Balancín Witan

The Witan (lit. wise men), informally known as the Witan Council, is the cabinet and senior advisory body to the sovereign of the Balancín Kingdoms. Its members, known as Witan or, informally, counsellors, are mainly senior politicians or clergymen who are current members of the Balancín Parliament. The Witan is formed by the monarch through the appointment of two senior figures: the Lords Temporal and Spiritual. Collaboratively, the Lords Temporal and Spiritual appoint the other Witan counsellors to fill the offices on the Witan. Meetings of the council are known as Witenagemot, and are identified by calendar month. In times when the monarch is away from court, the Witan can act with the monarch's authority.

The Witan formally advises the sovereign on the exercise of the royal prerogative and his other executive powers and responsibilities. The King issues executive instruments, known as royal proclamations, that are issued to the Witan for execution. The Witan also holds the delegated authority to issue royal proclamations through the use of the King's Seal. The body advises the sovereign on the issuing of royal charters, which are often far reaching constitutional matters, as well as in proposing legislation and interacting with Parliament.

The Witan also holds responsibility over the succession, replacing function of the Accession Council.

Offices

Aside from the Lords Temporal and Spiritual, there are fourteen offices on the Witan. Historically, the Lords Temporal and Spiritual have taken offices for themselves, depending on their area of interest or style of leadership. The offices are:

• Lord Keeper of the King's Seal
  • The Lord Keeper of the King's Seal, known informally as the Lord Keeper, is the most senior Witan counsellor because of their holding of the King's Seal, which is the only means of exerting the royal prerogative aside from instructions from the sovereign himself. Only through the Lord Keeper can the Witan exercise the royal prerogative in its own right, making it a natural leadership position on the council. Typically, the Lord Temporal takes this office.
• Lord Treasurer of the Balancín Kingdoms
  • The Lord Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Kingdom and, in particular, responsible for the fiscal relationship between the Witan and Parliament. The Lord Treasurer is a office outlined in the 3023 Royal Charter, making it another key office of state. Notably, the Lord Treasurer is only responsible for the Treasury of the Balancín Kingdoms and not the Crown's own personal finances, which is managed by the Lord Chancellor of the Crown Estates.
• Lord High Chancellor of the Balancín Kingdoms
  • The Lord High Chancellor is responsible for the functioning of the Balancín Kingdoms's legal and judicial system. The Lord High Chancellor is the highest legal authority, aside from the King, and operates executively the judicial courts of the land. The office is typically held in conjunction with the office of Lord Proctor of the King's Justice, which extends the judicial authority over punishments as well.
• Lord Proctor of the King's Justice
  • The Lord Proctor of the King's Justice is responsible for the execution of verdicts of law, known as the King's Justice. This includes the operation of prisons, the carrying out of executions, and the issuing of fines, penalties, and charges for breaches of the King's Peace. The Lord Proctor of the King's Justice reports to the Lord High Chancellor, though the offices are usually held by the same person simultaneously.
• Lord Constable and Earl Marshal
  • The Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal, known informally simply as the Lord Constable, is responsible for the policing and national security of the Balancín Kingdoms. With authority over the police, the border, immigration, security intelligence agencies, and security forces, the Lord Constable holds among the most wide ranging powers on the Witan. The Lord Constable reports to the Lord High Chancellor.
• Lord Proctor of the King's Peace
  • The Lord Proctor of the King's Peace is responsible for the defence of the realm. As the executive manager of the royal military, the Lord Proctor has the authority to command forces, to arrange defences, and to supersede other executive functions in the aim of defending the Balancín Kingdoms from attack. The Lord Proctor also oversees the Crown Diplomacy Service, which gives it authority over foreign policy as well.
• Lord Chancellor of the Crown Estates
  • The Lord Chancellor of the Crown Estates reports directly to the sovereign and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Crown corporation, the Crown's finances, and all the land, buildings, and holdings of the Crown. A truly massive office, the Lord Chancellor of the Crown Estates is akin to a second prime ministerial figure and is another popular option for Lords Temporal to hold to give them maximum power and influence over the state.
• Bishop Proctor of Evangelisation
• Bishop Proctor of Charity
• Bishop Proctor of Education and Learning
• Bishop Proctor of Health
• Bishop Proctor of the Venerable
• Bishop Proctor of Laity, Family, and Life
• Bishop Proctor of Culture