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  Constitution

Article 7 - Executive

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Note: Article 7 has been amended to reflect the new Executive arrangements to take effect after the May 2011 elections (Minute No. 324/12/10 refers).

7.01 Role

The Executive will carry out all of the Council’s functions which are not the responsibility of any other part of the Council, whether by law or under this Constitution.

7.02 Form and Composition

The Executive will consist of the Leader together with between two and nine Councillors appointed to the Executive by the Leader.  The Cabinet may be composed of one or more parties.

7.03 Leader

The Leader will be a Councillor elected to the position of Leader by the Council.  The term of office for the Leader will start on the day of his/her election as Leader and end on the day of the next post Local Election Annual Meeting which follows his/her election as Leader.  The Leader will hold office unless he/she:-

 

(i)     resigns from the office;

 

(ii)    is suspended from being a Member under Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 (although he/she may resume office at

         the end of the period of the suspension);

 

(iii)   is no longer a Councillor (otherwise than by expiration of office);

 

(iv)   is removed from office by resolution of the Council on the basis of a motion signed by five Members of the Council and

        included on the agenda for a Council Meeting.  Such motion must be given in writing to the Proper Officer at least 14 days prior

        to the relevant meeting and shall indicate the reasons for the motion.  The motion shall take precedence over any other item of

        business.

7.04 Other Executive Members

Only Councillors may be appointed to the Executive. There may be no co-optees, deputies or substitutes for Executive Members.  Neither the Mayor nor Deputy may be appointed to the Executive and Members of the Executive (including the Leader) may not be Members of the  Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Other Executive Members are appointed by the Leader and shall hold office until the end of the term of office of the Leader or until they:

 

(a)    Resign from the office of Executive Member;

 

(b)    Are removed from office by the Leader;

 

(c)    Are suspended from being Councillors by virtue of action under Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 (although they may

        resume office at the end of the period of suspension); or

 

(d)    Are no longer Councillors.

 

7.05 Deputy Leader

The Leader will appoint one of the Members of the Cabinet (Executive) to be his/her Deputy, to hold office until the end of the term of office of the Leader (unless the person resigns as Deputy Leader, ceases to be a Councillor or is disqualified or removed from office by the Leader).  The Leader may if he/she thinks fit, remove the Deputy Leader from office, but must then appoint another person in his/her place.

 

7.06 Absent Leader

 

If for any reason the Leader is unable to act or the office of Leader is vacant, the Deputy Leader must act in his/her place.  If the Deputy Leader is unable to act or the office is vacant, the Cabinet (Executive) must act in the Leader’s place or arrange for a Member of the Cabinet (Executive) to do so.

 

7.07

Removal of Leader

 

As referred to in 7.03 (iv) above and authorised by Section 44 (C) of the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended) provision is made for removal of the Leader by resolution.  The Act further specifies that if the Council passes a resolution to remove the Leader, a new Leader is to be elected:-

 

(i)         at the meeting at which the Leader is removed from office, or

(ii)        at a subsequent meeting.

7.08 Proceedings of the Executive

Proceedings of the Executive shall take place in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules set out in Part 4 of this Constitution.

7.09 Responsibility for Functions

The Leader will maintain a list in Part 3 of this Constitution setting out which individual Members of the Executive, Committees of the Executive, Officers or joint arrangements are responsible for the exercise of particular Executive functions.

 

NB: Details of delegations to Executive Members are contained at the foot of the individual Executive Members Portfolio of responsibilities. 

 

All delegations to Officers are contained in a separate schedule in Part 3 of this Constitution.

 

Next - Article 8 - Regulatory And Other Committees

This webpage was updated on 5/9/2011

 

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