1. Introduction
1.1 Full Council determines the size and the delegated authority of the committees and in some cases is responsible for the appointment of the chair and vice-chair. The seats on committees are allocated in accordance with the rules on political proportionality and the party groups are responsible for nominating councillors from the group to fill the seats.
1.2 The composition, membership, functions and delegated authorities for decision making of each of these committees are set out in Part D of the constitution.
1.3 All councillors are encouraged to undertake regular training and for the regulatory and appeals committees there are specific training requirements.
2. Policy and Service Committees
2.1 The Council shall establish the following Policy and Service Committees:
(a) Adults and Health Committee
(b) Assets and Procurement Committee
- Shareholder Sub-Committee
(c) Children and Young People Committee
- Corporate Parenting Sub-Committee
(d) Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee
(e) Environment and Green Investment Committee
(f) Highways and Transport Committee
2.2 These are known as Policy and Service Committees because their business concerns the Council’s delivery of services to the people of Cambridgeshire.
3. Regulatory Committees
3.1 The Council shall establish the following Regulatory Committee:
(i) Planning Committee
3.2 These committees regulate the conduct of the Council’s business and make decisions in relation to regulatory matters.
4. Joint Committees
4.1 In conjunction with other authorities, the Council shall establish and participate in the following Joint Committees:
(a) Area Joint Committees (where the Council sees fit)
(b) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Wellbeing Board
(c) Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel
(d) Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board
(e) Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly
5. Other Committees
5.1 The Council shall establish the following other committees:
(a) Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee
(b) Audit and Accounts Committee
(c) Cambridge Joint Area Committee
(d) Cambridgeshire Pension Fund Board
(e) Constitution and Ethics Committee
- Hearings Sub-Committee
(f) Pension Fund Committee
- Investment Sub-Committee
(g) Staffing and Appeals Committee
- Service Appeals Sub-Committee.
6. Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees
6.1 The Council shall appoint at each annual meeting of the Council:
(a) The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee which roles shall include the role of Council Leader and Deputy Council Leader of the Council respectively;
(b) The chair and vice-chair of each of the Policy and Service Committees; and
(c) The chair and vice-chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee, Pension Fund Committee and Planning Committee.
6.2 The chairs and vice-chairs shall remain in office until the start of the annual meeting following their appointment unless a resolution is proposed at full Council to remove them.
7. Spokes
7.1 Each of the Council’s political groups may designate one of their group members as spokes for each Policy and Service Committee.
7.2 The Chief Executive, executive directors, and directors shall hold briefing meetings with their relevant Policy and Service Committee chair and vice-chair to plan the agenda for future service committee meetings and consider any other issues the officer may think appropriate. They will also hold one briefing meeting with all spokes to brief them on the agenda for future service committee meetings and consider any other issues the officer may think appropriate. All these meetings will be confidential subject to any relevant legal requirements to the contrary.
7.3 Spokes shall also be entitled to individual private and confidential briefings from executive directors and service directors on any relevant policy matter within the remit of that director. Information shall be provided at these briefings on a confidential basis in accordance with the Guidance on Confidentiality at Appendix D of the Members’ Code of Conduct. Requests for such briefings must be reasonable in extent and number, as determined by the Chief Executive in consultation with the relevant group leader, in accordance with Chapter F3 (Member/Officer Protocol) of the Constitution. Such requests will only be considered for items not covered by a briefing meeting.
8. Decision Review
8.1 The decision-making powers of each committee are specified in their terms of reference in Part D of the constitution.
8.2 In the case of decisions made by one of the Policy and Service Committees listed in section 2 of this chapter, there is a process by which particularly controversial decisions may be reviewed by the Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee which shall be known as decision review.
8.3 The decision review procedure is set out in Chapter D3 (Decision Review Procedure Rules).
9. The Council's Statutory Scrutiny Function
9.1 There is a statutory requirement for the Council to make arrangements for scrutiny of certain matters, as specified in the following legislation:
(a) Section 21 of the Local Government Act 2000 and Section 7 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, and the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/218).
- These powers shall be exercised by the Adults and Health Committee.
(b) The Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
- These functions shall be exercised by the Environment and Green Investment Committee.
10. Advisory Process
10.1 The Council maintains a number of advisory groups and participates in advisory groups arranged by or with other authorities.
County Advisory Groups
10.2 The Council may establish one or more County Advisory Groups (CAGs). The main purpose of CAGs will be to provide a forum to develop links with other agencies and to give a focus for specialist services. Examples of CAGs include those covering such topics as archives and county museums. The Council’s representation will be determined taking into account the particular nature of each CAG.
10.3 The Council’s involvement in and representation on CAGs will be determined by the Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee. The Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee may add to, delete, or vary any of these advisory groups, or change their composition or terms of reference.
10.4 A list of the existing CAGs is set out below. The Democratic Services Manager shall maintain a schedule of the CAGs in which the Council is involved, and details of its representation. This schedule shall be published on the Council’s website.
(a) County Advisory Group on Archives and Local Studies; and
(b) Local Councils Liaison Committee.
Cambridgeshire Public Service Board
10.5 The Cambridgeshire Public Service Board provides a key role in developing integrated approaches to local service delivery and tackling the County’s most challenging problems. The Board is made up of the chief executives of the County Council, the five district councils and Peterborough City Council; the Chief Constable; the Chief Fire Officer; and the Chief Executive Officer of the Integrated Care Board. Democratic accountability is maintained by reporting to councils and non-executive boards.
Appointments to Outside Bodies
10.6 The Council is represented on a wide range of outside bodies. Appointments to outside bodies are the responsibility of Full Council, but this responsibility may be delegated to the Policy and Service Committees and the Chief Executive.
10.7 Full Council shall appoint to:
(a) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
(b) Greater Cambridge Partnership
(c) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority
(d) County Councils Network Council
(e) Local Government Association.
10.8 The Policy and Service Committees shall appoint to all other bodies, including, for example, flood defence committees and recreation centre management committees.
10.9 The Council or the Policy and Service Committees, as appropriate, may decide not to make any appointment to an outside body. They may also delegate this responsibility to the lead officer in consultation with the committee chair (or, in their absence, the vice-chair).
10.10 The Democratic Services Manager shall maintain a schedule of the outside bodies on which the Council is represented, and details of its representation. This schedule shall be published on the Council’s website.
Political Balance in Appointments to the Advisory Process
10.11 Unless stated otherwise political balance shall be taken into account when considering the composition of, and appointments to, all groups and bodies to which section 10 of this chapter applies in accordance with any relevant statutory requirements.
[Chapter D1 (Role of Committees) was last amended on 11 February 2025]
A PDF version of this chapter is available to view or download on the CMIS section of the Council’s website, along with a PDF version of the full constitution.
