How we make decisions

Decisions are made by strategic, neighbourhood and regulatory committees. 

In the remaining pages of this section, you will find information about each of these committees.

For information on decisions delegated to officers you can download the directorate's internal schemes of management at the bottom of this page.

Other committees and panels

In addition to the executive decision-making process, we also have a number of other committees, panels and boards.

For a full list of our committees, including details on membership, and copies of the agendas and minutes, please visit Committee structure.

The Council

Although the strategic and neighbourhood committees take a lot of the decisions in the running of the borough, all 48 councillors meet together several times a year as 'the Council' to set the policy and budgetary framework.

The Council is responsible for the appointment of the Mayor, the Leader, lead members and members of other bodies such as the overview and scrutiny panel and the licensing and planning Committees.

Other roles of the Council include adopting the code of conduct for councillors, agreeing any changes to the Council's constitution and agreeing the terms of reference for committees and panels.

Council meetings are open to the public and the meetings are held at 7.30pm in Guildhall.

To browse and view meetings, agendas and minutes, and see contact details for members of this committee, visit Committee details - The Council.

Strategic committees

We have three strategic committees currently in operation. These set borough-wide policy and make decisions on services which go beyond a single neighbourhood. You can view meetings, agendas and minutes, and see contact details for members of these committees:

• Corporate and Resources Committee
• People Committee
• Place Committee

Health and Wellbeing Board

The Health and Wellbeing Board brings together the Council, NHS partners, including the Kingston Clinical Commissioning Group, and patient representatives to manage the Council’s public health functions and ensure that health services within the borough are properly integrated between providers.

To browse and view meetings, agendas and minutes, and see contact details for members of this committee, visit:

• Health and Wellbeing Board

Neighbourhood committees

There are four neighbourhood committees made up of the councillors representing the electoral wards in each neighbourhood, responsible for providing many of the services in their area.

Each neighbourhood has its own budget and can make decisions on a range of services, including traffic management, planning applications, parks, libraries, housing management, youth service and licensing matters.

Learn more about the neighbourhood system, including which neighbourhood you live in

To browse and view meetings, agendas and minutes, and see contact details for members of these committees, visit:

• Kingston and North Kingston
• South of the Borough
• New and Old Malden
• Surbiton

Decisions of the neighbourhoods are open to the 'call in' procedure.

Getting your voice heard

Neighbourhood meetings are held in public and usually take place every five/six weeks locally within the neighbourhood to make it easier for residents to attend.

Each neighbourhood committee has its own procedures to allow residents to ask questions and to speak at meetings. This includes:

• up to 30 minutes at the start of the meeting for residents to ask their councillors questions on local issues

• the opportunity for residents to speak on items on the agenda

Full details of how to get involved are set out on the agenda for each meeting. If you have any questions about the neighbourhood committees please contact Democratic Support.

Regulatory committees

The planning Committee is responsible for decisions on large planning applications and those which neighbourhood committees are unable to deal with. The Licensing Committee reviews policy on licensing matters and appoints sub-committees which consider individual applications for activities which require licences, such as the sale of alcohol.

To browse and view meetings, agendas and minutes, and see contact details for members of these committees, visit:

• Planning Committee
• Licensing Committee
• Licensing Sub-Committee

Calling in a decision for review

Residents of the borough or 9 elected Members may call-in for review any decision of a Strategic or Neighbourhood Committee other than those excluded, by 5pm on the tenth working day after the date of the meeting. Formal notice of decisions will be published, normally on the day after each meeting, to facilitate the call-in process.

To see the full Call-in procedure rules please see Part 4C of the Constitution.