Your council
What does your council mean to you?
You've probably seen the words 'Canterbury City Council' around the district - on signs, posters or wheelie bins, but have you ever stopped to wonder what this 'council' is, what it does and what's the point of having it?
Perhaps you have never really thought about the council at all!
Whichever is the case, now is the time to take a look at what the council is really all about.
- Background information
- The Council and the Executive
- Members allowances
- Committees (including audio recordings)
- The Forthcoming Decision List
- The Constitution (includes Codes of Conduct and Members Allowance scheme)
- Other representatives
- Becoming a City Councillor
- Complaints Process Against a Councillor
Background information
This information has also been produced as an information pack,Local Democracy in Action, (529kb Adobe Acrobat PDF) giving a short guide to the council including how decisions are made, the role of councillors and how residents can get involved. Last year the pack was sent to local schools.
- How the council is run
- The structure of the council
- How decisions are made and the role of councillors
- Senior council officers
- The Civic Team
- What does my council do for me?
- Elections and voting
- Meetings
- Budgets
- The role of Overview and Scrutiny
- Listening and responding to you
- Council representatives on Outside Bodies
- Petitions scheme
The Council and the Executive
The Executive provides leadership at the top level of the council, driving forward the council's priorities, and also provides leadership within local partnerships.
Members allowances
This scheme was made by Canterbury City Council on 15 December 2003, and is effective from 12 May 2004. It is to be amended by the council each year in accordance with budget inflation increases as agreed and after receiving any advice of an Independent Remuneration Panel.
Committees
As well as the Executive, the council has a number of committees which meet regularly to make decisions about certain matters - for example the Development Control Committee which considers planning applications and the Licensing Sub-Committee, which deals with applications for licences to sell alcohol or takeaway food or to provide entertainment.
The meetings of Executive and Overview and Scrutiny committee are audio recorded and published on our website.
- Committee membership
- Meeting diary
- Having your say at meetings
- Agendas for forthcoming meetings and minutes from previous meetings
- Committee structure (25kb Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- How decisions are made
- Audio recordings of Executive and Overview and Scrutiny committee meetings
The Forthcoming Decision List
The Forward Plan is produced by the City Council under the Local Government Act 2000 but is called the "Forthcoming Decision List" by the City Council as it more accurately describes its function. The Forthcoming Decision List is a way of giving advance notice of "key decisions" to be made by the Council or Executive (or by officers on its behalf). This gives Councillors and the public the opportunity of making their views known at the earliest possible stage.
The Constitution
The Constitution sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people. Some of these processes are required by the law, while others are a matter for the Council to choose.
- The Council's Year Book and Constitution 2009/10 (670kb Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Other representatives
City Councillors can help you with most local problems but sometimes you may need to deal with County Councillors, Members of Parliament (MPs) or Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
If you live in a Parish, then contact the Clerk for your Parish as he or she will be able to answer any questions on the Parish Council's responsibilities.
Becoming a City Councillor
Are you interested in helping your local community? Do you ever wish you could influence the way things are done in your area? Then why not become a City Councillor?
Complaints Process Against a Councillor
Local Code of Conduct complaints process
If you want to complain about the conduct of a member of Canterbury City Council or a member of one of the parish or town councils in the Canterbury District, you must write to the city council. Further details are available
