The Council is composed of 66 Councillors elected every four years.  Councillors are democratically accountable to residents of their ward.  The overriding duty of Councillors is to the whole community, but they have a special duty to their constituents, including those who did not vote for them.

The Council reserves to itself the following functions (in accordance with the rules and procedures contained in the Constitution):

(a) All non-delegable functions as defined by the Local Authorities (Committee System) (England) Regulations 2012 including: -

(i) The Budget – The approval or adoption of a plan or strategy for the control of the local authority’s borrowing, investments or capital expenditure or for determining the authority’s minimum revenue provision, which includes the overarching annual:-

(1) Capital programme

(2) Capital investment strategy

(3) Medium term financial plan

(4) Treasury management strategy,

except for any amendment, modification, variation or revocation which—

(aa) is required for giving effect to requirements of the Secretary of State or a Minister of the Crown in relation to a plan or strategy submitted for approval, or to any part submitted; or

(bb) is authorised by a determination made by the local authority—
- in pursuance of arrangements made for the discharge of functions as set out in the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out at Part 4(3) of this Constitution (including virements); and - at the time when the local authority approves or adopts the plan or strategy, as the case may be.

(ii) Policy Framework (Required) – The making or revoking or amending the following policies, plans and strategies required to form a part of the Council’s Policy Framework:

(1) Annual Library Plan;

(2) Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy;

(3) Development Plan Documents;

(4) Licensing Authority Policy Statement;

(5) Policies made under the Gambling Act (including any resolution relating to casinos);

(6) Local Transport Plan;

(7) Plans and alterations which together comprise the Development Plan;

(8) Sustainable Community Strategy; and

(9) Youth Justice Plan;

except for any amendment, modification, variation or revocation which—

(aa) is required for giving effect to requirements of the Secretary of State or a Minister of the Crown in relation to a plan or strategy submitted for approval, or to any part submitted; or

(bb) is authorised by a determination made by the local authority—

- in pursuance of arrangements made for the discharge of functions as set out in the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out at Part 4(3) of this Constitution; and

- at the time when the local authority approves or adopts the plan or strategy, as the case may be.

(iii) Making of a Members Allowance Scheme and amending the same.

(iv) Determination of Mayor’s and \deputy Mayor’s allowances.

(v) Making a request for single member electoral wards to the Local Government Boundary Commission.

(vi) Resolution to change a scheme for elections.

(vii) Making an order giving effect to the recommendations made in a Community Governance Review.

(viii) Conferring voting rights on co-opted members of Overview and Scrutiny Committees (if any).

(b) Policy Framework (Choice) - The making or revoking or amending the following policies, plans and strategies reserved by Council to form a part of the Council’s Policy Framework

(i) The Council Plan.

(c) Setting the Council’s Council Tax requirement

(d) Electing the Mayor and Deputy Mayor

(e) Appointing the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council (Chair and Vice-Chair of Policy & Resources Committee)

(f) Agreeing or amending the committee structure, the remit/terms of reference of committees, their size and membership

(g) Confirming the appointment (or dismissal) of the Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance (Section 151) Officer.

(h) Confirming the appointment of the Independent Persons.

(i) Making, amending, revoking, re-enacting or adopting bylaws and promoting or opposing the making of local legislation including bylaws or personal bills.

(j) Appointment of the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer.

(k) Significant changes to the Council’s Constitution, including adopting and amending standing orders, Rules of Procedure, Contract Procedure Rules, Financial Regulations, Codes and Protocols that make up the Constitution.

(l) All other matters which by law are reserved to the Council including: -

(i)  Ombudsman reports where there has been a finding of maladministration with injustice and the report has been rejected

(ii)  Statutory officer reports of the Monitoring Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Paid Service and External Auditor’s public interest reports.

(m) Conferring the title of Honorary Freeman and Honorary Alderman.

(n) Approving the Annual Senior Officer Pay Policy Statement.

(o) Changing the name of the Borough.

(p) Appointment of representatives of the local authority not otherwise delegated to a Committee.

(q) Nomination of councillors and other persons to outside bodies

(r) Consideration of reports from committees or any other body constituted by the Council

(s) To receive the minutes of committees and sub-committees acting under delegated powers for question and comment.

(t) Making recommendations to the Secretary of State on the Borough boundaries, ward boundaries, electoral divisions, ward or polling districts.

(u) Appointment of the Council’s External Auditor; and

(v) any other function which must by law be reserved to full Council.

Wirral Council is fully committed to equalities and our obligations under The Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty. 

We encourage people who have a protected characteristic to participate in public meetings and in the democratic process.  If you have any adjustments that would help you attend or participate at this meeting, please let us know as soon as possible and we would be happy to facilitate where possible.  Please contact committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk. 

Public Questions

Public questions must be submitted no later than midday three working days before the meeting and are done so via this link: Public Question Form

Please note, anyone submitting public questions via email will be referred to the link above.

If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your question by the deadline for submission, please telephone the relevant Committee Services Officer to confirm we have received your form. Their contact details can be found further down this page, or email committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk.

Public Statements

A member of the public may speak on up to two non-procedural items on any Agenda if notice has been given no later than midday 3 working days in advance of the meeting. Please give notice to mailto:committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk

If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your statement by the deadline for submission, please telephone the relevant Committee Services Officer to confirm we have received your email. Their contact details can be found further down this page.

Petitions

Petitions may be presented to the Council if provided to Democratic and Member Services no later than 10 working days before the meeting, at the discretion of the Mayor. The person presenting the petition will be allowed to address the meeting briefly (not exceeding three minute) to outline the aims of the petition. The Mayor will refer the matter to another appropriate body of the Council within whose terms of reference it falls without discussion, unless a relevant item appears elsewhere on the Agenda. If a petition contains more than 5,000 signatures, it will be debated at a subsequent meeting of Council for up to 15 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor.

Please give notice of presentation of a petition to: committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk

If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your petition, please telephone the relevant Committee Services Officer to confirm we have received your email. Their contact details can be found further down this page.

For further information about how we use the personal data of individuals speaking at Council and Committee meetings, please see the following document: Document Data Protection Protocol for Public Speakers at Committees | Wirral Council