Cabinet

Role   1.  The Cabinet 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.   Form and composition   (i)   The Cabinet will consist of the Leader together with at least two, but not more than nine, councillors appointed to the Cabinet by the Leader. The Cabinet currently comprises the Leader and nine other Cabinet members.   (ii)   Only councillors may be appointed to the Cabinet.   (iii)   There may be no co-optees and no deputies or substitutes for Cabinet members. Cabinet may however invite members and others to attend their meetings and, with the consent of the chair, speak.   (iv)   Neither the Lord Mayor nor the (Sheriff and) Deputy Lord Mayor may be appointed to the Cabinet and neither the Leader nor any of member of the Cabinet may be appointed to the office of Lord Mayor or (Sheriff and) Deputy Lord Mayor.   (v)   Members of the Cabinet (including the Leader) may not be members of a scrutiny committee.   Leader   (i)   The Leader will be a councillor elected to the position of Leader by the Council. Each election will be held on the day of the Annual Meeting when the incumbent’s term of office as Leader expires.   (ii)  The Leader will hold office until the first Annual Meeting after his/her normal day of retirement as a councillor (this being the fourth day after the ordinary day for elections in the year his/her term of office as a councillor expires, which will normally be four years after his/her election as a councillor) unless:   (a)   he/she resigns from the office; or (b)   he/she ceases to be a councillor; or  (c)   the Council resolves to remove the Leader by a vote passed by a simple majority of those present and voting at a meeting of the Council upon a motion moved by written notice under Standing Order 14 provided the notice is signed by at least seven seconders as well as the proposer.   (iii)   In the event of any casual vacancy in the position of Leader, the Council shall fill the vacancy at its next ordinary meeting of the Council held after the date on which the vacancy occurs or, if the Council then chooses, at the next following ordinary meeting of the Council. The Proper Officer shall include the filling of the vacancy as an item of business on the agenda for such meeting.   Other Cabinet Members   (i)   Other Cabinet members will be councillors elected to the position of Cabinet Member by the Leader. Each Cabinet Member shall hold office until:   (a)   he/she resigns from that office; or  (b)  he/she is removed from that office by the Leader upon such notice (if any) as the Leader considers appropriate; or (c)  he/she ceases to be a councillor.     (ii)   The Leader may at any time appoint a Cabinet Member to fill any vacancy.   Deputy Leader   (i)   The Leader may designate one of the Cabinet Members as Deputy Leader.   (ii)   The Deputy may exercise all the functions of the Leader where the position is vacant or where the Leader is absent or is otherwise unable to act.   Proceedings of the Cabinet   Proceedings of the Cabinet shall take place in accordance with the Cabinet Procedure Rules set out in Part 4D of this Constitution.   Responsibility for functions   (i)   The Leader may exercise executive functions himself/herself or may otherwise make arrangements to delegate responsibility for their discharge as set out in paragraph (ii) below.   (ii)   The Leader may delegate executive functions to-     (a) The Cabinet as a whole; (b) A committee of the Cabinet (comprising Cabinet members only); (c) An individual Cabinet Member; (d) An area committee, i.e. ward committee; (e) A joint committee; (f) Another local authority or the executive of another local authority; (g) A Delegated Officer.   (iii)  The Leader will maintain a list in Part 3 of this Constitution setting out the arrangements that have been made by him/her for the exercise of executive functions under paragraph (ii). Cabinet Members’ Roles and Portfolios   (i)   Cabinet members shall collectively and individually undertake leadership roles as determined by the Leader, including:    (a)   leading the community planning process and the search for best value, with input and advice from select, area and ward committees; (b)   leading the preparation of the Council’s policies and budget; (c)  taking in-year decisions on resources and priorities, together with other stakeholders and partners in the local community, to deliver and implement the budget and policies decided by the Council; and (d)   being the focus for forming partnerships with other local public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations to address local needs.   (ii)   The Leader may allocate portfolios to himself and other members of the Cabinet.   (a)   The Leader will maintain a list in Part 3.4 of this Constitution setting out the allocation of portfolios; and (b)   The Leader will report to the next ordinary meeting of the Council such allocations and any alterations in such allocations.   Leader and Deputy of the Opposition   The Council shall appoint a councillor to the positions of Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Opposition whether or not they are also appointed to be Cabinet Members.