Council Business and Committees

Charnwood Borough Council exists to serve the needs of local residents and those working in, or visiting, the area. We work according to the rules set out in the Council Constitution and provide democratic local government and a wide range of local services.

The Council's policies on how we deliver our services are decided by 52 councillors, each of whom is elected for a period of four years. The Borough is divided into 28 wards, each having one, two or three councillors depending on its size.

Most major Council decisions are made by the Cabinet which usually meets every three weeks and consists of the Council Leader plus eight other appointed councillors. The full Council also meets regularly, as do the various Council committees which have scrutiny, standards or regulatory functions. The dates and times of all meetings are published on our Web site, as are agendas and minutes.

The Council employs over 600 people who are organised into service units. The majority of staff are based in Loughborough at our Southfields offices. The service units are managed by Council Officials who ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the Council.

A Mayor is chosen annually by the Council to fulfil two important roles. Firstly, they Chair the meetings of the Council and, secondly, they are the First Citizen of the Borough, in the latter role attending around 500 engagements each year.

Each year the Council sets a budget which balances the cost of the services we need to provide - such as refuse collection, leisure facilities, housing and benefits - with the income derived from sources such as Council Tax, rents and government grants. The Council's priorities are set out in its Corporate Plan. We are also regularly inspected by the Audit Commission and welcome direct feedback from the public.