The Constitution sets out how the Council works and the procedures that make sure it takes efficient, transparent and accountable decisions.
The Articles explain the purpose of the Constitution and commit the Council to working within its principles and within the law.
They also cover:
There are 43 councillors elected every four years. Councillors’ overriding duty is to the whole community but they have a special duty to their constituents, including those who did not vote for them.
Councillors have signed up to a code of conduct and the Standards Committee makes sure they are properly trained and advised.
All Councillors meet together as Full Council. Meetings of the Council are open to the public. Full Council decides the overall policies and sets the budget each year. It is also responsible for electing the Leader, Deputy Leader, members of the Executive and for setting up the Committees.
The Executive makes most of the day-to-day decisions. It is made up of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council and four other members appointed by Full Council at its Annual Meeting in May. Each member of the Executive has a “portfolio” of work allocated to them. For example, environmental health, housing and community safety. All decisions taken are published in the Executive’s Forward Plan. Meetings are open to the public except where certain confidential matters are being discussed. The Executive makes decisions that are within the Council’s budget and policy framework.
Council set up four Select Committees to support the work the Executive does and to provide scrutiny and challenge. They can, for example, hold public inquiries into matters of local concern. These can lead to recommendations to the Executive on its policy, budget or service delivery matters. Select committees can ‘call-in’ a decision made by the Executive. They can recommend that the Executive reconsiders the decision. They can also be asked by the Executive to advise on aspects of policy development.
Council staff are known as ‘officers’. They give advice, take and implement decisions and manage the day-to-day delivery of its services. Some officers have a specific duty to make sure the Council acts within the law and uses its resources wisely. A protocol governs the relationship between officers and members of the Council. This is included in Part 5 of the Constitution.
Citizens have the right to: