The Council's Constitution
The Constitution, is approved by full Council, and sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which it has to follow. The Council has to exercise all its powers and duties in accordance with the law and this constitution. The Constitution is part of the Council’s Corporate Governance framework which defines the systems and processes by which the Council leads, directs and controls its functions and relates to its communities and partners.
The purpose of the Constitution is to set out how the Council conducts its business, how decisions are made and the procedures it has to follow so that it remains accountable to local people. Some of these procedures are required by law while others are a matter for the Council to determine.
The Constitution can only be amended by all Members of the Council sitting together as Full Council, however, consequential amendments can be made by the Monitoring Officer of the Council (the Borough Solicitor).