FifeCouncil agreed today (Thursday 24) that an executive committee of 15 members will make policy decisions and manage the council’s performance and delivery of its services and priorities. Two additional committees will have responsibility for scrutinising policy and decisions taken by the Executive.

Six Executive members will each have responsibility for a policy area. Each member will also lead an all party policy advisory group, which will review policy and practice and make recommendations to the Executive.

The seven area committees will remain in place around Fife but with more power to make local decisions and greater control over budgets. An elected representative of the area chairs will also sit on the Executive.

Leader of Fife Council Alex Rowley said: “It’s not the structure of the council that’s important to Fife’s residents, it’s what we achieve. So we have set up a system to help us deal with business quickly, effectively and in the best interests of Fife.

“This is a new structure for a new council with new challenges. We want to decentralise power for a purpose and that is to put people first. This structure will empower communities and open up new opportunities for local councillors and residents of Fife to influence their services, make funding decisions and change policies to support residents’ needs.

“We are all here to represent the people of Fife. Our challenge is to stand up for them and not just put them first - we want to put them in the driving seat so we can deliver better services for all our communities.

As a Council we will strive to make sure that every child gets the chance to achieve their full potential and that young people have a fairer deal when they’re looking for employment. We’re here to regenerate town centres, protect our environment, grow local businesses, encourage investment in Fife and support families – young and old.

“The Council’s Executive members and area committees will be united in this purpose.”

Two scrutiny committees will be established; an Education, Social and Communities Scrutiny Committee and an Environment, Finance and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee. Each will have 16 members representing all the political parties.

The scrutiny committees will monitor the performance of council services and third party organisations that the council funds, and have the power to examine and question decisions made by the Executive.

There will be a review of the scheme of administration and the council’s standing orders over the summer and Members will review the new decision making arrangements in a year’s time.

The Executive will consist of:

• Council Leader (Cllr Alex Rowley)
• Depute Leader (Cllr David Ross)
• Depute Provost (Cllr Kay Morrison)
• 5 Labour Executive members
• Leader of the Opposition (Cllr Peter Grant)
• One SNP, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent councillor (4)
• The council’s representative on NHS Fife Board, Cllr Andrew Rodger