This formal document sets out how the council operates and how it makes decisions. The constitution says what the council must do to make decisions efficiently, transparently and accountably.
The constitution includes:
• Arrangements for council meetings
• Arrangements for executive decision-making
• Arrangements for scrutiny and overview of decisions
• The role and remit of various committees including the standards committee
• The code of conduct for members
• Rules governing finance, contractual and legal matters