The Constitution of Southwark Council was scheduled for discussion at a meeting on Tuesday 28 April 2026. The primary focus of the meeting was the review and potential adoption of the council's constitution, a document that outlines the framework for its decision-making processes, roles of elected officials, and procedural rules.

Southwark Council Constitution

The meeting's agenda centred on the Southwark Council Constitution, a comprehensive document that guides the council's operations. The constitution is divided into several parts, detailing the council's structure, decision-making processes, rules of procedure, codes of conduct, and protocols.

• Part 1: Introduction provides an overview of the council's composition, including the number of wards and councillors, and the political balance. It also outlines the roles of the Council Assembly and the Cabinet, detailing the responsibilities of Cabinet Members and their portfolios. The introduction explains the purpose of the constitution, its commitment to open and accountable decision-making, and the rights of residents. It also highlights the council's commitment to equality, referencing the Equality Act 2010, and its declaration of a Climate Emergency with a commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
• Part 2: Articles sets out the fundamental principles and articles governing the council's operation, including the powers of the council, the purpose and principles of decision-making, and the process for making changes to the constitution. It also defines the roles and functions of councillors, the Council Assembly, the Mayor, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet, and various regulatory committees.
• Part 3: Who Takes Decisions? details the specific responsibilities and reserved matters for different decision-making bodies within the council. This includes the Council Assembly, the Cabinet (including individual Cabinet Members and Cabinet Committees), Planning Committees, Licensing Committees, Neighbourhood Meetings, the Appointments Committee, the Corporate Parenting Committee, the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee, the Health and Wellbeing Board, Urgency Arrangements, Panels, Matters Delegated to Officers, Local Act Functions, and Local Choice Functions.
• Part 4: Rules outlines the procedural rules governing the council's operations. This includes the Access to Information Procedure Rules, the Protocol on Key Decisions, the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, Council Assembly Procedure Rules, Committee Procedure Rules, Cabinet Procedure Rules, Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, Contract Standing Orders, Financial Standing Orders, Officer Employment Procedure Rules, and various Protocols such as the Member and Officer Protocol, Communication Protocol, and Member Allowances Scheme.
• Part 5: Codes contains the Code of Conduct for members, outlining the principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership that councillors are expected to uphold.
• Part 6: Protocols includes further guidance on how members and officers should interact, communication strategies, and the scheme for member allowances.
• Part 7: Additional Information provides supplementary details such as a list of councillors, a glossary of terms, flowcharts, appointments to joint committees and outside bodies, a list of proper officers, and statutory and guidance references.

The report pack provided a detailed breakdown of each section of the constitution, outlining the roles, responsibilities, and procedures for various council bodies and officers. This included information on how decisions are made, the rules governing meetings, and the codes of conduct expected of elected members and officers. The constitution serves as the foundational document for the council's governance and operational framework.