Institutions Affiliated to the Council Secretariat of the Western Province Provincial Council

Council Secretariat of the Western Province Provincial Council

The Council takes decisions with regard to its needs through consensus arrived by way of dialogue and debate between the government group and the opposition similar to parliamentary traditions Functions of the Provincial Council can be summarized as follows,

Office of the Chairman

Hon. Chairman of the Provincial Council is the Leader of the Institution relating to Council matters.  A Deputy Chairman has been appointed to assist him.

Authority of the Chairman includes chairing  Council meetings.  The absolute authority to maintain discipline and the control of the Council when meetings are held and observation of rules of Council have been entrusted to the Chairman.

The Office of the Leader of the House 

The Leader of the House helps  and supports the Chairman in the conduct of Council duties

Coordinating the affairs of the Council particularly where debates are concerned, is in the hands of the Leader of the House.  It is his duty to prepare the list of speakers at a debate with the co-operation of the governing party and the opposition, as well as the fixing of the duration of the speeches.  In this way the Leader of the House assists the Chairman.

Maintaining a productive relationship between the Board of Ministers and the Chief Minister and at the same time keeping the Ministers informed about council affairs are his/her duties.  He has to find out about the needs of the members and the relevant services and direct the attention of the Secretariat and the board of Ministers to them.  These are only some of the duties of the Leader of the House.

The Leader of the House helps  and supports the Chairman in the conduct of Council duties

Office of the Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the Opposition is the Head of the opposition group of the Council and he links the functions of the Council by directing that group and participating in debates and meetings of the Council.  A Chief Opposition Whip has been appointed to assist the Leader or the Opposition.

The Leader of the Opposition of the Western Province Provincial Council has been provided with facilities and amenities equal to those of a Minister of the Council.