A concordat for communication and consultation with Members

General provisions

Decisions made by officers under delegated powers fall into two principal categories, namely:

• decisions delegated to officers in consultation with Cabinet Members (which may or may not be key decisions)
• other decisions delegated to officers (which are not required to be taken in consultation with Cabinet Members) and which may or may not be key decisions

Officers to whom decisions have been delegated have a duty to ensure that effective consultation takes place. Consultation between officers and Members will be undertaken within the terms of the Concordat, the Authority's Consultation Strategy and the approved Protocol on Member and Officer Relations.

Every effort will be made to ensure that Members have a realistic time scale to respond to consultation and, where appropriate and reasonably practicable, this time scale will be sufficient to enable Members to consult with their constituents. Members will be informed of any time restrictions which may apply relating to the process of consultation, particularly where urgent action is needed in the Council's or the public interest.

When preparing reports to Cabinet or Committees, officers will include details of any consultation undertaken with and any comments received from Members.

Some officer delegated decisions will be Key Decisions (as defined in Article 13 of the Constitution) and will be subject to the requirements of the regulations relating to such decisions, (for example requirements relating to recording and publicising decisions) and to the call in provisions outlined in the Constitution (Part 4 of the Executive Scrutiny and Select Committee Procedure Rules refer).

Decisions by officers in consultation with Cabinet Members

Officers to whom decision making powers have been delegated, subject to consultation with Cabinet Members, (as detailed in Part 3 of the Constitution), will ensure that such consultation takes place. Part 3 of the Constitution sets out each decision that has been delegated to Officers and provides within the checks and balances section the minimum requirements of consultation. Each Service Group are encouraged to maintain their own scheme of delegation to record onward delegation to other officers.

Other decisions delegated to officers

Officers acting within the remit of their delegated powers will ensure that they identify, at an early stage, issues upon which Members should be consulted. These will include:

• issues of interest to Cabinet Members
• issues of interest to Ward Members
• issues of general interest to all Members

 Officers will ensure that appropriate consultation takes place.

Consultation with Cabinet Members

Officers will ensure that appropriate consultation is undertaken with Cabinet Members on issues relating to their thematic areas.

Issues for consultation with Ward Members

a) Members will be consulted on all issues, so far as is reasonable, which impact upon their ward. Such issues may typically include:

• ward specific changes to service delivery
• planning applications and proposals
• regeneration initiatives
• programmed maintenance of street lights, carriageways and footpaths
• roadwork improvements schemes

Officers will identify issues which may have cross boundary implications and will consult with Members accordingly.

Members will be notified of consultation proposed in their Ward before the consultation commences and is in the public domain, and before press releases on the subject are issued. 

Issues for wider consultation with Members

There are a number of issues upon which Members will need to be consulted in order to fulfil their roles as Community Leaders. These may typically include:

• issues relating to changes in service delivery
• issued relating to access to services
• charges and concessions
• issues relating to community resources
• determination of grant aid to the voluntary sector

Officers will ensure that appropriate consultation takes place with Members.