1.         OVERVIEW

1.1       The work of the Council is carried out by the democratically elected Councillors and the staff employed by the Council (known as “Officers”).  Under the system of Executive Arrangements introduced by the Local Government Act 2000 the Council is required to have an Executive.  The Council has opted for the form of Executive known as the “Leader and Cabinet” Model.

1.2       By law, many of the decisions of the Council are required to be taken by or on behalf of the Executive.  Other decisions of the Council are taken by or on behalf of Full Council or one of its Committees.  In many instances, either in respect of Executive functions or Council/Committee functions, the power is delegated to officers to take decisions on behalf of Council.

1.3       The legislation which brought into place Executive Arrangements also requires the Council to have in place a process which enables decisions either of the Executive or of one of the Council’s Committees to be reviewed and scrutinised.  At Bracknell Forest that function is performed by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission and the sub-Committees of that Commission which are known as “Panels”.