The Isle of Wight council has decided to change the way it makes decisions by moving to a committee style of governance system.
At an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council last night (Wednesday), it was agreed the council’s current leader and cabinet led structure, where most decisions are taken by an appointed councillor, will be replaced with a committee system, which will come into effect at the annual council meeting in May 2025.
The council will use the coming year to fully prepare for the changes.
Decision cannot be revisited for five years
By law, the changes can only be fully adopted at an annual council meeting and now that councillors have passed a formal resolution opting for a new governance new system, the decision cannot be revisited for five years.
A committee system is where the council is divided into several committees that make the decisions on different parts of the council’s business.
Each of these committees is normally made up of a proportionately balanced number of councillors from each of the political groups and those not aligned to any of those groups.
How it works
Some decisions can only be taken by all councillors at a full council meeting such as setting the budget and council tax and other committees that deal with any regulatory matters such as planning and licensing.
The committee system will include a policy, finance and resources committee, and four service committees covering:
- children’s services, education and skills;
- adult social care, public health, and housing;
- economy, regeneration, transport, and infrastructure;
- environment and community protection.
More councillors actively involved in decision-making
This means that more councillors are actively involved in decision-making and is seen to be more inclusive. Decisions are made collectively by committee members with shared accountability for the decisions made.
Legal scrutiny functions will be taken on by the relevant committees and others that currently operate, such as planning and licensing, remain unchanged.
Current system until May 2025
The council will keep to the current leader and cabinet led structure until the official implementation of the committee system in May 2025, following the Isle of Wight council elections.
For more information on what the new style of committee system will mean for the Isle of Wight Council, visit the website.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
