The Leader of the Council is the leader of the majority
political party (the party in power) and they provide the
political leadership of the Council. They select the
members of the Cabinet, including the
Deputy Leader, and they chair and manage its business and work
programme. They have their own area of responsibility, which
includes Council policy and strategy. The Leader of the Council is
elected to the position each year at the Annual Meeting of the Full
Council.
The Leader articulates the
political reasoning behind Council decisions and represents
the political face of the authority. The Leader, as the
foremost politician, has a close working relationship
with the Chief Executive and other members of the
Council's Management Team.
The current Leader of the Council is
Councillor Ray Herring.
Deputy Leader of the Council
The Deputy Leader of the Council is
the deputy leader of the majority party and they take on a
full deputising role in the absence of the Leader of the
Council. They are also a member of the Cabinet with their
own area of responsibility. They share and support the
workload of the Leader of the Council and undertake such
duties or responsibilities as requested.
The current Deputy Leader of the Council is
Councillor Andy
Smith.