Role
This role provides overall political leadership of the Council and is the authority’s principal link with national and regional partnerships. The Leader will promote the interests of the Borough and the Council generally with potential investors and partners, and in the wider local government context through the Local Government Association and other routes. The Leader is the Council’s lead representative on the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
The Leader secures strategic and political co-ordination, chairs the Cabinet and represents its collective position to Council and the community. The Leader will manage relationships between the Council’s various political groups and ensure that the Cabinet is properly accountable to the wider Council.
As Leader, the portfolio holder is responsible for all corporate plan commitments.
Portfolio Responsibilities
The Leader of the Council provides political leadership:
· In determining the size of the Cabinet and relevant portfolios, and to make appointments accordingly.
· To provide the political leadership to the Council, including proposing the political framework within which the Council will operate and to take such executive action as may be delegated by the Authority
· To ensure effective Corporate Governance including working with the opposition groups to seek to achieve where possible cross-party cooperation
· To exercise community leadership through representation by the Council on local, regional and national organisations ensuring that the views of a wide variety of partners from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors are heard by the Council and others; and our own response/position on issues is considered by others
· To ensure the work of the Council is business-like across all portfolios
· To lead the Cabinet and ensure that its work is conducted in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and with due regard to any statutory provisions set out in legislation
· To ensure that Cabinet achieves its terms of reference both collectively and as individual portfolio holders
· To ensure the effective integration of roles, responsibilities and functions within the Cabinet membership
· To provide political leadership to steer organisational change that may be required to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Council
· To communicate the Administration’s policies and priorities to the Executive Management Team and receive their advice
· To ensure, through working with the Managing Director, the long term financial, business and economic stability of the Council
· To hold the Managing Director to account by participation in the agreed annual appraisal process
· To be the ambassador voice of the Council - for example in its dealings with Central Government, other Local Authorities and their Associations - positively promote the Council as a whole in the media and ensure that it is properly represented in key meetings as appropriate.
· To act as the political spokesperson for the Council
· To encourage the highest standards of probity and corporate governance for the well-being of the Borough
· To work with the Managing Director to promote a positive and courteous working environment where staff and Members are valued for their contribution and operate within an environment of mutual respect.