The Council is one of the largest and most diverse employers in South West Wales employing over 9000 people providing services across a rural county to a population of around 180,500.
The Council
The Council comprises 74 elected Councillors representing 58 Electoral Wards from a range of Political groups and they normally meet as a Council on a monthly basis. They are the decision makers and agree the Council’s policies, budget and spending priorities.
For a brief description of the how the Council’s decision making structure operates please click on the following link:
Decision making structure
Executive Board
Ten of the Council’s members make up the Executive Board, including the Leader of the Council. The Leader is appointed by the Council and he/she appoints members of the Executive Board.
The Executive Board is responsible for taking most of the Council’s major decisions and decides how resources are used to deliver services in the county. Executive Board Members are responsible for decision making within specific areas of interest (known as portfolios). For information in respect of Executive Board members’ portfolios please click on the following link:
Executive Board Members and Portfolios
Scrutiny
The Council has established five themed Scrutiny Committees of non-executive members for the purposes of overview & scrutiny.
Each committee is tasked with challenging and influencing the development of council policies, helping to improve and maintain performance of the Council’s services and holding the Executive Board to account. Each Committee has its own work programme.
If you wish to know which Councillors serve on the Scrutiny Committees please click on the following link: Membership of Executive Board and Committees
The Scrutiny function is useful in ensuring that council policies reflect current priorities, in promoting efficiency and in encouraging partnership working with external agencies.
Corporate Management Team
The Corporate Management Team, led by the Chief Executive, oversees the day-to-day operation of the council's services.
The Council’s Corporate Structure is made up of six Directorates:-
- Chief Executive
- Education and Children’s Services
- Regeneration and Leisure
- Resources
- Social Care Health and Housing
- Technical Services
Supporting the Democratic Decision Making Process
The Democratic Services Unit administers meetings of the Council, Executive Board and Committees of the Council, producing meeting agendas, attending meetings and recording the decisions made and also providing advice on the law and practice of meetings to Councillors, officers and the public. The unit also provides administrative support to all 74 Councillors.
The unit will advise you on your rights to attend meetings and how to go about submitting petitions or any other query you may have about how the Council and its Committees work.