How the Council operates is defined in a document called the Constitution, which is the Council’s ‘rule book’.  All local authorities are required to have a Constitution in place as defined in section 37 of the Local Government Act 2000.

The Constitution is split into six parts which cover the key Council functions and how it is governed:

• Part 1 – Summary and Explanation
• Part 2 – Sections of the Constitution
• Part 3 – Responsibility for Functions
• Part 4 – Rules of Procedure
• Part 5 – Codes and Protocols
• Part 6 – Members’ Allowances Scheme

Primarily it sets out who has responsibility for carrying out functions as defined in numerous pieces of legislation.  The full Council, Cabinet, and Committees enact most major functions, however on a day-to-day basis; functions are delegated to Officers (normally officers of the Leadership Team).

It also details the terms of reference and procedures rules for full Council, Cabinet and Committees, as well as the Council’s finance and contract procedures, codes and protocols for Officers and Members and the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

The Council’s Monitoring Officer has responsibility for maintaining the Constitution to ensure that is up to date and can be easily accessed by members, officers and the general public.  Annual reviews of the Constitution are undertaken by the Constitution Working Group in conjuction with the Monitoring Officer and any required changes are recommended to full Council for approval.

The Constitution can be accessed below as a single document or split down into each individual section.