Article 15 - Review and Revision of the Constitution

15.01  Duty to monitor and review the constitution

The Assistant Chief Executive, as the Council’s Monitoring Officer, will monitor and review the operation of the Constitution to ensure that the aims and principles of the Constitution are given full effect.

Protocol for monitoring and review of constitution by Monitoring Officer. A key role for the Monitoring Officer is to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution adopted by the Council, and to make recommendations for ways in which it could be amended in order better to achieve the purposes set out in Article 1. In undertaking this task the Monitoring Officer may:

(1) observe meetings of different parts of the member and officer structure;

(2) undertake an audit trail of a sample of decisions;

(3) record and analyse issues raised with him/her by members, officers, the public and other relevant stakeholders; and

(4) compare practices in this authority with those in other comparable authorities, or national examples of best practice.

15.02 Changes to the Constitution

(a) Approval. Changes to the constitution will only be approved by the full Council after consideration of the proposal by the Cabinet where an executive function is involved. The Council has delegated authority to the Governance Committee to agree the delegation of the Council’s non-executive powers to officers, other local authorities and public bodies so far as the law allows.

(b) Changes from Leader and Cabinet form of Executive. The Council must take reasonable steps to consult with local electors and other interested persons in the area when drawing up proposals.