Committees

Much of the Council’s business is carried out through the Cabinet and various other committees.

There are six overview and scrutiny committees, each comprising seven Councillors and, in some cases, co-opted members.

Most committees directly shadow the Cabinet portfolio they share a name with. They are:

• Children and young people
• Council excellence
• Economy and regeneration
• Health and wellbeing
• Sustainable communities
• Scrutiny Programme Board

Within its own portfolio area each committee can:

• make policy developments, monitor and evaluate, and submit reports or recommendations to the Council, either on its own initiative or following the submission of a report by a Chief Officer, a public petition or at the request of the Cabinet
• review or scrutinise decisions or actions taken by the Cabinet and recommend that any decision made but not yet implemented in accordance with the “call-in” procedure be re-considered by the Cabinet, or by the Council if contrary to the policy framework or budget
• make reports or recommendations to the Council or the Cabinet in respect of matters that affect the Borough of Wirral or its inhabitants and relate to that committee’s terms of reference
• oversee the conduct of Best Value reviews at the request of the Cabinet

Other committees have been established to carry out those functions that do not fall within the remit of the Cabinet. They are:

• Planning Committee - dealing with planning applications
• Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee - dealing with a range of regulatory and quasi-judicial issues
• Licensing Act 2003 Committee - responsible for licensing the sale and supply of alcohol, premises providing regulated entertainment and the provision of late-night refreshments; also, functions under the Gambling Act 2005
• Pensions Committee - responsible for managing the Merseyside Pension Fund
• Employment and Appointments Committee - responsible for various personnel issues
• Audit and Risk Management Committee - which oversees various financial matters
• Standards Committee - which deals with complaints, probity issues and matters relating to the conduct of Councillors and employees

You can browse committee minutes, agendas and reports and a calendar showing the date of committee meetings.