Agenda
The list of items to be discussed at a Council, cabinet, or committee meeting.
Annual Council Meeting (ACM)
The annual meeting of the Council which appoints a Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The members at this meeting appoint the committees of the Council.
Audit and Standards Committee
This committee has a specific responsibility for governance issues and audit functions.
Budget and Policy Framework
The key policies and budget each year which is agreed by the Council. This framework can only be changed by Full Council.
Cabinet
The Cabinet carries out the Council’s executive functions. They are responsible for and make decisions regarding policy matters, housing, land and property, economic growth, and all other matters not reserved to Council, Committees or officers.
Cabinet Members
The Leader of the Council with up to nine other councillors who are appointed by the Leader.
Chief Executive
The most senior officer in the Council, who is also the Statutory Head of Paid Service.
Chief Finance Officer
The person responsible for the proper administration of the Council’s financial affairs also known as the section 151 Officer.
Executive
The collective term for the Leader, individual Cabinet Members, the Cabinet or a committee of the Cabinet. Chief Officers the Chief Executive and the Strategic Directors and where relevant includes the other statutory officers.
Executive Decisions
These are decisions made by the Cabinet (also known as the executive).
Executive Functions
These functions are the responsibility of the executive, one of its committees or sub-committees, joint committees, or an Officer.
Forward Plan
Plans prepared on a monthly basis which contain matters that the Leader believes may lead to a key decision which will need to be made by Cabinet or a Committee of the Cabinet.
Full Council
A meeting for all the councillors on the Council.
Group Leader
A Leader of a Political Group.
Head of Paid Service
The Chief Executive, who is in charge of the council’s officers.
Joint Committees
This is the formation of a committee from 2 local authorities that have joined make executive decisions or have delegated from one to another.
Key Decisions
A Key Decision is one which results in the council incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant to the council’s budget, or may have a significant effect on the communities that live or work within two or more electoral divisions of Elmbridge.
Leader
The Leader of the Council, who is elected every 4 years generally at the Annual Full Council Meeting.
Local Plan
The Local Plan will set out planning policies and proposals for how the communities and places in the borough will develop.
Local Planning Authority
The department of the council that has the duty through legislation to carry out specific planning functions for the area which must act independently of other council departments in carrying out its functions.
Members
Also known as councillors.
Monitoring Officer
Officer appointed by Full Council to exercise the functions under section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
Nominated Officer
An officer chosen by another (the nominator) to act in their place when this is permitted or allowed by the procedure rules.
Non-Cabinet Councillors
Any councillors that are elected that do not form part of the Cabinet.
Non-Executive Decisions
Decisions including planning, licensing and personnel matters.
Officers
Employees, staff and other workers of the council.
Political balance
Allocation of seats on committees in portion to the political group seats on the council.
Portfolio Holder
Members of the Cabinet are the portfolio holders. Each Member will look after a specific area and this is referred to as their portfolio.
Proper Officer
Officers who undertake a statutory power that the Council must fulfil.
Statutory Officers
The Head of Paid Service, the Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) and the Monitoring Officer are called "Statutory Officers" (because every council is required by statute – the law – to have these posts).
Task Groups
A group that is established to deal with a particular matter and has a finish point i.e. when that matter has been resolved or completed.
Ward
An area of the borough represented by three elected representatives.
Working Group
A group that is established to deal with a particular matter.