The Staffordshire County Council Constitution committee met on Wednesday 27 May 2026 to discuss the council's constitution, which outlines how the authority operates, makes decisions, and the procedures it follows. The meeting's agenda was entirely focused on reviewing and potentially updating this foundational document.

The Council's Constitution: Role and Purpose

The meeting was scheduled to begin with an overview of how Staffordshire County Council works, covering the rights of councillors, officers, and citizens. It was intended to detail how decisions are made, including the principles that guide these decisions, the role of the Cabinet, the definition of key decisions, and the function of scrutiny.

A significant portion of the discussion was expected to focus on the role and purpose of the council's constitution itself. This included how the constitution is interpreted, the process for reviewing it, the circumstances under which it might be suspended, and how it is published to ensure transparency.

Members of the County Council

The composition, eligibility, election, and terms of office for county councillors were scheduled for discussion. The report pack detailed the roles, functions, rights, and responsibilities of all councillors, including the Members' Code of Conduct and guidance on member/officer relations. The Members' Allowances Scheme and the Parental Leave Policy for Members were also on the agenda.

Citizens and the County Council

The meeting was set to cover citizens' rights in their dealings with the council, including their rights to participate in democratic arrangements, access reports, and make complaints. The council's petitions scheme was also to be discussed, outlining how public petitions are received and addressed.

The Full Council

The purpose and functions of the Full Council were to be examined, including its role in deciding the council's overall policies and setting the annual budget. The meeting was also scheduled to cover the procedure rules for budget and policy framework decisions.

The Cabinet

The executive arrangements for the council were to be discussed, including the appointment and terms of office for the Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, and Cabinet Members. The role of the Cabinet, its decision-making processes, and procedures for consultation were also on the agenda. Cabinet Member responsibilities, including general delegations, and the terms of reference for various boards and cabinet sub-committees were to be reviewed.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The general role and function of Overview and Scrutiny Committees were scheduled for discussion, including their terms of reference, membership, and meetings. The process for developing their work programmes and budgets, and how they hold Cabinet Members and officers to account, were also to be covered. The rules around policy review, scrutiny reports, and members' rights to documents, including the 'call-in' procedure for decisions, were also on the agenda.

Other Committees

The meeting was also scheduled to review the terms of reference for other committees, including the Planning Committee, Audit and Standards Committee, Pensions Committee, and Charities and Trusts Committee.

Joint Arrangements

The general principles of joint arrangements and the terms of reference for existing arrangements were to be discussed.

Officers

The management structure of the council's officers, statutory officers, and their conduct, employment, exercise of delegated powers, and financial, legal, and contract matters were to be covered. This included the scheme of delegation, the local code of conduct for officers, the whistleblowing policy, and the anti-fraud, bribery, and theft policy.

Financial Regulations and Procurement Regulations

The meeting was also set to review the council's Financial Regulations, covering financial planning, budgeting, reporting, audit, control, spending, income, treasury management, assets, insurance, managing risk, and other funds. Additionally, the Procurement Regulations, detailing procurement processes, the contracts register, the procurement toolkit, and public procurement regulations, were on the agenda.

Appendices

Several appendices were included for discussion, such as the Members' Code of Conduct, Guidance on Member/Officer Relations, Members' Allowances Scheme, Parental Leave Policy, Property Sub-Committee terms of reference, County Farm Tenancies Panel terms of reference, the Shadow Cabinet's role, and the detailed terms of reference for various committees and joint arrangements. The appendices also covered the Scheme of Delegation to Officers, Officers' Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing Policy, Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Theft Policy, and the Council's Procurement Regulations.