How we make decisions

Substitute members

Each Political Group is able to appoint up to 3 named substitute Members in respect of the following Committees:

  • Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
  • Employment and Equalities Committee.
  • Charitable Trustee Committee.

Other arrangements apply for the Planning and Licensing Committee, and Township Committees have some discretion with regard to the substitution arrangements for their respective Sub-Committees.

Substitute members can only sit on a Committee when the substantive Member is going to be absent for the duration of the meeting in question. Where a substantive Member knows they are going to be absent, they must select a Substitute from the list of named Substitutes for the Committee in question and inform the Governance and Committee Services Team of the substitution arrangements by noon on the working day prior to the date of the meeting. Members who act as a substitute Member have the same rights as the permanent Member in terms of receiving papers and speaking and voting at the meeting.