The North Northamptonshire Council met on Wednesday 14 January 2026 to discuss the proposed updates to the Council's Constitution. The report pack provided to attendees outlined the various sections of the Constitution that were scheduled for review, covering how the council operates, public participation, decision-making processes, and the roles of councillors and officers.

North Northamptonshire Constitution

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Council's Constitution, a document that outlines how the council operates, makes decisions, and how residents can participate in its processes. The Constitution is divided into nine parts, each detailing a specific aspect of the council's governance.

The report pack detailed the following sections for discussion:

• Part 1: Introduction, Summary and Explanation This section was intended to provide an overview of the Council's Constitution, explaining what it is and how it functions. It outlines the creation of North Northamptonshire Council on 1 April 2021, following the structural changes order, and the legal requirement for the council to maintain a constitution. The document aims to be written in plain English for accessibility.

• Part 1.1: Decision Making This part of the Constitution was scheduled for discussion, outlining the principles of decision-making within the Council. It details that decisions can be made by elected members or officers, with members generally making strategic decisions and officers making operational decisions within policy frameworks. The principles of decision-making include proportionality, consultation, respect for human rights, best value, transparency, clarity of objectives, consideration of alternatives, and providing reasons for decisions. It also describes the roles of the Council, the Executive, Scrutiny Committees, and how officers make decisions, including the definition and process for Key Decisions which are defined as executive decisions likely to result in significant expenditure or savings, or have a significant effect on communities.

• Part 2: Public Participation and Rights This section was set to detail the rights of citizens and how they can get involved in the Council's work. It outlines how the public can participate in decision-making, including through engaging with councillors, understanding the roles and functions of councillors, and how to access information about the Executive's Forward Plan. It also covers the role of Scrutiny Committees, local meetings, parish and town councils, and the procedures for attending and speaking at meetings. Rights related to petitions, budget and policy development, accounts and audits, public consultation, social media, complaints, requests for information, and the Publication Scheme were also listed for discussion.

• Part 3.1: Role of Council This section was scheduled to define the role of the Full Council, which comprises all 68 elected members. It outlines the Council's functions, including adopting and amending the Constitution, approving the Budget and Policy Framework, setting the Council Tax base, and appointing non-executive committees. It also details the specific functions reserved for the Council by law, such as approving the annual pay policy statement and making requests to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

• Part 3.2: Meeting Procedure Rules These rules govern how meetings of the Council and its committees are conducted. The report pack detailed rules for Council meetings, including ordinary, annual, budget, and extraordinary meetings. It outlined the business to be undertaken at each type of meeting, the roles of the Chair and Vice-Chair, quorum requirements, and the order of business. Specific rules for motions, amendments, rules of debate, voting, and the handling of urgent business were also included. The rules also extended to committee and sub-committee meetings, covering programme, quorum, minutes, rules of debate, voting, and the inclusion of items on agendas.

• Part 3.3: Budget and Policy Framework and Procedure Rules This section details the Council's responsibility for adopting the Budget and Policy Framework, which sets the broad financial envelope and policy guidelines for the Executive. It outlines how the framework is developed, including consultation processes and conflict resolution procedures for plans, strategies, and the revenue budget. It also addresses decisions made outside the Budget or Policy Framework and the procedure for urgent decisions.

• Part 4.1: Governance Structure This part of the Constitution was intended to outline the overall governance structure of the Council, likely including a diagram illustrating the relationships between different committees and bodies.

• Part 4.2: Planning Committee The report pack detailed the establishment of a single Planning Committee, comprising 13 councillors. Its purpose is to consider planning applications not dealt with by officers under delegated powers. The section outlined membership, substitutions, chairmanship, quorum, and terms of reference, including the exercise of the Council's functions relating to town and country planning and development management.

• Part 4.3: Democracy and Standards Committee This section described the Democracy and Standards Committee, which is responsible for decisions relating to decision-making governance, elections, community governance, and boundary reviews. It also has responsibility for overseeing the Council's Code of Conduct and maintaining high standards of conduct for all elected members. The membership breakdown, substitutions, chairmanship, quorum, and terms of reference for both democratic and standards functions were detailed.

• Part 4.4: Audit and Governance Committee The Audit and Governance Committee acts as an advisory committee on audit and governance issues, providing independent assurance on the Council's governance, risk management, and control environment. Its terms of reference covered audit activity, the regulatory framework, accounts, and risk management. The membership included councillors and independent persons, with provisions for substitutions and chairmanship.

• Part 4.5: Health and Wellbeing Board This section outlined the role of the Health and Wellbeing Board, a statutory committee responsible for securing better health and wellbeing outcomes for the local population through an integrated approach to commissioning health and wellbeing services. Its terms of reference included preparing Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies, encouraging service integration, and overseeing the implementation of the Better Care Fund.

• Part 4.6: Employment Committee The Employment Committee deals with employment matters relating to specified senior officers. Its terms of reference included recommending the appointment and dismissal of Chief Executive, Monitoring Officer, and Section 151 Officer, as well as making appointments and dismissals for other senior director roles. It also acts as a hearing body for certain employment-related cases.

• Part 4.7: Licensing and Appeals Committee This committee is responsible for various licensing functions under legislation including the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005. It also handles appeals against decisions made by or on behalf of the Council. The section detailed membership, substitutions, chairmanship, quorum, and terms of reference for licensing and appeals functions, including the appointment of sub-committees.

• Part 5.1: Executive Procedure Rules These rules govern the operation of the Executive, which comprises the Leader and other councillors appointed by the Leader. The Executive is responsible for providing strategic leadership and discharging executive functions. The rules covered terms of reference, membership, portfolios, delegations, meetings, quorum, chairmanship, attendance, taking of decisions, speaking at meetings, business at meetings, consultation, rights to place items on the agenda, voting, executive committees, and resolving disputes.

• Part 5.2: Access to Information Procedure Rules This section detailed the Council's commitment to transparency and how information can be obtained regarding meetings of the Council, its committees, and the Executive. It covered notice of meetings, access to agendas and supporting papers, background documents, definitions of confidential and exempt information, exclusion of the public, the Forward Plan, and the recording of decisions.

• Part 6: Joint Arrangements This part outlined the arrangements for when the Council collaborates with other local authorities or statutory bodies. It detailed the terms of reference and procedure rules for Joint Committees, such as the Shared Services Joint Committee and the Children's Trust Joint Committee, and the responsibilities of statutory bodies like the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel.

• Part 7.1: Scrutiny Procedure Rules These rules describe the purpose and operation of the Council's Scrutiny Committees, which aim to influence policies and decisions through reviewing decisions, performance, and external bodies. The report pack detailed the terms of reference for the Scrutiny Management Board and individual Scrutiny Committees (Corporate, Health, Place and Environment, and Children, Young Persons and Education). It also covered membership, substitutions, chairmanship, quorum, meetings, agendas, reports, panels, minority reports, and the call-in procedure for executive decisions.

• Part 8.1: Roles of Councillors and Office Holders This section was intended to set out the roles and responsibilities of elected members generally and in specific appointed roles, such as the Leader of the Council, Executive Members, Chairs of Scrutiny Committees, and the Chair of the Council.

• Part 8.2: Member Code of Conduct This outlined the expected standards of conduct for councillors, based on the Seven Principles of Public Life. It covered general conduct, bullying, harassment, discrimination, impartiality of officers, confidentiality, use of position, use of council resources, compliance with the code, and the registration and disclosure of interests, gifts, and hospitality.

• Part 8.3: Member Complaints Procedure This detailed the procedure for making and handling complaints alleging breaches of the Member Code of Conduct. It outlined how to make a complaint, the initial assessment process, alternative resolution, the investigation process, and the actions that can be taken by the Sub Committee where a breach is found.

• Part 8.4: Member Officer Protocol This protocol aimed to guide good working relations between members and officers, defining their respective roles and providing principles for conduct. It covered expectations, the relationship between members and officers, roles, decision-making processes for Executive Members and officers, scrutiny members and officers, party groups and officers, ward members and officers, members' access to documents, communication, and resolving disputes.

• Part 8.5a: Planning Protocol This protocol aimed to ensure the integrity of the planning system, promoting open, fair, and impartial decision-making based on sound judgement and justifiable planning reasons. It applied to members of the Planning Committees and officers, and covered background and scope, relationship to the Members' Code of Conduct, general roles and conduct, training, general principles for dealing with planning matters, disclosable pecuniary and personal interests, pre-determination and predisposition, lobbying, political influence, contact with developers, applicants and objectors, and the role of officers.

• Part 8.5b: Planning Committee Site Visit Protocol This document set out the arrangements and procedural rules for conducting site visits prior to the determination of planning applications by the Planning Committee. It covered the purpose of site visits, when they may be agreed, and the procedure to be followed on site, emphasizing that debate should be restricted to the formal meeting.

• Part 8.6: Scheme of Members' Allowances This outlined the scheme for members' allowances, including basic allowances, special responsibility allowances for office holders, childcare and dependant carers' allowances, and travel and subsistence allowances. It also detailed rules on renunciation, pro-rata payments, withholding of allowances, claims and payments, annual increases, and publicity.

• Part 8.7: Outside Bodies Procedure Rules These rules related to the appointment of elected members to external organisations and partnerships. They covered the determination of which outside bodies the Council supports, how appointments are made, and the procedure for vacancies.

• Part 9.1: Management Structure This section likely contained an organisational chart or description of the Council's management structure.

• Part 9.2: Officer Scheme of Delegation This document detailed the decisions that elected members have authorised officers to take on behalf of the Council. It outlined conditions for using delegated authority, matters not delegated, and the process for recording decisions.

• Part 9.3: List of Proper Officers This listed the officers designated as Proper Officers for specific statutory responsibilities under various pieces of legislation, such as the Local Government Act 1972 and the Highways Act 1980.

• Part 9.4: Officer Code of Conduct This code set out the standards of conduct expected of all officers and those working on behalf of the Council. It covered principles of conduct, rules on gifts and hospitality, use of Council facilities and IT, handling confidential information, financial conduct, declaring interests, buying goods, discount schemes, equality issues, other jobs, conduct outside work, political impartiality, relationships with relatives/partners/colleagues, media activities, smoking, clothing and appearance, and the responsibilities of line managers.

• Part 9.5: Officer Employment Procedure Rules These rules defined how the Council appoints officers and takes action related to their employment. They covered definitions of statutory and chief officers, recruitment and appointment procedures, disciplinary action, dismissals, and temporary and interim appointments.

• Part 9.6: Contract Procedure Rules These rules set out the principles, roles, and processes for procurement activities at the Council, including the purchase of goods, services, and works. They covered introduction, basic principles, responsibilities, urgency procedures, exemptions, waivers, prevention of corruption, and procurement thresholds.

• Part 9.7: Financial Procedure Rules These rules provided the framework for managing the Council's financial affairs, ensuring sound financial management, value for money, and minimising legal risk. They covered financial management, responsibilities of officers and councillors, urgency procedures, financial strategies, medium-term financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, monitoring, virements, reserves, closure of accounts, banking, financial accounting systems, procurement arrangements, payments, income, bad debts, taxation, treasury management, internal audit, annual governance statements, risk management, preventing fraud and corruption, insurance, asset management, disposal of assets, external arrangements, work for third parties, significant partnerships, stores and inventories, external funding, organisations partly or wholly owned by the Council, voluntary funds, schools, and business continuity and emergency planning.