Councillors are expected to vote to overhaul how council businesses is conducted in the north-east when they meet in Aberdeen today.
The final meeting of Aberdeenshire’s full council before the summer recess is already politically charged with uncertainty over the future of co-leader Martin Kitts-Hayes.
Now councillors will be asked to consider shaking up the committee structure used to make decision across all areas – including planning, education and finances.
Currently the council is broken down into area committees comprised of local members who discuss local issues, and
policy committees who make decisions on topics such as education, infrastructure, and housing.
Until now financial decisions were ultimately made the umbrella policy and resources committee which is chaired by the council co-leaders.
But now a new way of conducting business has been recommended by a cross-party governance group.
Instead of major decisions being passed up a chain from committee to committee, the policy committees will – if
tomorrow’s proposal is accepted by the chamber at Woodhill House – have financial spending powers.
In a report to full council, council business services director Ritchie Johnson said the changes would mean the four policy committees “have an early influence, develop and set policy and strategy in the policy areas of the council’s functions including consultation with area committees”.
If agreed it is understood the new structure could be in place before the local authority elections in May 2017.