Telford and Wrekin Council

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, the Telford and Wrekin is within a non-metropolitan area of England.

As a unitary authority, Telford and Wrekin Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.

The council is currently made up of: 36 Labour councillors, 13 Conservative councillors, 4 Liberal Democrats councillors and 1 Independent councillors. There are currently no councillors elected for any other political party – UKIP, green, etc.

There are seven roles within the Council a Councillor apart from the party under administration of the Council (Labour) may be appointed to: Leader of the Council (Cllr Shaun Davies), Deputy leader of the Council (Cllr Richard Overton), Mayor of the Borough of Telford & Wrekin (Cllr Amrik Jhawar), Deputy mayor of the Borough of Telford & Wrekin (Cllr Raj Mehta), Speaker of the Council (Cllr Arnold England), Deputy Speaker of the Council (Cllr Hilda Rhodes) and a Council cabinet member.

The Cabinet is the main decision-making body of the Council with executive powers for all matters, except those held by the full Council or those reserved to regulatory committees (such as planning and licensing applications). The Cabinet has a key role in budget proposal and policy framework for the Council to adopt.

The Cabinet is chaired by Cllr Shaun Davies (Leader of the Council) with 10 cabinet members each having responsibility for a particular area of the Council's work; [1]

• Cllr Shaun Davies – Leader of the Council.
• Cllr Richard Overton – Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Community Safety and Customer Services.
• Cllr Lee Carter – Cabinet member for Neighbourhood, Commercial Services and Regeneration.
• Cllr Andy Burford - Cabinet member for health and social care.
• Cllr Rae Evans – Cabinet member for Council Finance and Governance.
• Cllr David Wright - Cabinet member for Economy, Housing, Transport and Infrastructure.
• Cllr Shirley Reynolds – Cabinet member for Children, Young People, Education and Life Long Learning.
• Cllr Carolyn Healy - Cabinet member for Visitor Economy, Historic & Natural Environment and Climate Change.
• Cllr Eileen Callear - Cabinet member for Leisure, Libraries and Culture.
• Cllr Paul Watling - Cabinet Member for Co-Operative Communities, Engagement and Partnerships.

[2]