Roger Begy OBE (Conservative)
Leader and Cabinet Executive (England)
Rutland County Council District Council
Rutland County Council DC adopted new executive arrangements
which took effect after the election.
All principal authorities have been obliged to do the same over the last few
years.
The new model is formally named Leader and Cabinet Executive (England),
but is widely known as the 'strong leader' model.
The only other option available was a directly elected Mayor something Mr Begy
and his fellow Conservatives were not keen to see happen and opted for this
option without any public consultation or referendum.
Rutland County Council, along with the vast majority of other authorities, chose
the model which closer resembled the Leader and Cabinet arrangements which
had had operated successfully since major changes brought about by legislation in 2000.
The main difference is the Council is stuck with the same leader for four years good if he or she
good in their role, this is the whole life of the council (instead of one year) He or She then
appoints their chums to the cabinet as opposed to the Council nominating them. The leader also
decides the Deputy Leader and the allocation of portfolio responsibilities between the Cabinet
members. All those appointments last until the Leader get fed up or just decides to change them.
The Council has retained the right to remove the Leader from office by resolution passed at a meeting
so if they get fed up with whoever is leader they if brave enough get together and kick the leader out.
The Council has continued its position of not giving individual executive powers to portfolio holders.
The Localism Bill, currently in the Parliamentary process includes provisions which would enable
any authority to consider reverting to a decision-making framework based on committees, as was
the case before 2000. As a unitary authority, Rutland did not have the option of continuing with a committee
system (unlike district councils with smaller populations in two-tier shire counties).
Councillor Roger Begy was elected as Leader at the Annual meeting on 23rd May 2011.
He has appointed Councillor Terry King as Deputy Leader
Councillors Ken Bool, Christine Emmett, Martyn Pocock and Gene Plews all
as Cabinet members
The portfolio allocations are:-
Councillor Roger Begy Environmental Services, Culture and Housing
Councillor Terry King Finance and Asset Management
Councillor Gene Plews Youth, Sport and Community Safety
Councillor Ken Ball Education and Children's Services
Councillor Christine Emmett Health and Social Care
Councillor Martyn Pocock Resources