The Council is composed of 48 councillors representing 20 wards, with one-third elected three years in four. Councillors are democratically accountable to residents of their ward but have a duty to the whole community.
The Council upholds the Constitution and sets the budget and framework within which its committees must operate.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council operates under executive arrangements, also known as the ‘Leader and Cabinet’ model. The Full Council elects the Leader and the Leader appoints their Cabinet from amongst the members of the Council.
The Cabinet is collectively responsible for all executive functions within the budget and framework adopted by the Council. The remit of the Cabinet is extensive and includes most matters which are not reserved to Full Council or expressly delegated to other bodies. In addition, the Leader and members of the Cabinet have oversight and may make decisions about certain functions within their portfolio. See the Cabinet page for more information.
The Council appoints a number of committees to which responsibility for specific functions are delegated.
The Council has a number of advisory boards which meet in public to provide formal advice to other committees. They are treated the same as other committees but do not have decision making powers themselves.
The Council also has a number of working parties which meet privately and provide a sounding-board for ideas. These working parties do not have decision making powers and their proceedings are not open to the public.