OFFICERS’ ROLES AND STATUTORY OFFICER FUNCTIONS

 

8.1         Management Structure

 

The Council’s Corporate Management Team comprises the following posts:-

 

Post

Functions and areas of responsibility

Chief Executive (and Head of Paid Service)

·                   Overall corporate management and operational responsibility (including overall management responsibility for all Officers).

 

·                   Provision of professional advice to all parties in the decision-making process.

 

·                   Representing the Council on partnerships and external bodies (as required by statute or the Council).

Executive Director: Delivery

·                   Democratic and Registration Services, Legal, IT Services, Property Services, Customer Services, Community Engagement and Equalities and Contract Services

Executive Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration

·                   Protecting well-being of local residents and those working in or visiting the Borough, by enhancing or protecting the environment.

 

·                   Development of the planned and built environment.

 

·                   Parks & Countryside services.

 

 

Executive Director:   People

·                   Strategic development and resourcing of the Education Service.

 

·                   Advice and support to schools.

 

·                   Statutory and non-statutory children’s social services functions.

 

·                   Statutory and non-statutory adult social care functions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director: Organisational Development, Transformation and Human Resources

 

·         Management of functions relating to employment and development of Council’s staffing resources

 

 

Executive Director: Resources                                        

·         Administration of the Financial affairs of the Council

 

 

8.2         Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer.

 

By law the Council is required to designate officers to the positions of Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Those designations are as follows:-

 

Post

Designation

Chief Executive

Head of Paid Service

Borough Solicitor

Monitoring Officer

Executive Director: Resources

Chief Finance Officer

The Head of Paid Service may not be the Monitoring Officer but may hold the post of Chief Finance Officer if he/she is a qualified accountant. The Monitoring Officer cannot be the Chief Finance Officer or Head of Paid Service.

 

8.3         Functions of the Head of Paid Service

 

The Head of Paid Service will report to Council on the manner in which the discharge of the Council’s Functions is co-ordinated, the number and grade of Officers required for the discharge of functions and the organisation of Officers.

 

8.4         Functions of the Monitoring Officer

 

(a)          Maintaining the Constitution

 

The Monitoring Officer will maintain an up-to-date version of the Constitution and will ensure that it is available for consultation by Members, Staff and the Public.

 

(b)          Ensuring Lawfulness and Fairness of Decision Making

 

After consulting with the Head of Paid Service and the Chief Finance Officer, the Monitoring Officer will report to the Council (or, in relation to an Executive Function, to the Executive) if he or she considers that any proposal, decision or omission would give rise to unlawfulness or if any decision or omission has given rise to maladministration. Such a report will have the effect of stopping the proposal or decision being implemented until the report has been considered.

 

(c)          Proper Officer for Access to Information

 

The Monitoring Officer will ensure that Executive Decisions, together with the reasons for those decisions and relevant Officer reports and background papers are made publicly available as soon as possible.

 

(d)          Advising Whether Executive Decisions are Within the Budget and Policy Framework

 

The Monitoring Officer will advise whether decisions of the Executive are in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework.

 

(e)          Providing Advice

 

The Monitoring Officer will provide advice on the scope of powers and authority to take decisions, maladministration, financial impropriety, probity and budget and policy framework issues to all Councillors.

 

8.5         Functions of the Chief Finance Officer

 

The Chief Finance Officer is the officer responsible for the proper administration of the Council’s financial affairs under Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972. The functions which the Chief Finance Officer has responsibility for comprise:

 

(a)          Ensuring Lawfulness and Financial Prudence of Decision-Making

 

After consulting with the Head of Paid Service and the Monitoring Officer, the Chief Finance Officer will report to the Council (or to the Executive in relation to an Executive Function) and the Council’s External Auditor if he or she considers that any proposal, decision or course of action will involve incurring unlawful expenditure, or is unlawful and is likely to cause a loss or deficiency, or if the Council is about to enter an item of account unlawfully.

 

(b)          Administration of Financial Affairs

 

The Chief Finance Officer will have responsibility for the administration of the financial affairs of the Council.

 

(c)          Contributing to CorporateManagement

 

The Chief Finance Officer will contribute to the corporate management of the Council, in particular as a member of Corporate Management Team, through the provision of professional financial advice.

 

(d)          Giving Financial Information

 

The Chief Finance Officer will provide financial information to the Media, Members of the Public and the Community.

 

(e)          Treasury Management

 

The Chief Finance Officer shall ensure that Council funds are managed in accordance with the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy.

 

(f)           Internal Audit and Risk Management

The Chief Finance Officer has responsibility for Internal Audit and Risk Management.

 

8.6         Duty to Provide Sufficient Resources to the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer

 

The Council shall provide the Monitoring Officer and the Chief Finance Officer with such Officers, accommodation and other resources as are, in their opinion, sufficient to allow their duties to be performed.

 

8.7         Conduct

 

Officers must comply with the Officers’ Code of Conduct and the Protocol on Officer and Member Relations, as set out in Part 4 of this Constitution.

 

8.8         Employment

 

The recruitment, selection and dismissal of Officers will comply with the Officer Employment Rules, as set out in Part 4 of this Constitution.