Council

The Council is the ultimate decision making body of Brentwood Borough Council and the principal forum for major political debate. All 37 Councillors who have been elected to represent the borough attend the Council meeting.   The Council decides the overall objectives, major policies and financial strategies of the Council. It also considers recommendations from the Scrutiny and Regulatory Committees on issues of significance.   Through the Constitution, it delegates responsibility for carrying out many of the Borough Council’s functions and policies to its committees. It also agrees the membership of the committees/sub-committees.   Only the Council will exercise the following functions:-

  a)    adopting and  approving changes to the Constitution; b)    adopting and amending Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations; c)    agreeing and/or amending the terms of reference for committees and any joint committees, deciding on their composition chairmanship and making initial appointments to them; d)    appointing representatives to outside bodies and consultative groups unless the appointment has been delegated by the Council; e)    adopting and amending a members’ allowances scheme under Chapter 6; f)     to elect the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council; g)    to designate the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council; h)    adoption of the Code of Conduct for Members; i)      electoral and ceremonial matters relevant to the Council j)      changing the name of the area, conferring the title of honorary alderman or freedom of the borough; k)    setting the Council’s Budget and Council Tax l)      approving the making of a virement or payment from the Council’s reserves for values exceeding £200,000; m)   approving of the Council’s Corporate Plan; n)    approving or adopting the Council policies and strategies which form the policy framework; o)    making, amending, revoking, re-enacting or adopting bylaws and promoting or opposing the making of local legislation or personal Bills; p)    confirming the appointment or dismissal of the Head of Paid Service; Monitoring Officer; and Section 151 Officer; q)    to consider reports on cross cutting matters not expressly delegated to another committee; r)     all other matters which by law must be reserved to Council;  

Questions from the public  

Public Question Time takes place at every Ordinary council meeting.