Council and committee meetings

The County Council, as a whole, has overall responsibility for levels of spending and for major policies. All councillors meet together as the Council (Full Council) with meetings normally held six times a year.

The General Purposes Committee (with fifteen members) has an overarching and co-ordinating role and has authority for oversight, operation and review of "Corporate Services". General Purposes Committee Terms of Reference.

Seven Policy and Service Committees, each with ten members chosen to reflect the political make-up of the Council, are responsible for most major decisions. They deal with different areas of Council business:

Adults Committee has delegated authority to exercise the Council's functions relating to the delivery, by or on behalf of the County Council, of social care services to eligible adults within Cambridgeshire. Adults Committee Terms of Reference.
Children and Young People Committee has delegated authority to exercise all the Council's functions, save those reserved to Full Council, relating to the delivery, by or on behalf of, the County Council, of services relating to children and young people. Children and Young People Committee Terms of Reference.
Commercial and Investment Committee has delegated authority to exercise the County Council’s functions in respect of creating a commercially focused organisation through the development and implementation of innovative, growth focused, commercial strategy. Commercial and Investment Committee Terms of Reference.
Communities and Partnership Committee is authorised by Full Council to deliver the County Council’s ambition to build stronger self-sustaining communities as expressed in its Community Resilience Strategy, and to work together with the Mayor, combined authority, district councils and other partners to design and deliver services which best meet the needs of those communities. Communities and Partnership Committee Terms of Reference.
Environment and Sustainability Committee has delegated authority to exercise all the County Council's functions, not otherwise reserved to Full Council, relating to the Economy and Environment within Cambridgeshire. Environment and Sustainability Committee Terms of Reference.
Health Committee has delegated authority to exercise the County Council's functions in respect of public health and the review and scrutiny of any matter relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health services in Cambridgeshire. Health Committee Terms of Reference.
Highways and Transport Committee has delegated authority to exercise the County Council's functions, other than those reserved to Full Council, in relation to highways and infrastructure within Cambridgeshire. Highways and Transport Committee Terms of Reference.

Other committees include Audit and Accounts Committee, Pension Fund Committee and Planning Committee, and several committees established jointly with other authorities.

Cambridge City Joint Area Committee is a joint committee of Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council to consider and determine significant transport issues within Cambridge City.

Meetings of the Council and its committees are usually open to the public to attend, except where confidential matters are to be discussed. Agendas and reports for meetings are published no later than five clear working days beforehand and are available electronically. Paper copies of agendas are only available on request for those attending the meeting. If you require a paper copy please e-mail democraticservices@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Find out about ways for the public to contribute to meetings.

If you plan to attend a particular meeting, please check whether it is open to the public by looking at the agenda or contacting the Democratic Services Officer beforehand.

Agenda plans for the Policy and Service Committees, and details of when and how any key decision will be made are published on the How decisions are made page.

Cambridgeshire County Council has a Constitution which sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures that are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people and can be found here.

Filming, recording and photos of meetings

The council supports the principle of transparency and encourages filming, recording and taking photographs at its meetings that are open to the public. It also welcomes the use of social networking and micro-blogging websites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to communicate with people about what is happening as it happens. These arrangements operate in accordance with a Filming Protocol agreed by the Chairman of the Council and political group leaders.