Devon County Council
DEVON County Council is based at County Hall, Exeter and is the largest authority in the South West covering some 2,590 sq miles with 500km of coastline and serving a population of 750,100 and is made up of 60 members: 42 Cons, 6 Lib Dem, 7 Lab, 2 Ind, 1 Green, 1 Ind. East Devon Alliance, 1 North Devon Liberal.
Its chief executive is Chairman Councillor John Mathews, (Con. Barnstaple South), Vice Chair Coun- cillor Margaret Squires (Con. South Hams). The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Policy, Corporate and Asset Management is Councillor John Hart, South Hams, Bickleigh and Wembury). The authority was formally established after elec- tions in 1889 and oversees two national parks, two world heritage sites, five areas of outstanding natural beauty and a UNESCO biosphere reserve in north Devon.
County council meetings broadcast online
Devon County Council operates with a Cabinet, which is the key decision making body and is the part of the Council responsible for most day-to-day decisions. It is made up of a Leader and no more than nine other members (Cabinet Members), all appointed by the County Council from amongst its membership. Each of these Cabinet Members takes a lead responsi- bility for a particular area of work, such as Economy and Skills, Highways Management, Adult Social Care and Health, Children’s Services and Schools or Organi- sational Development and Digital Transformation. The Cabinet meets regularly (at least once a month) in public at County Hall, Exeter. Their meetings are broadcast via the internet, and members of the public and other elected members can attend and put questions direct to the Cabinet. The agenda for their meeting is published online and
in paper format so forthcoming discussions and decisions can be seen.
The Council also publishes a
forward plan, which gives advance notice of matters to be discussed at Cabinet. The Full Council meets five times per year and continues to be body responsible for setting Devon’s policy framework, budget and council tax. Three influential Scrutiny Committees keep a close check on the work of the Cabinet. These cover Corpo- rate, Infrastructure & Regulatory Services (corporate and strategic services, community safety and place shaping services covering the environment, economy,
Devon County covers 500km of coastline…
planning and transport, libraries and culture), Chil- dren’s Services (services for children including social care, safeguarding and special needs services, schools and learning) and Health & Adult Care (services for adults including social care, safeguarding and special needs services and relating to the health and wellbeing of the people of Devon and other activities such as commissioning strategies and strategic needs assess- ments relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health service in Devon).
Investigating issues of public concern
These all-party committees operate like Parliamen- tary Select Committees and can examine decisions of the Cabinet and/or Cabinet Members in more depth, investigate key issues of public concern, and recommend action to the Cabinet and the Council. A number of other committees report directly to the Full Council. These cover statutory or quasi-judicial functions such as Development Control, Public Rights of Way, and Appeals. Please see our Committee Structure Diagram. The Chairman of the Council is a non-executive
position and the holder fulfils an ambassadorial role on behalf of the County Council. This position changes each year.
Details of all meetings, committee agendas and
minutes are published on the Devon County Council website.
KINGSTEIGNTON TOWN GUIDE 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
