Council, committees and forums

Council, committees and forums - roles and function

View the Hartlepool Borough Council Political Structure

Full Council

‘Full Council’ refers to all elected Councillors meeting together in a formal setting. These meetings are open to the public and take place regularly. There are three types of council meetings:

Ordinary council meetings

Ordinary meetings bring together Councillors from all political parties to:

  • debate local and policy issues
  • ask questions of the Leader and Committee Chairs
  • receive reports from policy committees

Members of the public can also submit questions to be asked at these meetings.

Submit a question to Council

Extraordinary council meetings

These are held to discuss urgent or significant matters. Only the specific issue listed on the agenda can be discussed.

Annual Council meeting

The Annual Meeting of Council is held each year, usually in late May, dependent on the date of elections, this meeting:

  • elects the Ceremonial Mayor and Deputy Mayor
  • appoints members to council committees
  • nominates representatives to external organisations

Policy committees

Policy committees handle day-to-day decision-making and shape council policy. Each committee has a specific focus:

  • Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee
    Chaired by the Leader of the Council. Responsible for overseeing the financial management and resource allocation of the Council. Comprises of 11 elected members and all policy committee chairs.

  • Adult Services and Public Health Committee
    Responsible for services that support adults with eligible social care needs and their carers, including adult safeguarding and social work. The Committee also has oversight of public health functions. Comprises of 7 elected members.

  • Children’s Services Committee
    The Committee oversees all aspects of children’s services, including child protection, youth services and the Council’s responsibilities as the Local Education Authority. It provides oversight of the Children's Strategic Partnership Board for the purposes of the Children Act 2004. Comprises of 7 elected members and a number of young people’s representatives.

  • Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services Committee
    Responsibilites include transport and highways, environmental services and community safety. Comprises of 7 elected members.

  • Housing, Growth and Communities Committee
    This committee oversees a broad range of services aimed at supporting Hartlepool's residents and communities. Responsibilites include housing and homeless prevention, economic growth and community based services. Comprises of 7 elected members.

Regulatory and other committees

Audit and Governance Committee

  • 10 elected members (not from the Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee)
  • chair and vice-Chair are Councillors not in the majority group
  • includes independent and parish representatives
  • oversees financial governance, risk, standards, and scrutiny of health and crime matters
  • includes a personnel sub-committee for workforce appeals

Licensing Committee

Handles licensing for:

  • taxis and private hire vehicles
  • alcohol and entertainment (Licensing Act 2003)
  • environmental health matters

Sub-committees manage most licensing decisions.

Planning Committee

Considers planning applications and conservation matters.
Public involvement is encouraged - applicants and objectors can speak at meetings.

The Planning Portal contains a wide variety of advice as well as details of applications submitted to the planning authority.