The Melton Council Constitution Committee met on Thursday 21 May 2026 to discuss the proposed Constitution for 2026/27. The meeting's agenda focused entirely on the adoption of this new Constitution, which outlines the council's operational procedures, decision-making processes, and accountability mechanisms.

Constitution 2026/27

The primary item for discussion was the proposed Constitution for the 2026/27 municipal year. This comprehensive document, detailed across six chapters, sets out the fundamental framework for how Melton Borough Council operates.

• Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter was scheduled to provide an overview of the council's operational structure, including an introduction to decision-making principles, a summary and explanation of the Constitution's purpose, the roles and responsibilities of councillors (Members), and the structure of the Senior Leadership Team. It was intended to clarify how decisions are made, outlining the principles that guide all decision-makers, such as considering all relevant information, evaluating alternatives, undertaking consultation where appropriate, and ensuring proportionality and best value. The chapter was also set to detail the different types of decisions and the bodies responsible for them, including the Council itself, the Cabinet, the Scrutiny Committee, and other committees and sub-committees. It was also planned to cover joint arrangements with other local authorities and the process of contracting out services.

• Chapter 2: Responsibilities for Functions This section was intended to define the allocation of responsibilities for various council functions. It was scheduled to detail the Council Functions and Procedure Rules, Cabinet Functions and Procedure Rules, the overall Decision Making Structure, and the Officer and Cabinet Schemes of Delegation. Additionally, it was to outline the specific functions and procedure rules for the Audit and Standards Committee, Employment Committee, Licensing Committee, Planning Committee, Scrutiny Committee, and the Joint Staff Working Group.

• Chapter 3: Procedure Rules This chapter was set to contain the procedural rules governing all council activities. It was scheduled to cover general meeting procedures, the call-in procedure for scrutinising key decisions, access to information rules, budget and policy framework procedure rules, officer employment procedure rules, financial procedure rules, contract procedure rules, and substitute procedure rules.

• Chapter 4: Codes and Protocols This chapter was planned to include the various codes and protocols that guide the conduct of the council and its members and officers. It was scheduled to cover the Petitions Scheme, Proper Officer Designations, the Member Code of Conduct, a specific Code of Conduct for dealing with Planning Matters, the Officers' Code of Conduct, the Protocol on Officer/Member Relations, and the Executive/Scrutiny Protocol.

• Chapter 5: Members' Allowance Scheme This chapter was intended to detail the Members' Allowance Scheme, outlining the allowances payable to councillors. It was scheduled to cover the basic allowance, special responsibility allowances for specific roles, dependent carers' allowance, and travelling and subsistence allowances, along with the requirements for claiming these and the role of Independent Remuneration Panels.

• Chapter 6: Glossary Finally, this chapter was designed to provide a glossary of terms used within the Constitution to aid understanding of council terminology and decision-making processes.

The meeting's agenda, as outlined in the provided documents, focused solely on the review and potential adoption of this comprehensive Constitution document. The report pack provided attendees with the full text of the proposed Constitution for 2026/27, detailing the rules and procedures that would govern the council's operations.