How the council works
We have 49 councillors, who are each elected for 4 years at a time. The overriding duty of councillors is to the community as a whole, but they have a special duty to residents in their ward, including those who did not vote for them.
Councillors normally meet on a monthly basis as the full council. The full council is responsible for:
- setting the budget
- approving the strategies and plans that make up the 'policy framework'
- approving the constitution
- appointing the Chief Executive and senior staff
- adopting a scheme of members allowances
- making, amending, revoking, re-enacting or adopting bylaws and promoting or opposing the making of local legislation
The policy framework includes the following plans and strategies:
- crime and disorder reduction strategy
- local transport plan
- licensing authority policy statement under the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005
- plans with development plan document status
- community strategy
- youth justice plan
- health and wellbeing plan
Every 4 years, we elect a councillor to be the Leader of the Council. The leader appoints a number of other councillors to form the cabinet which is responsible for most day-to-day decisions.
We hold an annual meeting, usually in May each year, or within 21 days of council elections. At this meeting we:
- elect the Mayor of Thurrock
- appoint the Deputy Mayor of Thurrock
- agree how we allocate committees seats to the political groups on the council
- appoint councillors to committees
- agree the dates of meetings
- appoint councillors to a range of organisations, known as outside bodies