The council consists of 51 councillors who are elected by the local community. Councillors determine matters of policy on behalf of the local community and make key decisions, such as the annual budget and Council Tax.
The leader
The Leader of the Council is elected by all members of the council. The leader chairs all meetings of the council’s cabinet, leads on policy development and implementation and represents Solihull on a range of regional bodies.
The cabinet
The cabinet is an executive group responsible for the overall business of the council.
Overview and scrutiny
The decisions of the cabinet are subject to overview and scrutiny by a different group of councillors, who meet in overview and scrutiny panels to check and monitor what the cabinet does.
Council committees
The council has appointed the following committees:
Officers
Whilst the elected councillors decide the policies, council officers put them into practice. Council officers give advice, implement decisions and manage the day to day delivery of its services. Some senior officers are authorised to make decisions on behalf of the council under delegated powers.
Councillor and officer relations
Members and officers need to work together constructively in partnership in a spirit of mutual trust and confidence to successfully achieve the council’s objectives. The council has adopted a protocol and guidance to assist both members and officers achieve good working relationships in the conduct of council business.
The corporate leadership team
This team is responsible for managing the activities of the council staff and for advising councillor's on the potential implications of their decisions. By law, senior council staff are not allowed to participate in any party political activity, and are expected to advise and assist all councillors irrespective of their political affiliation.