The Constitution of Devon Council met on Monday 06 April 2026 to discuss the entirety of the Council's Constitution. The report pack provided to attendees detailed the various parts of the Constitution, covering everything from the fundamental articles of governance to specific procedural rules and codes of conduct.

The Council's Constitution

The meeting was scheduled to review the Council's Constitution, which serves as its Code of Corporate Governance. This document outlines how the Council operates, makes decisions, and ensures transparency and accountability. It is comprised of several parts, including:

• Part 1: Summary and Explanation: This section provides an overview of the Constitution's purpose and structure.
• Part 2: Articles of the Constitution: This part details Articles 1-16 and Schedule 1, which cover the fundamental rules governing the Council's operations, including its relationship with the people of Devon, the roles of its members and officers, and its decision-making processes.
• Part 3: Responsibility for Functions: This section details the terms of reference and schemes of delegation for various Council functions, including specific provisions for appeals and planning and infrastructure projects. It also outlines the operating principles for locality budgets.
• Part 4: Rules of Procedure for Meetings: This part covers the Standing Orders for meetings of the Council, Cabinet, and Committees, including rules on public participation, petitions, and specific protocols for development management and the farms estate.
• Part 5: Code of Business Conduct: This section collectively refers to various Council regulations and provisions, including procurement policy, financial regulations, contract procedure rules, and the whistleblowing policy.
• Part 6: Code of Personal Conduct: This part includes the Members' and Officers' Codes of Conduct, job profiles for elected members, and protocols on member/officer relations, as well as the Pay Policy Statement and Chief Officer Employment Rules.
• Part 7: Members Allowances Scheme: This section details the allowances payable to members of the County Council.
• Part 8: Management Structure: This outlines the senior management structure of the Council.
• Part 9: Joint Arrangements: This section covers joint arrangements made by the Council with other local authorities.
• Part 10: Working Practices: This part details working practices that supplement the formal rules of the Constitution and affect the operation of the committee process.
• Part 11: Framework of Corporate Guidance: This section lists other Council strategies and plans.

The report pack also included detailed sections on the Scheme of Delegation, outlining how Cabinet functions, committee functions, and officer responsibilities are delegated. Specific protocols for the Farms Estate Committee, Land and Property Committee, and the Development Management Committee were also provided, alongside codes of practice for electronic transactions, procurement, and financial regulations. The Members' Code of Conduct, including guidance on conflicts of interest, safeguarding, and acceptable behaviour, was also detailed, alongside the Chief Officer Employment Rules and the Members' Allowances Scheme.