How decisions are made

Full Council appoints the Leader. The Leader appoints members to the Executive. The Executive makes the key decisions concerning the services we deliver.

Cabinet members

Each member of the Executive has a portfolio of services for which they are responsible.

See the Council Constitution, which sets out how we operate, how we make decisions and the procedures that we follow to ensure that decisions are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people.

Portfolios and portfolio holders

The Council Leader's Portfolio - Strategic and Community Leadership

Portfolio holder: Council Leader - Councillor Virginia Taylor

The Leader has responsibility for the delivery of our corporate priorities.

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Strategic direction of the Council and the Council Plan.
  • Strategic leadership.
  • Council's Declaration of Climate and Ecological Emergency.
  • Devolution and Local Government reorganisation.
  • External relations.
  • Executive oversight.
  • Strategic partnerships, including Arts and Culture and Equality and Diversity.
  • Ensuring a balanced budget with the Resources Portfolio Holder.
  • Emergency planning and business continuity, with the Economies and Enterprise Portfolio Holder.
  • Responsibility for delivery of the Corporate Priorities.
  • Council communications.
  • Planning Policy.
  • Development Management, with the Green Growth Portfolio Holder.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Communities Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Councillor Lissie Sharp

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Community engagement, resilience and empowerment.
  • Community development activities.
  • Community safety, crime and disorder.
  • Distribution of community grants.
  • Sports, recreation and leisure.
  • Parks and open spaces.
  • Children and young people.
  • Older person services.
  • Armed Forces Covenant.
  • Work with third sector organisations.
  • Paris and Town Council engagement.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Commercial Services Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Deputy Leader of the Council - Councillor Mary Robinson

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • An Economic strategy which brings investment into Eden and drives vitality and business development.
  • Work with the market towns, town centres and the rural areas in the district to bring vitality and viability.
  • Stakeholder relationships linked to economic activities including Town and Parish Councils, Chambers of Trades, BIDs.
  • Strategic Partnerships linked to economic investment, viability of services and the Local Industrial Strategy for Cumbria.
  • Relations with businesses and education providers in the District.
  • Employment within the district.
  • The promotion of apprenticeships.
  • Relations with businesses.
  • The implementation of broadband and communication facilities and services within the district.
  • Tourism, tourism development and Tourist Information Centres.
  • Land and asset management and maximising income generation and economic opportunities.
  • Markets.
  • Shareholder representative on Heart of Cumbria.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Green Growth Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Councillor Mark Rudhall

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Sustainable Development.
  • Assets and Energy.
  • Consumption and Waste.
  • Circular Economy.
  • Zero Carbon Housing (New Build and Retrofit).
  • Sustainable Transport and Cycling.
  • Low Carbon/Greening Eden Businesses.
  • Climate Change.
  • Biodiversity.
  • Flood prevention and management.
  • Sustainable Waste Service with Services Portfolio Holder.
  • Home Improvement Agency with Housing and Health Portfolio Holder.
  • Building Regulations and Building Control.
  • Development Management with the Leader.
  • Environmental Enhancement.
  • Conservation Areas.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Housing and Health Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Councillor Judith Derbyshire

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Council's responsibilities as local housing authority.
  • Well-being and public health.
  • Delivery of housing provision to fit all housing needs, including bringing empty houses back into use.
  • Delivery of better quality homes, existing and new, for all residents.
  • Statutory homelessness.
  • Improving housing stock, reducing energy use and emissions, with Green Growth portfolio holder.
  • Home Improvement Agency, including Disabled Facilities grant.
  • Environmental health protection, food safety and housing standards.
  • Embedding public health aims in wider council functions.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Services Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Councillor Michael Tonkin

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Waste collection and recycling.
  • Joint working with the County Council and other authorities on waste.
  • Devolution of functions to Town and Parish Councils.
  • Street cleansing and ground maintenance.
  • Cemeteries and closed churchyards.
  • Public Toilets.
  • Off-street parking.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Resources Portfolio

Portfolio holder: Councillor Karen Greenwood

Portfolio of responsibilities:

  • Financial management and planning, including ensuring a balanced budget with the Leader.
  • Financial Services.
  • Revenues and Benefits.
  • Procurement and Procurement Strategy.
  • Policy on General Fund Reserves.
  • Land and Asset Management Resource Implications.
  • Office Accommodation Resource Implications.
  • Information Technology.
  • Oversight of establishing other methods of Service Delivery (including commercial entities).
  • The organisational structure and management process of the Council.
  • The Management of Succession.
  • Legal.
  • Information Governance, Data Protection and Freedom of Information.
  • Equality and diversity.
  • Human Resources.
  • Staff and Member training.
  • Customer Services.
  • Democratic Services.
  • Regulatory and Licensing Policy.

Back to portfolios and portfolio holders.

Executive and portfolio holders' decisions

View the Notice of Key Decisions - May 2021 (PDF: 293Kb / 5 pages).

View the Executive and portfolio holders' decisions.

Officer delegated decisions

See our officer delegated decisions to find out more. We have six officers who can make delegated decisions.

Address allocation decisions or amendments

View address allocation decisions or amendments.

Last updated: Wednesday, 19 January, 2022.