This resource is from the About MPA section. This Members page contains details of the elected lead members to promote and represent views or policies in specific areas of work agreed by the MPA and its committees.

Sections available here:

• Lead Member roles
  • Lead Member roles

Lead Member roles

The MPA elects lead members to promote and represent views or policies in specific areas of work agreed by the MPA and its committees. They keep themselves informed of the key developments and issues in their lead area, contribute to policy development locally and nationally as appropriate, and act as champion for that particular subject.

While often acting as a spokesperson for their lead area, lead members do not have the authority to commit the MPA to a course of action or to make decisions on its behalf.

Details of lead member roles are currently being updated and are pending ratification by committee.

Lead Member roles

1. To act as champion for that particular subject area, recognising that on occasions the lead member should have the freedom to act in a scrutiny or questioning capacity.
2. To be the initial point of contact for the MPS or others wishing to discuss issues informally with an MPA member or to sound out views.
3. Under some circumstances, and particularly in the event of non-availability of the Chair, to act as a spokesperson.
4. To contribute to policy development locally and nationally as appropriate, by representing the MPA on other bodies etc.
5. Committee Chairs are by definition the lead member for those areas in their committee’s terms of reference, unless another member has been allocated a specific responsibility – in such cases it is preferable for that member to be drawn from the committee’s membership.
6. Lead members do not have the authority to commit the MPA to a course of action or to make decisions on its behalf.
7. In carrying out their role or speaking publicly, the lead member must promote and represent views or policies agreed by the MPA or its committees even if these are not their own views.
8. Lead members have a responsibility to keep the relevant committee informed of their work by way of regular written updates, and to keep themselves informed of the key developments and issues in their lead area.
9. A lead member can request briefings/information on their subject area from MPA and MPS officers (within reason in terms of the time it might take to produce a briefing).
10. The lead member role does not attract a special responsibility allowance unless specifically agreed by the MPA and the general assumption is that SRAs will not apply, given that basic allowances were set at a comparatively high level to recognise such demands on MPA members.

The following pages on the MPA website are relevant:

• Members
• Appointment of members
• Geographical link member list
  Details of the linking of the Authority's 23 members with the 32 London Boroughs.
• Member's allowances
  Details of payment of allowances to Independent or Magistrate members of the MPA.
• Member's expenses
  Details of payment of expenses to Independent or Magistrate members of the MPA.
• Members "job profiles"
  Description of the role of members and the consequential responsibilities that they are expected to fulfil.
• Members attendance record
  A record of members attendance of committee meetings for previous committee year
• Members’ Code of Conduct
  Details the expected conduct of members