East Sussex County Council

Constitution

Contents

· Constitution Index

· Decision Making Arrangements

· Part 1 – Summary and Explanation

· Part 2 – Articles of the Constitution

· Part 3 – Responsibility for Functions

· Part 4 – Rules of Procedure

· Part 5 – Codes and Protocols

· Part 6 – Scheme of Members’ Allowances

<AI1>

Decision Making Arrangements

11 - 16

</AI1>

<AI2>

Part 1  – Summary and Explanation

</AI2>

<AI3>

Summary and Explanation

17 - 20

· The Council’s Constitution

· What’s in the Constitution

· How the Council Operates

· How Decisions are Made

· Overview and Scrutiny

· The Council’s Staff

· Citizens’ Rights

</AI3>

<AI4>

Part 2 - Articles of the Constitution

</AI4>

<AI5>

Article 1 - The Constitution

21 - 22

</AI5>

<AI6>

Article 2 - Members of the Council

23 - 26

</AI6>

<AI7>

Article 3 - Citizens of the Council

27 - 28

</AI7>

<AI8>

Article 4 - The Full Council

29 - 30

</AI8>

<AI9>

Article 5 - Chairing the Council

31 - 32

</AI9>

<AI10>

Article 6 - Overview and Scrutiny Committees

33 - 38

</AI10>

<AI11>

Article 7 - The Cabinet

39 - 44

</AI11>

<AI12>

Article 8 - Regulatory and other committees

45 - 46

</AI12>

<AI13>

Article 9 - The Standards Committee

47 - 50

</AI13>

<AI14>

Article 10 - Area Committees and Forums

51 - 52

</AI14>

<AI15>

Article 11 - Joint Arrangements

53 - 54

</AI15>

<AI16>

Article 12 - Officers

55 - 60

</AI16>

<AI17>

Article 13 - Decision Making

61 - 62

</AI17>

<AI18>

Article 14 - Finance, Contracts and Legal Matters

63 - 64

</AI18>

<AI19>

Article 15 - Review and Revision of the Constitution

65 - 66

</AI19>

<AI20>

Article 16 - Suspension, Interpretation and Publication of the Constitution

67 - 68

</AI20>

<AI21>

Schedule 1 - Description of Executive Arrangements

69 - 70

</AI21>

<AI22>

Part 3 - Responsibility for Functions

</AI22>

<AI23>

Responsibility for Functions Exercised only by the County Council

71 - 74

</AI23>

<AI24>

Table 1 - Cabinet Responsibilities and Functions

75 - 80

</AI24>

<AI25>

Table 2 - Responsibility for Local Choice Functions

81 - 82

</AI25>

<AI26>

Table 3 - Responsibility for executive functions exercised by Cabinet Members, As Listed by the Leader (Article 7.06 of the Constitution refers)

83 - 84

</AI26>

<AI27>

Table 4 - Regulatory Committee Responsibilities and Functions

85 - 88

</AI27>

<AI28>

Table 5 - Other Committees and Panels Appointed to undertake functions which are not the responsibilities of the Cabinet, or to assist the Cabinet by advising it on issues for which it is responsible, or established in accordance with legislative requirements

89 - 120

</AI28>

<AI29>

Table 6 - Scheme of Delegations to Officers

121 - 168

· General delegation

· Delegations to Chief Executive and all Directors

· Delegations to Particular Officers

</AI29>

<AI30>

List of Proper Officers Designated by the County Council

169 - 174

</AI30>

<AI31>

Part 4 - Rules of Procedure

</AI31>

<AI32>

(1) Council Procedure Rules

175 - 214

· Scope – Standing Order (SO)

· Part 1 – Council Meetings

o (A) General

SO1	Interpretation
SO2	Place and time of meeting
SO3	No smoking
SO4	Mobile phones and refreshments
SO5	Summons
SO6	Circulation of committee reports
SO7	Record of attendances
SO8	Admission of public and press and recording of proceedings
SO9	Motions affecting employees
SO10	Order of business
SO11	Election of Chairman and Appointment of Vice-Chairman
SO12	Minutes
SO13	Council in Committee
SO14	Suspension of Standing Orders
SO15	Termination of meetings
SO16	Adjournment of meeting
SO17	Quorum

o (B) Presentation of Reports

SO18	Reserved paragraphs

o (C) Rules of Debate

SO19	Members to stand
SO20	Respect for the Chairman
SO21	Relevance of speeches
SO22	Points of order or personal explanation
SO23	Length of Speeches
SO24	Requirement for a motion or amendment to be seconded
SO25	Seconder may reserve speech
SO26	When a member may speak again
SO27	Definition of “amendment”
SO28	Disposal of amendments
SO29	Alteration of motions
SO30	Withdrawal of motion or amendment
SO31	Closure of debate on a motion or amendment
SO32	Right of reply

o (D) Voting

SO33	Method of Voting
SO33	Recorded Vote on Budget and Council Tax setting
SO34	Voting on appointments

o (E) Motions

SO35	Motions which may be moved without notice and/or during debate
SO36	Motions of which notice must be given
SO36.9	Motions separately referred to on summons
SO36.11	Motions received after dispatch of agenda of appropriate Committee
SO36.12	Motions referred to a Committee or a Lead Cabinet Member
SO37	Members’ rights in relation to motions
SO38	Motion not moved to lapse
SO29	Restrictions on Further Motions

o (F) Petitions

SO40

Petitions

o (G) Questions

SO41	Provisions which relate to questions from members of the public and members of the County Council (oral and written)
SO42	Questions from members of the public
SO43	Oral Questions by members of the County Council
SO44	Written Questions by Members of the County Council

o (H) Debate of Cabinet’s priorities for year ahead

SO45	Debate of Cabinet’s priorities for year ahead

o (I) Disorderly conduct

SO46	Disorderly conduct
SO47	Disclosure of Council business

· Part 2 – Committees and Delegations to Individual Members

SO48	Appointment of Committees and Sub-Committees
SO49	The Cabinet
SO50	Constitution and Functions of Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels and other bodies
SO51	Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs Appointed by the Council
SO52	Chairs of Panels and Other Groups of Members
SO53	All Committees, Sub-Committees and Panels
SO54	Summoning of meetings
SO55	Voting in Cabinet, Committees and Sub-Committees
SO56	Delegations to Individual Members
SO57	Standing Orders to apply to Committees and Sub-Committees
SO58	Remote Attendance at meetings

· Part 3 – General

SO59	Custody of common seal
SO60	Sealing of documents
SO61	Inspection of documents
SO62	Inspection of lands, premises, etc
SO63	Personal Interests
SO64	Interest of officers in contracts
SO65	Members intending to act in a professional capacity in a matter in which the Council has an interest
SO66	Standing Orders and Statement of the Role of Councillors

</AI32>

<AI33>

(2) Access to Information Procedure Rules

215 - 226

Rule
1	Scope
2	Additional Rights to Information
3	Rights to Attend Meetings
4	Notices of Meeting
5	Access to Agenda and Reports Before the Meeting
6	Supply of Copies
7	Access to Minutes etc After the Meeting
8	Background Papers
9	Summary of Public’s Rights
10	Exclusion of Access by the Public to Meetings
11	Exclusion of Access by the Public to Reports
12	Application of Rules to the Cabinet
13	Procedure Before Taking Key Decisions
14	The Forward Plan
15	General Exception
16	Special Urgency
17	Report to Council
18	Record of Decisions
19	Cabinet Meetings Relating to Matters which are not Key Decisions
20	Notice of Private Meeting of the Cabinet
21	Attendance at Private Meetings of the Cabinet
22	Decisions by Individual Members of the Cabinet
23	Overview and Scrutiny Committees Access to Documents
24	Additional Rights of Access for Members
25	Procedures Prior to Private Meetings

</AI33>

<AI34>

(3) Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules

227 - 232

1	The framework for Cabinet decisions
2	Process for developing the framework
3	Decisions outside the budget or policy framework
4	Urgent decisions outside the budget or policy framework
5	Virement
6	In-year change to policy framework
7	Call-in of decisions outside the budget or policy framework

</AI34>

<AI35>

(4) Cabinet Procedure Rules

233 - 236

· How does the Cabinet operate?

· How are Cabinet Meetings Conducted?

</AI35>

<AI36>

(5) Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

237 - 248

1	What will be the number and arrangement for overview and scrutiny committees?
2	Organisational Arrangements and Responsibilities
3	“Substitutes” on Scrutiny Committees
4	Press and media releases
5	Timetable for Reviews
6	Interviews as Part of Review
7	Meetings of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Scrutiny and Audit Committees
8	Who may sit on overview and scrutiny committees?
9	Co-opted Members
10	Meetings of the overview and scrutiny committees
11	Quorum
12	Who chairs overview and scrutiny committee meetings?
13	Work programme
14	Agenda items
15	Policy review and development
16	Reports from overview and scrutiny committee
17	Making sure that overview and scrutiny reports are considered by the Cabinet or policy committees
18	Rights of overview and scrutiny committees members to documents
19	Guidance on Call-in
20	Call-in and Call-in & Special Urgency
21	The party whip
22	Procedure at overview and scrutiny committee meetings
23	Matters within the remit of more than one overview and scrutiny committee

</AI36>

<AI37>

(6) Public speaking at meetings of the Planning Committee

249 - 254

</AI37>

<AI38>

(7) Financial Procedure Rules

255 - 274

A.1	Introduction
A.2	General Financial Management
A.3	Accounting Arrangements
A.4	Audit Arrangements
A.5	Control of Financial Budgets
A.6	Control of Staffing Budget
A.7	Control of Financial Information and Communication Systems
A.8	Control of Contracts
A.9	Banking Arrangements
A.10	Treasury Management, Investments and Trust Funds
A.11	Estates
A.12	Insurance
A.13	Financial Limits
A.14	Fees and Charges
A.15	Reserves
A.16	Value Added Tax (VAT) and Taxation

</AI38>

<AI39>

(8) Procurement Standing Orders

275 - 294

1	Introduction
2	Finding and contracting with suppliers
3	Procurement methods
4	Waivers and Emergencies
5	Liability and Security
6	Managing Contracts
7	Paying our suppliers
8	Disposing of surplus goods

</AI39>

<AI40>

(9) Officer Employment Procedure Rules

295 - 302

1	Recruitment and appointment
2	Recruitment of head of paid service and chief officers
3	Appointment of head of paid service
4	Appointment of chief officers and deputy chief officers
5	Other appointments
6	Disciplinary action

</AI40>

<AI41>

Part 5 - Codes and Protocols

</AI41>

<AI42>

(1) Code of Conduct for Members

303 - 316

· Part 1 – General Provisions

· Part 2 – Interests

· Part 3 – Registration of Interests

· Appendix 1 – The Seven Principles of Public Life

</AI42>

<AI43>

(2) Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy

317 - 332

</AI43>

<AI44>

(3) Code on Member/Employee Relationships

333 - 346

</AI44>

<AI45>

(4) Protocol on Decision Making

347 - 352

</AI45>

<AI46>

(5) Advice to Members Serving on Outside Bodies

353 - 360

</AI46>

<AI47>

Part 6  – Scheme of Members' Allowances

</AI47>

<AI48>

Scheme of Members' Allowances

361 - 370

· Basic Allowance

· Special Responsibility Allowance

· Travel Allowances

· Subsistence Allowances

· Dependents’ Carers’ Allowance

· Telephones

· Co-optees’ Allowance

· Amendments to the Scheme

· Payment of allowances

· Election not to receive payment

· Councillor Parental Leave Policy

· Annex 1 – Other bodies to which the Authority makes appointment or nominations (and any Committee or Sub-Committee of these bodies)

· Annex 2 – Travelling and Subsistence Rates

· Appendix 1 – Member Parental Leave Policy

</AI48>

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