How we make decisions

Last Updated: 3 April 2024

The information below outlines how decisions are made, when they happen and who is responsible.

Council Meetings

You can find out the dates of our committee meetings in the calendar of meetings.

Council meetings includes a list of our Committees, the page for each includes its meeting dates and for each date gives that meetings' agendas, officers' reports and minutes of past meetings. 

Major policy proposals and decisions

Our Constitution sets out the procedures for decision making in the Council.

Our priorities and how these will be delivered are set out in the Council Plan.

The full Council is responsible for setting the budget and the overall policy framework.

The Cabinet is responsible for making most of the day-to-day decisions and has to make these decisions in line with the Council’s overall policies and budget. 

Individual Portfolio Holders, the Chief Executive and Directors are delegated powers and duties needed within their area of responsibility. These are called Delegated Executive Decisions.

The Forward Plan is a list of key decisions we expect to be made in the near future and is normally published on the last working day of the month.

Search for any decisions (since 5 March 2012), which have been made by the decision making bodies described above.

In order to make the decision making process more transparent and enable the public to become more involved, we have Public Participation Schemes. This allows the public to attend most meetings of the Council to ask questions, make comments or present deputations or petitions. 

Community Engagement

Public consultations that are or have been carried out are placed on the Have Your Say Consultation site.

Community Engagement includes advice and guidance on how the council carries out consultation, including a consultation toolkit and Questionnaire Design Guide.