have given rise to material planning objections of such a scale or potentially contentious nature that they should be referred to the Development Control Committee for consideration;

c) applications which have been submitted by, or on behalf of, a serving councillor of the authority (or their spouse/partner) or by, or on behalf of, relevant members of the council's staff (or their spouse/partner) as determined by the strategic director of environment;

d) applications where the recommendation is contrary to a view expressed by a town or parish council;

e) any application where a notice, in writing, has been given to the strategic director of environment by a member of the Council requiring the committee to decide the application;

f) any application where the decision is delegated to an officer and that officer has declined to approve or otherwise the application. 

Standards Committee

Composition - 5 elected members, 4 co-opted independents, 3 parish councillors

The delegated functions of the committee are:

a) To advise the Council on the preparation and adoption of local codes of conduct for members and officers which build on existing good practice in the authority, and take into account national models and guidance.

b) To submit the codes of conduct for consideration and approval by full Council; to
carry out periodic reviews of the operation of the codes and to recommend revisions as appropriate.

c) To monitor the implementation of the codes to ensure that they are fully
understood and applied throughout the authority, to ensure that necessary training and guidance is provided to members and officers in pursuit of these objectives.

d) To investigate any complaints about failures to comply with the Code of Conduct for 
Members and to make recommendations to the Council as appropriate. (Please follow link below for further information)

e) To monitor and review as necessary the operation of whistleblowing procedures.

f) To recommend a protocol on member/employee relations and to review its operation.

g) To review and monitor the application of the council’s standing orders, financial regulations, contract arrangements and other such provisions.

h) To maintain and review codes of practice relating to public access to information, 
confidentiality and arrangements for data protection.

i) To consider reports arising from external inspections, audit investigations, Ombudsman investigations where maladministration is found, legal challenges and other sources which cast doubt on the honesty or integrity of the Council or its members, and to recommend action by full Council as appropriate.

j) To consider and make recommendations on such other matters as the committee itself thinks appropriate or which are referred for its attention by Council, which further the aim of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of conduct within the authority.

How to complain about a councillor

Mayoral Selection Committee

Composition – 5 members

To recommend to Council the nominations for the office of civic mayor and deputy civic mayor. 

Overview & Scrutiny 

Scrutiny is an important role in Warrington. It is a key mechanism for promoting the best interests and well-being of the borough, and ensuring that local people receive high quality services that are relevant to their needs.

In performing their role the Overview & Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) may consult and involve the local community and other local public, private and voluntary bodies or organisations.

The committee may review and making recommendations in relation on matters which are not the direct responsibility of the council but which affect the social, economic and environmental well-being of an area or the borough as a whole or under any statutory requirement or council contract, procedure or practice;

Call-in process

This is the process by which five or more Overview and Scrutiny Members can ask for an Executive Board decision or any Key Decision to be scrutinised by the relevant OSC. The decision has to be called-in with five days of being made and must be for at least one of the following reasons:-

• Lack of proportionality;
• Lack of consultation or lack of regard for officer advice;
• Lack respect for human rights;
• Lack of openness;
• Lack of clarity of aims and outcomes;
• Lack of consideration of financial implications or risk;
• Lack of explanation as to options considered;
• Lack of reasons for decision.

Please find below the links to the overview and scrutiny annual reports for: 

2008 to 2009

2007 to 2008

2006 to 2007

2005 to 2006

Useful link for further information regarding overview & scrutiny: The Centre for Public Scrutiny

Health and Well-Being Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Composition - 11 elected members

Corporate ambition: Healthy and active

This committee deals with the scrutiny of health matters. Its main focus is external to the council on the National Health Service (NHS). The committee also has a formal role as a consultee in respect of NHS proposals for substantial variations or development of health services.

The Health and Well-Being OSC will:-

a) fulfil the health scrutiny duties falling on the council by virtue of the Health and Social Care Act 2001;

b) liase with NHS bodies on any matter relating to the planning, provision and operation of health services in Warrington, including commenting on the annual "health check" of performance;

c) respond to any formal consultations undertaken by NHS bodies on any substantial development or variation in service;

d) if necessary, report to the Secretary for Health or monitor:

e) participate with other relevant local authorities external to Warrington in joint scrutiny arrangements of NHS Trusts providing cross-border services to Warrington residents;

f) commission scrutiny reviews, in particular through the Warrington LSP Healthier Communities Group, to ensure that all sections of Warrington’s local communities have equal access to health services and have an equal chance of a successful outcome from those services;

g) oversee local health scrutiny arrangements in Warrington, commissioning work and receiving reports and recommendations as appropriate;

h) provide a programme of training and development for all members and co-opted members involved in health scrutiny;

i) deal with any matter referred by the Department of Health, a patients' forum or by another scrutiny select committee.

Economy and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Composition – 11 members

Corporate ambitions: Prosperous and vibrant / Developing our organisation (One team)

The Economy and Resources OSC deals with scrutiny of economic development within the borough and the council’s internal services and business processes, including legal, democratic, human resources, property, finance, business change. The committee also scrutinises communications, corporate policy and performance and strategic development.

Children, Young People and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Composition – 11 members, 4 statutory voting co-optees, 2 non-voting co-optees

Corporate ambition: Ambitious and achieving

The Children, Young People and Skills OSC deals with the scrutiny of education, children’s social care, looked after children, youth services and skills development. These services account for the largest share of the council’s budget.

Neighbourhoods and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Composition - 11 members

Corporate ambition: Safe and strong
 
The Neighbourhoods and Communities OSC scrutinises a wide variety of council services including community development, mental health, learning and physical disabilities, social care for older people and leisure and cultural services, neighbourhood management and the council’s main customer interface ‘Contact Warrington’.

This committee also exercises the authority’s scrutiny powers as the statutory Crime and Disorder Committee under the Police and Justice Act 2006.

Environment and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Composition - 11 elected members

Corporate ambition: Environmentally responsible and attractive

The Environment and Housing OSC scrutinises a wide variety of council services. In particular, it looks at matters which directly affect our neighbourhoods and the physical environment including strategic housing, regeneration, building and development control, planning policies, highways, transportation, parks and cemeteries, waste services and street cleansing.

Last updated 01/10/2009 11:13:00

Bookmark with:

Delicious |   Digg |   Facebook |   reddit |   StumbleUpon