How the council works

Full Council

Full Council makes decisions on our council plans, priorities and policies. It sets the budget and Council Tax each year. The 63 elected councillors make up the Full Council.

Full Council meets six times a year. The meetings are public, which you can attend or view as a live or archived webcast. However there may be some private business items on the agenda.

The Full Council meeting is the ultimate decision-making body of the council. It's the principal forum for major political debate.

Cabinet

The cabinet makes decisions on council affairs and the improvement plan and performance. They approve policies, and deal with strategies and programmes of activity within the overall policy framework and budget. The cabinet also makes recommendations on matters needing Full Council approval, and approves key decisions.

The cabinet is made up of the Leader and nine other councillors, and usually meets every two weeks. Cabinet meetings are public but may contain some items of private business.

Each councillor in the cabinet has a portfolio of services for which they're responsible. Cabinet members can make decisions related to their portfolio (which aren’t key decisions) up to a value of £500,000. Find out about recent decisions taken by cabinet members.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is a group of councillors that hold decision-makers to account. They can review decisions and services and can influence future decisions. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has three committees which align with the Council Plan priorities:

• Growing Barnsley workstream
• Healthy Barnsley workstream
• Sustainable Barnsley workstream

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is made up of a number of councillors who aren't in the cabinet. They're across all the political parties that make up the Full Council. 

The chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is a councillor decided annually by Full Council.

Area councils

There are six area councils in Barnsley that make local decisions on area council funding. They're made up of councillors who have been elected in the ward covered by the area.

Area councils use information residents tell them about the local area to help them set their priorities. They also consider national sources of information, such as the census. They use this information to commission services and provide grants to deliver against their priorities.

Find out more about your area council and ward alliances.

Ward alliances

Ward alliances make decisions on ward alliance funding and priorities for the area. They're made up of local councillors and groups of local people who have put themselves forward to help improve their communities. You can apply to be part of a ward alliance if you're already involved with a local group or are active in your community.

Each ward alliance develops a community plan which helps them to measure their progress in delivering their priorities. Each has a small budget called the Ward Alliance Fund. This is allocated to organisations working in the area to help deliver on their plan.

Find out more about your area council and ward alliances.

Planning Regulatory Board

The Planning Regulatory Board makes decisions on applications for planning permission and similar issues, as well as public rights of way. The board is made up of councillors from across the Full Council.

Statutory Licensing Regulatory Board

The Statutory Licensing Regulatory Board makes decisions on the licensing of premises and people for entertainment and the sale of alcohol. The board is made up of councillors from across the full council.

General Licensing Regulatory Board

The General Licensing Regulatory Board makes decisions on the licensing of taxis (including private hire, hackney carriages and drivers), as well as amusement venues and other similar types of premises and activities. The board is made up of councillors from across the full council. 

Audit and Governance Committee

The Audit and Governance Committee makes sure that the council is complying with the rules and regulations for governance and finance. This includes the value for money of council services. The committee is made up of four councillors from across the full council and five independent people, who aren't councillors.

Appeals, Awards and Standards Regulatory Board

The Appeals, Awards and Standards Regulatory Board deals with appeals against council decisions that aren't specifically covered by the other boards. The board also enforces the code of conduct for councillors and employees. The board is made up of councillors from across the full council.

Health and Wellbeing Board

The Health and Wellbeing Board agrees the health and wellbeing strategy. It works with all organisations to join up health and social care for the borough.

The board includes cabinet members, council officers, representatives from South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and other health providers, and the local Health Watch which represents the interests of patients and service users. People from other groups that have an impact on health and wellbeing, such as the district police commander, also attend the meetings.