2. About Angus Council
Background
Angus Council is a local authority incorporated under Section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and has its principal office at Angus House, Orchardbank Business Park, Forfar, Angus, Scotland, UK, tel (+44)(0)1307 461460. Its website is at www.angus.gov.uk.
Angus Council is one of 32 local authorities in Scotland and came into existence on 1 April 1996.
The Council is responsible for council services for the area of Angus and its 108,400 people. The county of Angus is located on the east coast of Scotland, spanning an area of approximately 842 square miles. The seven main towns are Forfar, Arbroath, Montrose, Brechin, Kirriemuir, Carnoustie and Monifieth.
The Council spent over £240m in 2002/3 on revenue items with income reducing this to a net £160m. This net sum was financed by £126m (79%) from Government Grant and Business Rates and by £34m (21%) from Council Tax. A further £17m was spent on acquiring and improving capital assets. The Council employs approximately 5,200 staff.
The Council
Angus Council comprises 8 multi-member wards with three of four councillors representing each ward. There are 29 elected members in total. The Council operates a committee system of political management. Principal committees include the Strategic Policy Committee, Resources and Central Services Committee, and committees responsible for overseeing each of the Council's services. Full details of these and the Council's other committees etc, including their remits and reporting lines, are set out in the Order of Reference of Committees. This can be found in "Council Decisions" under "Your Council" in Part B. The Scheme of Delegation to Officers, which can also be found in "Council Decisions", describes the functions of the Council which have been delegated to officers (the staff of the Council, as opposed to its elected Members) to carry out.
Following the last full Council elections in May 2007, the political make-up of the Council is 13 Scottish National Party, 3 Liberal Democrat, 5 Conservative, 2 Labour and 6 Independent Members. The next Council elections will be in 2011.
Functions
Corporate management within Angus Council is overseen by the Chief Executive, who is also the Head of the Council's Paid Service. The Council's services are delivered by the following Departments:
- Chief Executive's
- Corporate Services
- Education
- Infrastructure Services
- Neighbourhood Services
- Social Work & Health
More detailed information about what Departments do is set out in the Departmental Service Plans in "Council Services" under "Your Council" in Part B.