About your council
This information can be obtained in alternative formats, e.g. in braille, large print, on audio tape. Please call 01727 819317 or email webmaster@stalbans.gov.uk
Detailed information about each committee's membership can be found by clicking on this link.
Cabinet
The cabinet - the Council's decision making body - is made up of a group of councillors who meet on a regular basis throughout the year. Each cabinet member is responsible for a portfolio of services. They work closely with council officers and heads of service, to make many decisions that affect services.
Members of Cabinet and their portfolio holders are as follows:
Cllr Julian Daly - Resources
Cllr Mike Wakely - Sports, Leisure and Heritage
Cllr Beric Read - Community Engagement and Localism
Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles - Environment
Cllr Brian Ellis - Housing
Cllr Teresa Heritage - Planning and Conservation
Overview and Scrutiny
There are two Overview and Scrutiny Committtees
The committees are made up of councillors from all parties who have the job of looking closely at, or scrutinising, the work of the council and its executive. They also have the power to call-in decisions made by cabinet members before they are implemented.
Scrutiny's power to review involves looking closely at a particular service or policy over a short period of time to make suggestions for improvement. The review may take the form of: analysis of policy, carrying out research and conducting consultation. It can also involve the questioning of portfolio holders, officers and members of the public to act as witnesses. The committee also has the power to co-opt members of the public or an organisation because of their expert knowledge on a particular subject.
Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny
Cllr Robert Donald
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Public Services)
Cllr Anthony Rowlands
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Internal Performance)
Statutory Committees
There are a number of committees that are legally required to carry out statutory duties. These are:
planning; licensing and regulatory, standards and appeals (appointed each time an appeal hearing is arranged).
The Committee Chairs are:
Cllr Melvyn Teare - Planning (Development Control) Committee Central
Cllr John Chambers - Planning (Development Control) Committee North
Cllr Chris Brazier - Planning (Development Control) Committee South
Cllr John Chambers - Planning Referrals Committee
Cllr Gordon Myland - Licensing and Regulatory Committee
Mr Ron Hershbein - Standards Committee
Public question time at Full Council - your chance to debate the issues
You can question Cabinet members on services and issues during public question time at full council meetings. Each speaker is given three minutes for questions. Public Question Time at full council lasts for thirty minutes at the beginning of each meeting.
Full Council meetings - Key Dates
Full Council meeting dates for the remainder of 2011/12 are:
2011
14 September
23 November
2012
18 January
23 February
21 March
23 May
Submit your question via online e-form. You may also submit your question to:-
Daniel Goodwin,
Chief Executive
District Council Offices,
Civic Centre,
St. Peter's Street,
AL1 3JE,
or e-mail your question addressed to the Chief Executive, to questions@stalbans.gov.uk.
Questions must be received by midday, 2 working days before each council meeting.
Speaking at other meetings
You can put your point of view to members of the council at other meetings.
Where decisions are made regarding planning and licensing applications
Planning committees - you can speak for up to three minutes for or against a planning application, but you will not be able to ask questions. One person can speak in favour and one against each planning application.
Licensing and Regulatory Committee - up to six people can speak on agenda items for up to three minutes each, but will not be able to ask questions.
To speak at planning meetings you can notify us by telephone between 10am and 2.30pmon the day of the meeting on 01727 819347
To speak at Licensing and Regulatory Committee telephone 01727 819519 between 9am and 3 pm
Other Council meetings
At meetings of the Council's Community Health Committee, members of the public are able to ask questions at the start of each meeting. Ten minutes are set aside for this purpose. Questions should not be used to focus on individual service complaints.
Members of the public can also speak at Overview and Scrutiny committee meetings at the discretion of the Chair of those committees.
Infra red hearing system
There is an Infra Red hearing system in place for meetings in the Council Chamber, Committee Rooms and for Council meetings at Harpenden Public Hall.
Webcasting
Meetings of the Council, Cabinet, both Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Planning Development Control Committees are broadcast live over the internet. Everyone who enters the Council Chamber for a meeting of either Committee is advised that they are giving permission for video (images and sound) to be recorded and transmitted live and as an archive over the intranet and by any other means that the Council may decide to use, at its discretion, in the future. The webcast will be made available in the public domain for future viewing purposes, which can be accessed from the Council’s website (www.stalbans.gov.uk) or directly from www.stalbans.public-i.tv/core/
Tracing Committee Decisions
Reports on which decisions were taken can be found (from 1 April 2003) on the Agendas webpage . Agendas are listed according to the committee that they apply to. The Committee Minutes webpage contains the decisions made on those reports, and contains Minutes back to October 1986. The Committee Minutes webpage contains a search facility if you do not know the date of the decision you wish to find. Having found the date of a decision by searching the Committee Minutes webpage you can then find the report on the Agendas webpage if the meeting was after 1 April 2003. If you have any difficulties in tracing a report or Committee Minute please e-mail democraticservices@stalbans.gov.uk who will be pleased to help.
Date of last review: 24 August 2011