Forward Plan

The Forward Plan on key decisions and notice of any intention to meet in private

What is the Forward Plan?

The Forward Plan sets out the key decisions which the Leader, Cabinet, and individual Cabinet Portfolio Holders expect to take over the next four months. Subject to urgency provisions the law requires the Council to give at least 28 clear days notice ahead of any key decision being taken under executive arrangements so that people know about them and have the opportunity to read the related report and background papers and to submit their views to the decision maker.

The Forward Plan is available for public inspection at the Council’s Offices and Information Centres. The information shown includes the expected date the decision will be taken and the identity of the decision maker, a list of the reports and background papers to be considered by the decision maker, proposed consultations, who you can make representations to and also if it is to be a private/confidential item; if it is it will include the reason for that being the case.

What is a 'key decision'?

Key decisions are defined in the Councils Constitution as “an executive decision which is likely:

to result in the local authority incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant having regard to the local authority’s budget for the service or function to which the decision relates; or
to be significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in an area comprising one or more wards or electoral divisions in the area of the local authority. For the purpose of the above, savings or expenditure are “significant” if they are equal to or greater than £1,000,000”

Notice to meet in private

The Forward Plan provides notice of when the Cabinet may decide to exclude the press and public from part of a meeting due to the disclosure of confidential or exempt information and the reason for this. In such cases Members of the Council and the public may make representations about why a matter should be considered in public by writing to the Democratic Services Team Manager using the contact details below. The Leader and Cabinet will publish a response to any representations received and, where applicable, further notice of an intention to discuss the matter in private at least 5 clear days before the Cabinet meeting.

Urgency provisions

Where it has not been possible to meet the 28 day rule for publication of notice of a key decision, or of an intention to meet in private, the relevant notices will be published in the Forward Plan as soon as possible with a reason for the late notification. For any further information on the Forward Plan, reasons for an item being considered as confidential or exempt - or to make representations on that fact, contact email Paul Mountford (Democratic Services Officer).

Changes to the Forward Plan

Where it has not been possible to include items on a previously published Forward Plan it was not known that an agenda item was to be considered at the forthcoming Cabinet meeting. Details of any additional items will be listed below.