Committee structure

The Full Council comprises all 48 Councillors, elected every 4 years by residents of the District. (The last elections were in May 2023; the next are in May 2027). The Full Council makes major strategic and policy decisions, and sets the budget and the Council tax. It also chooses the Chairman of the Council and the Leader of the Council, and appoints Committees to carry out many of its functions. There are 26 Conservatives, 14 Liberal Democrats, 4 Independents, 3 Greens, and 1 Labour and Co-operative Member.

The Cabinet is a group of 6 Councillors, all from the majority political group (Conservative) represented on the Council. The Leader of the Council (Cllr Jill Cleary) chairs the Cabinet. She has appointed the other 5 members. The Cabinet is responsible for taking all decisions classed by the law as "Executive" decisions. Many of these decisions are taken at a meeting of the whole Cabinet. However, each Cabinet member has a "portfolio", that is, a list of the responsibilities assigned specifically to that member. Subject to certain conditions, individual Cabinet members are able to take decisions on matters within their portfolio.

Committees are groups of Councillors appointed by the full Council. They are appointed "proportionally" - that is, they contain Councillors from more than one political group, in the same proportion as the political groups are represented on the Council.

Please note:  for planning reports and minutes prior to 1 January 2018 please select “ “Browse Meetings” and nominate the year in question in the box above the list of current Committees.  Look under “Planning Development Control Committee.

Overview and Scrutiny Panels, like Committees, are appointed "proportionally". There are 3 Panels. Cabinet members cannot serve on Overview and Scrutiny Panels. Each Panel is responsible for overview and scrutiny of a number of service areas. The Panels can undertake reviews of the Council's policies, either on their own initiative or at the request of the Council or the Cabinet, advise on policy development, and review executive decisions to make sure the Cabinet does not exceed its powers.