1.1 There are certain functions, the responsibility for which and /or the exercise of which the Council must, by law, reserve to itself or has chosen to do so. These are contained in Appendix 1 which sets out the assignment of responsibility for the functions not only of the Council itself, but also for Executive functions, Overview and Scrutiny functions and other non-Executive functions.
1.2 All Councillors, acting together as Full Council, will have the following roles and responsibilities:
a) adopting the Constitution and any subsequent changes to it;
b) adopting the Member’s Code of Conduct;
c) agreeing the Council’s Policy Framework and Budget;
d) taking decisions in respect of functions which are the responsibility of the Executive which are not in accordance with the Budgetary and Policy Framework agreed by the Council;
e) taking decisions in respect of functions which are not the responsibility of the Executive and which have not been delegated by the Council to Committees, sub Committees or Officers;
f) making appointments to Committees and external bodies;
g) agreeing or amending the terms of reference for Committees, deciding on their composition and making appointments to them;
h) appointing the Executive Leader of the Council;
i) confirming the appointment of the Council’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Paid Service;
j) duty to appoint an Electoral Registration Officer;
k) duty to appoint Returning Officer for local elections;
l) adopting a Members Allowance Scheme under Appendix 20 of this Constitution;
m) making, amending and revoking re-enacting or adopting bye-laws and promoting or opposing the making of local legislation of personal bills;
n) power to change the name of the area and the name of the City;
o) power to change the name of a Parish;
p) power to fill vacancies in the event of insufficient nominations;
q) appointing Honorary Freemen of the City;
r) making standing orders and financial regulations;
s) debating issues which affect the Council, its citizens and/or its area;
t) all other matters which, by law, must be reserved to Council;
1.3
The extent and nature of these roles and responsibilities are set
out in Appendices of this Constitution.
2.1 There are four types of Council Meetings:
a) Annual Meeting;
b) Ordinary Meetings;
c) Budget Council;
d) Extraordinary or special Meetings.
2.2
All meetings will be conducted in accordance with the
Council’s Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 3 of this
Constitution.
3.1 Appendix 1 of this Constitution describes in detail those functions, which are the responsibility of the Executive (“Executive functions”) and those, which cannot be the responsibility of the Executive (“non-Executive functions”). Apart from determining the Budgetary and Policy Framework, Executive functions include everything which is not explicitly identified as a non–Executive function in the Local Government Act 2000 and subsidiary regulations.
3.2 Non-Executive functions include:
a) licensing and regulatory functions (Article 14);
b) granting planning permission and other operational development control functions (Article 13);
c) the appointment, disciplinary and terms and conditions of Officers (Article 24 and Appendix 12);
d) functions in relation to elections and civic appointments;
e) a range of functions relating to public rights of way.
4.1 The Council will keep up to date Appendix 1 of this Constitution setting out the allocation of responsibilities for the Council’s functions.