Useful Links

What are Wards?

Who is in the Cabinet?

What are the Business Units?

Who's Who?

What does the Council do and who gets to make the decisions?

Politics can be difficult to understand and local government is no different, but this section of the Zone aims to help you understand how your council is set up and who looks after the different services that we provide for you.

Bournemouth Council is made up of two parts: Councillors and Officers

Councillors

These people are voted for by Bournemouth residents in the elections, which are held every 4 years. There are 54 Councillors in total who are split into 18 wards. Ten of these Councillors have been selected by the Council Leader to sit on the Cabinet.

The Councillors vote on ideas and plans that have been put together by the Officers.

It is the Councillors job to make sure the services that the council provides meet your needs and everybody else who lives and works in Bournemouth. The council does this by setting priorities. These are:

Improving our Environment (natural, built and social)
Tackling Crime
Better Planning
Community Action
Efficient Council

The council's priorities for investment are:

Building schools for the future
Transport
Pavilion
All-weather facilities
Affordable Housing

Officers

These people make up the corporate side of the council and do all the 'behind the scenes' work, that you don't always get to see.

This part of the council is lead by the Chief Executive and is made up of:

5 directors
16 business units

For more information about the Council structure, you can view the Organisational Chart...