How the council works

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How the council works

Brighton & Hove is a unitary authority. This means that the council is responsible for all local governance functions within the area, from social services and libraries to waste collection and disposal, from highways and planning to education and much more. 

The current political composition of the council is:

Green	22
Conservative	18
Labour & Co-operative	13
Independent	1

Brighton & Hove City Council has 54 councillors and is currently run by a minority Green administration of which the Leader of the Council and committee Chairs are members.

The Leader of the Council oversees the work of the council and, together with the policy and regulatory committees, makes most of the major decisions and decides the council’s overall vision for the city.

In addition to the leader and the members of the Policy & Resources Committee, other committees make decisions in relation to specific matters such as planning and licensing applications and complaints against councillors. The Full Council meets to make decisions on the key documents and plans that form the budget and policies.

Overview & Scrutiny committees look in detail at the decisions made by the council and hold decision-makers to account. They also work on policy review and development, carry out in-depth investigations and monitor performance.

Click on the links below for more information on each of the elements that make up the council’s decision-making process.

• Leader of the Council
• Full Council
• Planning committee
• Licensing committee
• Standards committee
• Overview & Scrutiny

For further information or advice please contact Democratic Services