Council officers are paid, non-elected employees of the organisation. In general terms, council officers implement policy decisions made by councillors.
The city council has a statutory duty to appoint three officers – chief executive (head of paid services), head of finance and monitoring officer.
Senior council officers within the council make up the Senior Leadership Team which oversees the development and delivery of all council services and is the main decision-making body which works alongside the councillors.
Chief executive
The chief executive is the council's chief policy adviser and the link between council officers and elected members.
The chief executive has authority over all council officers and is responsible for co-ordinating the forward planning of the council's services and objectives; securing a corporate approach to the affairs of the council; making sure the council's policies are implemented efficiently and effectively and that they give best value to the council taxpayer; and maintaining the council's relationships with other organisations.
Chief finance officer
A key role of the chief finance officer is to make sure decisions are lawful and financially sensible.
Other areas of responsibility include managing the council's finances and giving support and advice to councillors and officers on maladministration, probity, financial impropriety and the budget and policy framework.
Monitoring officer
Responsible for maintaining an up to date version of the council’s constitution. The monitoring officer effectively serves as the guardian of the council's constitution and the decision making process.
He or she is responsible for advising the council on the legality of its decisions and providing guidance to councillors and officers on the council's constitution and its powers.
The monitoring officer also works closely with the council's standards committee to assist it in its role of promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct and probity within the council.
