The General Purposes Committee of Westminster Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday 1 September 2026 to discuss proposed changes to the council's constitution. The meeting's agenda included a review of the council's constitutional framework, particularly in light of new government regulations affecting planning decisions, and a broader review of the constitution to ensure it remains legally compliant and accessible.

Constitutional Review and Changes

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be dedicated to a review and proposed changes to the council's constitution. This review was prompted by new government regulations, specifically the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, which were to come into effect on 31 October 2026. These regulations were expected to introduce a new National Scheme of Delegation for planning functions and set rules on the size of planning committees.

The proposed constitutional changes aimed to align the council's procedures with these new national requirements. This included proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Strategic Planning Committee and Planning Sub-Committees, as well as updates to the Scheme of Delegations to Officers. The report indicated that these changes were necessary to ensure that planning decisions are made lawfully and to avoid potential legal challenges. The report also highlighted that the new scheme would establish a mandatory national framework for determining which planning applications are decided by officers and which may be referred to a committee. This meant that certain referral mechanisms, such as ward member call-in arrangements and objection-based referral triggers, would be removed.

In addition to the planning-related changes, the meeting was also scheduled to discuss a broader, structured review of the council's constitution. This review was intended to ensure the constitution remains legally compliant, clear, accessible, and aligned with current governance requirements. The review process, which began with initial engagement with senior officers and members, was planned to culminate in significant changes being presented to Full Council on 3 March 2027. The report noted that the council is required by Section 9P of the Local Government Act 2000 to maintain an up-to-date constitution.

The report also detailed proposed changes to reflect the introduction of the post of Chief Operating Officer, updating directorate responsibilities and officer delegations. These were described as administrative and organisational changes necessary to ensure the constitution accurately reflects current officer arrangements.

The General Purposes Committee was asked to consider recommending these proposed constitutional changes to Full Council for approval. They were also asked to note and comment on the proposed scope of the wider constitution review. The report stated that there were no direct financial implications arising from these proposed changes or the review.

The meeting's agenda also included standard items such as noting any changes to membership, receiving declarations of interest, and signing the minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 June 2026.