Delegated Decisions

All Portfolio Holders are able to take decisions on various matters that do not need to be determined by the Cabinet or Council.

Find out more information on decisions taken by Portfolio Holders.

The Scheme of Delegation, which is incorporated within the Council's Constitution describes which decisions must be taken by the whole Cabinet, which can be taken by individual Cabinet Members and which can be delegated to Directors.

Before a Porfolio Holder makes a delegated decision, decision, prior notification is given, and the details of decisions about to be made under this process are published. Members of the County Council who are not members of the Cabinet then have the opportunity to 'call-in' the decision. The call-in procedure enables non-cabinet members to challenge the decision made under delegated powers.

Delegated Decisions are published on the Members' Intranet and Members then have three working days in which to 'call-in' an item. If the item is not 'called-in' then the decision will be implemented on the fourth working day.

Any member of the County Council who is not a Cabinet Member can challenge a decision of the Cabinet. However for a call-in to be effective a trigger has to be reached.

Four Members of a relevant Scrutiny Committee (ie. for a decision affecting schools then four members of the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny and Performance Panel will trigger an effective 'call-in')
Eight Members of the County Council (any of whom may be a member of any Scrutiny Committee or Scrutiny and Performance Panel)
A Group Leader with eight or more members

The Corporate Policy Scrutiny Committee will then meet to consider the item. The first four members who triggered the 'call-in' will be invited to attend and speak (but not vote) at the meeting. The Corporate Policy Scrutiny Committee have the power to refer the item back to Cabinet for reconsideration or in certain circumstances to the full Council. The Scrutiny Committee can nominate two members to speak at the Cabinet meeting either from their own committee or from the relevant Scrutiny and Performance Panel (ie. for a schools item two members from the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny and Performance Panel).

Not all decisions are subject to call-in. If a decision is so urgent that any delay in implementing it would seriously prejudice the Council's or public's interests or the interests of any person(s) to whom the decision relates then it is exempt from 'call-in'.

Last Modified: 20/03/2007 15:22:33
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