1. Lesson Starter Quick questions: 1.Explain the three different types of services. 2.Outline the meaning of best value and community leadership.

2. What will I learn? The structure of the council

3. Success Criteria Outline briefly the structure of the council. Outline the role of the committees Describe the role of local government officials

4. Overview of Structure Councillors elected every 4 years. Elected members are led by the leader of the council, typically the leader of the largest political grouping in the council. Glasgow- Labour Council- leader Gordon Matheson.

5. Overview of Structure Each council also elects a civic leader, the provost or convener, who chairs the council meetings. Known as the Lord Provost Chairs the full council meeting Glasgow’s Lord Provost is Sadie Docherty

6. Council Committees The full council meeting is the supreme decision making body in the local authority. However most decision making can be devolved to committtees or sub- committees.

7. Benefits of the Committee System It is inclusive- all politcal parties are represented on the committees. Prevents one party from taking decisions on their own. Operates through collective decision making. This means that the convener has to persuade the members to come to a joint decision.

8. Drawbacks of the committee system Can be a slow process as it can take a while to get all elected members together. Glasgow council employed 'arm's-length external organisations' (ALEOs) to deliver services. Councillors who sit on these organisations received payments. These agencies do not represent best value.

9. Local Government Officials All local authorities appoint a chief executive, who is the head of the management team of directors of departments. The traditional view is that the relationship between councillors and officials is that councillors make the policies and officials implement them. Real power with the councillors. Another view is that senior officials are involved in policy making. Directors of Education, Social Work have the expertise that councillors don’t. Important that they both have a good working relationship.