Nottinghamshire councillors set to approve return of leader and cabinet model

The council is expected to shift from the committee system to a leader-and-cabinet operation as it gears up for potential new powers through devolution.

It will mean a massive shake-up to the decision-making powers within County Hall, shifting away from cross-party committees making key decisions.

The Conservative-led authority will instead make major decisions through cabinet meetings, with nine posts to be created alongside current leader Coun Ben Bradley, Mansfield MP.

Documents confirm the remits of cabinet members will broadly reflect the portfolios held by the current committee chairman.

This includes transport and environment, finance, adult social care and public health, children and families, communities, personnel, transformation, business management, and economic development and asset management.

A decision on which councillors will hold the cabinet positions is expected to take place at the annual general meeting in May.

Further scrutiny committees will also take place within the authority to monitor the actions and decisions of the executive.

It will bring the authority broadly in line with the majority of other authorities in Nottinghamshire, including Mansfield and Ashfield.

It comes 10 years after the county council opted to move away from the same governance model, a decision the authority describes in documents as one which ‘best suited local circumstances’ at the time.

Executive

But the council adds changing back to the cabinet system will provide ‘maximum flexibility’ when negotiating with the Government for a devolution deal.

And the Conservative-led administration also believes it will lead to ‘more efficient and effective decision making’.

The council says: “The current administration believes an executive form of governance leads to more efficient and effective decision making with clearer accountability.

“Furthermore, it would enable the council to better respond to the fast-moving pace of change which is a feature of modern life and ensure delivery of the ambitions for local people and businesses.”

The new arrangements will see scrutiny committees given call-in abilities when they believe decisions taken by the cabinet had ‘perceived procedural error’.

The full council meeting on March 31 is recommended to approve the new system, which will come into effect from May.

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