1.1 The Council will exercise all its powers and duties in accordance with the law and this Constitution. This Constitution and all its Articles and Appendices as listed on the contents page is the Constitution of the City of York Council.
1.2 Any reference in this Constitution to particular statutory provisions, or legislation, shall also include any consequential updates to the referenced statutory provisions or legislations.
2.1 The purpose of the Constitution is to provide a framework, which will:
a. enable the Council to provide clear leadership to the community in partnership with citizens and other stakeholders;
b. support the active involvement of citizens in the process of local authority decision-making;
c. help Councillors represent their constituents effectively;
d. enable decisions to be taken efficiently and effectively;
e. create a powerful and effective means of holding decision-makers to public account;
f. ensure that no one will review or scrutinise a decision in which they were directly involved;
g. ensure that those responsible for decision making are clearly identifiable to local people and that they give reasons for their decisions;
h. provide a means of improving the delivery of services to the community; and
i. ensure that the Council promotes the Council Plan by working in partnership with others to provide the best possible outcomes for the citizens of York.
3.1 Where the Constitution permits the Council to choose between different courses of action, the Council will always choose the option which it thinks is closest to the purpose stated above.
3.2 The Council will monitor and evaluate the operation of the Constitution as set out in Article 26.
3.3 Where the provisions of this Constitution require interpretation, such interpretation will be undertaken by the Director of Governance and in their absence by the Head of Democratic Governance and or a nominated Deputy Monitoring Officer.