Full council decisions
The full council is a formal meeting of all 60 elected councillors and the elected Mayor.
Certain decisions must, by law, be made at a meeting of the full council. These include:
- Adoption of the Constitution and amendments to it
- Setting the Council Tax rate
- Approving the council budget proposed by the Mayor
- Approving or adopting any documents which form part of the policy framework
- Awarding the freedom of the borough and creating honorary aldermen and alderwomen
- Deciding the size and membership of council committees
- Confirming the appointment of the Head of the Paid Service (the Chief Executive, who is the most senior member of staff).
The full council usually meets at least 10 times a year (including the annual meeting in May). These meetings are open to the public.
Find out when the next meeting is on our calendar of meetings page.
The full council is the opportunity for councillors to question the Mayor and cabinet, chairs of council committees and to put motions on the agenda.
You can find out more information about the full council in Part 4.1 of our Constitution. It sets how meetings should be conducted and how particular types of business such as members’ questions and submissions of motions and amendments should be carried out.
Annual Meeting
The full council has a special meeting in May known as the Annual Meeting.
At this meeting the council:
- Elects the chair and deputy chair of the council
- Decides the size and membership of council committees which will make decisions on its behalf.
Also at this meeting, the Mayor announces:
- The membership of her cabinet, including her deputy (chosen from among the 60 councillors)
- Appointments of advisers
- Portfolios allocated to those councillors
- How the Mayor and cabinet will make decisions
- How decisions will be delegated
Schemes of Delegation
The Schemes of delegation document sets out how the Mayor and full Council have delegated their executive and non-executive powers. You can find out more on our schemes of delegation page.
