SPC Nomination Form

Strategic Policy Committees

What are they?
The statutory basis for Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) is set out in section 48 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by section 41 of the 2014 Act.

SPC’s: –

• Assist the council in the formulation, development and review of policy;
• Reflect the major functions or services of a local authority within the broader context;
• Are tailored to the size, membership and administrative resources of a local authority but generally be 5 in number; and
• Have one third of their membership drawn from sectors relevant to the committees’ work.

Each local authority has established SPC’s which bring together both elected members, and people actively working with social, economic, cultural and environmental bodies to develop and review policies related to council services.

The SPCs thus provide elected members with external views as they discharge their strategic role in the development of the local authority, including their policy development and oversight roles within the local authority.

The elected representatives have a similar role to that of a board of directors. The SPC system provides them with a better focus and enhanced capacity for involvement in policy formulation, review and evaluation with inbuilt assistance of relevant sectoral interests and the support of a Director of Services.

SPCs prepare the groundwork for policies which are then decided on by the local authority, including as appropriate at municipal district level. Accordingly, local sectoral interests, including trade union, farming, environmental and community & voluntary sectors, along with the business community, constitute one third of the membership of SPCs.

The council is and remains the decision-making authority, and it is the task of the SPCs, as committees of the council, only to advise and assist the council in its work.

The success of the SPCs is crucially dependent on the active involvement of councillors and on a positive mindset from all involved.

Note the below formation of the SPC’s may be subject to change.

SPC 1: Economic Development, Enterprise Support, Tourism, Planning & Development Policy

• 1 x Community & Voluntary Seat
• 1 x Social Inclusion Seat
• 1 x Environmental Seat

SPC 2: Transport Policy, Mobility Management and Water Services

• 1 x Community & Voluntary Seat
• 1 x Social Inclusion Seat
• 1 x Environmental Seat

3. SPC 3: Housing

• 1 x Community & Voluntary Seat
• 1 x Social Inclusion Seat
• 1 x Environmental Seat

4. SPC 4: Environment Protection, Climate action and Energy

• 1 x Community & Voluntary Seat
• 1 x Environmental Seat

5. SPC 5: Community, Cultural and Fire

• 1 x Community & Voluntary Seat
• 1 x Social Inclusion Seat