Roles of the Leader, Cabinet and council staff
The Leader
The Leader of the council is the councillor who leads the largest political group elected in the council.
Our current Leader is Councillor Anthony Okereke.
The Leader is the most senior member of the Council. They:
- lead the decision-making process
- direct strategic policy and budget setting
- chair the Cabinet and appoint its members
- assign portfolios to individual Cabinet Members to look after
The council appoints a Leader at the first annual meeting after the borough-wide elections.
The Cabinet
The Cabinet is made up of senior councillors who decide our strategic management and policy development.
Each Cabinet Member is responsible for the development of policy in their portfolio. This includes bringing up proposals to make key decisions at a Cabinet meeting.
Council staff
Council employees are, also known as council officers. They:
- give advice to elected members and residents
- carry out decisions
- manage the day-to-day delivery of our services
Some officers have a specific duty to make sure the council acts within the law and uses its resources wisely.