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Introduction
Like every other Local Authority, South Ayrshire Council is only able to do what the law empowers it to do. In the absence of a decision by the Council to the contrary, all of its powers would have to be exercised through meetings of the full Council. That is, all decisions no matter how large or how small would need to be taken at meetings of the full Council.
Recognising that this would be unworkable and would detract from the Council’s aims and values, the Council has chosen to exercise one of the powers available to it – the power to delegate. There are of course, some powers which the law says cannot be delegated and others which the Council chooses to keep for itself.
Every decision taken under delegated power is considered to be a decision of the Council.
This section of the Scheme describes how decision-making operates within the Council. The remaining sections detail the specific delegations that have been agreed by the Council.
Extent of Delegation
The Council can only delegate to a Committee, Sub-Committee, an Officer of the Council or a Joint Committee with another Council(s). Unless the Council states otherwise, Committees may further delegate to Officers. Sub-Committees can also further delegate to Officers.
Officers with delegated powers can delegate to other Officers but this does not release them from the responsibility arising from the exercise of the authority that has been delegated to them in this Scheme. When Officers further delegate their powers, they have to record this in writing.
Where a responsibility has been further delegated, there is nothing to prevent the person who was originally given delegated powers under this Scheme from dealing with the responsibility themselves or from withdrawing or amending the delegation.
Distribution of Decision-making Powers
It is virtually impossible to specify all of the powers that are available to the Council and assign them to a variety of delegates. As a result, the Council has decided that except for matters which must be dealt with at the level of the Council itself (as required by Statute or as agreed by Council); all other powers should be delegated.
Reservations to the Council
In terms of the law, full Council must exercise certain responsibilities. However, there are also certain matters that the Council has chosen to deal with itself. These are detailed at Section 1 and the Council has decided that these powers will not be delegated.
The Council is the main scrutiny and debating forum for issues affecting the Council area and for the provision of democratic leadership and promotion of the area’s well-being. It exercises Strategic Leadership for the area and promotes the Council’s core values. The Council’s powers can be summarised as follows:
(i) determining all matters relating to Elections which are not the responsibility of the Returning Officer;
(ii) subject to the provisions of the Council’s Standing Orders:
(iii) approving the strategic objectives and the corporate policies of the Council, including any new policies or changes to policies which may have a significant impact on the Council’s strategic objectives, corporate policies or its resources;
(iv) undertaking an annual review of and setting the Council’s revenue budget and Council Tax;
(v) undertaking an annual review of and setting the Council’s capital programme;
(vi) determining any expenditure which does not keep to financial regulations or is not included in the annual revenue budget or capital programme;
(vii) making, altering or cancelling any scheme made under any enactment;
(viii) determining any process for the selection, appointment, payment or dismissal of the Chief Executive, Directors or Heads of Service;
(ix) determining whether to co-operate or combine with other local authorities in providing services;
(x) determining a Scheme of Members’ Allowances;
(xi) determining any issues relating to the maintenance of standards and conduct;
(xii) resolving any disputes between the Leadership Panel and the Scrutiny Panels;
(xiii) determining the delegation of functions to Officers; and
(xiv) taking any other decisions which cannot by law be delegated to a Committee or Officer.
Delegations to Committees and Panels
The Council wishes to ensure that its decision-making occurs in as efficient and effective way as possible, whilst providing robust mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability of the decision-making process. Consequently, the Council has made provision in its Standing Orders, under Section 57 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, for the establishment of the following Committees of the Council to discharge functions on its behalf:
Leadership Panel
The Leadership Panel has a strategic role focusing on policy development, policy, service review and strategic management of the Council’s services. The Leadership Panel does not generally deal with operational matters or consider reports which are for information only. The functions delegated to the Leadership Panel can be summarised as follows:-
(i) in line with Council advice, exercising strategic leadership of the Council and promoting the Council’s core values;
(ii) taking executive decisions within the budget and policy framework approved by the Council;
(iii) developing the area’s Community Plan by working in partnership with relevant external organisations;
(iv) recommending budgets and strategic policy frameworks to the Council;
(v) developing new policies consistent with the overall strategic approach of the Council;
(vi) working with Officers and partners to implement approved strategies, plans, policies and projects;
(vii) requesting or commissioning research or other studies on matters of policy or service provision;
(viii) arranging and encouraging public participation and consultation;
(ix) ensuring the effective communication of Council Policies and Strategies;
(x) setting targets for service delivery;
(xi) securing overall best value for the authority;
(xii) responding to consultations etc; and
(xiii) providing political accountability for the Council’s performance and establishing Working Groups to advise on any aspect of its remit.
The Council operates an eight-weekly cycle of meetings. In week 5 of the cycle in addition to discharging ordinary business, the Leadership Panel discharges education functions on the Council’s behalf. The Council’s Standing Orders make provision for the membership of the Leadership Panel to include three representatives of religious bodies appointed, under Section 124 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, at this point.
Any powers that are available to the Council which have not been reserved by the Council or delegated to another Panel or Officer are delegated to the Leadership Panel.
Leadership Panel Portfolios
Because the Leadership Panel is responsible for all decisions of the Council other than those reserved by the Council or delegated to another Panel or Officer, each member of the Leadership Panel has been allocated a special area of responsibility, known as a Portfolio, to ensure greater political accountability for the decisions taken by the Leadership Panel as a whole. The Portfolios of each of the Leadership Panel members are detailed in Section 2.
Although the information detailed in Section 2 is accurate, in any situation of uncertainty it is for the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development, Safety and Regulation to determine which Portfolio a delegation to the Leadership Panel by the Council lies within.
The Portfolios which the Council has agreed are as follows:
Legally the Council cannot delegate powers to individual Members. This means that all decisions on matters delegated to the Leadership Panel must be taken at a properly convened meeting of the Leadership Panel.
Scrutiny Panels
To help the Council scrutinise the activities of the Leadership Panel and hold it to account for its performance, the Council has established independent scrutiny arrangements.
These are Standing Scrutiny Committees. These Panels can call in any of the decisions taken by the Leadership Panel to enable broader discussion, consideration and investigation of these decisions and if considered necessary refer them to the full Council for final deliberation. The Scrutiny Panels can also carry out more in-depth investigations into any aspect of the Council’s operation through scrutiny reviews that are agreed by the Council in advance through an annual work-plan.
The Council is required to establish an Audit Committee and the Council has agreed that the Resources and Performance Panel will carry out these functions.
The remits of each of the Scrutiny Panels are detailed at Section 3.
Panels
There are some quasi-judicial roles and other operational responsibilities that the Council has to make alternative arrangements for or has decided to delegate to Committees. The Council has chosen to call these Panels. The delegated powers available to Panels may be altered from time to time by the Council.
Details of the Terms of Reference of the various Panels are set out in Section 4.
Delegations to Officers
The Council’s approach to delegation has been influenced by its commitment to facilitate community participation in the decision-making process and to delegate to Senior Managers. The result is that the Council has reserved very few powers to itself and has agreed extensive delegations to Officers.
Officers can be granted delegated powers by Council, a Committee, a Panel or another Officer. The approach employed by the Council is to require delegations to be to the Chief Executive and/or one or more of the Council’s Service Directors, that is:
As set out above, delegated authority granted to these Officers can be further delegated but where this occurs the delegator must create a written record and provide a written copy to the delegate.
Delegations that have been agreed for the Chief Executive and Service Directors are a mix of general delegations (that is, each of the Officers listed is similarly empowered) and specific delegations (that is, the delegations are specific to individual Officers). When exercising any delegated authority, Officers must have regard to a variety of stipulations that the Council has decided should govern and influence the exercise of delegated powers.
Details of the rules that apply in exercising these delegated powers are contained in Section 5(a). Details of general and specific delegations to Officers are contained in Section 5(b) and 5(c).
The only exceptions to the practice of routing all Officer delegations through the Chief Executive and Service Directors arise through statutory appointments. In terms of various statutes, the Council is required to appoint Officers for a variety of purposes. Officers appointed to perform these statutory functions are empowered to take the action that is implicit in their roles. The statutory appointments that have been made by the Council are detailed in Section 6.
The Council requires Officers to publish information about the exercise of certain specified categories of delegated authority. Officers may choose to publish information about the exercise of other categories of delegated authority.
The method of publicising this information is through the Council’s Information Bulletin, which is published monthly. This Bulletin includes details of decisions either taken or about to be taken by Officers under delegated authority. Such decisions include, for example, those relating to certain planning applications, building certificate applications and some decisions relating to licensing and grant applications.
Review
The Council reviews its Scheme periodically. Between reviews, arrangements are made for the publication of amendments to the Scheme arising from decisions by Council or made necessary by changes in legislation.
Powers Reserved To Council
The powers reserved to the Council are a mixture of those which must be reserved in terms of statute and those which the Council has chosen to reserve. Powers which are not reserved, are delegated in accordance with the provisions of this Scheme.
The following is a comprehensive list of what is reserved to the Council, categorised as statutory and non-statutory:
Statutory Reservations
1. Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 
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(i) To change the name of the Council (Section 23)
(ii) To set Council Tax (Section 56(6))
(iii) To appoint Committees (Section 57)
(iv) To promote and oppose private legislation (Section 82)
2. Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975
(i) To consider reports by the Commissioner for Local Administration (Sections 28 and 29)
3. Local Government and Housing Act 1989
(i) To consider reports by the Head of Paid Service (Section 4)
(ii) To consider reports by the Monitoring Officer (Section 5)
4. Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994
(i) To appoint the Provost and Depute Provost of the Council and to decide on their titles (Section 4)
(ii) To decide whether or not to divide the Council’s area into licensing divisions and to appoint Members to the Licensing Board (Section 46)
5. Local Authority Accounts Regulations
(i) To receive the certified abstract of the Council’s accounts.
Non Statutory Reservations
Elections
(i) To consider matters relating to the fixing or amendment of the Council's geographic boundaries, its electoral boundaries and wards or matters relating to the fixing or amendment of the boundaries of the Scottish and Westminster Parliamentary Constituencies lying wholly or partly within the South Ayrshire Council area.
(ii) To deal with all matters relating to the election of Councillors where these are not the responsibility of the Returning Officer.
Councillors’ Allowances
(i) To determine and keep under review a Scheme of Members’ Allowances and to determine all matters relevant to the level of Councillors’ Allowances within the terms of current Regulations.
Codes of Conduct
(i) To determine any issues relating to the maintenance of standards and conduct of Councillors and Officers all in line with any legislative provisions.
Committee Structure and Corporate Governance Arrangements
(i) To fix and amend the constitution, membership and functions of the Leadership Panel and other Panels, and, to appoint and remove Chairs, Members of Committees and Spokespersons.
(ii) To select and de-select, Members and Officers to serve on and/or to represent the Council on other bodies where such power is not expressly delegated to the Leadership Panel or a Panel.
(iii) to fix and amend a programme of Council, Leadership Panel and Panel meetings, subject to the provisions of the Council’s Standing Orders for the Regulation of Proceedings and Business.
(iv) to make and amend a Scheme of Delegation detailing terms of reference for, and delegations to, a Leadership Panel, Panels and Officers of the Council.
(v) To make and amend Standing orders for the Regulation of Proceedings and Business, Contracts and Financial Regulations.
(vi) To delegate a power or duty of the Council to, or to accept a delegated power from, any other local authority.
(vii) To determine whether to co-operate or combine with other local authorities in providing services.
Referrals from Scrutiny Panels
(i) To finally determine any decisions of the Leadership Panel referred to the Council by a Scrutiny Panel.
Corporate Plan and Related Strategies
(i) To approve, review and amend, the Council’s Corporate Plan and all major policies and organisation strategies (for example, the Human Resources Strategy etc.) following consideration by the Leadership Panel.
Resources – Financial
(i) To determine the Council’s Annual Revenue Budget and Capital Programme, and to determine the level of Council house rents and service charges in terms of Part XI of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, all following consideration by the Leadership Panel.
(ii) To incur revenue or capital expenditure which is not contained within the overall budgetary provision of the Council and which requires supplementary estimates.
Chief Officers and Statutory Appointments
(i) To exercise control over the establishment of Chief Officers.
(ii) To determine the process for selection, appointment and dismissal of the Chief Executive, any director, or any Head of Service and to fix the salaries of these Officers.
(iii) To appoint Officers for the purposes , or to perform the roles, detailed in Section 6 of this Scheme.
Local Government in Scotland Act 2003
(i) On a recommendation from the Leadership Panel, to decide whether or not to exercise the power of well-being subject always to the provisions of the 2003 Act (Sections 20-22 (Part 3)).
Civil Defence and Protection in Peacetime
(i) To exercise emergency planning duties and powers (Section 2(d) of the 1948 Act and Section 5.2 of the 1986 Act).
Management Rules and Statutory Orders etc.
(i) To make and as necessary, revoke or amend, Byelaws, Management Rules, Compulsory Purchase Orders and Exclusion Orders.
(ii) To consider and respond to any statutory report from the Controller of Audit or from the Council’s external auditor.
Common Seal/Coat of Arms
(i) To authorise the use of the Council’s common Seal and Coat of Arms.
Delegations To The Leadership Panel
Except for powers that have been reserved to the Council and powers that have been delegated to Leadership Panels, Joint Boards, or Officers, all other powers have been delegated to the Leadership Panel. That is, any powers which are available to the Council but which are not specified in Sections 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of this Scheme, are exercisable by the Leadership Panel within the special areas of responsibility known as Portfolios set out in the general and specific delegations below.
The Leadership Panel may choose not to discharge a particular function but to make a recommendation on the matter to the Council. The Leadership Panel may report, with recommendations, to the Council with regard to functions that the Council has reserved to itself.
In any situation of uncertainty, the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development, Safety and Regulation will determine where and in what circumstances the Leadership Panel is empowered to exercise authority which has been delegated to it by the Council.
General Delegations to the Leadership Panel
The Leadership Panel is empowered to perform the following insofar as these are not limited by reservation to the Council itself:
(1) Exercising strategic leadership of the Council and promoting the Council’s core values.
(2) Taking executive decisions within the budget, and policy framework approved by the Council and recommending to Council budgets and strategic policy frameworks.
(3) Co-ordination of the development, monitoring and review of the functions and Services contained within each Portfolio remit, in terms of this Scheme, and making recommendations to Council for the adoption or alteration of Council Policies or Strategies which are not specifically delegated to the Leadership Panel.
(4) Undertaking such surveys of communities and citizens’ opinions and establishing such Working Groups and Inquiries as the Leadership Panel considers necessary in connection with each Portfolio remit in order to inform policy development, implementation, monitoring and review.
(5) Receiving scrutinising and approving Services’ plans for implementation of the Council’s policies and priorities for service delivery and establishing appropriate service targets and performance indicators or policies and services within each Portfolio remit.
(6) Securing overall Best Value in the performance of Services by ensuring continuous improvement and by maintaining a balance between the quality of the outcome of services delivered and the cost of these services. This should always be undertaken with regard to the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of Services’ actions and how well those actions comply with the requirements of equal opportunities legislation and their potential to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.
(7) Co-ordinating, guiding, monitoring and reviewing the discharge of the functions within each Portfolio remit, by Officers, in terms of this Scheme of Delegation.
(8) Taking decisions that are contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the approved revenue budget, provided that any associated spend must be offset by additional income or savings from elsewhere within the budget.
(9) Taking decisions to increase the costs of individual projects in the capital programme to cover an overspend, subject to these costs not exceeding 10% of the total project cost but only if this can be offset elsewhere in the approved capital programme.
(10) Incurring expenditure or making grants or loans under the powers contained in Section 84 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 in respect of incidences of emergency or disaster affecting the Council area,
(11) Determining arrangements for the administration of Common Good Funds and other Trusts for which the Council is responsible.
(12) Convening in the event of a major emergency and determining the general policy to be followed in the disposition of Council resources.
(13) Establishing Working Groups to advise on any aspect of its remit.
(14) Preparing an Annual Report for submission to the Council.
Education Authority
As determined by Council, in week 5 of the Council’s cycle of meetings the Leadership Panel will direct and supervise the discharge of functions of the Council as an Education Authority*, in respect of children of or below school age in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended and any other enactments amending or extending such functions and in terms of the School Boards (Scotland) Act 1988, the Self-Governing Schools (Scotland) Act 1989, the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000, the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 2002, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Scottish Schools Parental Involvement Act 2006.
*Only insofar as such matters relate to the delivery of education services to pre-fives and children of school age. All other matters falling within the remit of the Leadership Panel can be dealt with at any meeting of the Leadership Panel.
Areas Of Responsibility
Each member of the Leadership Panel will be allocated a special area of responsibility known as a Portfolio to ensure greater political accountability for the decisions taken by the Leadership Panel as a whole.
The Portfolios of reach of the Leadership Panel members are detailed below. In any situation of uncertainty, it is for the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development, Safety and Regulation to determine which Portfolio a delegation to the Leadership Panel by the Council lies within. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no delegation to any individual member of the Council.
Strategic and Community Planning Corporate Portfolio
To exercise strategic leadership of the Council and promote the Council’s core values, ensuring the effective communication of Council policies and strategies. This Portfolio includes providing overall political accountability for the co-ordination of Council business, the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan objectives, and, overall political and strategic leadership in relation to Community Planning matters including the Community Planning Portfolio.
In exercising this role, the Leader of the Council as one of the Strategic and Corporate Portfolio holders can exercise his or her remit across all Portfolio remits as and when appropriate. This might, for example, include chairing a Group working on an area not directly under his or her remit but one which requires specific expertise or strategic political direction relevant to the Strategic and Corporate Portfolio holder’s remit.
In pursuit of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following functions on the basis that the Leadership Panel will make recommendations to Council as appropriate in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 1:
Resource and Performance Portfolio
To exercise strategic and political leadership in relation to the management, regulation and control of the Council’s resources and ensure that these fully reflect the Council’s Corporate Plan priorities. This Portfolio includes exercising strategic and political leadership for the Council’s strategic aim of the promotion of ‘Best Value’.
On the basis that the Leadership Panel will make recommendations to Council as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions set in Section 1 in pursuit of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following functions:
In pursuit of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following functions/services to ensure their effective management and continuous improvement:-
To exercise strategic and political leadership in relation to the provision of services which contribute to social well-being including community care, sport, leisure and cultural services. This Portfolio includes exercising strategic and political leadership for the Council’s strategic aim for the promotion of Social Inclusion and specifically in relation to promoting the interests of equalities groups and communities of interests, including women, black and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, social classes 4 and 5, older people, children and young people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
On the basis that the Leadership Panel will make recommendations to Council as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 1, in pursuit of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following services/functions to ensure their effective management and continuous improvement:-
All matters relating to the delivery of services to pre-fives and children of school age fall within the remit of the Learning and Prosperity Portfolio.
Learning and Prosperity Portfolio
Remit
To exercise strategic and political leadership to secure the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area. This should be undertaken specifically in relation to the provision of services such as education, care services for young people and families, and lifelong learning all of which contribute to ensuring social justice.
This Portfolio includes (a) ensuring local economic development in both the urban and rural areas, (b) ensuring, wherever possible, the provision of co-ordinated and integrated education, care and related services, designed around the needs of children, young people and families and (c) promoting and, where appropriate, ensuring investment in education, skills, training and the creative development of present and future workforce skills, so as to engender greater self-fulfilment, social mobility and employment opportunities.
On the basis that the Leadership Panel will make recommendations to Council as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 1, in pursuit of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following services/functions to ensure their effective management and continuous improvement.
Economic Development and Investment
Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning
Sustainability and Environment Portfolio
To exercise strategic and political leadership in respect of the protection, planning and improvement of the built and natural environment and its supporting infrastructure all in accordance with the Council’s Strategic Aim for the Promotion of Sustainability. This Portfolio includes services/functions such as (a) building standards, trading standards and consumer protection, the protection and enhancement of public health and safety, and civic licensing for taxis, liquor etc and (b) services such as development planning, street care and cleansing, refuse collection, waste management and flood prevention.
On the basis that the Leadership Panel will make recommendations to Council as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 1, of this remit the Portfolio holder will oversee the following services/functions to ensure their effective management and continuous improvement:
Licensing, Regulation and Consumer Protection
Environmental Improvement
Remit Of And Delegations To Scrutiny Panels
Scrutiny Panels will focus on major issues being decided on by the Leadership Panel arising from their overseeing and scrutiny function.
In all but one case the specific legislative powers of the Council have either been reserved to the Council itself or delegated to Officers, Joint Boards, Panels or the Leadership Panel. The one exception is in the case of the Council’s statutory audit function which has been delegated to the Resources and Performance Panel.
All other powers of the Resources and Performance Panel and of the other Panels are to:
(a) call-in decisions of the Leadership Panel for further discussion, consideration and investigation and
(i) agree the Leadership Panel decisions;
(ii) continue them from Week 2 to Week 6 of the cycle for further discussion, consideration, investigation or agreement; and
(iii) refer them back to the Leadership Panel for final deliberation; or
(b) subject to Council approval to undertake in-depth scrutiny/reviews of particular issues of concern in areas of service provision where the linkages to the Council’s Best Value Improvement Plan are obvious and may also undertake Scrutiny Commissions as previously agreed by Council and as set out in the Scrutiny Panel’s work-plans.
In any situation of uncertainty, it is for the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development, Safety and Regulation to determine which Scrutiny Panel should undertake (a) and (b) above. The general remit for undertaking the above functions follow precisely the Portfolio remits detailed in Section 2.
In addition to the Standing Scrutiny Panels, an Overview and Scrutiny Management Panel shall be appointed with a remit to ensure that the Standing Scrutiny Panels are operating in accordance with the scheme of delegation, to manage any potential conflicts or overlaps in the issues being identified for scrutiny, to prepare an Annual Report on the performance and operation of scrutiny within the Council and to undertake ad hoc scrutiny considered essential. The Overview and Scrutiny Management Panel will meet on an 8-weekly cycle
Section 4
Terms of Reference and Delegations to Panels
With the exception of powers which have been reserved to the Council itself and powers which have been delegated to Officers or to Joint Boards, all other powers are distributed between Committees and Panels.
In order to allow the Leadership Panel to concentrate on strategy, a number of Committees of the Council (to be known as Panels) have been established with delegated powers to deal with a specific range of functional and operational responsibilities.
The Panels are as follows:
The terms of reference of Panels, in respect of which they have been granted delegated powers, are as follows:
Appointments/Appraisal Panel
The appointment of Chief Executive, Directors and Heads of Service and Performance Appraisal issues.
Appeals Panel
The determination of appeals in terms of the Council’s approved Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, Finance, Rating, Education, Access to Records, Placing Requests, Exclusion, Maintenance Allowance Appeals, Road Traffic Orders, Allocations and other Housing Appeals, etc.
Health and Safety Panel
To act as the principal forum for consultation between the Council, Services and Unions on all Corporate Health and Safety issues and any Health and Safety issue referred from Services. To take a Corporate Health and Safety overview, progressing issues on Risk Management, Insurance, Health and Safety, etc.
Regulatory Panel
The exercise of the Council’s functions under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, Building Control, Environmental Health, Road Traffic Regulation Legislation, insofar as not delegated to Officers.
The exercise of the Council’s functions in relation to the approval of venues for civil weddings under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 insofar as not delegated to Officers.
The determination of Planning Applications and other matters under Planning Legislation insofar as not delegated to Officers.
Housing Panel
To deal with all Housing Revenue Account related issues, including the annual Housing Capital Programme and the monitoring of Housing Policies and Procedures, such as Allocations, Lettings, etc.
To deal with all Housing plans, policies and strategies.
To oversee all Landlord functions and responsibilities.
To oversee the discharge of the Council’s responsibilities for Homelessness.
Provost’s Panel
To approve attendance of Members at appropriate conferences and seminars, within budget.
To deal with applications for grants.
To determine requests for Civic Hospitality, Civic Gifts and related matters.
To determine applications from Community Councils to access their allocations from the Civic Pride Fund.
To co-ordinate Community Consultation
Standards/Governance Panel
To promote and maintain high standards of conduct by all elected Members of the Council;
To provide advice and guidance to Members on issues relating to the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and ethical standards generally and to arrange the provision of training for all Members on such matters;
To monitor and review the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and to advise the Council on any requirements for supplementary training or additional support for Members;
To consider and deal with as appropriate any report from the Monitoring Officer on any matter raised by him/her in any report prepared by him/her in respect of the management and operation of ethical standards matters within the Council;
To recommend to the Council, if appropriate, the adoption of any protocols relating to Members’ conduct, supplementary to the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, and to consider the need for appropriate internal procedures for dealing with allegations of breaches of such protocols;
To consider and take action on any reports referred to it by the Council or the Leadership Panel relating to the monitoring of the performance of Councillors;
To keep under review the Council’s local Code of Corporate Governance and to report (regularly/annually) to the Leadership Panel and/or the Council on its continuing relevance and the Council’s on-going performance under the Code; and
To deal with any abuses of the “call-in” procedures.
Rural Panel
To develop and review Council Strategy for the rural areas of South Ayrshire.
To oversee the use of the Rural Communities’ budget, including the Rural Grants Scheme.
Section 5 (to follow)
Section 6 (to follow)
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