How Council decisions are made

The Council operates a Leader and Cabinet model of governance.

This means that the responsibility for decision making on most services such as education, highways, housing, leisure, libraries, parking, refuse collection, street cleansing and social services now rests with Cabinet.

The full 58-member Council remains the forum where the Council's Budget and Policy Framework are set. Councillors meet to debate issues of importance and question the Leader, Cabinet Members and committee chairs.

Once the Budget and Policy Framework is agreed by Council, the Cabinet does not have to refer any of its proposed decisions to Council for approval if they remain within the overall framework.

Full details of the arrangements are contained in the Council's Constitution.

Cabinet responsibilities

Cabinet comprises the Leader of the Council and eight other lead members. Each of the Cabinet Members is responsible for a 'remit' covering particular Council services and policy areas.

Leader - Councillor Robert Morritt 

The Leader of the Council provides overall political leadership for the authority, setting strategic direction, coordinating Cabinet delivery and leading strategic planning, growth and place-shaping, and communications for the borough. The role also leads key relationships with partners, developers, investors and stakeholders to secure long-term opportunity.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance - Councillor Peter Graham 

The Cabinet Member for Finance is responsible for political leadership of the Council's finances, corporate resources and core enabling services, ensuring the Council remains financially resilient, delivers value for money and uses its assets, workforce, technology and customer services effectively.

Cabinet Member for Children - Councillor George Crivelli 

The Cabinet Member for Children is responsible for political leadership of Wandsworth's Children's Services Directorate. The role shares statutory responsibility with the Director of Children's Services for education and children's social care functions and ensuring the Council safeguards children and improves outcomes for children, young people and families.

Cabinet Member for Environment - Councillor Ethan Brooks 

The Cabinet Member for Environment is responsible for political leadership of frontline environmental services and the library service, including waste, recycling, street cleansing, parks and open spaces, ensuring clean, well-maintained neighbourhoods, accessible libraries and reliable, value-for-money services for residents. 

Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health - Councillor Daniel Ghossain

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health is responsible for political leadership of the Council's Adult Social Care Department, which includes statutory adult social care functions, public health responsibilities and health improvement work, with a focus on safe, sustainable services, prevention, independence and reducing health inequalities. The role also provides system leadership with the NHS, including through the Health and Wellbeing Board and neighbourhood health and care work.

Cabinet Member for Housing - Councillor Matthew Corner

The Cabinet Member for Housing is responsible for political leadership of the Council's housing management, council housing services, estate standards, housing delivery and regeneration. Working closely with Housing Directors and senior officers, the role ensures tenants and leaseholders receive safe, responsive and well-managed services, while also driving realistic delivery of new homes and estate renewal.

Cabinet Member for Transport - Councillor Nick Austin

The Cabinet Member for Transport is responsible for political leadership of highways, transport policy, traffic management, parking, active travel, road safety and flood risk management, working with officers, TfL and partners to maintain a safe, accessible and efficient network.

Cabinet Member for Enforcement - Councillor Caroline de La Soujeole

The Cabinet Member for Enforcement is responsible for political leadership of enforcement, regulatory activity, community safety, emergency planning and civil contingencies, ensuring the Council and partners use powers consistently, proportionately and visibly to keep residents, businesses and neighbourhoods safe and resilient.

Cabinet Member for Opportunity - Councillor Lynsey Hedges

The Cabinet Member for Opportunity is responsible for political leadership of economic development, business growth and high streets, skills and employment, the night-time economy, adult learning, the voluntary sector and the Council's response to Violence Against Women and Girls, ensuring residents and businesses benefit from investment, opportunity and stronger communities.

Cabinet meetings

The Cabinet meets approximately every five to six weeks. View Cabinet meeting dates.

At its meetings, Cabinet mostly considers Key Decisions. In addition, Cabinet also considers:

• Policy updates
• Responses to consultations
• Recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs)
• Reports with political or strategic sensitivity
• Performance monitoring

The decisions taken by Cabinet are published in a Statement of Decisions the day after the meeting.

Information on upcoming key decisions and policies are published monthly and is known as the Forward Plan.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Council has six Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) and two OSC sub-committees, which review and scrutinise decisions made or actions taken or proposed to be taken by Cabinet, assist with the development of policy, and make recommendations to the Cabinet as required.

• Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Finance Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Enforcement Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee
• Opportunity Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee

The Health Committee's remit also covers the operation of health services and consultation on proposals for development by NHS bodies.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is a partnership body between the Council and the health sector. The Council may delegate to it decisions on joint initiatives and services. 

Regulatory committees

Some functions are not the responsibility of Cabinet but remain the responsibility of the Council. The Council then delegates all but the most important decisions to the various committees.

These 'Regulatory' functions are dealt with by the:

• Licensing Committee
• Regulatory Licensing Committee
• Planning Applications Committee
• General Purposes Committee 
• Joint Pensions Committee
• Audit Committee
• Standards Committee (which deals with the conduct of Council members) 

By law, committees must be politically balanced.

The political groups are allocated seats in the same proportion as they are represented on the Council as a whole.

Delegated decisions

Directors of Council departments have a delegated authority to take decisions to operate Council services on a day-to-day basis without reference to Councillors. 

In addition, there are special arrangements where a decision is required urgently or is routine. In these circumstances, Executive Directors can take a decision even in cases which would normally require a report to a committee and/or the Executive, so long as they have consulted the relevant leading Councillors in advance.