Committees are a way for councillors to debate and decide the policies that govern how we provide local services.

Every councillor sits on at least one committee and helps make or review decisions on behalf of the council.

You can watch most committee meetings live on our YouTube channel or catch up on them afterwards. You can ask questions or make statements at most meetings.

• Find out more about attending committee meetings.

Types of meetings

• View our list of committee meetings.

Full Council is a meeting that all councillors attend. Certain decisions have to be made by the full council, an example being the approval of the council’s budget.

The Executive is responsible for proposing the policy framework and budget to the full council and for discharging executive functions in accordance with the policy framework and budget.

Overview and scrutiny committees are responsible for scrutinising executive decisions before and after they have been implemented and for holding the executive to account.

The council currently has four scrutiny committees:

• Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee
• Housing Scrutiny Committee
• Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee
• Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee

Regulatory committees make decisions that the executive councillors are not allowed to make.

• Licensing Committee make decisions about licensing policy in relation to the granting of licences for the sale of alcohol and the provision of hackney carriages and private-hire vehicles, for sex establishments, and for market and street trading.
• Licensing subcommittees consider hearings and applications in relation to:
  • sale of alcohol and other activities under the Licensing Act 2003.
  • hackney carriage and private hire vehicles
  • market and street Trading
  • sex establishments
• Planning Committee meets each month to deal with major planning applications and minor planning applications which are not being determined by officers under delegated powers.
• Civic Affairs Committee is responsible for corporate governance including:
  • electoral issues
  • audit and regulatory financial matters
  • civic and democratic process
  • miscellaneous regulatory responsibilities

Area committees are forums for councillors and residents to discuss local issues. The committees have been paused for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year. This is while we develop alternative ways for councillors to engage with their communities.