The Council has many responsibilities ranging from social care to education to community safety and has divided them up amongst its Cabinet and a number of other committees. You can view our Committee Structure Diagram in the web library.
If you would like to find out more in general about what each committee does and what responsibilities they have then start at one of the following appropriate committee pages:
Alternatively, if you want more detail about what is actually happening with particular committees including minutes, agendas and reports you can browse meeting information here.
Who attends the committees?
Each committee has a membership (for details see appropriate committee), which attends. There will also be a number of council officers, whose role within the council is to support the committee process. You would also find at least one representative officer from within the council, who works on the issue being discussed. The county solicitor might also be present if there are any legal issues involved.
By law members of the public have a right of access to certain types of information held by the Council. For example, you can see the reports going to the meetings to see if they are accurate.
Members of the public are also allowed to sit in on committee meetings however from time to time members of the public may be asked to leave a meeting for reasons stated by law such as protecting a person’s privacy.
In the case of The Cabinet, the Council also has to publish a Forward Plan of key decisions to be taken over the next four months, which are judged to be of political, financial or geographical significance.
Can I get my views heard at a committee or participate in proceedings?
While there is no opportunity for members of the public to speak generally at or participate in the proceedings of any committee meeting, the Council has a procedure enabling members of the public to ask questions at meetings of the County Council and the Cabinet.
Similarly, provision exists for members of the public to attend and make brief presentations to the Development Management Committee. Public Rights of Way and Highways and Traffic Orders Committees about certain types of planning applications and traffic orders respectively or to make a representation to the Council on any matter or to a Scrutiny Committee on any substantive item on the agenda.
To find out more please see the public participation paragraph in the Constitution or A Guide to Committee Meetings and A Guide to Public Participation at Committee Meetings.
The County Council welcomes petitions from members of the public, recognising they are another way for people to let their council know of their concerns.
The Council’s petition scheme which sets out how it will deal with petitions and the public’s right is included in the Council’s Constitution.
If you wish to make your views known on an issue or to raise a particular matter the best way to do that is to contact or lobby your local county councillor
However many proposals under consideration by the Council are subject to public consultation and are publicised through, for example, press adverts, street notices, exhibitions or the internet.
You can often use pre-paid forms to respond or you can email members.services@devon.gov.uk.