Directorate and Service areas the Leader is responsible for and where the Corporate Director responsible and Officers within will report directly to:
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Chief Executive |
All Corporate & Executive Directors |
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Central Services Directorate |
Democratic Services |
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Corporate Communications |
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Resources Directorate |
Financial strategy / MTFF |
1) To be responsible for the principal policy and financial direction of the Council.
2) To represent the Council in the community and in negotiations with the Government and regional, national and international institutions and organisations, reporting to Cabinet as necessary.
3) To be responsible for the overall management structure of the Council, in consultation with the Chief Executive.
4) To approve the workforce establishment and any growth in posts whether temporary, permanent or provided by agency staff
5) To ensure the continuous improvement of Council services and their efficient delivery .
6) To approve Council Initiatives and approve grants for such initiatives to be issued by appropriate officers.
7) To ensure that the Council delivers on its Climate Change pledge.
8) To agree the priorities for the use of funds from planning obligations.
9) To agree or amend official codes of practices and guidance.
10) To take responsibility for or to assign responsibility to one or more Cabinet portfolio holders for issues not specifically allocated in these delegations or involving one or more portfolio holder.
11) To exercise any executive function not otherwise allocated to either the Cabinet or any other individual Cabinet member, or to delegate such functions to another Cabinet member, a committee of the Cabinet, or to an officer.
12) To authorise another Cabinet Member, including the Leader of the Council, to deputise and make decisions on behalf of any other Cabinet member in that person’s unavailability or absence.
13) To amend the Cabinet Scheme of Delegations, other than approve alterations to the definition of key decisions, key financial decisions and any financial thresholds in the Council’s Constitution, of which any decision to change is reserved by Full Council.
14) To monitor the operation of the Council’s overall governance and decision-making structure and make recommendations to the Cabinet and Council as appropriate.
15) To be responsible for the resolution of differences of opinion between portfolio holders acting within their delegated powers and reporting to Cabinet as necessary.
16) To resolve any dispute over the spending of Ward Budgets after consultation with other Party Group Leaders, where appropriate. To also approve spending of the Ward Budget for the Ward represented by the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services.
17) In conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure and the relevant Chief Officer, to oversee the acquisition, development, use and disposal of land and property assets across all Cabinet portfolios.
18) Where there are extenuating medical or other circumstances, the Leader of the Council may review and amend, on an individual basis, the Housing Allocation Policy, in conjunction with the delegated Chief Officer.
19) In conjunction with the Corporate Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Finance, to review individual Council service budget accounts and make any necessary decisions on adjustments to budgets that may be required before the presentation of the yearly Outturn Budget report to Cabinet.
These are powers granted specifically to the Leader of the Council (in conjunction with relevant Officers and/or Cabinet Members), to make decisions at specific times or urgently, where the need for flexible, responsive decision-making is required to provide continuity of services and safeguard residents' interests.
20) To take all formal decisions deemed under special urgency procedures in the Council's Constitution, in conjunction with the relevant Cabinet Member(s). In accordance with delegation no. 12 above, the Leader may also take special urgency decisions on behalf of the relevant Cabinet Member(s).
21) To take contract decisions on behalf of the Cabinet, in accordance with the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders in urgent circumstances.
22) To sign-off decisions to be taken by the Chief Executive under his/her Emergency Contract Decisions delegation.
23) In conjunction with the relevant Cabinet Member and Corporate / Executive Director, to make formal interim decisions that would ordinarily be reserved for the Cabinet in the absence of a monthly Cabinet meeting, e.g. during August, reporting back to Cabinet for ratification to ensure transparency.
24) To approve the release and use of contingency funds in urgent cases and in the absence of a Cabinet meeting.
25) In the event of emergency situations, extreme weather and other incidents affecting the Borough, in order to safeguard and protect residents and services, the Leader of the Council may sign-off any decision ordinarily reserved to Cabinet Members or the Cabinet when recommended by the relevant Corporate / Executive Director provided that all such decisions taken be reported subsequently to the Leader of the Council formally for ratification as a Cabinet Member decision to ensure transparency. Note: for declared major incidents and civil contingency matters, other procedures will apply in respect of emergency decision-making.
26) To be responsible for and oversee the Council’s Democratic Services function.
27) Approve arrangements for significant civic ceremonies and Borough events and also key matters concerning the Mayoralty, in consultation with relevant Officers.
28) In conjunction with the Chief Executive, to be responsible for the operation of the London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Medal Award Scheme.
29) In consultation with the Mayor, to be responsible for the operation of the London Borough of Hillingdon Volunteer Pin Scheme.
30) To sign-off decisions to be taken by Chief Officers in relation to the award of grants from the Council's Charitable Fund.
31) To approve proposals for street naming, naming of buildings and naming of housing schemes and developments.
32) To determine the flying of flags on the forecourt of the Civic Centre and agree the list of flags and dates.
Leader’s appointments & Borough Advocates
33) To be Chairman of the Shareholder Committee for Hillingdon First Limited (Cabinet appointment)
34) To be the Older People’s Champion and champion the interests of Older People in the Borough. To ensure that their views are heard and taken into account by the Council. To work towards effective partnerships between Older People and our partner organisations.
35) The Leader may appoint any Councillor or Member of the Public living in the Borough as a Borough Advocate to protect and promote single-issue interests on behalf of the council and where appropriate with partner organisations and beyond. Such a person should hold significant experience within their agreed area of appointment. A protocol will be agreed between the Leader of the Council and a Borough Advocate to determine their exact role and length of appointment, however such a post cannot make formal decisions (which are reserved by the Cabinet or appropriate committee) and would undertake a more defined or temporary role than either a Cabinet Assistant or Champion.
36) To approve, in consultation with the Head of Legal Services, the appointment of Counsel.