Herefordshire Council

Herefordshire Council was established in April 1998 and took over the responsibilities of South Herefordshire District Council, Hereford City Council and Hereford-Worcester County Council and some of Leominster District Council and Malvern Hills District Council. Herefordshire Council's ambitions are set out in full in our county plan. They focus on the key areas of environment, community and economy and are to: Protect and enhance our environment and keep Herefordshire a great place to live Strengthen communities to ensure everyone lives well and safely together Support an economy which builds on the county's strengths and resources Herefordshire Council operates a leader and cabinet model of governance. The council's 53 members meet together as full Council to set the policy framework, agree the budget and spending plans, set the Council Tax, elect the leader of the council and make constitutional decisions. It is also a forum for debate on major issues affecting the council and the county. Once elected, the leader of the council appoints and chairs the cabinet, sometimes called the executive. Each cabinet member has a specific area of responsibility, called a portfolio. The different service areas or activities the council is responsible for are called functions and the law determines whether decisions about a function are the responsibility of full Council (or one of its committees), an individual officer, or of the executive. The council's employees, often called officers, are responsible for delivering the council's policies and for the day-to-day operation of the organisation. Officers have a duty to support the whole council, are not accountable to individual councillors or to the political group in control of the council and must remain politically neutral.